A Single Change
by Kae88
Summary: It's astonishing how much a single, simple change can make one's fate take an entirely different direction. M rating for language and potential lemons later on.
1. Prologue

**Right, well, this is my first attempt at _Ever_ publishing something before, so reviews would be much appreciated, tell me whether I should continue on or not. A final note, this is the prologue, covering the minor changes happening in the first movie. Anything that you recognize, I don't own, I just like playing with them. **

**Well then, shall we get started?**

* * *

I glanced around the classroom again. There were people behind me. I hated having people behind me. One of the students got up to the front of the class, carrying a backpack, he dumped a bunch of old mariner's things onto the desk. Ten minutes until school was finished for the day.

"Watch," Trent murmured beside me. I glanced at him. He had an elastic and a paper wad. Idiot.

"Okay," the student said quickly. "Sorry, I got a lot of stuff... For my family genealogy-"

Trent released the wad. It was all I could do to not whack him.

Idiot. And of course I'd have to continue to pretend to be impressed by him. Ugh.

"Who did... Who did that? People! Responsibility." the history professor stated firmly.

Yeah, right, most of these kids wouldn't know responsibility if it jumped up and bit them in the ass wearing a tutu.

"Okay, um... so for my family genealogy report I decided to do it on my great-great-grandfather, who was a famous man, Captain Archibald Witwicky. Very famous explorer. In fact he was one of the first to explore the Arctic Circle, which is a big deal."

I pursed my lips slightly. Arctic circle _had_ been a big deal.

"In 1897, he took 41 brave sailors straight into the Arctic Shelf." he began calmly. Crew of 41, had to have been a smaller ship. I wondered how many came back from that.

"And here we have some of the basic instruments and tools used by 19th century seamen-"

The class burst out giggling. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes as Trent nudged me with a smirk. Idiot.

"This here is the quadrant, which you can get for 80 bucks, it's all for sale by the way, like the sextant here. Fifty bucks, which is a bargain.

I forced a small smile as I watched him try to sell his grandfather's artifacts. My respect for the kid went down a little bit.

"These are pretty cool. These are my grandfather's glasses. I haven't quite gotten them appraised yet, but they've seen many cool things."

"Are you going to sell me his liver?" the professor interjected. "Mr. Witwicky, this isn't show and sell. It's the 11th grade. I don't think your grandfather would be particularly proud of what you're doing." Point to the professor.

"I know, I'm sorry, I just, you know, this is all going towards my car fund-" get a job "-you can tell your folks. It's on eBay I take PayPal, cold hard cash works too. And the compass makes a great gift for Columbus Day."

"Sam!"

"Sorry." Sam said perfunctorily. "Um, unfortunately, my great-great-grandfather the genius that he was, wound up going blind and crazy in a psycho ward, drawing these strange symbols and babbling on about some giant ice man that he thought he'd discovered."

The bell rang.

"Okay. Might be a pop quiz tomorrow, might not!" the professor called out. "Sleep in fear tonight." the professor grinned. I couldn't hold back a small snort. Sleep. Right.

"Here, you want? Here 50, 40? 30?" Sam was saying as kids rushed past him. I walked out the door and grabbed my things out of my locker.

"Mikaela!" Trent called out with a broad grin. "You comin' to practice?"

"Sorry, Trent," I drawled calmly, hefting my bag. "Got work. Later." I walked past him and out the door. I grabbed my scooter and quickly threw my helmet on, driving home. Five minute shower, hair up, clothes on, scooter. I got to work and smiled at the hostess as I walked in.

"Banes! You're late!" the boss shouted. I glanced at my watch.

"All due respect, sir," I stated calmly. "It is precisely four on the clock, I am ready for work, all that I need to do is put my helmet and purse in the staffroom."

The man glared at me as the hostess rolled her eyes behind his back.

"Fine, work," he grumbled, stomping back into his office.

"If only he managed to stay out of his office for more than five minutes, he'd get off your back," Julie murmured, patting my shoulder consolingly. I smiled at her and glanced at the seatings.

"Usual arrangement?" I asked cheerfully.

"Yes indeed my dear-" the phone rang. Julie picked the phone up. "Julio's Pub and Gr-"

Julie cut herself off and a tired look crossed her face. "Alright then, David, feel better soon," she said in a resigned tone. She looked at me desperately. I looked at the seating.

"Well, at least his tables are next to mine," I shrugged, shooting her a half grin.

"Saint Banes," Julie muttered, patting my shoulder.

"As if, _my_ temperament?" I snorted, grabbing a handful of menus as the dinner rush made it's way through the door.

Ten minutes later Julie and I passed each other.

"Catholic church is renowned for it's miracles," she murmured. I snorted. I glanced around at the tables and noted a man sitting straight backed, looking around. In moments I was at his table.

"Is everything alright here?" I asked with a smile. The man jumped.

"Oh, uh, sorry, steak is a bit rare still," he murmured.

"I am so sorry," I replied automatically, "would you like me to take it back, they can throw it on the grill for another couple of minutes?"

"Please," the man grinned.

"And another round too, if you don't mind," the man beside him grinned. I glanced at the cups and the steak.

"Medium-rare steak, seven Sleemans and a Rickards on it's way," I smiled at the table, lightly picking up the plate and checking the grinning nods.

Definite bonus of having David calling in sick. Lots of tips, I grinned to myself. I slid the plate under the warmers.

"Jerry!" I called out, "911 steak needs a bit more cookin'!"

"Good guys?" he called back.

"Yeah they're good guys," I snorted as the plate receded into the kitchen again. I keyed in the beers and waved at the bartender. He nodded and started pouring as Julie came to stand beside me. "Oh, and you may be surprised to know that the latest Catholic miracle is the spontaneous combustion of one Mikaela Banes, Daemon in disguise," I smirked at her.

A good night at work meant Julie was laughing, the bar guys were cheerfully pouring, the Kitchen staff wasn't breaking too many plates. Although as expected, the bossman poked his head out of the office at quitting time to snarl at me. The _only _thing to make this job suck ass. Thank the gods I was off the next couple of days.

"Don't call," I snorted, "I've got two days away from Mr. Snarls to go pretend to be a normal teenager."

"You got it, hon," Julie smiled consolingly. "Get your homework done."

"Yeahokay," I snorted, bumping her hip with my own. "See you on the flip-side."

-0-0-0-

Day off, yesss.

I could hear Trent's puffed up, pretty excuse of a hummer revving outside. I slipped my shoes on and wandered out the door, into the front.

Beach parties are easy, all you have to do is stand around, looking pretty while the boys play at looking good. Mindless.

"Mikaela," Kylie murmured. I looked at her curiously. Kylie rarely spoke, let alone spoke to me. Sweet, shy girl, "How do I...?" she murmured, looking at another one of the jocks. I read his body-language for a moment and smiled at her. Danny was turning out well, just as shy. Continually glancing at Kylie when she wasn't looking.

"Like this," I murmured, winking at her before walking up behind Trent. "Hey," I smiled, winding my arms around his waist. Trent grinned down at me. Certain that his male ego was at fighting strength with me beside him. He wasn't being too much of an idiot today, he deserved it. I glanced over my shoulder and nodded to Kylie.

She looked at me uncertainly.

'Go!' I mouthed to her. She looked at me for another second then walked over to Danny. The dear girl.

"Hey," she smiled at Danny. His face lit up like a christmas tree when she wound her arms around his waist.

"Hey Kylie," he murmured shyly. "So... uh..." he trailed off shyly. They began faltering. I slipped away from Trent and strutted toward them with a grin.

"You know Danny," I smiled at him. "If a girl as pretty as Kylie does that, it's usually a good idea to ask her out on a date so she doesn't get away."

"_Will_ you?" Danny blurted, wide eyed, looking down at Kylie. I kept on walking, did the circuit and wound up beside Trent again. I looked back at them again to see Danny beaming at a blushing Kylie. Score. They looked like perfect high-school sweethearts. I glanced over as an old yellow Camaro parked close by, Sam and another boy... Miles, yes I knew their names... mostly... got out, checking each other out on the sly. Sam was watching me with a hawk's eye. At least Trent didn't notice, he thought the other boy was checking out the car.

"Hey, bro. That car. It's nice. Hey." Trent grinned for a moment before his expression went back to it's idiot bully mode. "So, what are you guys doing here?"

"We're here to climb this tree." Sam stated seriously, his eyes flicking back and forth between Trent and his friend. Good cover.

"I... I see that, it looks... it looks fun." Trent stated, thrown for a loop. I couldn't stop the small smile at watching him desperately searching his tiny brain for another topic.

"Yeah," Sam nodded, watching Miles again.

"You know, I thought I recognized you. You tried out for the football team last year, right?" Trent smirked at him.

"Oh, no, no, no, that... No. That wasn't like a real tryout. I was researching a book I was writing." Sam nodded. Had to give him that one, half decent excuse, if overused.

"Oh yeah?" Trent smirked.

"Yeah."

"Yeah? What's it about? Sucking at sports?" Trent grinned at him.

"No, it's about the link between brain damage and football." Sam stated with a nod. "No, it's a good book. Your friends'll love it, you know, it's got mazes in it, and you know, little colouring areas, sections, pop up pictures, it's a lot of fun." he shrugged.

Wow, cruising. I held back the small smile and strode forward as Trent started up in his aggressive posturings.

"That's funny," Trent stated flatly.

"Okay, okay. You know what? Stop." I told him firmly, pushing him back somewhat. It always seemed to surprise him that I could do that.

"Hey, guys, I know of a party, let's go, let's head." Trent called out irritably. I walked to stand beside the driver's side.

"Hey, how about you let me drive?" I smiled at Trent, you know, so we could actually _get_ there.

"Oh, no. No, no, no. This is not a toy." Trent stated seriously. Right, plastic car, can't go over speed bumps. Idiot. "These 22's, I don't want you grinding them. No." How the hell do you grind a tire? Idiot. "Why doesn't my little bunny just hop in the back seat?" he asked curiously. Oh, that was the last straw.

"Hoh, oh... God I can't even tell you how much I'm not your little bunny." I smiled at him sweetly, I gave him a light shove out of my way and started walking.

"Okay," Trent shrugged. "You'll call me."

As if. A car screeched behind me.

"Mikaela! It's Sam. Witwickey? I hope I didn't get you stranded or anything." Sam called out. Great, another knight in faded armour. I stayed silent. "You sure?" I kept walking. "So listen, I was wondering if I could ride you home – I mean, uh, give you a ride home, in my car, to your house." I stopped walking and resisted rolling my eyes. Freud.

Ah well. Get a ride at any rate, better than walking ten miles. He leaned over and opened the door for me. Which was kind of nice, actually.

"There you go," he murmured before clearing his throat. He punched the gas slightly and the engine roared off. Sounded like a nice engine, actually.

"So... uh..." he started, still paying attention to the road... mostly.

"I can't believe that I'm here right now," I stated quietly. Sam looked around.

"You can duck down if you want, I mean, it won't hurt my feelings." He said calmly. I couldn't help the tiny smile, poor little downtrodden sweetheart.

"Oh, no, no, no. I didn't mean here with you." I smiled at him. "I just meant here, like, in this situation, this, same situation that I'm always in. 'Cause, I don't know, I guess I just have a weakness for hot guys, for, tight abs and really big arms." I smirked slightly, looking out the window at the scenery. Habitually mapping it.

"Big arms..." Sam murmured. "Well, there's a couple new additions in the car. Like, I just put in that light there. And the disco ball, so the light reflects off the disco ball." he grunted, making muscles. Trying so hard.

"Huh," I nodded, eyeing him. I switched to a different tactic.

"Are you new to school this year? It's your first year here?" I asked with a tolerant smile.

"Oh, no, no." Sam stated quietly. "We've been in the same school since first grade."

"Really?" I asked, curiously now. He paid attention...

"Yeah, yeah a long time," Sam shrugged.

"Well, do we have any classes together?" I asked with a smile.

"Uh, yeah, yeah, History, Language Arts, Math, science." Sam reeled off.

"Sam," I called out.

"Sam, yeah," Sam nodded.

"Sam, Wilkicky," I looked at him.

"Wit-wicky," Sam smiled at me tolerantly.

"God, you know what? I'm so sorry," I smiled at him. "I just..."

"No, it's cool."

"I just didn't recognize you," I smiled at him.

"Yeah, well, I mean that's understandable." Sam grinned.

And then the car began sputtering.

"No, no, no, no. Come on," Sam began begging quietly. The radio switched itself on. "Sorry, I'm just working out the kinks, you know, it's a new car." he began explaining as he drove toward the bluffs. The car parked, looking out over the hills and Sam began babbling explanations. It was pretty obvious where his train of thought was leading as I tied my hair back.

"Just pop the hood," I told him somewhat irritably, climbing out of the car.

The engine underneath was frankly gorgeous.

"Whoa, nice headers," I commented to him calmly. "You've got a cross-ram manifold with individual throttle bodies, that's, pretty impressive Sam."

"Throttle bodies?" he asked curiously.

"It squirts the fuel in so you can go faster," I drawled to him.

"Oh," he stated quietly, staring at my stomach. "I like to go faster."

"It looks like your distributor cap's a little loose," I added calmly, reaching in and testing a few of the connections.

"Yeah? How'd you know that?" he asked curiously.

"Oh my dad, he was a real grease monkey, he taught me all about this," I said quietly. "I could take it all apart, clean it and put it back together again."

"That's weird, I just wouldn't peg you for mechanical." Sam stated calmly, he thought he was hidden, but I distinctly heard him say "oh my god."

"Well you know I don't really broadcast it," I shrugged, "guys don't like it when you know more about cars than they do. Especially not Trent, he hates it."

"Yeah no, I'm cool with, you know, females working on my engine I prefer it actually."

And there went his other foot into his mouth. I nodded to him.

"Okay, you want to fire it up for me?" I asked him calmly.

"Oh, yeah, yeah, no problem," Sam nodded, he fairly ran to the driver's side.

"Thanks."

"You know I was thinking, if Trent's such a jerk, why do you hang out with him?" Sam asked rather innocently. I leaned my forehead against my arm, going over the reasons in my head again with a sigh. Don't get involved, don't get attached.

I listened to the engine as it failed to start, I couldn't really hear anything wrong, blockage in the fuel line probably.

"You know what? I'm just... I'm gonna walk," I stated calmly. "Uh, good luck with your car," I added, grabbing my bag.

"Alright, walking's healthy, right?" Sam called after me. I could hear him begging his car to start. And then it did just that, in moments he was screeching after me. I couldn't help but smile at him, getting into the car. Final test, I got him talking about his own favourite topics, casting myself as a shallow person, but a good listener. Eventually we pulled up in front of the run down trailer of my home.

"I had fun," I smiled at him. "So you know, thanks for listening."

"Oh, yeah, yeah," Sam shrugged.

"You... you think I'm shallow? Huh?" I stated quietly.

"I think you're sh... no, no no, I think um. There's a lot more than meets the eye with you." Sam stated rather haltingly, working his way through the sentence carefully.

"Okay," I smiled. Alright, he was worth a try I suppose. "Alright, I'll see you at school." I smiled at him and got out of the car.

I glanced back to see him almost whacking his head against the steering wheel. "that was stupid, stupid line," he was muttering. No, it was a dear line. I turned around and smiled at him, waving from the door. The grin on his face was worth it.

I turned and looked at my empty home and kitchen with a small sigh.

Another day.

-0-0-0-

I sat with my 'friends,' laughing with them as they giggled about the empty-headed 'men' in our school. I glanced up and looked over in shock as Sam of all people hit the rough concrete on a pink bike, flipping over the handlebars and landing hard.

"Sam?" I asked in shock.

He groaned, squirming and trying to catch his breath.

"Hi," he gritted out.

"That was..." I started, looking at the sidewalk again, struggling for a word that wouldn't deflate his ego more. "That was really... awesome."

"Well, it felt awesome," he groaned.

"Are you okay?" I asked in concern.

"I'm not okay, alright? I'm losing my mind a little bit. I'm getting chased by my car right now. I gotta go." He babbled out, getting the bike on it's wheels again and taking off.

"You know what?" I said calmly, "I'm gonna catch up with you guys later." I jogged to my scooter and began tracking Sam. A cop pulled out in front of me.

It must have been a trick of the light, in place of "to serve and protect," it looked like it said "to punish and enslave."

I drove somewhat more slowly, scanning the area. Sam's camaro drove nearby. I saw Sam running toward me, yelling something, I turned in toward him, directly into his arm.

Clotheslined, my scooter left without me. That was going to be some damage.

I rolled to my knees.

"What is your problem, Sam?" I demanded.

"Okay, there's a monster right there it just attacked me!" he shouted, pointing toward the junkyard, I looked where he was pointing and felt myself freeze. Oh that was bad.

Something... robotic... was running toward us.

"Here he comes! All right, get up. Get up and run! You have to run! Okay?" Sam was babbling, dragging at my arms. I heard screeching tires and dragged Sam to the ground, somewhat more away from the Camaro as it spun a donut far too close for comfort. The robot thing fell down and the Camaro screeched to a halt beside us. The door opened.

Nobody was in the driver's seat.

"Sam what is that thing?" I demanded.

"You have to get in the car." Sam stated seriously. "Get in."

"I don't..." I started worriedly.

"Get in the car. Trust me. Trust me!" Sam was shouting.

"Sam!" I shouted as he dragged me to the car. I looked up, the robot was rolling to it's feet, I gave Sam a shove and scrambled in after him. The door closed behind me and the car shot forward. I bit my lip against the desire to shout that we were going to die as the cop car chased after us, I could see him trying to catch the corner, spin us out.

"Go go go go go!" Sam was bellowing.

We crashed through a window, through a warehouse, in close quarters the Camaro seemed to hold it's own, out of the warehouse, more driving. Eventually the Camaro backed itself into a bay, shutting down. The locks clicked down and refused to open.

"We're locked in," Sam stated the obvious. "The car won't start. At least we ditched the monster, right?"

We sat silently, I held my breath, watching as that same cop car drove past us.

The key turned.

"Okay, time to start," Sam muttered softly.

The most beautiful of sounds, the engine roared to life, squealing tires, we drove past the back of the cop car and continued on. A fresh shock, my door opened as the Camaro spun a donut, dumping us on the road.

Sam was on top of me, I struggled to disentangle myself from him as the car drove forward slightly.

And then it shattered.

I watched, shocked as he stood up, backing up slightly in a poor fighting stance. We were in the way of his feet. I dragged at Sam, trying to get him to run as the cop car transformed... that was the only word I could think of, and charged the yellow bot.

And then we were running, a far smaller bot chasing after us.

The worst of sounds.

"He's got me! Oh god!" Sam shouted.

Junkyard. I acceded to my training and ran for the tool shed.

Weapon, needed a weapon.

Sawsall, yes, I checked the blade for a tenth of a second and pulled the trigger. We had power. I ducked out of the tool shed and tracked the sounds, going after Sam. It was a horrifying sight, there was a metal skeleton pinning him against the fence. I did the only thing I could think of, cutting off arms, head, limbs. The head just kept going. I stood with the saw on my shoulder.

"Not so tough without a head are you?" Sam demanded, kicking the head. A good distance, too.

In the silence, we began walking. There were the sounds of hydraulic systems working, heavy footsteps.

"What is it?" I asked softly, looking up at the robot.

"It's a Robot," Sam replied quietly. Thank you captain obvious. "But like a... like a different... you know, like a super-advanced robot. It's probably Japanese."

Absolutely not, the Japanese would be bragging about it, they were still bragging about their latest nanny-bot. The one that still didn't walk.

"Yeah, it's definitely Japanese." Sam confirmed to himself. I rolled my eyes.

"What are you doing?" I asked worriedly as Sam began walking toward the bot.

"I don't think it wants to hurt us. It would have done that already." Sam stated quietly, climbing toward the car. I took a deep breath and centred myself. That made more sense than it didn't. I sighed inwardly, I still had to play the game.

"Really?" I asked sarcastically. "Well, do you speak robot? Because they just had, like, a giant droid death match."

"I think it wants something from me," Sam murmured.

"What?" I asked quietly.

"Well, 'cause the other one was talking about my eBay page."

And weird just _officially _went to completely, ridiculously bizarre.

"You are the strangest boy, I have ever met." I stated flatly.

"Can you talk?" Sam called out.

"XM Satellite Radio... Digital Cable brings you... Colombia Broadcasting System." the bot played the soundbytes, looking down at Sam and gesturing somewhat.

"So you... you talk through the radio?" Sam asked curiously.

"Thank you, you're beautiful. You're wonderful, you're wonderful." the bot clapped and pointed at Sam. He looked like he was smiling.

"So, what was that last night? What was that?" Sam asked curiously.

"Message from Starfleet, Captain... Throughout the inanimate vastness of space... Angels will rain down like visitors from heaven! Hallelujah!"

"Visitors from heaven? What... what are you like an alien or something?" I asked as calmly as I could, looking at the bot. He pointed to me and turned. Transforming.

"Any more questions you wanna ask?" the radio played.

About a million, I thought.

"He wants us to get in the car." Sam murmured.

"And go where?" I asked breathlessly, smiling in spite of myself.

"Fifty years from now, when you're looking back at your life, don't you want to be able to say you had the guts to get in the car?" Sam asked me.

I looked at him for a moment and nodded, I climbed up the slope and slipped into the car. I glanced around at the interior and nodded. It... he... I'd stick with he for now... took off and drove for a second before my purse came into view. He stopped and opened his door, thoughtfully letting me out to collect my things. I grabbed Sam's pants while we were at it. It was dark out by now, I slid back into the car and looked at the steering wheel as the car... bot... began driving himself. I shifted over toward Sam in the passenger seat and sat in the middle, on the console.

Uncomfortable much.

We sat in silence.

"This car's a pretty good driver," I finally said quietly.

"I know," Sam murmured. "Why don't you go sit in that seat there?" he asked quietly.

"I'm not going to sit in that seat. He's driving," I replied quickly.

"Yeah, you're right," Sam murmured. We sat in silence for a moment. "Well, maybe you should sit in my lap."

"Why?" I demanded quietly.

"Well, I have the only seat belt here. You know, safety first." Sam stated quickly.

I heaved a sigh, looking around somewhat.

"Yeah, alright," I murmured.

"Right?" Sam nodded.

"Yeah."

"Okay."

I squirmed around for a moment, settling myself onto Sam, careful to not squish any delicate bits. He wound an arm around me, getting the seatbelt in place.

"There, see that's better," Sam stated quietly. Well, marginally, anyway, he was still a bit bony, better than the console though. He promptly sat frozen under me.

"You know, that seatbelt thing was a pretty smooth move," I complemented him with a low tone of amusement.

I felt him laugh more than I heard it.

"Thank you," he murmured.

"You know what I don't understand?" I murmured. "Why if he's supposed to be, like, this super advanced robot does he transform back into this piece-of-crap Camaro?"

In a moment, the car squealed to a halt. Sam was yelling.

"Oh, see? No, Get... no, that doesn't work. See?" Sam began babbling irritably as we piled out. One of the other drivers was yelling at us.

"Great, now... See?" Sam began growling. "Fantastic. Now you pissed him off. That car is sensitive. I mean four thousand dollars just drove off."

I rolled my eyes that money came up on the list so quickly.

We stood for a minute before the same engine roared toward us again.

In an entirely different frame.

New Camaro. Same colours, same sound. Gorgeous.

"What?" Sam asked in shock, he opened his door for me and I slid into the passenger's seat. I couldn't stop grinning. Now _this_ was class.

"'Cause I... couldn't look... too expensive," the bot played the soundbytes cheerfully.

"You know I didn't mean to offend, right?" I asked worriedly as we drove off again.

"Nah, rust was annoying anyway," the bot played gleefully. I couldn't help but laugh as we drove. Several minutes and he carefully crashed through a set of gates. I stayed silent as we climbed a hill, he parked and I got out, looking around cautiously.

"Look at the sky," the car played softly. I looked up and watched, feeling the shockwaves as four meteorites entered the atmosphere. I couldn't help but glance at my watch. Seven thirty-eight, Sam flinched as the sound reached us, hiding behind me slightly. I watched in awe as the meteors flashed above us, surges of blue fire crossing them. One landed close by and we began running toward it, Sam pulling me behind himself.

A lone tree was on fire, obviously from the heat of re-entry. Absolutely incredible, silvery with markings across it. It began to shatter, transforming, lights shone from it, a bipedal form standing. It looked at us for a long moment before turning and running.

Exquisite, it moved with such surety, so smoothly, graceful in spite of the fact that it had to top at least thirty, thirty five feet tall.

The Camaro came up behind us again, opening his doors, I slid into the passenger's seat quickly, snapping the buckle into place. He began driving again, Sam sitting in shocked silence. Probably following a signal, he seemed to know where he was going, anyway. We drove into an alleyway and parked, there were broken cars, tall buildings, good cover. I got out and scanned the area, three vehicles coming up behind us, converging. Search and rescue, large four-by pickup and a solstice. But in front. In front of us a semi drove forward. Blue red and silver, beautiful chrome work. It looked... it looked so tough, a warrior, aggressive.

The sound of his -it had to be a he- engines had me struggling to not moan.

Pure power. Gorgeous.

I walked forward a few steps toward him, and backed a step as he came to a halt quite close. Airbrakes hissed.

And then he shattered, stretching and folding on himself. He stood, final elements of his frame settling into place as the bots around him transformed as well.

I watched them enviously, I couldn't help it, they were absolutely gorgeous, standing with their own personalities. Their own stances. Soldiers, trained, the Camaro stood to attention for a moment beside a tall, bulky mech loaded to the... teeth would have to serve for now. It was all I could do to kick myself into remembering to not assume human characteristics in them. But I could have sworn that the Peterbilt had let loose an incredibly masculine hum. The sound of a man stretching and enjoying the feeling of it.

I turned again and the Semi, the largest one knelt down, bringing his face to our level.

Point to him for that. This close, I looked into his eyes and prayed that I could understand the emotion in them.

There was kindness there.

(BPOV)

Bumblebee drove into an alleyway and parked, there were broken cars, tall buildings, good cover. Mikaela got out and scanned the area, well, looked around at any rate, but somehow Bee knew that she was scanning the area as his unit converged on them.

In front of him, Prime drove up, and Mikaela strode toward him, backing up slightly as his Prime transformed into his bipedal form.

For a moment, they stood, staring at each other, and Bee had to bite down _hard _on his automatic response.

The thread.

There was a connection between the tiny earth femme and his Prime.

What the scrap was he supposed to do _now!?_

He filed that thought away for later, and focused instead on the human male he had taken under his guardianship.

(MPOV)

"Are you Samuel James Witwicky, descendant of Archibald Witwicky," he asked quickly. His speech was formal, but most certainly english. Masculine voice. Gorgeous.

Sam leaned in a bit more closely, looking into the enormous bot's face. Evidently a bit too close to focus properly on, the bot backed away slightly.

"They know your name," I whispered, looking up at him.

"Yeah..." Sam stated uncertainly.

"My name is Optimus Prime," He rumbled, he turned and looked at me for a moment before focusing on Sam again. "We are autonomous robotic organisms from the planet Cybertron."

"But you can call us Autobots for short." the search and rescue hummer added. I liked his voice, a lighter bass, no nonsense with a hint of grump and humour. Nice to listen to, but Optimus' voice... it simply ran through my bones, thrilling my nerves. I could feel that voice. Incredible.

"Autobots," Sam repeated quietly.

"What's cracking little bitches?" the solstice asked cheerfully. Oh he'd be fun.

"My first lieutenant. Designation Jazz," Optimus rumbled.

"This looks like a cool place to kick it," Jazz added, spinning about and jumping to recline on a broken down car.

"What is that? How did he learn to talk like that?" Sam asked curiously.

"We've learned earth's languages through the world wide web," Optimus rumbled.

And that explained a lot.

"My Weapons Specialist, Ironhide."

I heard fingers and spun around, gunslinger stance. I clamped down on my initial reaction and bit down a snort of amusement as Sam flinched beside me. I looked up at the mech and didn't allow so much as a speck of fear to show in my stance. Sure enough, a moment later.

"You feelin' lucky punk?" he growled.

"Easy Ironhide," Optimus rumbled.

"Just kidding, I just wanted to show him my cannons," the mech shrugged. I battled against the smile that threatened to cross my face.

"Our Medical Officer, Ratchet." Optimus continued. I turned and looked at the bot as he sniffed and hummed.

"Hmm, the boy's pheromone levels suggest he wants to mate with the female," Ratchet drawled. Obvious. Awkward. But that was an interesting insight into their society.

Either we were still animals to them, sex meant nothing, or sex was open-mindedly spoken about. I glanced at Sam and felt myself cringe slightly as he made the effort to look innocent. Oi.

"You already know your guardian, Bumblebee," Optimus rumbled. I looked over to see the little bot bouncing about and grinning.

"Bumblebee, right?" Sam asked cheerfully.

"Check on the rep, Yep, second to none." Bumblebee played the soundbyte cheerfully.

"So you're my guardian, huh?" Sam asked, grinning at the bot.

Bumblebee chirped and nodded to him.

"His vocal processors were damaged in battle. I'm still working on them." Ratchet grumbled quietly, aiming a laser at the bot. He coughed slightly and looked somewhat reprovingly at the medic.

"Why are you here?" I asked quietly, looking up at Optimus.

"We are here looking for the All-spark, and we must find it before Megatron." he rumbled gravely, looking down at me.

"Mega-what?" Sam asked somewhat densely.

Obviously another bot.

Optimus reached up gracefully and touched his temple. Beams of light shot from his optics and at the ground at our feet. I backed away slightly from the edge as the ground broke away. I looked up and was surrounded by an entirely different world.

Incredible.

Optimus' voice seemed to surround us now.

"Our planet was once a powerful empire, peaceful and just. Until we were betrayed by Megatron, leader of the Decepticons. All who defied them were destroyed. Our war finally consumed the planet, and the All-spark was lost to the stars. Megatron followed it to Earth, where Captain Witwicky found him."

"Whoa," Sam snorted softly. "My grandfather."

"It was an accident that intertwined our fates," Optimus rumbled softly. "Megatron crash landed before he could retrieve the cube. He accidentally activated his navigation system. The coordinates to the Cube's location on Earth were imprinted on his glasses."

"How'd you know about his glasses?" Sam asked curiously.

"eBay," Optimus rumbled. Succinct. Unbelievable. Well shit.

"eBay," Sam murmured with a grin.

"If the Decepticons find the All-spark, they will use it's power to transform Earth's machines and build a new army." Ratchet added intently.

Oh shit.

"And the human race will be extinguished," Optimus rumbled seriously. "Sam Witwicky, you hold the key to Earth's survival."

Oh shit.

"Please tell me that you have those glasses," I stated worriedly.

"At home, in my room," Sam stated worriedly.

"Let's go," I stated firmly, walking toward Bumblebee. The bots transformed quickly, and I slid into the passenger's seat.

It was a quick drive, Optimus in the lead.

They definitely had some sort of silent communication if he knew the way to Sam's house without Bee leading the way. I stared at that truck the entire time.

Gorgeous.

We pulled into the back alleyway and Sam got out of the car quickly.

"I need you to stay here, alright?" he asked worriedly. "You gotta stay here and you gotta watch them." he babbled.

"Okay, okay," I murmured.

"All of them." Sam continued on. "Do you hear what I'm saying?"

"Yeah, okay, okay, go," I coaxed him on.

"Five minutes, alright?"

I nodded to him and he began running.

I could hear his and an adult male's voice talking quickly about two hundred feet away. Optimus began transforming.

"No!" I whispered worriedly. "No we gotta stay here! Five auto-bots start walking around in the middle of suburbia is enough to cause a riot! If you wanna get out of here unmolested you gotta stay quiet!" I whispered desperately.

"They will not see us," Optimus rumbled quietly. He stood up and stepped over the fence.

Oh god.

Bumblebee was transformed and sneaking around the side of the house.

Oh god.

Sam's father finally abandoned his door and Sam began running around.

"What are you doing, what are you doing?" Sam began babbling. "No, watch the path! Watch the path! Watch the... Please, please please." I made it around the fence just in time to watch Optimus, turning around trying to keep Sam in his visuals, step on a fountain.

Oh god.

Sam was yelling.

"Whoops... Sorry. My bad." Optimus rumbled.

That, said in that voice... I almost died trying to hold in the laughter.

"Oh, I... You couldn't... You couldn't wait for five... you couldn't wait for five minutes? I told you to just stay! Just stay! God!" Sam was babbling.

Sam ran toward me.

"I told you to watch them. I told you." He told me almost angrily.

"Okay you know what," I stated worriedly. "they seem to be in a little bit of a rush-"

"Oh this is bad. No!" Sam started up again, turning away from me. "Mojo! Mojo! Off the robot! God!"

"Ugh! Oh, wet," Ironhide rumbled irritably.

"No, no, no, no, no, easy, easy," Sam was yelling. "Hold on, Hold! This is Mojo. This is Mojo. He's a pet of mine. He's a pet. Okay? That's all. If you could just put the guns away... Put the... put them away. Please." Sam began babbling quietly, shrinking away from Ironhide's cannons.

Priceless. I walked forward and got in beside Sam.

"You have a rodent infestation-" Ironhide began.

"A what?"

"Shall I terminate?" the bot finished with a growl.

"No, no, no, no. He's not a rodent, he's a Chihuahua. This is my... This is my Chihuahua. We love Chihuahuas! Don't we?" he looked at me.

Oh speak for yourself, it's an _inbred_ rodent, I thought as I nodded.

"He's leaked lubricants all over my foot." Ironhide rumbled irritably.

Yep that was an excellent reason to shoot a Chihuahua.

"He peed on you? Bad Mojo. Bad Mojo!" Sam started, shaking the Chihuahua. I had to walk away. I couldn't do it.

"Bad Mojo!" Ironhide growled.

Oh I couldn't do it.

"I'm sorry, he's got a male dominance thing," Sam continued, looking up at Ironhide. "That's all it is."

"Ugh, My foot's gonna rust," Ironhide grumbled.

"All right," Sam continued, weaving between robot legs toward the house and carrying his chihuahua. "Shh! Shh! Shh! Shut up and go hide!" Sam demanded in a terrified tone.

"Just hurry," Optimus rumbled, he sounded somewhat irritable.

"Ironhide?" I called out quietly. The bot looked down at me. "You want me to clean that off?" I asked calmly, pointing at his foot.

The bot seemed startled and nodded. I ran to the garage and quickly got in, grabbing a rag, some oil and a bucket. It was a moment to grab some water, wipe the pee off and dry his foot with a bit of the oil.

He seemed a bit more appeased when I'd finished. That was something at least.

"Auto-bots, recon," Optimus rumbled.

"Oh bad idea," I muttered.

The bot stared at me as his troops circled the house.

"You're graceful in an open area," I snorted and glanced around. "Close quarters? Not so much I'm thinking."

Optimus rolled his optics at me and offered his hand.

"Will you do it then?" he murmured softly. I sat in his palm and snorted as he gently lifted me to the window.

"What, what is this?" Sam whispered worriedly.

"Time is short," Optimus rumbled quietly.

"They really want those glasses," I stated calmly.

"Come on. What are you doing?" Sam asked.

"I'm gonna help you," I told him breathlessly.

"Okay," he nodded, guiding me into his room.

"Please hurry," Optimus rumbled, looking in the window.

"Okay," Sam muttered, stuff was flying everywhere. "Yeah no, no, it's definitely gone." he stated.

"What do you mean?" I demanded.

"My glasses were in the bag, they were in the backpack and now the backpack isn't here," Sam stated, gesturing wildly.

"Well they're going to be pissed," I stated matter-of-factly. "So... so what do you want to do?" I asked calmly.

"So what I think you should do is you should... you should check this whole... this whole section here. Just give it a clean sweep, and I'll get the corner here." he said in a panic. I knelt down and pulled out a box. "Yeah, no, no, no. Not there. That's my... That's my private... Sorry, that's nothing."

"You just..." I started. "You just told me to look..."

"I know, I just didn't mean to look inside of my treasure chest," he stated, burying the box under his mattress.

"You should be way more specific so I don't get in trouble in your room." I told him calmly, scanning the area.

This room, was ridiculously large. He had more stuff in one room than I had in my entire _trailer_.

"Okay, what now?" Sam asked, looking out the window as I glanced out and covered my mouth to hold back the snort of laughter.

Five exquisitely beautiful vehicles parked in a destroyed backyard.

"No. No, no. No, no, no. This isn't hiding. This isn't hiding. This is my backyard, not a truck stop." Sam was babbling again. "Oh god, Oh!"

He looked about ready to faint.

Pansy.

I sat back and watched as he continued to tear his room apart and glanced at the window.

"Sam, Sam, Sam Sam Sam!" I whispered. "He's back here!"

"I can't deal with this," Sam began muttering. "I can't... deal with this. What? Oh no, no, no, no. This is my mother's flower..."

"Oops," Optimus' voice rumbled. I covered my mouth to try to stop the snort of laughter.

"Okay, listen. You gotta listen to me." Sam stated worriedly. "If my parent's come out here and see you, they're gonna freak out. My mother's got a temper, okay?"

Optimus vented an irritated sigh. "We must have the glasses." he rumbled.

"I know you need the glasses. I've been looking everywhere," Sam began babbling. "They're not here, they're definitely not here." I looked over to see the bot reach up to touch his brow and shake his head.

"Ugh, keep searching," he ordered softly.

"Look, I need you to be quiet for five minutes, ten minutes. Okay? Please, I'm begging you. You got to... you're making a racket. I can't, I can't concentrate. You want me to look and I'm hearing-" Sam began babbling, terrified.

"Calm down, calm down," Optimus ordered softly, looking around.

"You gotta do something here. You gotta do something here." Sam just kept babbling.

"Autobots, fall back," Optimus rumbled, looking behind himself.

"Thank you. Please, for five minutes. Good? Good? Okay."

"Move!" Jazz called out.

"Get away," Ironhide rumbled.

"What's the matter with you, can't you be quiet? He wants us to be quiet." Optimus rumbled, I watched out the window as they began walking toward the road. I turned into the room and spun back around again at an enormous crash. A singular scream of Ratchet's siren. Flashing lights. The ground shook. From downstairs voices began shouting.

"Earthquake! Move, move, move, move, move! Earthquake!"

So that's where he got it from.

"Judy! Judy get under the table! Move it! Duck and cover right now!"

Silence for a second.

"How did you get over there so fast?" a woman's voice asked curiously.

I held my breath to keep away the laugh.

And then the power went out.

Footsteps. Lights were shining into the windows, courtesy of the bots.

"Sam?"

"Sammy?"

Footsteps.

"What the hell is that?"

"I don't know," the woman's voice stated curiously.

"Sam?" his father called out again.

"That's weird," his mother added in an almost amused, suspicious tone.

"Sam?"

A hand started knocking on the door.

Aw crap, I scanned the room for a good place to hide.

"Ratchet, point the light," Optimus rumbled.

"Come on, hurry," Ironhide added.

"Listen, we got a major issue here," Sam started. "What's with the light, you gotta stop the light. What's going on? Turn it off. You gotta tell him to shut it off. Shut it off."

"Sam, are you in there?" his father called out, knocking again. "How come the door's locked? You know the rules, no doors locked in my house!"

"You know he'll start counting if you don't open the door." his mother called out.

"One more chance. Five..." his father called out.

"Oh dear."

"Four. It's coming off the hinges, pal." his father called out.

"He's counting!" his mother called out. "Sam just open the door."

"Three." I ducked down behind a chair and hid, hoping the vantage would be blocked. I froze, absolutely still. Part of the room. Hidden.

"Oh my," his mother was muttering.

"Two."

"He's counting."

"Stand back!" his father called out just as Sam made it to the door. He wrenched it open and wedged himself in. _Obviously_ not _hiding_ anything. Ugh.

"What's up? What's with the bat?" he asked quietly.

"Who were you talking to?" his father asked in a hushed, normal voice.

"I'm talking to you," Sam stated immediately.

"Why are you so sweaty and filthy?" his mother asked in a shocked tone.

"I'm a child. You know, I'm a teenager." Sam answered immediately.

"We heard voices and noises and we thought maybe you were..." his mother began.

"It doesn't matter what we thought. What was that light?" his father asked, walking through the door to the window.

Oh crap.

"No, what light? What? There's no light, Dad! There's no light!" Sam began babbling. "You got two lights in your hand! That's what it is. No maybe it bounced..."

"There was a light under the door." his father began saying.

"Look, you can't... You can't just bounce into my room like that." Sam started again, "You gotta knock. You got to communicate-"

"-We did, we knocked for five minutes-" his father started.

"-I'm a teenager." Sam continued.

"We knocked!" his mother protested immediately.

"You didn't knock you were screaming at me, okay?" Sam played the card.

"No." his mother began.

"This is repression, what you're doing here," Sam continued on his roll. "You... you're ruining my youth, okay?"

"Oh for Petes sake," his mother began with a sigh. "You are so defensive, were you... masturbating?" she asked earnestly.

I looked around and struggled to not laugh as the room fell dead silent.

"Judy," his father started with a serious expression.

"Was I?" Sam started up again. "No mom I..."

"Zip it, okay?" his father added quietly.

"It's okay," his mother was singing with a smile.

"No I don't masturbate!" Sam continued.

"That's not something for you to bring up," his dad continued.

"It's okay," his mother continued with smiling sweetness.

"That's a father-and-son thing, okay?" his father finished.

"Father-son thing." Sam agreed, pointing between the two of them.

"I mean you don't have to call it that word if that makes you uncomfortable," Judy continued. "You can call it Sam's happy time, or..."

"Happy time?" the two of them chorused incredulously.

"...my special alone time..." Judy continued.

I almost died, right then and there.

"Stop," his dad started.

"Mom,"

"Judy, stop," his dad continued.

"... with myself..."

"Mom, you can't come in and..."

"I'm sorry, it's just been a weird night, I've had a little bit to drink," Judy stated placatingly.

"Yeah well we saw a light," his father started again, looking around. I froze in position, becoming a part of the room, his eyes skipped over me.

So near the window, I could hear Optimus' voice.

"Oh, parents," he rumbled softly, the hissing of his hydraulic systems.

"I don't know where it was, but we saw it," his father continued, walking into the bathroom. Sam had an ensuite. Friggen _hell_.

I caught Optimus rumbling a 'whoa' before the house shook again.

"Earthquake! It's another one! Another earthquake! Get in the doorway!" Sam's dad was yelling. I held my breath again.

"Okay!" Judy called out.

"Aftershock! Aftershock!" his dad was calling out. The house quieted. "Oh I hate these, got to ride it out. Ride it out!" his father muttered, his voice reverberating in the tub.

"Quick, hide," Optimus rumbled outside the window. I was astonished Sam, his mother and his father weren't hearing it. The lights switched on.

"Hey the lights are back up!" Judy exclaimed with a grin.

"Where?" came from outside.

"Come on, get out of that tub." Judy stated.

"Can't you take safety seriously?" Sam's father asked irritably.

One of those.

"Good Lord, this floor is filthy, Sam."

"Oh, oh, man! Man. Oh." Jazz's voice was muttering. It sounded like a terrible game of hide and seek out there.

"Oh, no!" his father started. "Look at the yard. The yard is destroyed. Judy! Better call the city. We got a blown transformer! Power poles's sparking all over the place!"

I took a deep breath and suppressed the groan.

"Oh, man. Yard's a waste. Trashed. Gone. It's a wash. The whole yard."

"You're kidding." Judy replied.

Outside the window.

"The parent's are very irritating."

"Yeah yeah yeah."

"Can I take them out?"

"Ironhide, you know we don't harm humans. What is with you?" Optimus rumbled scoldingly. My heart sank and soared as he spoke.

"Well, I'm just saying we could. It's an option." Ironhide replied. I bit my lip.

"We heard you talking to somebody, Sam," Judy was saying. "We wanna know who."

Personally, I'd had enough. I stood up.

"Mom, I told you..." Sam was saying. The three of them froze and stared at me.

"Hi, I'm Mikaela, I'm a, I'm a friend of Sam's," I stated calmly, standing up from behind the chair.

Sam and his parents all stared at me. I couldn't help the tiny, wry smile as his father began congratulating him. His mother was laughing and shaking him slightly.

"Gosh, you're gorgeous," his mother stated absolutely seriously. "Isn't that the prettiest girl?"

"She can hear you talking, Mom," Sam stated quietly, accepting the fist bump from his dad.

"Thank you," I smiled, putting on the marginally shy smile that generally got parents to like me immediately. I caught Sam's eyes and worked to get the message across.

"Oh, my goodness. I'm sorry you had to hear our little family discussion about..." Judy started.

"Sorry that we're bugging you," his dad added, heading for the door. Wow. "C'mon, let's go." It was a relief when Sam immediately asked his mother where his backpack was, the entire group trouping downstairs.

There were cars driving down the street, parking in front of the house. I heard them before I saw them. SUV's. I looked frantically out the window to find it empty. Men running into the yard, blessedly sans-Auto-bots.

"Mikaela, Mikaela I got them," Sam whispered, "listen I need you to distract my parents-"

"It's a bit late for that, Sam," I murmured, looking out the window. The doorbell began ringing.

"Oh shit, oh shitohshitohshit," he began babbling quietly.

"Pull it together Sam," I murmured. "Glasses, quickly," he handed them over automatically, and I tucked them into my bra just as the doorbell rang.

"Ron, there's guys all over the front yard!" his mother was saying in a shocked voice.

"The heck is going on here?" Ron asked sternly.

"Your son filed a stolen car report last night," the man stated, entering the house. "We think it's involved in a national security matter."

I sagged into myself. For _God_ sake.

"They're they're ripping up my rose bushes!"

"National security?"

"That's right. National security."

"My god, Ron, they're everywhere. There's guys in suits all around the house!" Judy was saying. Crap. Well, at least she was the one doing the scanning. "Look at this!"

"Could you stay off the grass!" Mr. Witwicky was called out.

"Get me a sample and some isotope readings," the man called out. I began praying that the auto-bots didn't leave such a signal.

"They're pulling bushes out of the ground!" Mrs. Witwicky shouted, snatching up her bat again. "Good lord! They've got to get their hands off my bush!"

"Drop the bat, ma'am, I am carrying a loaded weapon." the man stated calmly.

"Hey, hey, hey, that's my..." Mr. Witwicky started and trailed off.

"But you'd better get those guys out of my garden or I am going to beat the crap out of them." Mrs. Witwicky stated angrily. I gave Sam a shove out the door.

"Are you experiencing any flu-like symptoms? Aching joints? Fever?"

"No!"

"What is this?" Sam asked, looking around worriedly.

"How you doing, son? Is your name Sam?" the man asked cheerfully.

"Yeah?" Sam muttered.

"Well, I need you to come with us," the man stated cheerfully.

"Whoa, way out of line," Mr. Witwicky stated immediately, walking to stand in front of Sam. A good father.

"Sir I am asking politely, Back off." the agent stated flatly.

"You're not taking my son." Ron stated flatly.

"Really? You gonna try to get rough with us?"

"No, but I'm gonna call the cops, because there's something fishy going on around here." Ron stated flatly. Ah crap.

"Yeah. There's something a little fishy about you, your son, your little Taco Bell dog and this whole operation you got going on here." the agent stated in amusement.

"What operation?"

"That is what we are gonna find out." I checked his name tag. Simmons.

A second man moved close.

"I think, direct contact." he murmured softly. Ah crap. Simmons looked at him incredulously for a moment before turning to us, carrying a heavy looking geiger meter.

"Son?" Simmons asked sternly.

"Yeah."

"Step forward please," Simmons stated quietly.

"Just stand?" Sam asked curiously.

Simmons was waving a wand around, the meter immediately began going crazy.

"Fourteen rads. Bingo! Tag them and bag them!" he called out excitedly. Crap.

"Sorry miss," a man muttered, grabbing my wrists and cuffing me, out of habit I picked his pocket and caught up the key to the cuffs. He didn't even notice. Improper training then. I resisted rolling my eyes. That was going to complicate things.

"Get me a sample on that vegetation ASAP!" Simmons called out.

"You hurt my dog, and I'll kick your ass!" Judy shouted.

"Sam! Don't say anything, Sam!" his dad called out. "Not a word until we get a lawyer!"

Ugh, guilty call. The man shoved me gently into the SUV. Simmons slipped into the passenger's seat and we began driving. At least they hadn't searched us thoroughly.

"So uh, Ladiesman217, that is your eBay username, right?" Simmons asked.

"Yeah, but, you know, it was a typo and I ran with it," Sam started.

"What do you make of this?" Simmons asked. He pressed a button on the cellphone.

"_My name is Sam Witwicky, okay? And my... uhh, car..."_

"Is that you?" Simmons asked.

"Yeah, that sounds like LadiesMan," I stated flatly, looking at Sam. Cellphone Video? Really? Idiot.

"Last night at the station, you told the officer your car transformed." Simmons stated slowly. "Enlighten me."

"Well, here's what I said, okay?" Sam started. "'Cause this is a total misunderstanding, that my car had been stolen..."

"Really?"

"...From me, from my home... and but it's fine now because it's back! It came back!"

Silence.

"Well, not by itself," I nudged him with a snort.

"Well no," Sam agreed.

"Because cars don't do that because that would be crazy," I finished, laughing. The men in the car began laughing. Forced, fake, terrified laughter.

"That's funny, that's so funny," Simmons grinned at us. Fake. His face straightened a second later. "So what do you kids know about aliens, huh?" he demanded.

"Oh, you mean, like a Martian? Like what? E.T.? No." Sam started.

"It's an urban legend," I stated calmly.

"Yeah," Sam agreed, nodding.

"You see this?" Simmons asked. "This is an I-can-do-whatever-I-want-and-get-away-with-it badge." he stated, waving around an old fashioned rosette.

"Right," Sam stated.

"I'm gonna lock you up, forever."

"Oh, God," I stated irritably. "You know what? Don't listen to him he's just pissy 'cause he's got to get back to guarding the mall." I stated flatly. Challenging him.

"You, in the training bra, do not test me." Simmons stated. "Especially with your daddy's parole coming up."

I bit down a gasp of horror, glaring at him.

"What? Parole?" Sam asked in shock.

"It's nothing," I stated, fighting back the horror.

"Oh, grand theft auto, that ain't nothing?" Simmons asked.

"You know those cars my dad used to teach me to fix? Well, they... they weren't always his." I stated quietly.

"You stole cars," Sam asked in shock.

"Well, we couldn't always afford a babysitter," I said quietly, "so sometimes he had to take me along."

"She's got her own juvie record to prove it!" Simmons added. "She's a criminal, criminals are hot." he eyed me.

I glared at him again, biting back the emotion from my face and preparing to resume the icy silence that had got me through these situations.

"That'd be a real shame if he had to rot in jail the rest of his natural life." Simmons half sang to me, taunting me. "It is time to talk!"

I could hear beeping, the geiger meter going insane.

I saw a giant blue foot, and then we hit it. I ducked down into the seat as the car spun around, hitting against a hard object. The window shattered. The males were yelling. I could see familiar colours on one of the legs.

"Big! It's big!" the man was yelling.

Hands crashed in through the windows.

I recognized those hands and relaxed, even as the hands lifted us up.

"I can't see it! I can't see it!" the driver was yelling.

"Shift your weight towards the front!" Simmons shouted.

"All right, All right!" Sam was yelling.

The metal squealed in protest until the roof completely tore off. I looked up and watched with a small smile as Optimus idly tossed it away like a tiny piece of scrap, shutting the lights off on his chest.

"You a-holes are in trouble now," Sam muttered gleefully. "Gentlemen, I want to introduce you to my friend, Optimus Prime."

"Taking the children was a bad move," Optimus rumbled above us as men ran to surround our destroyed car, weapons pointed up at him. "Autobots, relieve them of their weapons." he commanded sternly.

"Freeze!" Ironhide growled as the men scattered, trying to see everything.

"Whoa! Whoa!" Simmons was shouting.

"Give me those!" Jazz growled. I turned in time to watch the weapons fly out of the men's hands and into his. That was just cool.

"Whoa!" Simmons stated, looking around in shock.

We were surrounded, Optimus knelt down and brought his face to our level again.

"Hi there," Simmons stated calmly.

"You don't seem afraid. Are you not surprised to see us?" he asked curiously.

"Look, there are S-Seven protocols, okay? I am not authorized to communicate with you except to tell you I can't communicate with you." Simmons said his spiel immediately. I rolled my eyes.

"Get out of the car," Optimus ordered irritably. I quickly undid my handcuffs and began squirming out of the car.

"All right." Simmons began nodding. "Me? You want me to get..."

"NOW!" Optimus roared angrily.

"Alright, alright. Get out. Hey." Simmons started. "Alright, I'm ... I'm getting out. I'm getting out. You see? Very nifty how you put us down without really killing us."

I quickly began unlocking Sam's handcuffs.

"You're good with handcuffs, too, now, huh?" he demanded.

"How are you doing?" Simmons was babbling.

"You weren't supposed to hear all that," I murmured.

"How's it going huh?" Simmons was saying.

"Yeah," Sam stated, giving me the cold shoulder. The bastard. I followed him.

"This is real," Simmons said in an awed voice. "Now, listen. If I choose to engage with him, mum is the word, alright?"

"Sam, I have a record because I wouldn't turn my dad in," I stated with my own pride, letting him see my anger. "When have you ever had to sacrifice anything in your perfect little life?" He just stared at me.

"Big guys, big guys with big guns, huh?" Simmons was saying, looking around. I glared at Sam for another moment before spinning on my heel and looking at the Agents.

"What is sector seven?" I demanded. "Answer me!" I snarled.

"I'm the one who asks questions around here, not you young lady!"

"How'd you know about the aliens?" I asked firmly.

"Where did you take my parents?" Sam demanded.

"I am not at liberty to discuss it." Simmons stated firmly.

"No?" I asked, lightly picking his pocket and pulling out his rosette.

He barely noticed.

"Hey, you touch me that's a federal offence," he told me.

"Do-whatever-you-want-and-get-away-with-it badge, right?" I asked, holding it to his face. "Agent Seymour Simmons."

"Yeah. Brave now all of a sudden, with her big alien friend standing over there." Simmons muttered.

"Where is Sector Seven?" I demanded.

"Wouldn't you like to know," Simmons taunted me.

I looked up at him angrily, and Bumblebee took a step forward, he fiddled for a second and a plug ejected itself from his crotch, whacking Simmons. He began peeing on him, dancing a bit as he did. I died a little bit inside.

"Oi hey hey!" Simmons began shouting.

"Bumblebee, stop lubricating the man," Optimus rumbled sternly, I glanced up at him. For some reason, he sounded almost amused.

"Get that thing to stop, huh?" Simmons was shouting.

Optimus looked down at me, looking rather benign. I rolled my eyes and scanned the men standing around.

"Alright." I growled, walking over to Simmons. "I want all of you lined up along the curb, and you tough guy, take it off."

"What are you talking about?" Simmons asked irritably.

"Your clothes, all of it, off." I stated coldly.

"For what?" Simmons growled at me. I stared at him for a moment and sighed.

"I'd tell you it's for threatening my dad," I growled, "but right now," I reached out and swiped a bit of the lubricants off of his forehead, touching it to my tongue and spitting. "You have antifreeze all over you, which isn't terribly crucial, but it's not exactly good for you."

I peeled my jacket off and handed it to him.

"Little lady," Simmons started, taking off his coat and clip on tie. "This is the beginning of the end of your life." he stood still for a moment.

"You're going to want to get that off of yourself fairly quickly, skin absorbs it quite readily." I added calmly. "And if you would be kind enough to turn off your cellphones, blackberries and PDA's I won't be forced to smash them." I added coldly, staring at the second in command.

"You are-!" Simmons began almost hysterically.

"Relieving you of duty," I snapped at him coldly.

"Where's your badge," the second in command snarled.

"Unlike you, Mr. 'I'm wearing a suit therefore I _must_ be important', I do not need a rosette to hide behind in order to _do my job._"

I promptly grasped his wrist and caught up the cellphone he had in his hand, ending the call and shutting it off.

"Now, for your own _health_ remove your clothes. Please." I added offhandedly.

"You, are in so much trouble," Simmons began, peeling off his clothes. "This is a federal offence what you're doing."

"Federal offence," the second in command added angrily.

"You," I stated, looking at Sam coldly. "Cuff them."

He stared at me and scrambled to obey. In minutes, an entire entourage stood or sat in a line along the curb.

"Thank you gentlemen," I stated placidly. "By your leave, Optimus, we should roll."

The mech leaned down and offered Sam and I his hand.

"Up you get," he rumbled firmly, Sam and I scrambled onto his shoulder quickly, holding on as the enormous 'bot began striding away, the rest of his unit transforming and rolling out with smoking tires.

"You're a friggen CIA agent or something?" Sam demanded the second we were out of earshot from the agents.

"Sam, we've been in the same school forever," I snorted. "That shit only happens in movies. I lied through my teeth, now let's get the hell out of here, hopefully the people on the other end of that phone call _bought_ it, and bought _us_ some time."

"You were impersonating a federal agent!" Sam shouted at me.

"Yeah, and as far as those agents are concerned I've now kidnapped you. Squeal, Sam, you don't know me, and you didn't want anything to do with this mess."

"I do that what the hell happens to you?" Sam demanded.

"They throw the book at me," I shrugged. "Shit happens, safety of the world is more important than the freedom of one individual."

I looked up quickly.

"Shit, choppers," I growled. Optimus began running, evading the helicopters easily. He pulled himself up amidst the girders of a bridge. I held my breath, listening to the sounds of the world.

"Easy you two," Optimus rumbled softly. I froze in position. Sam reached back, trying to climb higher on Optimus' shoulder. He caught my shoulder and made to pull himself up, I slipped.

"No, No! No! Sam! Sam don't drop me!" I shouted, dangling from his arm. I could see his hand slipping from it's perch. He began wriggling desperately as chopper blades whirred beneath my feet. Shit. "No! Sam! Sam don't!" I shouted at him.

"Hold on!" Optimus rumbled loudly.

Sam's hand spasmed, releasing me.

"No!" I shrieked. Optimus' foot was flying toward me. Not fast enough. Time slowed to nothing, Bumblebee transformed and caught me, Sam in his other hand, diving. His armour squealed as he slid across the concrete. The choppers circled the three of us as Bee set us down carefully. A cable shot from the chopper and tangled around his hand.

"NO!" I shrieked, running toward Bee and drawing the knife between my shoulder blades. I began hacking at the cable. Metal. Why _metal!_ A second helicopter took the shot and Bee's other hand was snared.

Then his feet.

We fell together, Bumblebee struggling not to crush me. I continued ineffectually hacking at the cable around his wrist. Bumblebee was screaming, struggling. The echoing in the flood plane made him sound like a monster. I was praying that they wouldn't draw and quarter him, struggling to get the cables off.

"NO! Stop!" Sam was screaming as SUV's squealed toward us. "Stop!"

"Get down on the ground! Get down! Get down!" a voice on a loudspeaker shouted.

Sam was down first. Men with guns pointed at me dragged me from Bumblebee, pinning me to the ground and stealing my knife.

"What? Okay!" Sam was shouting. "Look! He's not fighting back!"

"Freeze it! Freeze it! Freeze it!" Men were bellowing.

No, not him, no...

Clouds of liquid nitrogen were being sprayed. Bee was crying.

No...

A man cuffed me again, dragging me up by the shoulder, spiking pain to run down my arm. I bit my lip and struggled against him slightly. They were dragging me away.

"Don't let him move!" the men shouted.

Bee just looked over at us, and my heart broke to see the young bot looking pleadingly around himself. I pulled myself free, running with my hands behind my back, shouldering the men who were trying to freeze the little bot. Kicking and disabling as best I could. More men tackled me to the ground.

"Stop hurting him!" I shrieked, struggling against them as they dragged me away. "Look! He's not fighting back! _Stop hurting him!"_

They dragged me toward the SUV's.

"Happy to see me again?" Simmons asked with a smirk. "Put her in the car with her little boyfriend."

I snarled, struggling against the stronger men shoving me forward.

Sam just stared at me as they shoved me into the car.

I closed my eyes and bit back the tears to hear Simmons yelling.

"I want that thing frozen and ready for transport!"

A tear escaped me, I wiped it quickly on my shoulder and noted something. The glasses were gone. I prayed that Optimus would find them, wherever they were. I sat in icy, grieved silence as the agents in the front of the car gloated over their catch. I listened to the radios, short wave.

"Change of orders, straight to sector Seven!"

We drove to an airport, and a man stared at us.

"Get those cuffs off them!" The man shouted.

"Sir I don't know if-" the agent started.

"Get the cuffs off!" he shouted. "Come on you two, you need to come with me."

I looked at him closely and nodded, walking toward him with my cuffs still on.

"I thought I said-!"

"Surely you don't mean off of _her_!" one of the agents asked in shock. I rolled my eyes and worked my hands out of the cuffs, collapsing my hands to the width of my wrists. I turned and lightly threw the cuffs at the agent.

"How the hell!" one of them shouted.

"Criminal, remember?" I asked coldly, I followed the senior agent quietly, but a man still sat beside me in the helicopter.

I glanced at him and didn't allow the recognition to cross my face.

He looked familiar.

Sam plopped down beside me, and a caucasian female, early to mid twenties, african male, about the same took the other seats. We sat in silence.

"So..." Sam finally started.

"What'd they get you for?" she called back.

"Um, I bought a car, turned out to be an alien robot." Sam stated calmly. The man across from me mouthed a 'wow.'

"Who knew?" Sam smiled. I frowned, looking out the open doors.

I recognized the scenery finally. Hoover dam. We got into the SUVs again, driving across it. Nobody was allowed to do that anymore, the car stopped and everyone piled out. I rolled my eyes slightly, we had better things to do at the moment than enjoy the scenery.

"This way," an agent stated quietly. I noted soldiers standing to attention in front of the Sec Def. We kept walking, and stopped in front of Simmons.

He had his clothes on now.

"Hey kid," he started, looking at us. "I think we got off to a bad start, huh? He reached out and caught Sam's shoulder. "You must be hungry? You want a latte? HoHo? Double venti Macchiato?"

"Where's my car?" Sam demanded.

"Son," another man started placatingly. "I need you to listen to me very carefully. People can die here. We need to know everything you know, and we need to know it now."

"Okay," Sam nodded agreeably. "But first I'll take my car, my parents. Maybe you should write that down." he added, looking at Simmons. "Oh, and her juvie record. That's got to be gone. Like, forever." he told Simmons flatly.

"Come with me, we'll talk about your car," the senior agent stated calmly. I nodded and followed him cautiously, keeping a close watch of our path.

"Man's an extortionist," Simmons muttered behind me.

"Your name?" I murmured, looking at the agent.

"Tom Banachek." he stated calmly. I nodded.

"Alright here's the situation, you've all had direct contact with the NBEs," Simmons started.

"NBEs?" a soldier asked curiously.

"Non-Biological Extraterrestrials, try to keep up with the acronyms," Simmons stated. "What you're about to see is totally classified." he added, leading us into the depths of a the concrete structures. Enormous.

The sight in front of me was horrifying.

"Megatron," I whispered, Sam stared at me for a moment.

"Dear god, what is that?" the Sec Def asked quietly in front of me.

"We think, when he made his approach over the north pole, our gravitational field screwed up his telemetry. He crashed in the ice, probably a few thousand years ago. We shipped him here to this facility in 1934." Banachek stated.

"We call him NBE one." Simmons added proudly.

"Well, sir, I don't mean to correct you on everything you think you know," Sam started. "But, I mean, you know, that's Megatron."

"He's the leader of the Decepticons," I continued quietly.

"He's been in cryostasis since 1935." the Banachek stated, looking at Sam. "Your great-great-grandfather? Made one of the greatest discoveries in the history of mankind."

I could see Sam swelling up proudly at that.

"Fact is you're looking at the source of the modern age," Simmons stated proudly. "The microchip, lasers, spaceflight, cars, all reverse-engineered by studying him. NBE one. That's what we call it."

Sam was nodding somewhat.

"And you didn't think the United States military might need to know that you're keeping a hostile alien robot frozen in the basement?" Sec Def demanded.

"Until these events, we had no credible threat to national security," Banachek stated calmly.

"Well you got one now," the man stated.

"So why Earth?" one of the soldiers asked. I looked at him. A captain.

"It's the All-spark." I stated calmly.

"All-spark?" Sec Def asked curiously. "What is that?"

"Well yeah, they came here looking for some sort of cube looking thing. Anyway Mr. NBE one here, AKA Megatron," I added, looking at Simmons sternly. "That's what _they_ call him, who's pretty much the harbinger of death, wants to use the cube, to transform earth's technology to take over the universe." I glared at the frozen mech. "That's their plan."

"And you're sure about that?" Simmons asked flatly.

"Yeah," I nodded as Sam nodded vigorously beside me. I narrowed my eyes at him, he was fidgeting. "You guys know where it is. Don't you."

I didn't make it a question.

Agent Banachek looked at me with narrowed eyes for a moment, and nodded.

"Follow me." he stated sternly.

"You're about to see, our crown jewel," Simmons stated proudly.

"Carbon dating puts the cube here around 10,000 BC," Banachek began quietly. "The first Seven didn't find it until 1913. They knew it was alien because of the matching hieroglyphics on the Cube as well as NBE One. President Hoover had the dam built around it. Four football fields thick of concrete, a perfect way to hide it's energy from being detected by anyone, or, any alien species on the outside."

"Wait, backup. You said the dam hides the Cube's energy. What kind exactly?" Maggie asked quietly.

"Good question, follow me, please," the senior agent stated. I turned and walked beside the Captain.

"How'd they get you in on this, Captain?" I asked softly. He glanced down at me.

"Survivors." he growled softly.

"SOCCENT Quatar base attack?" I murmured. He stared at me, even as we continued walking. I shot him a sharp look.

"I am young, not stupid, I do listen to the news." I muttered.

"Lennox," he muttered, offering his hand. I took it firmly.

"Mikaela." I replied.

We went through another door.

"Please, step inside, they have to lock us in." Banachek informed us.

"Oh, wow," Glen whispered.

"What's that? Freddy Krueger done been up in here or something?" one of the soldiers asked.

"Oh, no, man." Glen stated with a grin. "Freddy Krueger have four blades, man. That's only three. That's Wolverine!" he laughed. "Right? That's Wolverine!"

"That's very funny," Simmons stated, absolutely straight faced. "Anybody have any mechanical devices? BlackBerry? Key alarm? Cell phone?" Simmons called out.

"I got a phone," Glen shrugged, tossing it to the man.

"Ooh, Nokias are real nasty. You've got to respect the Japanese, they know the way of the samurai."

I rolled my eyes.

"Nokia's from Finland," Maggie murmured.

"Yes, but he's, you know, a little strange." The Sec Def murmured. "He's a little strange. Shh." he held a finger to his mouth.

"We're able to take the Cube radiation and funnel it into that box." Simmons called out.

I slid my goggles into place.

There was a flash of light and the cell-phone began convulsing slightly. It shattered into a tiny bot. I could see it so absolutely. A child, a baby, born battle ready in a dangerous place. It began launching itself against the window panes. Sam flinched away beside me.

"Shh," I murmured. "Shh shh shh, it's okay." I tore my goggles off and pressed closer to the glass. It seemed to stop and stare at me for a moment.

"Mean little sucker, huh?" Simmons asked cheerfully.

"That thing is freaky!" Maggie shouted.

"Any more freaky to you, than you would look to him?" I called out challengingly as it became distressed again. Even I could feel the negativity in the room. Danger.

"Kind of like the itty-bitty Energizer bunny from hell, huh?" Simmons asked gleefully. The little bot formed some weapons and began shooting at the glass. He launched himself again and landed on his back, spinning around uncontrollably.

"He's breaking the box," Simmons stated, shaking his head. The agent pulled a trigger and a blinding flash of light blasted through the box.

"No!" I shrieked.

The little bot was dead, toasted.

"It was a child!" I shrieked. "A brand new life and you kill it so easily!"

"It's a violent robot monster," Simmons growled.

"They are _sentient!"_ I shrieked at him. "Autonomous Robotic Organisms. Sentient beings in their own right! And you just murdered a _child!"_

The people stared at me for a long moment, then looked at the box. I felt my heart wrench as I looked into the box again.

"If you were born, fully functioning and sentient, inside a glass cage with enormous aliens staring at you, what is your first response?" I asked sadly. "The answer is survival. We do everything we can to survive, to protect ourselves."

"How can you be so sure?" the Captain asked sternly. I turned to him angrily.

"I dare you," I growled. "I dare you to look into the optics of Optimus Prime, leader of the auto-bots and not see the same compassion and leadership in his eyes, as you would see in the mirror yourself, Captain Lennox."

The soldiers stared at me. I turned away and started, hearing the groaning of metal reverberate deep within the concrete. I automatically looked for the source, a couple of the soldiers doing the same.

"Gentlemen, they know the cube is here." Sec Def stated flatly.

"Banachek, what's going on?" the agent called out, hitting an intercom button.

"Well, the NBE One hangar has lost power," the man called out over the speaker.

"What!" Banachek shouted.

"And the backup generator is just not gonna cut it!"

"Do you have an arms room?" the Captain demanded of the Agent. He nodded. We began running. Men were shouting.

"I'll bring security to the weapons room!" Simmons shouted.

"Get everyone to the NBE One chamber now!" Banachek bellowed.

"The lights are out!"

"Move it! Move it! Let's go!"

"They're popping our generators!" Banachek shouted. We made it to an impressive room, men began loading weapons, mounting them to cars. I glanced around and sought out Simmons, or Banachek.

"Forty millimetre sabot rounds on that table!" Simmons shouted. The room was a hive of activity. The lights flickered and almost went dark.

Silence.

A bullet clinked into it's holder. I shoved Sam. He stood frozen. I snarled and strode forward.

"You gotta take us to his car," I growled. "You gotta take us to Bumblebee, he'll know what to do with the cube."

"His car?" Simmons asked, looking at Sam. "It's confiscated."

"Well un-confiscate it!" I growled.

"We do not know what will happen if we let it near this thing!" Simmons shouted.

"No, _you_ don't know." I snarled.

"Maybe you know, but I don't know," Simmons babbled.

"You just want to sit here and wait and see what happens?" I demanded.

"I have people's lives at stake here, young lady!" Simmons shouted.

"Take her to the car!" the Captain growled, shoving Simmons for me. That was nice of him, he had the Agent backed against the vehicle in moments.

And the room exploded.

Security pulled weapons on the Captain, he had his glock in hand and pointed to the man the next second. "Drop it." he commanded.

Soldiers were disarming Security.

Well shit.

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" Banachek shouted. Everyone froze.

"Drop your weapon, soldier," Simmons started. "There's an alien war going on and you're gonna shoot me?"

"You know, we didn't ask to be here," the Captain interrupted him.

"I'm ordering you under S-Seven executive jurisdiction-" Simmons started again.

"S-Seven don't exist!" a sergeant called out.

"Right. And we don't take orders from people who don't exist." the Captain added.

"I'm gonna count to five. Okay." Simmons babbled

"Well, I'm gonna count to three," the captain stated, pressing his gun to the Agent's chest. Oh, the man had _style._

"Simmons?" the sec Def called out.

"Yes sir?" the agent replied.

"I'd do what he says. Losing's really not an option for these guys." the older man stated, rather amicably, considering the circumstances.

"Alright, okay," Simmons nodded. "Hey, you want to lay the fate of the world on the kid's Camaro? That's cool."

"He's not a kid's Camaro," I growled softly, running beside the Agent. "He's Bumblebee."

"If that's the case, why has he not communicated?" Banachek demanded.

"His vocal processors were damaged in battle," I snapped. "He speaks through the radio, when you care to listen. Not that you've allowed him to get a _signal!"_

I ran though a door at the Agent's gesture and stopped dead.

Bee was crying. A barely recognizable 'no.'

"Stop! Stop stop stop!" I shrieked, running forward and grabbing freezing wands from a man's hand and throwing it to the ground.

"Let him go! Let him go!" Banachek shouted. Sam ran up beside me.

"Are you okay?" I asked worriedly.

"They didn't hurt you, right?" Sam added in counterpart.

He began speeding up somewhat, his battle mask receding over his face. He scanned the area, weapons online, looking for the fight.

"Listen to me," Sam stated worriedly. "The Cube is here, and the Decepticons are coming."

Bumblebee sat up, still covering himself as he looked at the armed personnel.

"No, no don't worry about them," I told him quickly. "They're okay, right? They're not going to hurt you."

Bee rolled to his feet and kept his defences up.

"Just back up a little bit," Sam called out. "He's friendly, he's fine."

"Okay, come on," I told him seriously. "Put the guns down, they're not gonna hurt you. Here, come with me, I'm gonna take you to the All-spark."

Bumblebee looked down at me and nodded, the cannon receding into his arm. I began walking and stopped, holding my arms up to Bee. He picked me up lightly.

"Whaat?" Lennox demanded.

"Bumblebee, you are under orders to keep me hostage for your own peace of mind," I stated sternly, looking into his face.

"But I don't... want to... hurt you... Mikaela!" Bumblebee immediately protested.

"Oh _shit..._" Lennox whispered.

"If I didn't know that would I be in your hands at the moment?" I asked in amusement. "That way," I added, pointing. Bumblebee nodded and began walking quickly, soldiers running after him as the mech carried me gently, following my directions. We finally caught sight of the Cube. Bumblebee set me down gently and I jogged beside him somewhat. Bee reached up reverently and gently began poking the Cube.

"Okay, here we go. He doing something. He doing something." one of the soldiers muttered a little ways away.

My hair stood on end as energy surged around us, flashes of light emanating from the cube. I could hear the whirr of electricity as it came alive. Ticking, I stood back slightly.

"Oh my god," I whispered, smiling as the cube folded into itself, completely defying every law of physics. In moments, a comparatively tiny cube sat in Bumblebee's hands.

"Message from Starfleet Captain... Let's get to it." He played the soundbytes.

"He's right. We stay here we're screwed with Megatron in the other hangar," Captain Lennox stated firmly. "Mission city is 22 miles away. We're gonna sneak that Cube out of here, and we're going to hide it somewhere in the city."

"Good, right," Sec Def started, nodding.

"But we cannot make a stand without the Air Force," the captain stated firmly.

"This place must have some kind of radio link! Yes, Shortwave, CB."

"Right, yes," Simmons nodded.

"Sir, you got to figure out some way to get word out to them. Let's move!" Lennox commanded, I nodded and followed, scrambling into the passenger's seat as Bumblebee finished transforming.

We took off driving.

"How's the cube?" Sam demanded

"It's fine," I stated calmly, turning and looking back.

"Well, put the seatbelt on it," Sam added. I rolled my eyes and obeyed.

We drove for another few minutes.

"There's Optimus," Sam stated, pointing. I felt a surge of relief and glanced in the mirror. The second Optimus spun around the soldiers looked incredibly upset.

"Lemme at the window!" I commanded. Sam froze in his seat and I climbed over him, sticking my torso out the window and waving at Lennox.

I prayed he'd get the message as I signalled.

'Four Allies.'

The soldiers promptly stared at me.

'Are we moving or not?' I signalled impatiently. 'Four Allies, respond.'

Finally, Lennox signalled an acknowledged.

My eyes were everywhere, keeping an eye on the cube, watching for enemy attack.

"Scout," Bumblebee played the soundbyte quietly. I smiled at him gently.

We made it to the city finally, sitting in the middle of a well covered area while the soldiers evacuated the streets. I stepped out of the car and stood ready.

"Air Force has arrived! Pop smoke!" Lennox called out.

"Raptor, Raptor, do you copy?" the tech sarge called out over the radio. "We have you visual. Green smoke is the mark-"

I could feel the niggling feeling between my shoulder blades as a plane screamed overhead. The sense that something bad was going to happen.

"-Provide air cover and vector Black Hawks for extraction."

Off to the side, Ironhide transformed.

"It's Starscream!" he bellowed. "Back up, take cover, Bumblebee!" They ran forward and picked up a van for cover.

"No, no, no, no, no! Move!" Lennox shouted.

"Back up! Back up!" Ironhide was yelling.

"Retreat! Fall back!" Lennox bellowed.

"Incoming!" Ironhide shouted.

I watched in horror as the bots got hit hard, before the force wave threw us away.

Bright light. Uncle's words resonated in my mind.

"No matter what happens, get up, keep going. Never stop."

I struggled to my feet and took stock of the situation.

"Anybody hurt? Everyone okay?" Ironhide shouted.

"Clear the area!" Lennox shouted in counterpart.

Bumblebee began crawling out of the wreckage of the truck.

"Bumblebee, your legs! Your legs," Sam groaned, crawling toward his guardian. Chaos reigned. I looked around and spotted a tow truck. I looked back at Bee and came to a snap decision.

He'd saved us, we needed to save him. Now.

Sam was panicking, shouting for Ratchet, refusing to put weight on his leg.

A tank began shooting at us.

I began running, it was a matter of seconds to smash the window and get into the truck, hot-wiring was another few seconds. An idle thought came and went as the engine roared. There goes my record, again. I twisted the wires together to keep it running and got in, slamming it into gear and roaring to the two males who'd inexplicably entered my life.

"Sam!" I shouted, "Help me with this. Bumblebee, can you hoist yourself up into a sitting position at all?" I asked quickly.

The bot hurried to obey, quickly moving to sit on the back of the tow truck. Sam and I were tying him in as Lennox ran up.

"Where's the cube?" the captain demanded.

"It's right there," Sam pointed to it, hopping slightly on his good leg. Lennox ran off again for a moment. He ran back again.

"Okay," he stated, setting his gun down.

"What?" Sam asked.

"Alright, I can't leave my guys back there, so here, take this flare." Lennox stated, pressing a flare into Sam's hand. "Okay there's a tall, white building with statues on top. Go to the roof, set the flare-"

"No," Sam started.

"-Signal the chopper and set the flare-"

"No, no. I can't do this!" Sam continued.

"Listen to me! You're a soldier now!" Lennox shouted. "Alright? I need you to take this Cube, get it into military hands while we hold them off, or a lot of people are going to die!"

"I CAN'T!" Sam shouted. The captain glared.

"He can't run!" I shouted, "He's sprained an ankle, I'll take it. White building statues on top, signal and get to the black hawks." I repeated his instructions quickly.

Lennox stared at me for a moment and nodded firmly.

"Take the flare," he commanded, pressing it into my hands.

"You gotta go, you gotta go," he told Sam.

"How do we get Bee out of here!" Sam demanded.

"Sam, get in the truck and drive, it's your lucky day it's an automatic," I told him sharply, "go! I got this go!"

I snatched up the cube and looked at Bee, throwing him a salute before taking off at a dead run. Ironhide and Ratchet followed me, providing cover.

Blackout landed, and Ironhide got in front of me, picking up a car to deflect the Decepticon's shot. I rolled, dodged the flying debris and kept going, Ratchet hot on my heels.

We were running together.

"Keep moving Mikaela!" Ironhide shouted. "Don't stop!"

Blackout landed beside me again, taking out a car as I dodged around it.

I kept running. Starscream landed right in front of me, transforming and skidding toward me.

"NO!" Ironhide bellowed.

I did the only thing I could think of, I dodged to the side and ducked down as Medical officer and Weapons Specialist engaged him.

Right on top of me. They were taking a beating. Starscream retreated, transforming mid-air and taking off.

"Mikaela! Get to the building!" Ironhide shouted as I stood.

"Fall back and regroup!" I shrieked at them, "you won't keep up to me where I'm going!" I immediately ducked into an alleyway, taking fire escape routes and running as the crows flew. Running as hard as I could direct to target.

Megatron himself landed well behind me, running toward me.

"Give me that cube girl!" he shouted.

I kept running, watching the cars as they sped past me, dodging them as their drivers freaked out. I thanked my lucky star that I'd been wearing flat soled shoes.

I made it to the building finally, running through the gate and into the entrance. It was a moment to survey the layout. Enormous arches, a grand foyer. Beautiful, in it's own way.

I began running down graffitied corridors, a voice was yelling at me.

"I smell you, girl!" Megatron's voice shouted, spurring me to greater speeds.

Finally, stairs. I looked up, twenty stories. Brilliant. I kept running.

Up, circle, up...

Finally I was on the roof, climbing up one of the fire escape ladders to get to the top. The flare burned brightly, lit by hitting it to the wall. I stayed silent, keeping my air for running.

I ran, dodging laundry, listening to battles, listening to the choppers. Fully prepared to jump into the nearest blackhawk.

There it was, hovering in front of me. Salvation. Mid-step I looked around.

"Pull up!" I shrieked, hitting the deck and curling around the cube.

Time slowed. Fire. I could feel the beat of the stabilizers in my bones.

Cradling the All-spark I stood, trapped twenty stories up as the roof began to explode at my feet. Finally, I took the only available cover, swinging myself around one of the statues as Megatron finally caught up. In the distance I could hear sirens, shouts for help, my name.

"Is it fear or courage that compels you fleshling?" Megatron asked in a quieter voice.

In silence, I bit my lip, taking a slow, quiet deep breath, glancing around for somewhere else to go. I wished fervently for a backpack. I could feel his steps as he slowly moved toward me, the building shuddering under his weight.

"Give me the All-Spark and you may live to be my pet." I could hear his grin, he had me cornered. We both knew it. His hand closed with the sound of a guillotine. Two helicopters flew past us, I glanced at them.

A soldier standing in the open hatchway looked at me, held my eyes for a moment.

The look was burned into my mind.

He knew I was going to die, there would be one who did not know me to grieve my death. I took a deep breath. Prepared.

"So that you can destroy our world too?" I shouted out, "I will never give you this All-Spark!"

"Oh, so unwise."

I saw it before it hit, his fist a mace on a chain. I closed my eyes and pushed myself away from the building as the statue shattered above me. I fell. The air rushed past. My final thought rushed through my blood. Who would sing me to the next life?

I hit down on a solid surface, it continued down with me for a moment before I felt myself lifted.

"I got you girl," Prime looked at me over the face plate of his battle mask. He pulled me to his chest and held me close. "Hold onto the cube!"

We fell, a controlled fall this time until Megatron dropped down from the top. We landed heavily, people were screaming.

"Mikaela?" Optimus rumbled softly, I looked up into the incredible blue of his optics as his battle mask receded. "You risked your life to save the cube."

"No victory is without it's sacrifice," I whispered quietly.

"If I cannot defeat Megatron, you must push the cube into my chest. I will sacrifice myself to destroy it, get behind me." he ordered softly.

I closed my eyes and nodded, quickly running to obey.

"It's you and me, Megatron," Optimus growled.

"No, it's just me Prime," Megatron growled.

"At the end of this day, one shall stand, one shall fall," Optimus rumbled.

A nearby trench served perfectly for cover as I listened to the battle. The sounds of one being thrown and landing hard.

"You still fight for the weak! That is why you lose!" Megatron announced gleefully.

Ducking rocks I came to a resolution.

Prime would not be the one to die.

I looked up and began following the battling titans, watching, waiting.

Airplanes screamed overhead, soldiers crept along the ground, I waited.

Blackout was down. Missiles screamed, I ran toward Optimus as Megatron was hit several times. A burst of fire and time froze, I was laying between two injured titans.

"Mine! All-Spark!"

"Kae, put the cube in my chest, now!"

I took a deep breath and flexed muscles I hadn't used in years, jumping to my feet and jamming the cube against Megatron's chest.

Fire, I was on fire. The worst of welder's flash, screaming through my nerves. Fury.

I closed my eyes as a fist squeezed my heart, a thing of creation was being used to destroy. To destroy the monster, I had become the monster.

§Carbon Child, you grieve destruction?§

"Creation cannot be used as destruction, forgive me mother," I thought, tears running down my cheeks.

§Carbon Child you will create now, we shall teach you. Rest§

The pain eased away, cool water on burns, Megatron jerked back, dragging the cube with him as it disintegrated in his chest. Red, molten metal poured from a gaping wound.

He was down.

And then there was silence. I stood and watched his final convulsion. His optics darken. Who would sing his song? Hissing clunks behind me told of Optimus walking toward us.

"You left me no choice, brother," he rumbled in a grieved tone.

Was that his song? I looked up as he knelt to my level.

"Mikaela, I owe you my life. We are in your debt."

I nodded and stood, dazed as the other auto-bots gathered around us. Sam screeched to a halt with Bumblebee still on the tow truck.

"Prime, we couldn't save him," Ironhide rasped, handing over the remains.

"Aw Jazz," Optimus rumbled, "We lost a great comrade today, but gained new ones, thank you, all of you. You honour us with your bravery."

Ratchet looked down at me as Bumblebee spoke his wish.

"You are leaking lubricants," he stated quietly. I finally felt my awareness return, my back stung.

"Oh." I whispered, beginning to feel the dampness of blood. A gentle hand picked me up, sitting me on a stretcher.

A gruff face with kind eyes slipped a needle into my arm.

"Rest now," he said gently.

Darkness.

(OPOV)

With saddened optics, Optimus retrieved the remaining splinter of the All-spark, he looked down at his hand and saw streaks of red, a scan showed it to be blood, human female. A glance at Mikaela's back showed why as his Medical officer gently picked her up and set her on a stretcher.

His fingers curled the splinter into his hand, pressing it against the blood. He felt a flash of warmth in his palm and frowned. The blood was gone, and the splinter somewhat darkened. When the circus was finished, he fervently hoped he would have a chance to talk to the femme

(RPOV)

Ratchet watched the tiny human femme worriedly, her metabolism was slowing drastically. He waved to one of the military paramedics.

"Is it normal for your species to shut down so drastically?" he rumbled worriedly, scanning her vital signs again.

The man reached forward and touched her neck as the Captain they had fought with ran forward.

"What happened?" he demanded. "She was standing a moment ago!"

"She is damaged, and in shock," Ratchet rumbled quickly, scanning the femme. "I gave her a mild painkiller and sedative. She began shutting down."

"Sam!" Lennox bellowed. The boy limped over.

"Yeah?" he asked curiously, looking at Mikaela. "What happened?"

"Do you know if she's allergic to anything?" Lennox demanded.

"Er... no..." Sam mumbled. Well that was useless.

"Let's get her to the military hospital," Lennox called out. "We need a background check on her."

"Give me her full name," Ratchet demanded, already hacking into the systems.

"Mikaela Banes," Lennox growled. Ratchet scanned the frequencies for a long moment.

"I cannot find anything!" Ratchet growled. "Simply that her father is listed as next of kin. Calvin Banes."

"Right!" Lennox called out, waving a cop over. "We need to find Calvin Banes. Her dad."

"Oh, _him?"_ the cop demanded. "What, did that little shut mouthed kid of his get hurt?"

"You know them?" Lennox demanded.

"Shit, yeah," the cop snorted. "Their gang was some of the best grand theft auto artists in the country. Her family was an ongoing study in gang psychology. Little shit there refused to so much as utter a peep against 'em. Got her own record as a result."

Ratchet growled softly at the man's attitude.

"She has just saved your planet, and all you can say about her are insults?" he demanded. The cop just stared at him. Ratchet could smell the fear on him. A sickening scent.

"Lennox Captain, I request permission to take her under my care," Ratchet stated perfunctorily, transforming and onlining his holoform to continue to tend to the femme.

"Where do I find her father?" Lennox growled.

"Jail, here, here's the number, not like the phones are working." the cop grumbled, handing Lennox a card. He walked off.

Ratchet shook his head irritably and continued scanning the femme. She was stable, even if her body had slowed so drastically.

"Let's get the hell out of here," the Captain growled. "We've got a hell of a lot of cleanup to do."

"Auto-bots, Roll out," Optimus ordered. The remaining unit transformed, Ironhide bearing a badly damaged Bumblebee.

They finally made it to 'base' as Lennox called it. Ratchet deposited the femme into the care of her own species and immediately went to tend his unit. Bumblebee was a pain, as always, but two re-attached legs was not a problem, he'd seen the scout with far worse. Jazz though, Ratchet cycled his processors, pressing down his grief as he gently rebuilt the fallen bot as best he could. Jazz deserved that dignity. Optimus wanted him in a casket, his body treated with respect. That was a liability, Ratchet almost laughed about that.

Jazz would have reamed the Prime out something fierce about that.

Breaches repaired, servos reattached, finally finished, he stretched and scanned the computers of the hospital.

They had determined that Mikaela was highly sensitive to chemicals, had spoken to her father. He had stated flatly that she was not to be given _anything_ without her direct consent. She knew her correct dosages.

'Which would be wonderful, except she's unconscious' Ratchet thought irritably.

Optimus wandered into the garage Ratchet had commandeered and sat on the floor heavily.

"I had hoped to speak with her," he rumbled softly.

Ratchet nodded.


	2. 1 Hide and Seek

**Holy crow, thank you all for the reviews! Anyway yes, chapter one, I hope it lives up to your standards. This isn't as long as the prologue, but here she goes...**

**Many thanks to FireRose for helping me polish this**

**K**

**Chapter 1- Hide and seek**

* * *

(WPOV)

Will walked into the hangar the Auto-bots had been hiding in. Furious.

His wife, his daughter.

He was supposed to be with them. Now.

Instead, he was stuck here.

Debrief. Fine. Briefing. Fine. Let him go _home_.

He froze.

Ratchet and Optimus were sitting side by side against the wall.

He hadn't expected that.

But at the same point, they were making sure that he didn't get to see his wife.

He wanted to see his baby girl for christ sake. _Hold her for the first time_.

Ratchet looked at him with a frown.

"What?" Ratchet growled at him.

"What?" Lennox demanded.

"Will Captain you are staring at me in a way that I sense you mean to be anger," Ratchet stated flatly. "Therefore I ask, what."

Will would have kept his mouth shut. He really would have.

He just couldn't. It just didn't work.

"I. Am stuck here. In limbo. With a bunch of aliens instead of being with my wife and daughter!" Will snarled.

"There is nothing wrong with your body, and you are not adhered to anything in this compound." Ratchet informed him.

"And no way to get home," Will growled.

"Do you require flight?" Optimus rumbled.

"Wha..." Lennox stated

"More's the point, you have a young one?" Ironhide broke in.

"No I don't require flight, yes, I have a child, a baby girl, whom I have not had the chance to hold yet." Will growled out.

"Let's go." Ironhide stated flatly. He transformed and drove toward Will.

"What?" Lennox demanded incredulously.

"Get in. We go." Ironhide rumbled. Very slowly.

"I heard you the first time, let's try why," Will stated flatly, crossing his arms.

"You have not met your child, and being involved with the mess our arrival has created has kept you further away from your progeny. Ironhide will escort you to your home, and ensure that any possible remaining Decepticons do not cause you, your mate or your progeny harm." Optimus rumbled calmly.

"Oh, lemme get my things," Will squeaked.

"Good, finally, get your things, let's go," Ironhide rumbled, idling toward him.

Will nodded and hightailed it out of the hangar.

Ironhide followed him.

"For Primus sake Will Captain less legwork, more rolling!" the bot shouted at him.

Brilliant idea. Will jumped onto Ironhide's cab and the bot took off, screeching to a halt in front of Will's temporary quarters.

Will didn't need a second glance, he ran. Grab duffle, stuff what's not packed in. Bolt.

He jumped into the cab again and Ironhide roared off.

"Co-ordinates!" Ironhide barked.

He reeled them off and heard the bot snort.

"Run that in an orn," the bot snorted quietly.

"A what?" Will asked curiously.

"An orn, you know..." Ironhide rumbled, he trailed off. "An _orn._"

Will just sat, feeling blank. Orn?

"Okay?" Will stated softly.

"You still don't get it," Ironhide rumbled. He sounded like he was frowning. "Solar cycle?"

"It wouldn't take me a _year_ to run it," Will snorted.

"Year?" Ironhide rumbled curiously.

"You know, the point when the earth reaches the same place it was one cycle ago, solar cycle. Year." Will shrugged.

"The sun comes up, sun goes down. One year?" Ironhide rumbled curiously.

"No, sun up, sun down, one day," Will stated calmly. He leaned forward slightly, this was actually kind of fun. "Planet _around _the sun, one year, three hundred and sixty five days."

"One orn, one day. Sort of..." Ironhide rumbled, he trailed off.

"Sort of?"

"Well, one orn, fourteen days," Ironhide stated calmly.

Holy. Crap.

* * *

(MPOV)

I woke up and felt drugged, dazed, numb, my clothes were folded beside my bed. Ugh. A bed. No wonder my muscles were aching. I took stock of my surroundings automatically, there was an IV in my arm. I pulled _that_ out quickly, keeping it under the tape, but out of my vein, snatching my hand away as the door opened.

"You're awake!" a nurse smiled at me. Military uniform. "Good! We were wondering when you'd come round!"

"How long?" I rasped. She handed me a glass of water.

"Two days," she murmured consolingly.

"What did they give me?" I demanded after taking a sip of water.

"The medic on site gave you a mild sedative and painkiller," the nurse stated worriedly. "We contacted your father, he said that under no circumstances were we to give you anything without your explicit approval."

I nodded.

"Good. Please, don't give me any painkillers or sedatives, I don't react well with them," I stated immediately. "I'm not hurting enough to warrant it besides."

"Your back is in ribbons," the woman stated worriedly.

"It's healing," I grunted, making a point of struggling as I sat up, automatically making sure they thought I wouldn't get far if I went anywhere. "Please tell me you didn't try to x-ray or MRI me?"

"No... the... medic on scene stated that you had no cranial or skeletal damage," the nurse stated carefully. "There are men here to see you."

I nodded warily and the nurse left. A moment later, two suits strode in.

Carrying.

And I was weaponless.

Fuck.

"How may I help you, gentlemen?" I asked calmly.

"Miss Banes," the leader stated calmly. "I'm afraid that you've missed quite a bit in the last two days. However, civilian or not, you are hereby under orders to return to your previous life. The aliens are not to be spoken of, and any act as such-"

"Will be considered treason, and I'll be put in jail," I stated flatly. "I got it. Anything else?"

The man glared at me for a moment before shaking his head.

"The story for Mission City is a bombing, combined with an hallucinogenic toxin released by the bombs." the second man stated quietly. I nodded. "Get well soon," he murmured gently before the men turned and left me alone.

It was silent. I swung out of bed and checked the door. No one there.

That was a false sense of security, when there was one suit, there were always more.

In moments I'd gathered my clothes and checked the door again, slipping nonchalantly into the hallway. It was a matter of minutes and I was outside taking stock of my surroundings.

I began walking until I was well under cover and began running, never once looking up or toward the ATM's.

First stop was the thrift store. It was a simple matter to grab a few items of clothing from the racks hanging outside. I got dressed quickly and walked the streets for a few minutes. Picking the occasional pocket.

Enough cash, I got to the bus station and bought a ticket.

Miami. I needed to get to the safe house.

* * *

(OPOV)

"Prime!" Will Captain called out, the man was in much better spirits now that he had seen his child. Optimus transformed to look at the human properly. "You wanted to know when she's awake." the man stated calmly. Optimus nodded quickly and transformed.

"Hop in," he rumbled softly, opening his door. The captain nodded and got into the passenger's seat. Sitting quietly.

"Right, I don't think we can fit you in the hospital." The captain joked quietly, "I'm going to go in, tell her that you want to talk with her, and bring her out to the garden there, alright?"

"Alright," Optimus rumbled quietly. He went and parked beside the garden.

He waited.

And waited.

Impatient, he scanned the hospital.

People were running around.

Finally the Captain ran toward him.

"She's gone!" the man shouted. "Disappeared into thin air! We can't even find her on the cameras! The nurse swears that she can't have got far."

Optimus shook his head irritably.

"Where would she go?" he demanded.

"Home, hopefully? Maybe to her dad..." the Captain stated. He shook his head. "We're going to be looking."

"Whom are you looking for?" A man in a suit demanded, running up to Lennox.

"Mikaela Banes." Lennox growled.

"Room two-oh-five-" the man started.

"Oh, news bulletin, she's _gone_." Lennox shouted.

The man went pale and grabbed his cell-phone.

"Sir? She's gone!" the man stated immediately, running off.

Lennox frowned.

"That's weird." he grumbled, getting into Optimus' cab.

"What is?" Optimus rumbled irritably.

"That a man in a _suit_ would say that about a teenager," Lennox growled, he did another one of those heavy vents. "But then again, she's still got a record, maybe her parole officer is trying to find her or something. She'll turn up." Lennox shrugged.

"I hope so," Optimus growled. He remained silent for the rest of the drive.

* * *

(MPOV)

I got off the bus in the middle of nowhere, looking as tired as the other passengers. The driver bid me a good evening and closed the doors, driving on.

Still alert, I shoved my hands into my pockets and began walking. My back ached and stung, but I was close now. I reached up and pulled my hair across my shoulder, covering my face. I wondered how Bumblebee was doing, the dear, brave little scout had crossed me as a brilliant, trustworthy companion.

But I couldn't let myself think about that for the moment. I needed to get to the bayou house. To safety.

It was dark out by now. I prayed that Barry wasn't looking for me, I prayed that I was still in his good books. He was the only unknown.

An engine, diesel, sounded behind me. Turning onto the road a quarter mile back. I felt rule forty come into effect and quietly stepped off the road, ensconcing myself into the mangroves.

On a seventy road, it was doing maybe thirty. I froze in place, invisible as spotlights raked the mangroves in front of me. I squinted against the light and observed the men in the vehicle. They were glaring around themselves, the eyes of men I couldn't trust.

It moved on quickly. But the road was no longer safe.

With a sigh, I began making my way through the mangroves; moving from limb to limb. A final mile I made it to my canoe.

Another two hours and I'd be safe.

Paddling silently through the waters I allowed myself to finally think. I thought of school, I thought of my next move. I thought of the soldiers but most of all, I thought of the brilliant, burning blue optics of Optimus Prime. I thought of the kindness in those eyes.

I felt a longing pang as I thought of those eyes, I wanted to see them again. I'd never left the chance to see him again. But when a suit showed up, I needed to run. I inwardly cursed that duty and sighed as the house came into view. Completely dark but for the moonlight shining dimly through the branches of the mangroves.

I scouted around for half an hour, watching for even the most remote sign of human life in the area.

All clear I finally tied my canoe to the pier and stepped into my sanctuary.

Automatic setup, I purged the water lines then sat down and took a deep breath, finally allowing myself to feel the pain.

Two months. I would give myself two months to think, heal and plan.

* * *

(OPOV)

Two weeks, Optimus had waited two weeks of the human's time. An Orn. Impatient, he strode to communications central.

"Will Captain," he stated as calmly as he could manage.

The man turned to look at him warily.

"Is there any news on Miss Banes?" he rumbled flatly.

"No... Prime she's gone off the grid," Will stated quietly. "None of us even _know_ where to start looking for her..."

That was _not_ what Optimus wanted to hear.

"Um..." Epps Sargent piped up quietly.

"Epps?" Will Captain asked curiously. Optimus turned to look at the man.

"Well... I contacted an old friend... the uh... the cops aren't even _trying_ to find her..." the man stated quietly.

"Why do they not search!" Optimus demanded angrily. "She saved your world, and she was injured!"

"The world doesn't know that she saved it," Epps stated flatly, crossing his arms and looking up at Optimus. "The cops aren't looking because she's from a... different kind of family, car thieves."

"And so they decide that because of her family her life is no longer precious!?" Optimus demanded furiously.

"It's more than that," Epps stated quietly, shying away from him. Tired of looking down, Optimus knelt and offered his hand to the man.

"I apologize, I do not mean to threaten you," he rumbled quietly.

Epps looked at him for a long moment then nodded.

"S'okay, to be honest _I'm_ gettin' worried about her too, I've been calling old friends, the cops aren't looking, so I called a contact at the CIA. They stonewalled him." Epps reported quietly, stepping into his hand and allowing himself to be lifted to the catwalk.

"Stonewalling?" Optimus rumbled curiously.

"It means they ain't saying a _damn_ thing," Epps glowered, crossing his arms.

Will Captain stared at Epps.

"Over _her!?_" he demanded.

"Yeah, and that's why I'm a fuck load more worried," Epps growled, narrowing his eyes. "Seventeen year old girl that the CIA refuses to talk about? That don't jive."

"Well then now what do we do?" Optimus rumbled intently.

Epps looked up at him cautiously.

"Well..." he started. "First off I gotta tell you that it's gonna be one hell of a longshot."

"Taking a shot, no matter the distance, has a far better chance of reaching it's target than the shot that was never fired," Optimus rumbled darkly.

"Right, I've got a friend of a friend who apparently knows one of the _more_..." he trailed off with a frown.

"Epps?" Will Captain asked curiously.

"Well, apparently knows _Hetty._" Epps stated with a grimace.

"Hetty? Come on, she's an urban legend," one of the techs snorted.

"I know, longshot," Epps grumbled. "But come on, there's a _little_ bit of truth behind legends isn't there?"

"Might be a computer..." the man stated musingly.

"Well _try_,_"_ Optimus commanded quietly.

The man nodded and pulled out a phone, scrolling through it before dialling a number. He sat and held the phone to his ear.

"Hey, Jack?" he asked calmly.

"Epps?"

"Yeah, I kinda need to ask a favour," Epps stated apologetically.

"Can it clear off the steak I owe you?"

"We'll see," Epps snorted.

"Fair enough, what do you need?"

"You remember that friend you said knows a special friend?"

"What, Sam?" Jack on the phone asked curiously.

"Yeah, I've got a situation, and if she actually _exists_ I need to talk to her," Epps stated flatly, looking at Optimus.

"Fuck, that's got to be some situation, here, here's his number, got a pen?"

"Yeah," Epps stated, quickly snatching a pen and paper.

"357-555-8946."

"Thanks Jack,"

"Steak dinner?"

"I may wind up owing _you_ one if this pans out," Epps stated flatly.

"Done, later dude."

"Keep it real man," Epps nodded before hanging up the phone. He dialled the new number. It rang.

"This is Sam." A man's voice stated flatly.

"Uh, hey, Sam? Listen this is Sargent Epps, a friend of Jack's, I need to ask you something completely bizarre and probably owe you one hell of a favour." Epps stated calmly into the phone.

"What?" Sam asked with what sounded like a frown.

"If Hetty exists, I really_ really_ need to talk to her," Epps reported with a frown.

Silence.

"I'll ask her," Sam stated flatly, there was the sounds of walking.

"Hetty, got a man on my cellphone who apparently needs to talk to you," Sam's voice stated with a frown.

"Very well..." A woman's voice stated. "Hello?"

"Hello," Epps stated politely. "I apologize for disturbing you."

"Manners, that's a point in your favour," the woman stated calmly.

"Hopefully it's enough of a point," Epps stated with a small smile. "I need to ask you something, we have a... situation..."

"Say it," the woman stated calmly.

"We need to find a girl, a teenager, the police aren't even _trying_ to find her, she was injured in a..."

"Messy affair?" the woman supplied calmly.

"You could say that," Epps groaned.

"What is her name?" the woman asked calmly.

"Mikaela Banes."

"_WHAT!?_" the woman's voice screamed. Epps jumped about a foot in the air, wide eyed and looking shocked.

"Uh..." he started.

"Enough!" the woman commanded. "We need a secure line, you need to give me every last one of the details you know and we need a video conference _NOW!"_

"Yes Ma'am!" Epps snapped out automatically. He held the phone away from his face. "Captain, _Hetty_ wants a video conference," he stated in a shocked tone.

"Put me on with your tech," Hetty's voice snapped out on the phone just as Epps handed it over to the tech.

"This is Tech Lieutenant Jerry Madson," the man stated quickly.

"Oh good, this is Nell, I need your number." Another voice called out quickly.

The conversation began talking numbers, and the codes the humans used for their communications. Optimus struggled not to fidget impatiently.

Finally, the small screen on the catwalk came to life.

A frankly tiny, older, stern woman appeared on the screen.

"The line is secure," 'Nell's voice called out calmly.

"You need to tell me everything that you know about her and you need to tell me now," Hetty stated firmly. "You're calling from NEST operations, how, and why is Mikaela Banes tied up with you?"

"She was first contact," Will Captain reported quickly.

"Why her, _why her!" _Hetty stated worriedly, beginning to pace.

"Because-" Optimus started.

"No, I already know why," the woman stated irritably. "Because that girl is too bloody brave for her own damned good and _safety_! I need to know _precisely_ what happened to her!"

"That is why-" Optimus started angrily.

"Not why she's gone! I need to know what happened before she disappeared!" the woman snapped back at him.

For a tiny creature she had definite fire and authority Optimus thought approvingly.

"Mikaela Banes was with the boy we were originally trying to contact," Optimus began quickly. "She remained, to help and did so quite effectively. She took damage in Mission City and was taken to the Military hospital, where she then disappeared-"

"Which one?" the woman snapped.

"That'd be the LosAngeles-" Will Captain started.

"_She was here!?_" Hetty shouted. She began looking around. "Nell I need the security footage from- when was she there?" Hetty demanded.

"Two weeks ago, room 205," Will Captain snapped out.

"I need the security footage from two weeks ago," Hetty snapped out.

The young woman in the foreground began typing hurriedly, appearing to be rapidly searching.

"Got it!" she called out. The woman leaned over with a frown, apparently watching the footage.

"There, her, keep an eye on her," Hetty stated firmly.

A few minutes.

"Unconscious for two days," Nell murmured.

"Surprising she isn't _dead _yet," the woman muttered. "Who were the agents who went to speak to her?"

"Facial recognition says they're Agents Callahan and Morrison," 'Nell' replied, she looked worried.

"Agents come out," Hetty muttered. "Look around, zoom on the window."

The two of them watched intently.

"That's her!" Nell stated wide eyed.

"Looking out the window," Hetty muttered, "the five minutes it takes for her door to become guarded."

"She doesn't even _look_ at the camera," Nell stated in a shocked tone.

"No, she won't," Hetty muttered. "She's running."

The woman watched the screen for another moment before looking up.

"It would seem that you missed her by precisely thirty-two seconds," she reported calmly. "Which means that Miss Banes has hidden herself away and does not wish to be found."

"But you can find her, can't you?" Will asked desperately.

"You would have to give me a very good reason for that," the woman stated flatly.

"She was injured, and came into extreme contact with a relic from _our_ world," Optimus rumbled angrily. "I need to speak with her, make sure she is safe, _whole_."

"And how am I going to be sure that you are not in fact trying to hunt her down, using your pretty excuses simply to find her?" the woman demanded.

"Because I owe her my life," Optimus snarled.

The woman's eyes sharpened. She seemed to think for a long time.

"I will find her, understand that if she is running from you you will_ never_ find her," the woman stated calmly.

Optimus synced his processors, he did not think Mikaela would run from him. It was a thread, but he would accept it.

"Thank you," he rumbled patiently. At least someone was looking for the femme.

The woman nodded.

"I will call you shortly," she stated firmly. "However I warn you, if she does not wish to be found, forget about her, as far as you are concerned, she never existed."

The screen blinked out, and Optimus turned, sending a silent prayer to Primus that the tiny femme was okay.

* * *

**A final note, I called Lennox Will Captain for a reason, think about it, Optimus Prime, Prime is his title.**


	3. 2 Well, fancy meeting you here

**Wow, you guys are awesome. Just a heads up, I generally use different style texts for languages, which is impossible here, so for now: "=is anything spoken in Scout=" ... cool?**

**Ugh, re-update, the perfectionist in me made me look, one last time... shoopid cut-outs in the thing. Is now fixed... I hope. It is late, and my laptop is almost dead. Whatever mistakes are my own, so without further ado-**

**Chapter 2 - Well, Fancy meeting you here**

* * *

(BPOV)

Bumblebee sat in Sam's garage. Bored out of his processors.

He didn't have anyone to talk to, nobody to chat with him. Sam was a good human, but he really wasn't the type to stand around, talking to a car. Which irked Bee to no end, but he'd asked to remain with Sam. The sun came up again, and an explosion of sounds and voices came from the house.

"First day of school!" Judy sang brightly.

"Last year of school!" his father added.

"That I can do," Sam snorted. "counting down the days until you can rent my room out?" he asked his father.

"Come on Sam, you've got one more year of high-school and an awesome car, I'm _expecting_ some reasons to ground you!" his father muttered, evidently out of earshot from his mother. Bumblebee couldn't help but snicker at that.

Personally, he was trying his best to not get his hopes up. He and Sam had been cruising the streets for the past two months, of course they'd only admitted they were _both_ looking for Mikaela last week.

"She'll probably turn up for school..." Sam had stated quietly, unsurely.

Privately, Bee didn't really think so. If Mikaela was this good at hiding, she'd probably stay hiding. Everybody had a reason to hide. Which meant he needed to get to Prime, he needed to find her. This was the last day that he was going to stand around waiting. If she didn't show, he was going to go find her.

"Morning Bee!" Sam grinned, sliding into the driver's side. Bumblebee chirped and started his engine, flicking the radio on.

"Goooood morning, good morning!" Bee played the song cheerfully.

Sam drove as tentatively as ever, finally pulling up in front of the school and swaggering in, nodding to students as he went.

Then, of all people, Mikaela walked down the sidewalk.

"Mikaela!" Sam bellowed, running toward her and hugging her. She smiled at him and Sam pointed to Bee with a grin. Mikaela grinned and walked toward him.

"Bee," she murmured, running her hand over his fender.

"You're back!" Bee played the soundbyte cheerfully. "We were worried about you!"

"I am," she smiled. "I gotta go, but I'll drop by and we'll have a right chat, okay?"

That was possibly the best sentence he'd ever heard.

* * *

(MPOV)

I walked up to the school and jumped as Sam bellowed my name, running and dragging me into an enormous hug.

"I'm so glad you're okay!" he muttered. I smiled at him.

"The bots?" I murmured softly.

Sam grinned and proudly pointed to his car.

Bumblebee. My heart swelled as I looked at him, walking over and running a gentle hand over his fender.

"Bee," I murmured, smiling at him.

"You're back!" Bee played the bytes gleefully. "We were worried about you!"

I couldn't stop the smile at the bot's kindness.

"I am," I smiled at him. "I gotta go, but I'll drop by and we'll have a right chat, okay?

"Good," Bumblebee beamed at me. I didn't really know _how_ I knew he was beaming at me, but it was a good feeling, to have him want to see me.

School was school, as usual.

The teachers were familiar, nodding to me.

"Mikaela!" one of the girls shrieked. "Where the hell _were_ you!?"

"Last minute trip to Montana," I smiled. "Went up to visit an uncle."

"Why the hell didn't you call!? Or _e-mail_!?" she demanded.

"Didn't have any internet," I snorted, rolling my eyes. "_Barbaric_ up there, that's what it was. I didn't mean to blow you guys off, I'm sorry."

The girls eyed me for a long moment before nodding cheerfully.

I settled back into the routine and smiled at Sam as he held Bee's door open for me.

"Still living in the same place?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah," I murmured. "Do you mind if I stop at your place, though? Hide in your garage for a little while so I can talk to Bee?"

"You got it!" Sam grinned at me. I relaxed in the seat with a smile.

Sam of course, dragged me into the house first thing, showing me off to his parents. I smiled and made polite conversation for a little while.

"Oh please say you're staying for dinner!" his mother stated cheerfully.

"I can't, I'm sorry," I stated gently. "I need to get to work fairly soon."

"You work?" Mr. Witwicky asked with a grin.

"Well, yeah," I said shyly, looking down. I glanced at the clock on the wall and smiled at them. "It was nice to see you again, I'd probably better get going, I'll see you tomorrow?" I looked at Sam with a smile. He grinned at me and showed me to the door.

I promptly made a beeline for the garage.

"Hey Bee," I grinned at the bot as he transformed in the garage, grinning at me.

"We missed you," he said quickly. "Everybody's been crazy worried about you. Where were you?"

"I..." I started and looked down. "I had to run, Bee," I said softly. "Not from you guys, I just... I had to get outta there, you know?"

Bumblebee nodded sagely and tentatively reached forward. I smiled and stepped into his hands, letting him pull me to his chest.

"_Really_ missed you," he played softly.

"Missed you too, Bee," I murmured.

"When you get back?" he asked.

"Two days ago," I murmured. "I'm sorry I didn't come visit, I didn't know if... if you'd still be here."

"I'm here... you wanna ride?" he asked gently.

"No, I should probably walk, it might freak Sam out a little if a known car-thief absconded with you, hey?" I smiled at him.

He chirped a laugh and lightly set me down.

"See you tomorrow, Mikaela." he played softly.

"Kae," I murmured.

He looked at me curiously.

"You're a friend, Bee," I smiled at him gently. "Call me Kae."

Bumblebee promptly transformed and revved his engines up.

"Bee, where you headed?" Sam's voice asked over the radio.

"Drive Mikaela," he played cheerfully.

"Okay," Sam chuckled. I laughed softly and slid into the driver's seat.

Bee handed the controls over and I drove to the new job.

"So what happened?" Bee asked curiously.

I sighed.

"There..." I started softly.

"Kae?"

"My instincts took over, I had to run. They had morphine going into my veins, even at the hospital, Bee. My body doesn't handle that stuff. I had to get to safety."

"But you're back now!" Bee stated cheerfully. I smiled.

"Keep a secret?" I asked with a grin.

"_YES!"_

"I spent two weeks detoxing off of the crap the hospital had in my veins, and the rest of the two months banging my head against the wall. Ultimate decision, I came back here, find Sam, I figured if I could find him I'd find you guys." I told him gently.

Bee looked at me incredulously.

"You came back to find _us!?_" he chirped incredulously.

"I wanted to make sure..." I murmured softly. "I needed to be sure you were okay."

"Kaaee!" Bumblebee chirped, his seat squeezing me slightly in a hug. "So you got back when? How do you already have a job? What do I tell Prime and Lennox?"

"Well, I got back two days ago, lost my old job, which is alright, the boss sucked anyway, so I picked this one up. Nightshift."

"Nightshift?" Bumblebee played my voice back.

"Yeah, well I'm not exactly allowed to say that I was abducted by aliens and unconscious for a few more days," I laughed softly. "This is the only job I could get on short notice like this. So here I go."

I patted the dash gently and smiled.

"Thanks for the lift, Bee," I murmured.

"Anytime." he chirped.

* * *

(BPOV)

Bumblebee watched as the femme began walking toward the doors.

"Hey Kae?" Bee murmured, hoping she could hear him.

"Yeah Bee?" she asked curiously.

"Time you get off shift?" Bee asked curiously.

"You sure you wanna come pick me up?" Mikaela asked worriedly. "Shouldn't you be recharging then?"

Bumblebee rolled his optics.

"Time you get off shift?" he played again. "If I didn't wanna, I wouldn't offer."

"Five," she smiled.

Bumblebee sat behind the restaurant Kae had driven to for a few minutes. This was not a good area. There were a lot of bad humans around here, far too many places for them to hide and sneak up on Kae.

Kae.

He liked that name. It was fast, he could say it even with his vocal processors still acting up. Bumblebee sighed and drove back to Sam's.

In his garage, he contacted his Prime.

* * *

(OPOV)

Two months went past.

Optimus walked toward communication central and looked at the newly promoted Major Lennox. Evidently they kept their titles in the fully formal position, which was rather stilted, in his opinion, but that was neither here nor there.

"Major," Optimus said quietly, "I have a request to make of you."

"What's up Prime?" the Major asked curiously.

"I was hoping to speak with Mikaela Banes, the femme who protected the cube to the best of her abilities."

Will seemed to sag into himself.

"Miss Banes was ordered to return to her life," Will said quietly, looking at Optimus. "She's done a brilliant job of it, she's completely off the grid. I don't honestly know where to start looking for her... _Still._"

"None of us do." General Moreshower added in a stunned tone.

Optimus nodded sadly then straightened as Bumblebee sent his weekly transmission.

::. Mikaela's back!.:: he sent cheerfully.

"Bumblebee? Report!" Optimus ordered aloud, putting his scout on speaker.

"Nothing's happening over here anymore," he sent calmly. "Sam and Mikaela are back in school, I'm worried about her though."

Optimus jumped.

"Mikaela has returned? Is she alright?" he asked worriedly.

"She's tired," Bee said sadly, "I don't think she's had a proper recharge since she's woken up. She's still picking up the pieces of her life and restarting."

"_Re_starting?" Will asked curiously.

"She's not allowed to say that she was kidnapped by aliens for three days and then unconscious for two more. Lost her job." Bee reported with a snort. "Says it's for the best though, she didn't like her boss anyway. She got back from wherever she was two days ago, right in time for school."

"And that explains that," Will murmured. He straightened and looked at General Moreshower on the screen. "What are the chances of getting financial aid to her, so she can go to college or something?"

"Well, we're already sending the boy, pretty sure we can send the girl," the General chuckled. "We'll see if we can stop by in her area to talk to her."

* * *

Optimus rolled up in front of the small trailer that was listed as Kae's home. It had taken the Military _another_ month to get around to letting him go. He'd been quite irritable about that, but he'd played nice, and finally, _finally,_ he was here. Optimus surveyed the femme's housing unit. There was gravel instead of grass, and even in the dark you could see the faded quality of the paint. It was clean though, tidy for all that it was run down.

"This place needs some serious work," Will murmured, hopping out of Optimus' cab and going to knock on the door.

::. Nice to see you in the area, Sir.:: Bumblebee sent cheerfully.

Will hopped off the front porch and tapped on a few windows. He walked back to Optimus.

"I don't think she's here," Will said with a frown. "It's almost midnight on a weekday, where on earth is she?"

Optimus scanned the trailer and found it completely empty.

::. Mikaela is not in her home!.:: Optimus transmitted to his scout. ::. There is nobody here!.::

::. Kae lives alone now.:: Bee shrugged ::. She's at work right now.::

"Bumblebee reports that Mikaela will be at work right now," Optimus rumbled quietly.

"Nightshift!?" Epps whispered in shock.

::. Here, I'll show you where.:: Bumblebee said quietly, there was the sound of the scout starting up his engines and quiet voices.

"Bee, where you headed?" Sam's voice whispered over a radio.

"Check on Mikaela," Bee replied, cutting soundbytes together.

"Mkay," Sam yawned. Bee began driving.

Ten minutes later the cheerful yellow Camaro drove slowly past Optimus, he got into gear and followed his scout. They drove for another ten minutes and parked behind a restaurant. The lights in the front were dark. Bumblebee beeped his horn quietly.

Optimus focused his scanners on the building and found a human Femme walking toward the door. Bumblebee turned on his speakers and began playing a song quietly.

"Where'd you go, I miss you so, seem's like it's been forever, that you've been gone..." he cut the soundbyte as Mikaela opened the door, kicking a wedge into place and drying her hands on a towel pushed through the strings of an apron.

"Hey Bee, what are you doing here this late? You should be recharging," Mikaela scolded quietly. She looked up in surprise as Optimus idled forward somewhat.

"Optimus," she murmured respectfully, nodding to him. "Epps, Lennox, how have you lot been?" she asked with a tired smile.

"Better than you by the look of it," Lennox stated worriedly, "why the hell are you living alone? You go to school still, why aren't you in bed?"

"You play the hand life dealt you," Mikaela shrugged, "how's your baby girl doing?"

"Just fine," Will grinned, "and we've got some good news for you, government's sending you to college, so you shouldn't have to keep working night shifts."

Mikaela stared at the man for a long moment and began laughing wryly.

"That's very generous of you guys," she said softly, "but I still need to pay the taxes on our place, now what's wrong? I highly doubt the leader of the Auto-bots would show up to award me a scholarship."

Epps and Lennox stared at her in shock.

"Joys of being a criminal," Mikaela snorted, "you learn the world quickly, now what's happening?"

"I had hoped to get some time to speak with you," Optimus rumbled quietly, "make sure you had recovered properly from fighting."

"I'm just fine, Optimus," Mikaela murmured softly, reaching out and running her hand along his armour gently. "It's a blessing that Bee's still around though, thank you for allowing him to continue to be Sam's guardian."

Bumblebee straightened somewhat on his tires. Mikaela glanced at her watch and sighed, "I'm sorry, I should probably be getting back to work."

"Anyway Mikaela, here," Lennox said quietly, handing her a phone in a box. "Unlimited calls and texts, courtesy of the military. The sim and numbers are already in there."

"And so you can find me if you need me," Mikaela finished for him with a wry smile. "I appreciate it, thank you."

Will grinned and patted her shoulder.

"I'll come pick you up, what time are you off shift this time?" Bee asked, cutting soundbytes together. Will frowned, evidently trying to understand the rapid soundbytes.

"Bee, you shouldn't have to keep ferrying me around, it's not that long of a walk," Mikaela stated, rolling her eyes.

"Aaww, Kaaeeee!" Bee whined. "I'm coming to pick you up if I have to sit here all night, what time do you get off sis?"

"Five, just in time to get my homework done and catch a couple hours rest," Mikaela sighed. "Remind me to change your oil when we get to Sam's, little brother." she reached up and rubbed her face tiredly, glancing at the restaurant.

"The hell are you doing, Mikaela?" Epps growled. "High school and nightshift don't mix! You should be sleeping right now!"

"Yeah, well," Mikaela sighed, looking at her feet. "If they manage to let dad out of prison I'll have my backup again. But for now I'm on my own. Following orders though," she snorted. "I'm in school and acting _normal_."

"S'not right," Epps growled.

"Hah, not right, or fuckin' _fair_, life ain't fair," Mikaela shot back at him with a snort. "but on the plus side? I now have a future to look forward to." she held up the scholarship. "Now, don't bother about me, I'll survive. But I gotta get back to work."

"We'll get out of your hair," Will stated softly. Mikaela offered him a smile and patted Optimus' hood.

"You have the number, yes?" she asked with a smile, looking at him and holding up the box.

"I do," Optimus rumbled in relief.

"Good," Mikaela stated quietly, "Be safe you guys." she gave his hood one final caress before walking back into the restaurant. The door closed softly behind her.

The soldiers stood in silence for a long moment.

"She _walks_ through this neighbourhood?" Epps finally exclaimed.

"I don't let her anymore," Bee piped up, quickly cutting the soundbytes together. "She had a scooter, but Barricade stepped on it."

"Are you alright guarding the two of them, Bumblebee?" Optimus asked worriedly, "do you wish backup?"

"I'm alright Sir," Bee chirped cheerfully, "I can take care of Sam and my big sister."

* * *

(BPOV)

Bumblebee drove back to Sam's parent's house and parked. He dropped into his recharge for a minute and started back out again with a sigh. Recharging wasn't much good when all he saw was horrors. He thought for a moment and grinned, sending a text to his sister. She had a phone now.

"Hey K! You got Bee'd!"

He waited for a moment and snorted at her response.

"Just so long as B doesn't sting me"

"Never!" He protested gleefully.

"Why aren't you recharging little brother?"

"Can't sleep."

"Chargefrights again?"

"...Yeah..." Bee admitted, embarrassed. He jumped when his big sister's phone activated, her voice ringing out softly over his speakers. Singing to him. She had such a sweet voice, he wanted to teach her scout, just to hear the language in her voice.

Bumblebee didn't even notice as he dropped into his recharge cycle, lulled to sleep by his sister's voice.

He came online with a start, noted the time and quickly turned his engines on.

"Where you going Bee?" Sam whispered over the radio.

"Pick up Mikaela," Bee replied, using a recording of Sam's voice.

"Kay," Sam yawned, Bee rolled his optics. His human was nice, if a bit lazy, always sleeping. He gleefully onlined his holoform and drove to the restaurant, pulling into the back and beeping his horn softly, then playing their code soundbyte.

This was a bad neibourhood, he'd made her promise that she wouldn't open the door unless she _knew_ it was _him._ In moments, his sister staggered toward him, yawning and plopping into the passenger seat.

"Hey sis!" he played the soundbytes cheerfully.

"Hey little brother," she murmured, almost half asleep.

"See? _Now_ aren't you glad I'm coming to pick you up?" he grinned at her.

"Yeah, well, keep me awake little brother," she yawned, shaking herself awake again. "I gotta get my homework done."

"Kae you need sleep!" Bee groaned, driving back toward Sam's.

"No, I need to do my homework and change your oil," she smiled at him.

"You can do my oil tomorrow." Bee snorted.

"Or I can do your oil today and spend tomorrow waxing your armour," she shot back at him. Bumblebee was hard pressed to maintain his argument at that.

"Prime has officially designated me as your guardian as well," Bee shot at her. "I'll be remiss in my duties to keep you awake!"

"You're showing off, Bee." Kae snorted.

"You know it Baby," Bee replied, grinning in spite of himself. His sister laughed, and the flirting game started back up right where they'd left off. He pulled into his garage and Kae got out, automatically reaching for the oil-pan and sliding it under him even as she set her homework on the table beside them. It was a matter of minutes for Bee to eject the oil from his system, he made sure to only put enough carbon in it to make it black, he was keeping it for a special occasion now.

Kae had quietly confided in him, she couldn't afford to buy a dress for prom.

Bee, was _all_ over that.

"I'd swear you were burning your oil rather than the gasoline for the amount of carbon you keep putting in it," Kae murmured.

"I'm _not!_" Bee snorted. "I wanna teach you scout," he added with a grin as she finished topping up his oil and closed his system back up again.

"Okay, but just so you know, I _suck_ at languages," his sister grinned back at him.

"Drone-shit," he snorted. "When you're talking in Mandarin in your sleep you rock at languages. =Sister=, means sister."

"=Sister=," Mikaela parroted him in a thoughtful tone. "So what does =Little-Brother= mean?"

"You just called me little brother," Bee said in an awestruck tone.

"Can I call you that?" she asked in a small tone, turning to look at him shyly.

"Anytime =Big-sister=," Bee murmured, transforming and reaching to hug her.

"How am I your big sister?" she asked with a low laugh, even as she wrapped her tiny, really gentle arms around his neck struts.

"I'm pretty sure that in the place where size doesn't matter, you're bigger than me," Bee murmured, onlining his vocal processors, he wanted to say it with his own voice. He offlined them quickly to cut the static.

"Aaaw Bee," Kae murmured, hugging him a bit more tightly before he released her.


	4. 3 Phonecalls

**Never in my wildest dreams did I think that publishing these would be as much fun as it is writing them. Anyway, chapter three, massive thanks to FireRose, you are a true sport listening to me babbling about what to and not to do. Once again, pass me some reviews people, they keep me putting up the next chapter!**

**Chapter 3 - Phonecalls**

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus sat irritably in his spot in the hangar. Ratchet and Ironhide were letting him be, which was probably for the best, he wasn't exactly good company at the moment.

On Cybertron, he would be able to tell in an instant the mood of a fellow bot. In contrast? These humans were scrapping _annoying_. They breathed at different rates a great deal of the time. He couldn't honestly tell if it was automatic, even _Ratchet_ had difficulty figuring out the significance.

Of course at this point, the humans had taken to limiting their interactions with the medic; he wasn't in a very good mood either, he hadn't been in several vorn.

Not that Optimus blamed him, of course, the bot had a right to his moods.

Optimus thought about it for another hour and shook himself lightly, dialling the number to the most congenial human he knew.

For the first time, he called Mikaela.

"Hello?" she answered in a bright, smiling tone.

"Hello, Mikaela," Optimus rumbled quietly.

"Optimus!" she stated in surprise. "How are you?"

"I am..." Optimus began, he trailed off. The femme didn't need to hear him complain.

"That good huh?" Mikaela stated in a sympathetic tone. "What's bothering you?"

"How do you know that something is bothering me?" Optimus rumbled curiously.

"I can hear it in your voice," she stated gently.

"Is _that_ how humans understand each other?" Optimus burst out incredulously.

"It's one of the ways," Mikaela shrugged. "I mean, comparatively we must all look alike to you, but there _are_ differences in all of us."

"You do not look alike," Optimus snorted. "There are variances in all of your appearances and the tones of your voices."

"That, is so sweet," Mikaela smiled, she sounded like she was leaning back. "Let me take a stab in the dark, you're having issues trying to interpret the moods around you?"

"_Yes,"_ Optimus rumbled in relief, sagging on his tires. "How do you do it?"

"Mmm," Mikaela hummed.

"Mikaela?" Optimus rumbled curiously.

"I'm trying to think how to explain it. If we were face to face I'd simply show you," Mikaela stated calmly. "I've seen Bee use similar facial expressions as we do, a smile, a frown, laughter... why don't you tell me what expressions or behaviours are confusing you, and I'll try to explain them."

Optimus smiled slightly. That was a perfect solution.

"I understand that your species takes in air and expels it as a part of your life functions, but you breathe at different rates, sometimes..." Optimus trailed off.

"Mmn, well we breath faster when we're more active, to increase the oxygen in our blood, and increase the amount of energy we have." Mikaela began. "But I'd imagine Ratchet has already said that. So... a heavy vent when someone is standing still, or at least not moving enough to warrant heavy breathing?"

"Yes!" Optimus rumbled, grinning. _Finally_, some _answers_.

"We call it a sigh," Mikaela stated gently, smiling. "Sometimes it's simply the exhalation, sometimes there's a vocalization with it?"

"_Yes,_" Optimus nodded avidly. "But what do they _mean!?"_

"They can mean anything from happiness to irritation, tiredness. It depends on the..." she trailed off for a moment. "Circumstance, that's the word I'm looking for," she continued. "If someone is receiving a much needed hug, they could sigh with happiness. If they are irritated, they would sigh at a somewhat different speed. The easiest way to tell is simply to look at their faces as they sigh. If they're frowning, they're irritated. Smiling, happy."

"But what happens when they are not allowing their faces to move?" Optimus rumbled intently.

"Then you aren't looking closely enough," Mikaela stated calmly. "Look for narrowed eyes, even just the littlest bit. Or an upward or downward twitch at the corner of the mouth. Crossed arms, hunched shoulders, our faces aren't the only feature that can betray our moods."

"How do you learn it?" Optimus rumbled immediately.

"By observation, we learn our actions from our parents." Mikaela shrugged with a laugh. "Okay, here's a question for you."

Optimus jumped slightly.

"Okay..." he answered hesitantly.

"When you transformed in the alleyway, the first time we saw each other," Mikaela began, and Optimus felt himself sag in relief. "You let out a sound as you stretched in your bipedal form. Sort of an Hmmmmnnnn," she hummed contentedly.

Optimus remembered it and nodded, honestly surprised that _she_ remembered. He thought for a moment.

"That was not a question," Optimus rumbled quietly.

"No, that's the backstory," Mikaela chuckled. "Here's the _question_, am I correct in assuming that that sound translates across both of our species as a contented vocalization?"

"You are," Optimus rumbled with a smile. He jumped. "Our non-verbal vocalizations are the same!" he rumbled in shock.

"So it would seem," Mikaela smiled. "So in that case, you're simply going to have to remember that our human vocalizations are produced by passing air through the vocal folds in the larynx, and that sometimes? It just feels good to release a lungful of air in a sigh, if only to try to release an emotion. We live in and _utilize_ our atmosphere."

Optimus sagged into himself in relief, he could do that.

"Thank you," he rumbled earnestly.

"Anytime," Mikaela smiled. "So other than being surrounded by annoying humans, how are you lot doing?"

Optimus smiled as she began an easy, open-minded dialogue over the inconsequential things that constituted a good chat. It was a shock to him then, when she suddenly stated.

"Good grief, we've been on the phone two hours!" Mikaela exclaimed.

Optimus glanced at his chronometer and jumped.

"Two hours, five minutes and ten seconds," he rumbled incredulously, it had been a _long_ time since he'd last had a conversation this long. Two vorn, actually.

"That's the best tone of incredulity I've heard yet," Mikaela giggled. "But either way, you should probably be going to your recharge, and I _definitely _need to catch a few winks before... ugh, never-mind, I need to _shower_ before I go to school."

"I have robbed you of your recharge," Optimus rumbled in a guilty, saddened tone.

"Nonsense," Mikaela laughed. "You woke me up out of a nightmare and provided conversation on a level I've been sorely missing."

Optimus nodded to himself for a moment before jumping.

"If I woke you from a nightmare, how were you so cheerful answering the phone?" he demanded of the femme.

"Training," Mikaela shrugged. "One of the first things I learned about getting along with people, was to project friendliness no matter how I'm feeling. Simply because I woke terrified, does not mean that I need to snap at you when I answer the phone."

If Optimus had not already been parked in his truck form, he would have sat down on the ground. Hard.

"You are serious!" he rumbled in shock.

"Of course I am," Mikaela laughed, her voice turned serious. "Anger and hatred can only breed more of it's own kind."

"Mmm, this is true," Optimus rumbled contentedly. "Mikaela?" he rumbled.

"Optimus?" she asked with a smile.

"Thank you for picking up the phone," he rumbled earnestly.

"Anytime, Optimus," she smiled. "Anytime. I'll talk to you later?"

"Absolutely," he rumbled with a smile.

"Good, then I'm not going to say goodbye, because I will hear your voice again," Mikaela stated with a smile.

"Until we speak again," Optimus rumbled, smiling in spite of himself. The line went dead and he sat for a long moment, looking around himself.

Somehow, this place seemed less hostile now.

* * *

(MPOV)

Another day, wake up, shower, go to school, accomplish the prerequisite 'spend time with Sam, he's your boyfriend after all' time. Protest Judy always trying to feed me... although the occasional meal I allowed her to feed me was a welcome relief from scrounging up my own meal at home, even _if _she constantly insisted on putting more on my plate than my stomach could handle. Ron and I _both_ were fighting a rearguard action on that, simple solution? We switched plates and Ron wolfed the excess down. All the while, Sam would beam at me, believing that it was simply my tactic to get in close with his parents.

Then the best part of the day, sneak away and visit with Bee, his running excuse that he was my guardian now, too, satisfied Sam and his parents quite well. Especially since Bee and I _both_ insisted that I take care of his maintenances.

And then another night shift, I sighed as the clock on the wall finally indicated that I could go home. My homework was finished already, tonight had been a quick night, I'd settled into the routine. Everything was finished. I glanced around as I hesitantly walked out the back door. This alleyway was horrible for ambush spots. I walked quickly, but sure enough, didn't escape the notice of the early morning street runners.

"Hey baby, what're you doing up so early?" a man asked with a grin. Walking with a pimp swagger. Oh subtle. Idiot.

"Going home," I stated firmly, walking past. "A place which you are not welcome, kindly leave me be." test one.

The man turned slightly to keep pace with me. Test one failed, my instincts began flaring. Test two, for how far would he continue trying to follow? Engine.

Bumblebee. My dear, sweet Bumblebee chose that moment to pull up in front of me.

"Sorry I'm late sis!" he called out cheerfully, his door popping open in front of me as the holo grinned. "Alarm must have died again."

"That's just fine," I laughed, settling into the passenger's seat, and closing the door. Leaving behind an angry pimp, "as always, you are a lifesaver Bee."

Bumblebee began giggling softly, I could feel him straightening in pride. I couldn't help but smile at him, the sweet bot. He dropped me off at home, and sat out front until I was inside. I smiled and waved at him as he took off again.

Somehow, home didn't feel quite so empty when he dropped me off. My phone rang, I glanced at the screen. As usual, it was an unlisted number.

"Hello?" I answered with a smile.

"Mikaela," Optimus' voice rumbled quietly. I smiled in earnest now.

"How are you doing, Optimus?" I asked gently. As usual, there was silence for a moment on the other end.

"That good, huh?" I snorted. "What'd they do this time?" Optimus snorted on the other end of the line.

"I am starting to believe that _I _am the one in the wrong at this point," he rumbled irritably. "Would that I had your knowledge of humans."

"You _have_ my knowledge already, such as it is," I laughed softly. "All you need to do is ask..."

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus sat irritably again, how could he explain to the humans _why _he was not allowing them the technology that had destroyed his own world. They didn't seem interested, they never _asked_ why.

They simply yelled.

Ratchet was busy, Ironhide on patrol, at a loss, he called Mikaela.

"Hello?" she answered with her usual smile. Listening to her tones he could hear the variances in her voice now. When she didn't know who it was, she sounded rather flat.

"Mikaela," Optimus rumbled quietly. He could almost _feel_ her smile now.

"How are you doing, Optimus?" she asked gently, there was life in her voice now, sounding like she truly cared how he was. Optimus remained quiet, trying to decide how to answer that. He wasn't doing all that well at the moment, he didn't know why he always called Mikaela when he was so down, she had her own troubles to contend with.

But the moment he was quiet like this, she always seemed to just _know._

_ "_That good huh?" she asked with a snort, which somehow always made him feel better, simply because she knew. "What'd they do this time?"

"I am starting to believe that _I_ am the one in the wrong at this point," Optimus rumbled irritably. There was no sense in lying, she always knew something was wrong anyway. "Would that I had your knowledge of humans."

"You _have_ my knowledge already, such as it is, all you need to do is ask," Mikaela laughed softly on the other end of the line. Optimus couldn't help but smile, the dear femme.

"Am I doing the right thing?" he asked softly.

"In doing?" she asked calmly, she sounded like she was sitting back.

"In not sharing our weapons technology, I feel as though..."

"No," Mikaela stated sternly. It was a shock to hear that tone in her voice.

"I _am_ in the wrong then," Optimus sighed.

"No, you are absolutely correct," Mikaela stated in the same, stern tone. Optimus couldn't help but do a double take.

"Then..." Optimus rumbled irritably.

"Why are my people still asking for the weapons?" Mikaela asked in a quiet, saddened tone. Optimus nodded. He didn't know how she always seemed to know that he was nodding, but she did, and that's what counted.

"I assume you've come to the conclusion that the equalization between our weapons on earth is about the only thing keeping us alive at the moment," Mikaela stated sadly. "At this moment in time, only the fear of our second strike capability is keeping our world whole."

"Indeed," Optimus murmured sadly. "A system that even we would not be able to counter, if your world decided to commit suicide..."

"You wouldn't be able to cut the rope from our necks," Mikaela stated just as sadly. She sounded like she was nodding. Then, she sighed. "Which makes you correct, though," she added quietly. "If you intended to give our world weaponry, you would need to equip the _entire_ world. We would not be able to resist the temptation to turn those weapons upon ourselves, you're not in the wrong, Optimus. Deep down, most of us will agree with you."

"Then why do they still ask?" Optimus rumbled irritably, he brought himself up short. "I am sorry, Mikaela, you should not have to-"

"There's no have to," Mikaela snorted. "You go right ahead and be irritable, I don't mind, Primus only knows you'd still lend me an ear if _I _were irritable."

"True," Optimus rumbled with a small smile.

"Shall we hash it out then," Mikaela smiled on the other end of the line, Optimus relaxed on his tires and nodded. "Right then, let's go through the points of view, understanding is the first step."

"True," Optimus rumbled with a nod. "Whose first?"

"Let's start with Lennox," Mikaela stated after a moment. "His primary duty is to protect the United States of America, and by extension the world. On one side of the coin, he's intelligent and understands where you're coming from. On the other, it's still his duty to protect the world, and now he's working with an alien race far more advanced, facing an enemy of equal advancement but said race is refusing to equalize the playing field."

Optimus nodded, frowning, that point of view was valid, that was the one that was making him doubt himself so much.

"Of course that'd be more his superior's point of view as well, Lennox is probably smart enough to know that you aren't going to leave us defenceless." Mikaela finished calmly. "So, answer the question, who are you to decide what is best for us?"

"I...!" Optimus began indignantly. "Mikaela, you know damn..."

"_I _know!" Mikaela laughed, "I'm giving you the reason to _say_ it, but at this point I should probably say it for you. You're bigger, stronger, older and wiser. You're an outside observer with several years experience observing another race, and you're a surviver of watching your _own_ planet self destruct the way our's is headed. _I_ know that. Do _they?_"

Optimus sat stunned.

"Eloquently put, Mikaela," he rumbled finally.

"Really? I thought it was a bit blunt, myself," she countered him blandly. Optimus snorted back a laugh.

"Well put none the less," Optimus rumbled. He thought for a moment. "What is _your _point of view?" he asked curiously. Mikaela sighed.

"My point of view is a grim one," she stated quietly. "I sense my world, _our_ world coming closer to it's own destruction every day. As individuals, our people can be incredibly intelligent, compassionate. But as a group, the group mind takes over, and we destroy so much more easily than we create."

"As it has always been," Optimus rumbled sadly.

"So shall it always be," Mikaela nodded. "Although on a brighter topic there's a viral video out of Ironhide laying out a total smack down, how is he? He looked like he was taking some damage out of that one."

"He blew out a knee," Optimus nodded, glancing over at his old weapons master as the bot rolled in. "Ratchet fixed him up fairly quickly though."

"That's good." Mikaela nodded. "Ratchet still Ratchet?"

"He will always be Ratchet," Optimus rumbled fondly.

"The solidarity of our existence," Mikaela stated just as fondly. "A medic will always be grumpy, with a spark-full of compassion and the right words when you need it most."

"He'll scold you repeatedly whether you're injured or not, and make an enemy of anyone who doesn't have the intelligence to realize that he only scolds you when he cares."

"Primus bless all medics as kind as him," Mikaela smiled gently.

"Amen," Optimus rumbled fondly. "And thank you, Mikaela."

"What on earth for?" she asked in amusement.

"For reminding me why I am fighting," he rumbled with a smile.

"Anytime, Optimus," Mikaela stated gently. "Anytime."

* * *

(MPOV)

The line went dead as it always did, and I couldn't help but smile fondly at the phone. Optimus was such a dear, open-sparked bot. I looked around at my completed work and lightly unclipped my bluetooth headphone, only to clip it back on as the phone rang again.

"Hello?" I asked with a smile.

"Hey Kae," Bumblebee's soundbytes played sadly.

"Chargfrights =Little-brother?=" I asked gently. I could feel him nodding. "Did you want to talk about it?"

"=Kinda...=" Bee chirped softly.

"I'm all ears, little-brother," I murmured gently.

"=I was watching the battles again,=" Bumblebee chirped, I could feel him beginning to cry softly. "=Everybody was dying again, all my friends, and I had to run, I was under orders and I had to run away like a coward...="

"It's not cowardly to run, when we are outmatched we must retreat, survival to fight another day is paramount," I told him gently. "Would you have survived if you had stayed?"

"=...No...=" Bee chirped sadly.

"Then I would never have known my =Little-brother=, now would I?" I asked gently.

"And I would never have met my =Big-sister=," Bee added softly, I could feel him nodding somewhat. I glanced at the clock, my work was done, I could stand to knock off early today, the boss didn't mind, it was money he didn't have to pay me when the work was done early.

"Do you want to come pick me up, =Little-brother?=" I asked hesitantly.

"=I'm on my way!=" Bumblebee chirped excitedly. "=Be there in ten!="

The phone went dead, the dear-sparked little bot. I glanced at the clock again and sent a text to the boss. 'Finished up early, knocking off 2. K.' I sent it and pocketed my phone, wandering into the staffroom and gathering my things. My phone buzzed.

'Did u remember the ovens?' the boss sent.

'First thing I did' I sent back in amusement.

'Awesome. C U 2moro'

Best boss yet, I thought in amusement. With the exception of working with my family, of course. I picked up my purse and heard an engine outside the door. I waited behind that door. A horn honked.

Silence.

Not Bee.

Before I even thought about it I sent up a prayer of thanks to Primus that Bee had had the foresight to sort out a code between ourselves. My phone buzzed.

'K don't come out' Bee sent.

'id?' I sent back.

'3H - A'

Three humans. Armed.

Crap.

I locked the doors.

'They moving' I sent.

'Negative'

I frowned for a long moment, then grinned.

'I'll meet you 3 blocks north' I sent with a smirk.

'What r u doin K!?' Bee sent back incredulously.

'Roof' I grinned. I quickly scaled the ladder to the roof, depositing my pack before closing the door. Down the ladder, to the boss' office, arm the alarm. It began it's countdown.

Forty seconds. I ran, scrambling up the ladder, onto the roof, close the hatch, lock it. I kissed my pick with a grin and pressed my ear to the door for a long moment, listening for the alarm. Three... two... one.

Two beeps then silence.

Perfect.

I stood and walked the rooflines, tossing my pack over my back and climbing up fire escapes for a moment. Well away from the initial alleyway I scanned the area. All clear, I slid down the ladders and casually walked the final block just as Bee pulled up in front of me. I climbed in with a smirk.

"You're the best, Bee, you know that right?" I grinned at him as he pulled out.

"How'd you get _here!?" _Bumblebee demanded with a grin. "I didn't even _see_ you!"

"You forgot to look up," I giggled. "Let's go home, shall we?"

"Your place or mine baby?" Bumblebee played gleefully.

"My place is an absolute mess," I murmured in a sultry tone. "Let's go to your place tonight."

"You got it, gorgeous," he played happily.

We parked in Sam's garage and Bumblebee laid my seat back the second I couldn't manage to bite back a yawn.

"I'll take you home in time for you to get your clothes," Bumblebee murmured gently. I smiled and cuddled into his seat, drifting off to sleep with my little brother close by.


	5. 4 Spark to spark,,, heart

**Chapter 4 - Spark to Spark... heart**

* * *

(WPOV)

Will knew he was frowning. He couldn't help it. He just couldn't win. Period.

The bots were stubborn, and his superiors seemed completely dense at the moment. Of course orders were orders, but that sure as hell didn't mean he had to like it.

Prime of course chose that moment to transform, it was always kind of cool to watch the bots transforming. He strode to the communications central and stood silently, looking at Will almost pensively. He glanced around the hangar and looked back at Will.

"Join me for a drive, Major?" the bot rumbled quietly.

Will stared at the bot. Flabbergasted. The Prime almost never drove someone around. He nodded rather numbly and slid down the ladders as Prime transformed again, backing into the open area and opening his door for Will.

Which was actually kind of courteous of the bot. Will climbed into his cab and sat, kind of awkwardly, he knew. It was still kind of weird that he was sitting inside of a sentient being.

Optimus simply pulled out of the compound and drove.

Neither of them spoke.

Will idly watched the surroundings, just in case he wound up walking back. You never really knew with these bots sometimes.

Prime pulled into a clearing out on the cliffs that looked over the base.

Nice lookout area, actually.

"Out you get," Optimus rumbled quietly. Not rudely, just quietly. Will obeyed and watched as the big man transformed again, carefully sitting and dangling his legs over the cliff edge. Curious now, Will walked over and leaned against a nearby tree.

"May I ask why?" Will started quietly.

"Most seem to be unnerved when I transform from my truck form to my bipedal form when they are still in my cab," Optimus rumbled. Will couldn't stop the snort of laughter, he looked guiltily up at the bot. Prime simply met his gaze with a calm expression.

"I'm sorry," Will stated quickly. "I mean, may I ask why we're up here?"

"I had hoped to ask a favour of you, Major," Prime rumbled calmly.

"And that is?" Will asked warily, eyeing the bot.

"I wish to have an open dialogue with you," Optimus rumbled in that same calm tone. "You seem aggravated of late, I do not know if it is common among humans, but on Cybertron it is considered... detrimental, to withhold one's opinions and to not share dialogue."

Will slid down his tree and sat on the ground in shock, staring at the bot. Optimus looked down at him worriedly.

"Are you quite alright, Major Lennox?" he rumbled curiously.

"I... I'm good," Will stated in a shocked tone. "I'll admit that is the last thing that I ever expected to hear from you, though."

"Even among my unit I am considered... unapproachable at times," Optimus nodded sagely, looking down at the base. "Unfortunately, it comes with being Prime, one of my least favourite aspects of the position if the truth is to be known."

Will felt a bit of a let-down that he'd not saved sliding down his tree in shock for that statement. He'd gone and wasted it on a simple request for open speech.

"But that is beside the point, at the moment," Optimus continued calmly, looking at the view. He turned and looked at Will. "I wish to give you the opportunity to speak, shout and rant in confidence, something that I feel you wish to do regardless."

Will sat and stared at the bot in silence.

"I might remind you that I am big enough to handle you yelling at me," Optimus added with an absolutely straight face.

"Is... was..." Will gasped out weakly. Optimus watched him calmly. "Did you seriously just make a size joke?" Will demanded.

"I believe your precise phrasing is a 'pun'," Optimus rumbled seriously. Will stared up at the bot's optics. There was a sparkle of humour hiding behind that calm facade. He couldn't help it, he burst out laughing.

Optimus stayed sat on that cliff edge and simply watched him with that same calm expression on his face. Will took a deep, calming breath and smiled up at the bot.

"You realize just how hard it is to shout at a person who made you laugh?" he asked seriously.

"We shall probably be irritated with each other again at some point," Optimus rumbled calmly, shrugging. "I never stated that it is a one-time deal. I feel as though our dialogue with each other is deeply constrained, and that we would accomplish far more if we are capable of speaking openly with each other."

Will grinned, he couldn't help it.

"In return, you're allowed to yell at me, one on one, you know," he stated comfortably, looking up at the bot. "I might make you promise that you won't squash me in a fit of pique though, it is kinda daunting arguing with a bot forty times your size."

"You already have my promise to do no harm to human kind," Optimus rumbled irritably, "what must I do to get that across the language barrier!?"

Will stared at the bot incredulously.

"No, see normally when somebody states human kind, they mean the group, the majority," Will stated seriously. "A few individuals being sacrificed for the sake of human kind."

"The group is made of individuals," Optimus retorted. "Each with their own unique strengths and weaknesses, the loss of one is a loss to all. Besides, if I wish to cause harm, I have cannons for that." the bot finished irritably, bringing a cannon online for a moment, looking at it and sheathing it again. "Far less messy."

They sat in silence for a moment.

"Well, that's good to know," Will stated mildly. Optimus... snorted?

"Well, besides weapons information, what else did you want to know?" Optimus rumbled with a small smirk, looking down at him.

"Well... why I'm not allowed to know your weapons information," Will hazarded the question. "The yelling always starts before I can ask."

The bot took a deep breath, releasing it slowly. That silence sounded rather like he wasn't going to get an answer on that either. Well...

"Sorry-" Will started somewhat irritably.

"No," Optimus stated quickly, interrupting him. "No I will gladly answer that question, I simply do not know how best to begin." he finished quietly.

"From the beginning?" Will asked curiously.

"But whose beginning?" the bot snorted quietly. "My beginning, the beginning of our own weapons, Cybertron's beginning..."

Will watched in shock as Optimus trailed off, looking up at the stars with what could only be called an ancient look in his optics.

"I suppose," Optimus murmured quietly, still looking up at the stars, "I suppose that the easiest way to answer that question, would be to tell you how our weapons function." He brought his cannon online again, looking down at it as his hand folded away and the gun appeared.

Which Will thought was kind of cool, actually.

"Our weapons are integrated into our own life systems," Optimus rumbled quietly, looking at the cannon with saddened optics. That was a shock to Will. "The power of destruction joined with our very minds."

"But... why!?" Will choked.

"To control it," Optimus rumbled softly, lifting his hand... cannon and examining it idly. "In order to control and fire this cannon, I need to control the power ratios, I need to know precisely what it is doing. If I did not pay attention to it, monitor each and every last shot, the power would feed back into my own systems and I would be vaporized."

Once again, Will was rather let-down that he hadn't saved sliding down his tree. He had to content himself with simply sitting and staring at the bot.

"So I suppose then, that is one of the main reasons that I will not simply disconnect this cannon and hand it to you," Optimus rumbled softly. "Because not only would I have to connect it directly to your own brain to control it, but your people, in this time, are alive simply because your weapons are equalized. You have remained alive because your planet lives in fear of it's own 'second-strike' capabilities."

Optimus withdrew the cannon back into his arm again, bringing his hand back.

"So basically," Will stated quietly, looking at the bot. "You guys believe that the second we gain your weapons technology..."

"Then the status quo on your world will change," Optimus rumbled quietly. "Humans and Auto-bots are very much alike in our abilities for compassion and destruction. I do not want your world to self-destruct."

"What makes you so sure our planet would self-destruct?" Will asked rather petulantly.

"Because in three hundred and forty vorn, I have spent fully half of my life observing races and cultures," Optimus rumbled irritably. "I watched my own home planet tear itself apart in the throes of war. Travelled to several planets to watch their cultures."

Will stared at the bot for a long moment.

Optimus looked down at him gravely.

"I am the older, with wisdom that I would gladly pass to another, wisdom that I would gladly forget or never possess if it meant I could have my home back." he rumbled softly.

They sat in silence for a long few minutes after that.

Well... when you put it that way. Holy fuck.

Hang on... three hundred and forty vorn. He hadn't said years. He said vorn.

"How long is a vorn?" Will asked quietly.

"Approximately eighty-six of your years," Optimus rumbled with a shrug.

Will slumped against his tree, crunching his way through those numbers.

Eighty six years, times three hundred and forty vorn...

"Fuck," Will stated softly. Optimus looked down at him curiously. "Here I was thinking you were probably around my age or something." Will stated in a shocked tone.

"Comparatively?" Optimus snorted. "I am, but age does not matter as much to us, with the provision that I continue to repair parts that break down, and have a source of energon to keep me running, I could feasibly live forever."

"Then why..." Will whispered.

"Most of us do not want to," Optimus rumbled quietly, looking down at Will. "After a time, it is possible to simply become weary of living, of watching others die. Please understand, Major, I am Prime, of the caste of leadership, and yet I have failed. My home is gone, torn asunder by war, a fate I do not wish upon any world."

"How the hell am I supposed to yell at you now!?" Will demanded in a choked tone.

"We could simply discuss matters, rather than yell at each other," Optimus rumbled placidly.

Will couldn't hold back the snort of laughter.

"We should probably return to base before your men come to the conclusion that I have offlined you," Optimus rumbled calmly, standing and folding into his truck form.

"Yeah, probably," Will nodded, climbing into the bot's cab. "Hey Prime?" he asked calmly.

"Major?"

"Thanks."

* * *

(OPOV)

::. Optimus Prime?.::

The signal was encrypted, a familiar encryption at that, it had him jolting out of his half-stasis faster than scraplets in your berth. Ratchet and Ironhide stared at him in shock as he transformed in a flash, fairly running out of the hangar and out of the EM field.

::. Baroness Arcee!?.:: Optimus sent incredulously.

::. How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?.:: the femme demanded. But Optimus could feel her smile. The simple statement alone had proven her identity.

::. I would be remiss in not acknowledging your titles.:: he sent calmly.

::. Well stop it, now where are we supposed to land in this place? I don't see any docks!.:: Arcee sent irritably.

::. The native race upon this planet are still primitive, they have not acheived true space-flight as yet.:: Optimus sent consolingly. He turned toward the hangar again. "MAJOR!" he thundered.

"What's happening!? Who's hurt!?" the Major bellowed, running toward him in a panic.

"Calm yourself, Major," Optimus rumbled placatingly. "More of our kind have arrived, they are requesting landing co-ordinates!"

"Oh..." the Major muttered, he shook his head somewhat. "Well, are they splashing down or do they want to land on the ground?" the man shouted.

::. Arcee, do you wish a water landing, or grounding?.:: Optimus sent calmly.

::. May as well hit the water.:: Arcee sent with a distasteful note in her voice.

::. A moment.:: "Water!" Optimus called back. The major promptly bellowed out a string of co-ordinates, just offshore from the island.

"Major?" Optimus rumbled in amusement, the man continuing to walk toward him.

"This place doesn't exist anyway! Four comets landing in the Bermuda triangle?" the major called back cheerfully. Optimus snorted. ::. I promise to you, Arcee, we will see the salts cleaned from your frames and your armour properly tended to once we are together again.:: Optimus sent gently, relaying the co-ordinates.

::. SALT!?.:: Arcee squawked indignantly. ::. Oh you are Primus damned lucky I like you so much, or we'd just pass this place by!.::

Optimus shook his head wryly and sent the co-ordinates, shortly after, he watched with a barely discernable smile on his face as four meteors entered the atmosphere, landing close to the shore, but far enough away that their final descent was slowed by the comparatively gentle water.

::. Optimus!?.:: Ironhide sent irritably.

::. Arcee.:: Optimus sent simply, transforming and driving to the water's edge. Paying no mind to his armour, he fairly ran toward the tracking beacon, sealing his venting systems from the salt water. Ratchet hated it when he did that.

Two of the humans' miles out, he finally caught sight of the four comets, only just beginning to transform.

::. Do not transform.:: he sent immediately, the compressed bots froze. ::. Please, allow me to remove you from the water, minimize the contact between your protoforms and the salts of this planet's oceans.::

::. See?.:: Arcee's voice stated gently, obviously talking to one of their number. Optimus smiled somewhat, reaching out with hands and cables, gathering the four bots close to himself. Then, a surprise.

In the four pods, the sense of six sparks. Two were concealing their identities, one with a sense of fear, the other obviously intending to surprise him with his identity. But they were accompanying Arcee, and no Decepticon could hope to deceive the femme. The journey back was somewhat slower, encoumbered as he was with the four pods, but eventually, air touched first his ear finials, then his optics were clear, giving him view of the shore, and just enough time to duck beneath the water again, narrowly missing the wrench aimed at his helm. He idly caught the wrench with a cable, subspacing it before emerging again.

"If you wish that wrench returned to you, you shall have to get it yourself," he rumbled aloud, walking toward Medic and Weapons Master. There was a grouping of humans along the shoreline now, watching with awestruck expressions as he strode out of the waters.

::. Ratchet's here?.:: Arcee sent in amusement ::. Of course he is, who else would aim a wrench at you?.::

"Shall we get away from the sand?" Optimus rumbled calmly, striding toward the solid ground as Ratchet scowled at the water.

::. Sand?.:: A stranger's voice asked curiously.

::. Powdered stone.:: Optimus sent calmly.

::. Eeewwww...:: a second voice grimaced. Optimus almost smiled, gently setting the four pods on the solid ground and standing back.

"It is now safe to transform," he rumbled calmly, glancing over his shoulder at Ratchet.

The medic was still scowling at the water, very obviously debating whether to retrieve his wrench, or accept that he had 'lost' it.

Optimus turned back to the bots as the first transformed, garnering the fascination of the humans gathering around his pedes.

Arcee split herself immediately from her trine-mates, striding to him and offering her arm formally.

"Gladly do I greet thee, Optimus Prime," she stated formally. Optimus gently wound a finger around her arm, accepting her greeting before gathering the femme in his hands in the accepted hug between their sizes.

"Gladly do I greet thee, Arcee," he rumbled quietly.

"I grieve with you, Optimus, the loss of your bonded," she added softly, stroking a gentle hand up the plating of his wrist.

Optimus nodded quietly in thanks, of course the femme would know of her sister femme's offlining.

They separated and he rose to his full height to greet the other newcomers.

"Chromia, Flareup," he rumbled calmly, nodding to them.

"You may transform," Arcee added regally to her companions.

One split apart immedately, two bots immediately shoving each other away and groaning as they finally regained their bipedal forms. Optimus hid his amusement at the antics at what were obviously a pair of sibling twins. Younglings at that, Arcee had always had a habit of picking up and sheltering younglings. They finally seemed to notice him, standing still and nodding respectfully to him. Young as they were, they already had Auto-bot insignias etched into their frames, their primary functions as yet undefined.

"Prime," the first stated respectfully, bowing to him, the incorrect bow, of course, but Optimus was not one to quibble over such things, especially with younglings.

"That's the wrong bow you dolt!" the second immediately scolded his twin, whacking him and executing a different bow. Both were wrong. Arcee shot him an exasperated look, which Optimus acknowledged with a sympathetic one. Twins were always difficult.

"Skids and Mudflap," she stated with the patience of Primus himself. Optimus nodded.

The third rapidly transformed, smirking at him.

"Prime!" he grinned unrepentantly.

"Sideswipe, it is good to see that you have survived," Optimus acknowledged the bot with a nod.

"To you maybe, HAYA HATCHET!" Sideswipe bellowed. Ratchet turned around, and proved the possibility that his scowl could in fact, become darker.

"Oh great," Ratchet grumbled. "And this was such a lovely, peaceful planet..." the medic promptly began stomping past the group, headed back to his work area.

Optimus idly reached into his subspace and retrieved Ratchet's wrench, passing it to Sideswipe along with a look that plainly stated 'just this once.'

After all, as much as he wanted to, a Prime simply could not be seen childishly throwing wrenches at his senior officers. Sideswipe grinned at him, surreptiously retrieving the wrench. He promptly took a few quiet steps after Ratchet and hurled the wrench after him, courteously making it appear as though he had had it in his own subspace. It landed squarely against the back of his helm.

"SIDESWIPE!" Ratchet roared, spinning and immediately going after the predator. Sideswipe was hooting with laughter as he took off, running from the medic.

Some things never changed.

Optimus turned to look worriedly at the final bot, he hadn't transformed yet, his insignias hidden and a soft tone of fear resonating from the pod.

::. Please show compassion for him.:: Arcee sent softly, Optimus glanced at her worriedly. ::. I retrieved him from Shockwave's stronghold in Rheon, just before we escaped.:: she added quietly.

Optimus nodded in immediate understanding, the bot had been through great trauma if he had been a prisoner of Shockwave, a buzz of anger flashed through his spark at the mere thought of the sadistic Decepticon 'scientist'. Optimus knelt, laying a gentle hand on the pod.

"You are safe here," he rumbled gently. The bot hesitantly began to transform, finally straightening into a bipedal form.

"He is Technician Jolt," Arcee murmured gently, the bot nodded, seeming unable to raise his optics to meet the Prime's. A single glance and Optimus understood why.

His markings had been obscured, Decepticon brands covering his designations. A force-marked slave.

_∂Gladly do I greet you, Technician Jolt∂_ Optimus rumbled gently, speaking in common, the soldiers did not need to hear _∂Please meet my optics.∂_

Hesitantly, Jolt looked up at him. Optimus' spark flared with compassion for the bot, he was barely more than a youngling still, but there was little hope left in the bot's deadened optics. Scars riddled his frame, his joints showing all evidence of being haphazardly put back together. There was fear in those optics, and the Prime in him knew why.

_∂I will not force you to remove your marks∂_ Optimus informed the young bot gently._ ∂Gladly will I return your marks to you, but only when you are ready.∂_

It was a true gift to him, to see the hope flare up in the bot's optics again. Jolt was on his knees the next second, baring his spark chamber.

"Gladly do I respect and give my deference and service to Optimus Prime." Jolt choked out. Optimus reached out and gently laid a hand on the bot's helm.

"Gladly do I hear you, Auto-bot Technician Jolt," he rumbled calmly.

Then, off to the side, the screeching sound of badly abused metal.

"You scrapping slagger!" Mudflap's voice shouted. "You were supposed to do that if Jolt needed the distraction to escape! Not if the Prime accepted him!"

Optimus turned to see the two twins punching at each other, Mudflap's arm still dangling from Skids' hand.

The soldiers were staring around themselves in absolute shock.

Optimus rolled his optics, acknowledging Arcee's exasperated look and strode to the twins, idly picking the two of them up by their still-present scruffbars and tucking them under each arm. They froze in shock, staring at him as he tolerantly carried them to the hangar.

"Ratchet!" he called out patiently. "You can continue taking out your ire on Sideswipe later, the twins already need attending to! Ironhide, please finish the introductions."

* * *

(IPOV)

Ironhide smirked as the Prime proved without a doubt, without even knowing he was proving anything, that he was a damned good leader.

Not that he was going to tell that youngling rip he was a damn good leader. Nope, he was gonna call Optimus what he was. A youngling rip of a Prime, and a real pain in the aft to protect. Ironhide grinned at Arcee, the femme smiling at the awestruck young bot still kneeling on the ground, watching as his newly accepted Prime carried the twins to be taken care of by the medic.

"See?" she murmured gently, reaching out and lightly touching Jolt's shoulder.

"He... he didn't even..." Jolt whispered in an awestruck tone.

Ironhide looked patiently at the bot.

"Didn't?" he prompted the bot.

"He didn't even take offence of his marks being defiled," the bot whispered in shock, a hand reaching automatically to touch the scar that had evidently been an auto-bot insignia.

Ironhide chuckled and lightly picked the bot up, settling him on his feet.

"C'mon then youngling, let's get you guys introduced, the twins'll find out who the humans are later, now then. Will!" Ironhide called out with a broad grin, reaching down and offering his hands to the Major.

"How's he supposed to greet these beautiful ladies way up there?" Jacobs called out cheerfully.

"I like him," Flareup trilled with a broad grin, looking at Arcee.

"You like everybody that calls you pretty," Chromia teased her with a grin. Flare lightly shoved Chromia, the three femmes chuckling softly. Arcee knelt down somewhat, easily bringing herself to the human's level.

"Gladly do I greet you, how may I call you?" she asked gently.

"Major William Lennox, call me Will," Will grinned at her.

"Will, this is she who designated herself Arcee," Ironhide rumbled proudly. "Her sisters, Chromia and Flareup. They're some of the best field marshals out there. And this youngling rip!" Ironhide shot an arm out and caught Sideswipe around the neck struts, messing with the smaller bot's helm.

"Designation Sideswipe, Predator - quit it 'Hide! You're gonna scratch my paint!" Sideswipe protested loudly.

"Your paint needs a few scratches," Ironhide rumbled with a laugh. "Keeps that puffed up ego of yours at bay."

"My ego is precisely the level it should be at," Sideswipe huffed, giving his head a toss. "And it is thus, because I. Am awesome."

"See what I mean?" Ironhide rumbled to Will with a grin. "C'mon you lot, let's get them salts off your frames."

"Baths!" Chromia trilled gleefully, immediately whizzing down the path the Prime had taken. Will jogged beside Ironhide as the bots laughingly followed the femme.

"She who designated herself Arcee?" the man asked curiously.

"Yep," Ironhide nodded cheerfully, the femme had a pit of a lot of respect on his scoreboard, she didn't take no scrap.

"What was her name before that?"

"She didn't have one," Ironhide shrugged, glancing down at the human.

"She grew up without a name!?" Will demanded.

"No, she onlined and designated herself, rather than another designating her name," Ironhide rumbled. Sometimes these humans were like hatchlings with their lack of knowledge.

"How does that work?" Will asked incredulously.

"That's her story to tell," Ironhide rumbled with a snort. "Don't hold your breath waitin' for the story though, Cee don't like tellin' her stories."

"Okay?" Will muttered. Ironhide looked down at him. The human looked grumpy. Ironhide idly let loose a belch, releasing the gasses that had been building up in his fuel chamber, running after the youngling rip of a Prime tended to do that to him.

"You don't tell somebot elses' story, Will. That's rude." Ironhide rumbled patiently. Jolt walked silently beside him, giving every appearance of a shy bot.

At least, until he got into the hangar and caught sight of communications central.

"Sweet Primus!" Jolt almost shouted. Will jumped and stared at the bot.

"What Jolt?" Ironhide rumbled innocently.

Jolt pointed to the massive number of computers lining the catwalks.

"Please can I play with it please?" he practically begged, his optics lit with a spark of life again.

"What, the chin up bar?" Ironhide teased the mech.

"Major Lennox," Optimus rumbled patiently, throwing a midly stern look at Ironhide. "It would be of great advantage should Technician Jolt be allowed access to the computer banks."

"Yeah, go ahead man," Will grinned, waving Jolt to communications central.

Jolt strode carefully over, watching the humans warily.

They stared at each other for a moment.

"So... uh..." the head tech started.

Jolt looked at him worriedly.

"Do you use wireless to hook up, or did you want me to clear a port for a hardline?" the tech asked curiously.

Jolt grinned and glanced around, looking for a place to sit.

Habitually, Prime was the only bot that willingly went to communications central, and he generally stood.

"Coming through," Optimus rumbled the next moment, carrying one of the benches Ironhide had built. He stepped over one of the human embankments and settled the bench in a good spot for a technician. Close enough for a bit of cable work, far enough that he'd never have to move short of going to stretch his servos or grab some recharge.

Jolt was watching the Prime in awe again, shocked that a Prime would even be seen carrying a bench.

"I would suggest that you see to the salts on your frame, before you set up permanent residence," Ironhide rumbled with a smirk.

The little bot fairly scrambling to the wash bay, then back to his bench with a bright grin was a sight to do a spark good.

Ironhide looked around and nodded, stuff was settled already. The newcomers were likely to grab a good recharge before the real catching up happened.

That was good. Ironhide shrugged into his alt mode and idled over to his spot. The newcomers were gonna recharge. That gave him plenty of time to sort his processors out.

Because in that group, was the femme he had never thought he would see again.

* * *

**Yes, I know that technically, in the Cannon Arcee ****_probably_**** isn't a Baroness. But I mean come on, nothing wrong with a little advancement in the world right? :D**


	6. 5 Tactics

**Welp, this one is kinda short, however it popped into my brain without warning, and demanded to be placed here. So just for kicks, a little bit of Chapter 5 - Tactics**

* * *

(BPOV)

Bumblebee pulled up behind his sister's place of employment, grinning.

He had a ton of bytes already lined up, ready to play for her, he wanted to make her laugh. He loved it when he got to make her laugh.

Kae half-stumbled out of the door, his poor sister looked absolutely dead on her feet, and her day was just barely beginning. Bee let out a sympathetic hum and opened his door for her.

"Bumblebee," Kae murmured, cuddling into his seat and closing her eyes. "You are, quite possibly, the sweetest, most thoughtful person I have ever had the honour of knowing."

Bumblebee grinned, gently hugging her tiny frame into his seat and winking his holoform online.

"You've already changed?" he asked gently. Mikaela nodded tiredly, Bumblebee changed his tactics, reaching out and laying his holoform's hand over hers, and wishing that she could feel it.

Her eyes were still closed as she smiled, reaching out and lightly running her hand over the holoform's.

"How do you know I'm doing that?" Bumblebee demanded, his optics wide in shock as he drove toward Sam's parents' house.

"I dunno, I just do," Kae shrugged gently, smiling and caressing the seat she was cuddled into. Her phone rang, and Bumblebee recognized the signal.

His Prime was calling the femme.

"Hello?" Mikaela answered with a smile.

"Mikaela," Prime rumbled quietly.

"Optimus," Mikaela smiled, it was a real smile now, lighting her face with the love and happiness that Bee rarely saw anywhere else. There were only two occasions that he got to see that expression: when she was waxing his armour, and when she was talking to Prime.

And all told? He really didn't mind sharing his sister with his Prime, and really, he had no doubt that the second his Prime saw _that _expression, he'd never leave Kae's side.

"How are you doing?" Mikaela asked gently. Optimus remained silent, evidently trying to decide how to answer the question. "Really?" Mikaela stated, as though he had answered. "Well did you at least get the chance to tell him off?"

Optimus snorted, and Bee had to try _really_ hard to not chirp with glee. His Prime had damn near _laughed again!_

"That, is not funny," Optimus rumbled sternly the next moment.

"Then why did you laugh?" Mikaela asked with mockingly innocent curiosity.

"I did not laugh," Optimus rumbled flatly. The kind of tone that would have had Bee looking down and away, if only to allow the Prime his privacy in the small fallacy.

"Did too," Mikaela shot at him.

"I most certainly did not!" Optimus rumbled indignantly.

"I can hear you grinning Optimus," Mikaela smirked. In the background, the almost silent sound of Optimus' battle mask covering his face. "Covering your lower face with your battle mask isn't going to stop me from hearing your grin Optimus." Mikaela laughed at him.

"Stop that," Optimus chided the femme, amusement lacing his voice again.

"Stop what?" Kae immediately asked curiously.

"Making me smile," Optimus rumbled. "I mean-!"

Bumblebee almost popped a processor. He. Had _never_ heard that tone from his Prime. That did it, he needed to get the two of them together. _Nobody_ had made his Prime laugh in his living memories. Ironhide remembered Prime laughing, but that had been a _long _time ago.

"Oh _what_!? Is that an _order_ Optimus!?" Mikaela asked in a mockingly shocked tone.

Silence for a moment.

"Let's try yes..." Optimus rumbled musingly.

"_De_-nied," Mikaela sang cheerfully. "Now did you tell the moron that pissed you off that he's a moron, or didn't you?"

"That would be incredibly rude, Mikaela," Optimus rumbled with his usual tone of infinite patience.

"Uh huh, and?" Kae shot back at him with a grin.

"And how am I supposed to properly do so?" Optimus finally rumbled.

For the first time _ever. _Bumblebee was scrapping thankful he was at a red-light. Because his sister, had just managed to twist a Prime's arm into spilling.

Scrapping. Priceless.

"Well, may I know whom you are intending to tell off?"

"For the sake of your safety, it is probably best that you do not know the little slagger's name," Optimus rumbled irritably.

"Mkay, well, I'll tell you what, here's the formula for a true human verbal beat-down," Mikaela grinned. "Did you want to hunt down a pen and paper?"

Of course the Prime wouldn't need such accoutrements, if he needed to remember something exactly, he'd simply _record_ it.

But the suggestion itself made the Prime snort again. So _that_ was her tactic. Bee couldn't help but grin.

"Step one, observation, discover his mental weaknesses," Mikaela began with a grin.

"Lieutenant Bumblebee," Optimus rumbled suddenly.

"Prime?" Bee asked curiously.

"It occurs to me, that it would be far simpler for you to holoform the liaison's speech for Mikaela," the Prime stated patiently. "If you do not mind, Mikaela."

"Oh _bring it!_" Mikaela grinned, she leaned forward.

Bumblebee smirked, showing off his hologram skills as the miniaturized liaison appeared, standing frozen on his dash.

"Can you bring up the height difference between him and Lennox?" she murmured.

Bee nodded and put a little Major Lennox beside the man, then began playing the bytes the Prime had sent.

Out of sheer habit, he sent the visual of Mikaela to his Prime.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus jumped slightly, accepting the video feed of Mikaela from his scout as she leaned forward, watching the hologram intently.

The man's speech played through once, and she sat back, frowning.

"Right, play it again Bee," she commanded calmly.

"What the hell do you think you're playing at?" the liaison shouted again. "High speed chases though cities, destroyed property, is this some kind of a _game for you!?_"

Optimus had been taken aback, infuriated at the man's impertinance, the mere suggestion!

But Mikaela began answering, where he had been unable.

"Sir, allow me to remind you," she stated sternly. "That we are first and foremost guardians. When the lives and safety of those we protect hangs in the balance," she leaned forward, much as he would. "I do not play games," she growled softly.

He should have said that. The man had then begun implying that his size had _anything_ do do with his intelligence.

"Lennox," Mikaela stated curiously, looking at the still form and appearing as though she were ignoring the liaison. "Is it common among your race for those of smaller statures to attempt to compensate with verbal abuse? Sir, simply because my form _greatly_ exceeds yours, does not give you licence to be insulting," Mikaela stated patiently.

What did she mean by that? Mikaela was rather small for a human... and surely she would know her own cultures... unless...

Bumblebee was giggling quietly.

"Do you have any idea what you're doing?" the man had demanded. "Or are you simply pretending that you know anything about tactics for the sake of maintaining amnesty?"

It had been at that point that Optimus' attention had been greatly taken up, commanding his weapons master to proverbially turn the other cheek.

"Director, it would seem that your education is greatly lacking," Mikaela growled. "Please allow me to fill in a few of those gaps, _particularly_ seeing as _I_ was fighting against the Decepticons long before your race even had comprehension of the meaning of _sentience!"_

It finally occurred to him. She was not saying what she would, she was giving him the words he needed. But it was not fully what she said, it was how she _said it. _A calm, practically emotionless delivery, picking the man apart with practiced ease. And that was what she was doing, with every comment the liaison made, she retorted, making a subtle observation at the man's expense.

The recorded speech finished again, and Mikaela grinned.

"Got all that?" she asked cheerfully. Optimus couldn't help but smile.

"I do," he rumbled through that smile, logging not simply the audio, but of her expressions as she spoke.

Because as welcome as her observations were on the Liaison, the way her optics snapped every time she heard an insult to him was absolutely fascinating.

* * *

**A final note, nameless Liaison shall remain nameless. We'll meet Galloway later, and have some _fun_ with _him._ A billion thanks to FireRose and Bee for helping me polish these to a gleaming shine. **


	7. 6 When The Summer Fades

**Chapter 6 - When the Summer Fades**

* * *

(MPOV)

I couldn't help but smile as Bumblebee drove up behind the restaurant and opened his door for me.

"Get in quick!" he muttered over the radio.

"What?" I murmured, instantly alert and closing the door quickly.

"There were people talking a block away, talking about you Kae!" Bumblebee babbled quickly. I watched in shock as his colours changed, still a Camaro, but completely black now. He drove quickly out of the alleyway.

"Anxious much Bee?" I murmured, scanning the roadways with worried eyes.

"They were talking about getting you!" Bee stated with a frown. "And not in the 'I'm gonna go pick her up' get you!"

"What'd they look like?" I demanded quietly. He put up a holo of two faces and I sagged into his seat. "Great. That's just great."

"Who are they?" Bumblebee demanded.

"A couple of gang members that I really want to avoid." I groaned. "Thank you, _thank you_ for picking me up."

"But at least today is your last day of that job!" Bumblebee chirped gleefully.

"Yeah, but Bee, you know that bloody college doesn't let freshmen have cars," I sighed. "I'm going to miss you, =Little-brother=."

"Aaaww, I'm gonna miss you too," Bee whimpered. "But I still get to keep you for another two months! I'm not gonna make that ruin our day, _you're_ going to the _prom!"_

* * *

(BPOV)

"Bee! No!" His sister protested strongly. "Sam and I aren't dating anymore, remember?"

"Fagh, you're coming anyway," Bumblebee stated stubbornly, determined to win the argument they'd been having for the past month. "C'mon sis! You gotta take the once in a lifetime things! Sam won't care!"

His sister sighed and finally nodded.

"Fine, but I'm only going for a little while," Kae murmured as Bee began cheering. "Only for you, little brother." she added with a snort.

"That's my big-sister!" Bee grinned cheerfully. "Now go get gorgeous, I'm gonna come pick you up at ten past eight."

"That should leave us fashionably late," Mikaela murmured approvingly.

"Good," Bee grinned, pulling up to his sister's tiny home. "Kae, look in my trunk." he added, smirking to himself as he popped his trunk.

"A garment bag?" Kae murmured with a small frown.

"It's for you to wear," Bee grinned. "Don't look, just put it on when you're ready!"

"But Beeee-" Mikaela started again.

"Humour me?" Bee whined, shooting pleading, puppy dog eyes at his Kae. He didn't know how she knew what he was doing, but she always did. And this look always got results with his big sister. Sure enough.

"Alright, fine," she sighed, giving his fender a light thwack that didn't so much as sting.

"See you at eight ten!" Bee grinned as his sister waved irritably at him and walked up the steps to her home. Bee raced off, going to bide his time at Sam's place until he could get him to his allotted time and place.

"Hey Bee!" Sam called out cheerfully, plopping into the drivers seat with a broad grin as his parental units shouted and waved at him.

Sam gave the thumbs up and put his hands on the wheel. Two annum and he still drove so scrapping tentatively it almost made Bee wince. Not like his sister, his sister knew how to _drive._ Thankfully, the drive was fairly short, Bumblebee parked and watched as Sam wandered into the school beside his friend, Myles. He looked around, waited for the coast to be clear and started his engine back up, flicking a holo into place and driving immediately to Kae's home.

She stepped out the door the second he parked, waving to her grinning father as he shooed her from the porch and toward Bee. He walked down and leaned on the driver side door.

"Gonna take care of my girl?" he growled as he always did.

"Yes sir," Bumblebee played the clip, making his holoform salute and grin at her father, even as it flickered somewhat.

"I'll be back in an hour or so," Kae snorted. Bumblebee nodded seriously.

"Dunno why you're always doing that," Mr. Banes snorted

"Cause I ain't... short on ear and long on mouth," Bumblebee played the clips seriously.

"John Wayne," chuckled, patting Bee's hood as he walked back to the house.

Bee drove off, quickly offlining the holo.

"What do you think?" he asked cheerfully, looking at his sister's dress. It was her, simple, silver, it made her eyes flash.

"I like it, but you're still a brat, little-brother." she laughed softly, stroking his dash.

"Uh huh, and?" he played for her with a grin.

"And I love you dearly," she smiled. "and I really, really wish I was big enough to hug you properly."

Bumblebee smirked to himself and quickly began fighting his own expressions, trying to straighten his face before his sister knew. She gave him an odd look just as he pulled up to the school. It was a warm night, everyone was under the tents on the football field.

"Go," Bee murmured to his sister, smiling at her. She shot him a half-heartedly irritable look and got out, walking with a resigned step to the school. People waved at her as she put on a smile and waved, but more of them glared at her back.

"Look at that, the girl who singlehandedly slept her way through the football team comes to prom the dateless wonder." one of them whispered spitefully. Bumblebee couldn't help but admire his sister as she never so much as turned around, but you could tell by the tiny twitch in her shoulder that she'd heard.

Of course that was going to make their revenge so much sweeter. Bumblebee idled slowly to a more advantageous parking spot and frowned, onlining an extra processor and solidifying his new holoform. He reached out and touched his own steering wheel.

Yep, definitely solid. He'd have to remember to thank Ratchet for sending him the specs. Again. This was just cool. He got out of his own form and stood, walking with the stride he'd learned from his sister, proud of the form he'd chosen. It screamed tall, dark, handsome and dangerous. A final test, he reached out and leaned against the power pole, eyes flicking about until they landed on his big-sister as she gracefully prowled along the outside of the dance floor.

Bumblebee looked at the stereo system and hacked it, leaving it be for a moment, he walked toward his big-sister Kae, right across the almost deserted dance floor.

"Mikaela," he murmured quietly, reaching out and gently taking her hand. "Found you," he smiled as her eyes widened, the song ended and he rapidly changed it, playing the song he knew was one of her favourites. She always sang it to him when he was upset.

"May the angels protect you, trouble neglect you..." a woman's voice began singing sweetly. It was her voice, put to piano. Bee had absolutely no doubt his sister recognized it, but there was no recognition in the other's faces. Although there were a few girls staring at him quite enviously, which was nice.

"Dance with me, Sis?" he murmured, smiling at her.

"You. Were planning this," Kae murmured with a smile, letting his holoform pull her onto the dance floor. "Did you look up a waltz?" she asked as Bee lightly pulled her against himself.

"Yep," he grinned, beginning to lead her around the floor. "I figured that every now and again, I might get the chance to make a wish come true. That was my wish anyway, =Big- sister=."

Kae smiled and hugged him as they danced.

"Thank you, =little-brother=," she murmured.

Trent of course, decided he was going to muscle in.

"Who the hell are you?" he demanded, grabbing Bee's shoulder roughly.

"Your replacement," Bumblebee stated loftily, shrugging out of the rather stupid human's grip and leading his sister away. He began putting in a few moves that would obviously impress the already doltishly impressed crowd. None of them even knew how to dance. Glitches.

"That was evil," Mikaela snorted softly.

"Thank you, =big-sister=," Bumblebee smirked as the music ended. He glanced over as one of the other girls marched up to him.

"You're dancing with me, next," she commanded with a small smirk. It was one of the girls that always talked meanly behind his sister's back.

"Hey Kae, you wanna go-" Bee started.

"Get the drinks?" his sister suggested innocently.

"Drinks nothing," Bee snorted, ignoring the other girl. "I thought somewhere a bit more tastefully decorated," Bee grinned impishly at her. He wound an arm around her waist.

"I, thought you would never ask," Kae laughed, winding her arm around his holoform's waist as he led her out of the area again. "I wouldn't have fought if it was your intent to just buzz the place." she laughed the second their feet touched the pavement.

"Fah!" Bee snorted. "C'mon, we'll hit the bluffs."

"You gotta take Sam home," his sister murmured with a snort.

"Oh right," Bee sighed irritably.

"Bluffs tomorrow?" Kae murmured, cuddling against him.

"You got it," Bumblebee grinned, hugging his sister again. He dropped her off at home, and her father came out again, looking worried.

"No, don't worry about it," Kae laughed at her father. "Bee decided to let me just buzz the place looking gorgeous and make my escape with a suitable bit of drama."

Bee made his holoform grin and salute the man, who nodded with a smirk of his own. He turned on the radio and contacted his Prime, making his weekly report.

::. You sound quite smug.:: Optimus sent with amusement at the end.

::. Big-sister and I made a suitable farewell.:: Bumblebee sent gleefully ::. It was awesome, I got to dance with my big sister, will you tell Ratchet thank you for me? Again? Please?.::

::. You're welcome.:: Ratchet snorted.

::. Thank you sir!.:: Bumblebee sent, bubbling, he knew he was bubbling.

::. Did it go that well?.:: Ironhide called out with a laugh.

::. She just _knew_ Sir!.:: Bumblebee sent in gleeful shock, you could see it in her eyes! She just knew it was me!.::

::. You didn't walk around in a scale size of your form, did you?.:: the Major called out in a rather horrified tone.

::. No!.:: Bumblebee snorted, laughing at the human. ::. Not even Sam recognized me. I wanted to surprise her pretending to be a human, but she just knew it was me! _Nothing_ gets past _my_ big sister.::

* * *

(MPOV)

I looked around my room one last time, it was emptied out but for one last drawer. Bee and I had spent the day together, we'd gone out to the bluffs, just sitting there for hours. I'd changed his oil, and waxed his armour to a gleaming shine.

I picked up an old jacket and heard a small thump. I glanced down to see a shard of heavily etched metal staring up at me. Bending down, I picked it up and felt a searing flash of fire surge through my system. I set the shard down on the desktop and stared at the fractured piece of the All-Spark. I glanced around and quickly slipped it into the hidden compartment of my old desk.

I picked up my bag with a heavy heart and walked across my room, I heard a clatter and frowned, there was a hole in my desk.

And the shard was following me. With a sigh I tucked it into the little container in my necklace and walked down the tiny hallway, stepping into the living room where dad stood waiting.

"I don't have to go," I said quietly, "I can stay back a couple of years, help you out at the shop..."

"Aw 'Kae," Dad said with a smile, he held out his arms and held me tightly, "don't you worry about me, government's sending you off to college, don't you dare turn that down. C'mon, let's get going."

I packed the few bags of clothing and my run kit into the trunk and slipped into the passenger seat. Dad called the parole officer and informed him he was going now.

Green light. We took the drive in shifts, chatting quietly amidst the long bouts of silence. We didn't need to talk, it was superfluous, we knew each other's thoughts already.

The college loomed in front of us finally, and dad handed me a tiny drive.

"Remember these faces," Dad murmured, hugging me tightly, "You see them you run, you don't hide, you don't fight, you run. Don't make the same mistakes I did Kae, I'm so proud of you." he pulled back and looked down at me, his eyes conveying the final messages that we couldn't say aloud.

"Simul sunt nos fortis," I murmured softly.

"Tenetur amoris," my father replied, gently taking my hand. Our forearms pressed tightly together.

"Fortis aeternum, celeri tacita mortis. Semper Fi." we murmured together.

In a matter of minutes I had my luggage slung over my shoulders. Dad touched my cheek one last time before sitting in the driver's seat again. I watched him drive away to get home in the allotted time. I glanced at my information packet and walked toward the assigned room. Sam and his parents were unloading boxes of his stuff and ferrying it, I gave a small wave when Sam glanced over and spotted me, opting to let them have their family moment. Although his mother looked rather loopy.

I walked into my room and looked around. A rather stubborn looking girl looked back at me, sizing me up.

"You must be Cameron," I said quietly.

"Cam, you're Mikaela?" she asked with narrow eyes.

"That's me, awkward moment much?" I stated calmly. "I'm not going to steal your stuff, and I'm not particularly poor. I travel light."

The girl relaxed and grinned.

"So is it okay if I already chose this spot?" she patted the bed she was sitting on, right beside the window and in plain view from the door.

"All yours," I grinned, eyeing the heavy duty hooks jutting from a recessed cove in the room. "How particular are you on sleeping habits?"

"Whaddya mean? You a player girl?" Cam laughed.

"Nah, but I don't know how people manage to sleep on those cots," I laughed. "You mind if I steal these two hooks here?"

"Only if you don't mind my gratuitous use of closet space."

"Excellent!" I grinned, fishing out a roll of fine mesh.

"No way! You sleep in a hammock?" Cam squealed.

"Hah, almost have to at this point," I grinned over my shoulder, quickly knotting the ends to the hooks. "I've been sleeping in hammocks so long a bed feels weird. And don't tell me I'm some weird jungle person, the only jungle I've been to is the urban one."

We each got down to work, setting up our respective side of the room and getting ready for the first frat party of the year. I heard a commotion across the hall. It sounded ridiculously familiar. I poked my head in the room and caught sight of Optimus on a computer screen, taking out an enormous Decepticon. Sam was denying for all he was worth, Mrs. Witwicky was carrying around an empty hashbrownie bag while the male Witwicky's began panicking. Dear little innocent woman. I caught Sam's eye as I hooked a gentle arm around her waist.

"Hey young lady," I grinned, "how've you been?"

"Mikaela!" Judy looked at me with an owlish grin. "There she is! Sam! Sam! Look it's Mikaela!" I shot an apologetic look at Sam as I gently tugged the empty bag from Judy's hands.

"Goodness Mrs. Witwicky," I said with a gentle laugh, "having fun with the hippy crowd on your cheat day?" I held up the bag and idly inspected it, catching a whiff of the former contents. I pursed my lips slightly. Strong ones, they didn't cheap out.

"I feel fine!" Judy sang cheerfully.

I burst out laughing. I really couldn't help it.

"Of course you do Mrs. Witwickey, you're gonna be feeling fine for the next several hours or so." I teased her gently.

"Judy! We're going to France!" Judy proclaimed with a broad grin. Sam shot me a desperately pleading look, I jerked my head for him to take the lead. Ron cottoned on in a moment and led the way to the car.

"You know you really don't see the white boys with the dreadlocks much," Judy told me seriously.

"No, the hippy crowd died out quite a bit during the eighties," I smiled at her, "you remember the zuit suits?"

Judy began laughing hysterically, babbling about her wild days as a young woman my age and putting up absolutely no fight as I carefully led her to the car behind Ron.

"I'm hungry!" she exclaimed suddenly.

"I'd imagine you are," I laughed, "pretty sure you have lots of snacks in the car though, and a couple bottles of water?" I looked at Ron, he nodded, grinning.

Judy whooped, leaning on me heavily as she lost her balance again, laughing. I hefted her close and rolled my eyes; picking her up and carrying her to the car, succeeding in making her laugh harder.

Ron opened the door for me as I carefully tucked Judy in, pressing a bottle of water into one hand and a bag of bridge mix into the other.

"You're the bestest Mikaela, you gotta get back together with Sam, you'd be such a good mommy." I smiled and cupped her cheek in my hand.

"Now Judy," I said gently, "Sam and I just didn't work out, we both need to grow up a bit more, but I promise I'll help him find a world class girl who's perfect for him, okay?"

Judy gave me a loopy grin and promptly fell asleep. Ron chuckled and closed the door, nodding his thanks and turning to Sam, bidding him a quick goodbye before driving off.

"Mikaela, you, are the absolute best," Sam stated, staring at the car driving away without drama or major incident before we began to walk to the dormitories.

"No worries," I shrugged, "you gotta work on covering though Sam, nobody says 'I cannot comment or speculate,' it makes you look like either a mainstream media dweeb or part of a conspiracy coverup."

"How do you know this stuff?" Sam looked at me with a grin.

"Joys of being a criminal, there's not much to do in prison but learn," I laughed. As expected, Sam's gaze snapped back up from my breasts to my face, the flush beginning to rise into his cheeks receded again.

"So are you all set up then?" I asked calmly.

"Uh, yeah, pretty much," he shrugged. "Bee was pretty upset that we both were gone."

I sighed, "did he go back?"

"Yeah." Sam nodded, standing at his door. "See you at the party?"

"Uh yeah," I nodded, "catch you around."

Cam, surrounded by five other squealing girls immediately caught my attention as I walked through the door.

"Oh my _god!_ What do I _wear!?_" she shrieked.

Time to play the game.


	8. 7 We were Shanghaied

**Alright then! Another Chapter up, as a side note, I didn't re-write the Shanghai Op, several soldiers died early into the battle, therefore I didn't feel that there would really be any good jokes or banter inherent, as callous as that may sound. Seeing as you're reading this, you've likely seen the movie, and therefore you've seen the battle. If you _haven't_ seen the movie, then for Primus sake _watch it already!_**

**As always, reviews keep me writing, tell me what you like, what you don't like. It's my story, but I'm still tailoring it as I go :) **

**Chapter 7 - We were Shanghaied**

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus drove out of the plane and into the hangar with a heavy spark. Good men had died. Announcements rang over the speakers in the hangar, evidently a set of cars had been found for the twins to assimilate. Perhaps not needing to stay meshed together for their alternate form would slow their arguments.

::. Probably not.:: Ironhide sent in amusement over the senior officer's channel.

::. True, have you ever come across a set of twins that do not argue?.:: Optimus rumbled quietly, even as the twins began arguing about who got what form.

::. Not one.:: Ratchet snorted. Optimus looked over to see a dejected looking Bumblebee parked quietly in the hangar.

::. Bumblebee?.:: he sent gently.

::. Sam doesn't want me anymore.:: Bumblebee sent sadly ::. He wants a normal life now, so he's going to college.::

::. What of Mikaela?.:: Optimus sent quietly.

::. My big-sister waxed my armour.:: Bumblebee sent quietly ::. She spent an extra long time with me, talking and taking care of me before we had to say goodbye.::

::. Did she not wish you around?.:: Optimus sent worriedly.

Bumblebee sent him the conversation.

_"__But if I could come with you, would you want me? Sam doesn't want me," Bumblebee whimpered, cutting together the soundbytes. _

_"__That's because Sam doesn't know how much of an incredible person you are, little-brother," Mikaela murmured, gently buffing Bee's armour. "You know that the college doesn't allow us first-years to have cars, even if they're as magnificent as you are." she stroked his hood gently. "And yes, if you could come with me there's nobody I'd rather have to have my back in unfamiliar territory." she kissed his hood._

Bumblebee transformed and reached down, and Optimus was surprised when Mikaela reached for him, wrapping gentle arms around his neck struts.

_"__I'm not going to say goodbye," Mikaela whispered. "Because I will see you again."_

_She slid down his chest somewhat, cupped his cheek and turned, walking away without another word._

::. It will not do to make her prediction false.:: Optimus rumbled calmly.

::. Sir?.:: Bumblebee sent in a frankly astonished tone.

::. Simply because she is not allowed to have you at college, does not mean you cannot be in the same city.:: Optimus rumbled with a small smile ::. in fact, I believe I shall make it an order, if you are amenable.::

::. Sir! Yes sir!.:: the newly cheerful scout replied gleefully.

::. Very well, Bumblebee, you are under orders to return to your duties as Mikaela's guardian.:: Optimus sent to the scout, lightly touching the voice of command and relieving some of the pressure inherent to it's use.

::. Yes Sir! Was there anything else sir?.:: Bumblebee sent cheerfully.

::. If you roll out now you can avoid the politics.::

::. Noted, I shall continue with my weekly reports, thank you Sir.:: Bumblebee sent gleefully, he started his engines up and quickly drove out to the planes.

"Where's he headed?" Epps asked curiously.

"He is returning to his duties as Miss Banes' covert guardian," Optimus rumbled calmly.

"Gotcha, I'll get the gears turning," the sergeant nodded, jogging after the scout.

Good man.

A helicopter sounded overhead, landing and taking off again.

Optimus turned to his unit and quickly scanned their individual reports before backing into the communications tower.

Time for the never-ending politics to continue. The Major was leading two strangers into their midst. Optimus listened intently to the man.

"Alright, so this is where we communicate with the JCS, and this area serves as the Auto-bots' hangar."

"Secure link to JCS is up, Major!" one of the techs shouted out.

"Let's get to it then," Major Lennox stated.

Optimus waited, scanning the area and listening as the Major jogged up onto the catwalk.

"General?" he started.

"Will, saw the Shanghai Op, we had a rough day out there," General Moreshower started.

"Yes sir," Major Lennox nodded. "We have intel that I believe warrants an immediate debrief. Now with your permission, I can't let you see him, but I would like you to hear from the leader of the Auto-bots."

"Proceed," the General stated calmly.

Optimus nodded to himself and transformed, making sure he didn't upset the catwalk accidentally or crush anyone. Of course, only the stranger was in any real danger, the soldiers knew how much space he needed to transform now.

He straightened and turned, looking down at the stranger.

"You gotta wonder," Epps murmured beside him. "If god made us in his image, who made him?"

Eventually the silly human might actually ask _him._ Primus only knew Optimus would happily tell him precisely who had made him. But that was not for this moment.

"General, our alliance has countermanded six Decepticon incursions this year, each on a different continent. They're clearly searching around the world for something, but last night's encounter came with a warning." he cued up the soundbyte, the pertinent part anyway.

"The fallen shall rise again."

"The fallen, meaning what?" the General asked intently.

"Origin unknown. The only recorded history of our race was contained within the all-spark, and lost with it's destruction-"

"Excuse me!" the stranger shouted.

Optimus turned to look at the man.

"With this so-called All-spark now destroyed, why hasn't the enemy left the planet like you thought they would?" the man asked, climbing up the ladders to the catwalk.

"Director Galloway, our National Security Advisor. The President just appointed him liaison," Major Lennox stated. Optimus watched him roll his eyes at the camera.

Ah. One of those.

"Well, I guess I didn't get that memo," the General stated flatly. Optimus turned to watch the man's progress as he made his way along the catwalk.

"Forgive the interruption, General. Excuse me. Coming through. Excuse me, excuse me soldier. After all the damage in Shanghai, the president is um, hard-pressed to say the job's getting done. Now, under the classified Alien/Auto-bot Cooperation Act, you agreed to share your intel with us, but not your advancements in weaponry."

Now Optimus could see why the Major had rolled his eyes. Optimus quickly synced his processors to suppress some of his irritation and rallied his normal argument.

"We've witnessed your human capacity for war. It would absolutely bring more harm than good." he rumbled sternly.

"But who are you to judge what's best for us?" Galloway asked rather snippily.

"With all due respect we've been fighting side by side in the field for two years," Lennox came to his defence. Optimus made a note of it.

"We've shed blood sweat and precious metal together," Epps added beside his leg.

"Soldier, you're paid to shoot, not talk," Galloway stated rather condescendingly, looking down at the man. Optimus couldn't help but bristle slightly at the man's tone.

"Don't tempt me," Epps muttered.

"And the uh, the newest members of your team-"

"Easy," Optimus rumbled quietly down to Epps. The man grimaced up at him.

"-I understand they arrived here after you sent a message into space, an open invitation, to come to earth, vetted by no-one at the White House." Galloway continued.

"Let me stop you right there Mr. Galloway it was vetted right here. And in my experience the judgement of both Major Lennox and his team has always been above reproach," General Moreshower stated firmly.

"Well be that as it may, General," Galloway stated snippily. "It is the position of the president that when our national security is at stake, no-one is above reproach. Now, what do we know so far? We know that the enemy leader, classified NBE one aka Megatron-"

Optimus could see it in the Major's eyes, Galloway was going too far. Not even the satellites could be trusted as completely safe. There was a _reason_ that he was not on screen.

"-is rusting in peace at the bottom of the laurentian abyss, surrounded by SOSES detection nets and a full time submarine surveillance. We also know that the only remaining piece of your alien all-spark is locked in an electro-magnetic vault here on one of the most secure naval bases in the world."

Primus the man was an idiot.

"And since no one can seem to tell me what the enemy is now after, well there, there's only one conclusion! You! The Auto-bots! They're here to hunt you. What's there to hunt for on earth besides that? The fallen? Shall rise again? Sounds to me like something's coming-"

Optimus bit back a snort at the sudden thought flashing through his processors, Kae's voice resounding through his mind. 'Thank you Captain Obvious.'

"-So let me ask, if we ultimately conclude that our national security is best served by denying you further asylum, on _our _planet. Will you leave, peacefully?" Galloway finished.

"Freedom is your right, if you make that request we will honour it." Optimus rumbled quietly. "But, before your president decides, please ask him this. What, if we leave, and _you're_ wrong?" Optimus finished sternly. He stood back and stared down at the man.

"That's a good question," Major Lennox stated quietly, looking at the man seriously.

Galloway just glared for a moment.

"We need to wrap this up!" one of the techs called out. "Signal loss in two minutes."

Optimus nodded.

"We'll talk more in the morning," General Moreshower stated calmly. "Prime, Major, Director. Good evening."

"Good evening, General," Optimus rumbled calmly.

"General," Will nodded, saluting the camera. The signal cut out.

"If you'll excuse me, I have an appointment I can't miss," Galloway stated calmly, descending the catwalks and walking out of the hangar with his aide close behind.

Optimus stood in silence until the man had gone before looking at the Major.

"Do I need to put my reaming helmet on?" the Major asked tiredly.

"No," Optimus rumbled quietly, shaking his head and venting a sigh. "Go, Major, you have already lost good men in battle last night. Take your ease, my battle is not with you."

"Thank you, Prime," the major nodded quietly.

Optimus nodded and transformed, driving to park among his unit.

::. Bumblebee.:: he sent softly.

::. Prime?.:: Bee sent worriedly.

::. I need to personally speak with Mikaela, once you have located her.:: he sent quietly.

::. Understood, sir.::

* * *

(WPOV)

Will watched with a heavy heart as Prime nodded to him and transformed, parking quietly among his unit. Ratchet chose that moment to transform into his bipedal form and strode carefully to his work-area.

The bots didn't deserve this, people hounding them for weapons. It was getting annoying even by Will's standards. Sure, weapons would help. But Optimus had told him precisely why... albeit quietly and in confidence. The power conversions were dangerous, you needed a mind connected directly to the weapon to control it properly.

But it was more than that.

You could see it in their eyes, when you cared to look.

They had seen their world destroyed. If they felt that humans couldn't handle weapons of the devastating force that the bots had, there was a reason. It had been a shock when at the hoover dam, a seventeen year old girl had dared him to look into the titan's eyes and not see the leadership and kindness in them.

She'd been absolutely correct. With age came wisdom.

Will glanced over at Ratchet to see the bot eyeing him speculatively. He was rather quiet, today. Will walked over and sat down beside the medic.

"Well, now what?" he asked quietly.

"Well, now you go eat something," Ratchet stated calmly. Will jumped and looked at the bot. The medic looked down at him calmly. "Before you say you are not hungry, I will tell you differently. Your stomach is empty, and your cortisol levels have risen."

"It never occurred to you that I don't _want_ to eat?" Will demanded irritably. Ratchet looked down at him calmly. Waiting. "I've lost men under my command," Will continued. He wanted to stop, he really did, but his mouth had other ideas. "Good men are dead but you're telling me to just what, ignore it!?"

"Major Lennox," Ratchet stated quietly. "By no means do I ever tell another to forget their departed. I have lost thousands, yet every face is stored in my memories. We are not..." he trailed off, seeming to struggle for a word.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean..." Will started quietly. Ratchet smiled down at him.

"I know you didn't," the medic stated kindly. "When I was a youngling, my mentor once told me that losing a life does not grow easier. He was correct, each death is as fresh and sharp a pain as the first. "

Will stared at the medic, the quiet spoken words striking straight to the core.

"How..." he whispered.

"How do I handle the loss?" Ratchet murmured, looking down at him with optics full of ancient grief, compassion and wisdom. "I online, refuel and accept the pain, because despite that pain my first duty is to the living, I can do nothing for the dead but remember them. Remember what I have learned from them, even if it is simply how to prevent their death from happening to another."

Will stood up, and at a loss of what to do, settled for wrapping his arms around the medic's leg, praying to god that he wouldn't be offended.

Instead, Ratchet leaned down slightly and laid a gentle hand around Will. He squeezed him ever so slightly in a full-body hug.

"You are awake, Major, I would suggest that you eat," Ratchet repeated himself gently.

Will nodded and wandered toward the mess. He looked over his shoulder in time to see Ratchet staring into the distance for a long moment before visibly shaking himself and getting back down to work.

* * *

(MPOV)

The music had a strong beat, frenzied electric pickups, lights flashed, it was hot in here, humid. The smell of sweat and hormones bespoke a younger crowd playing older people's games. I still felt cold. Symbols began dancing about in front of my eyes.

"You're Mikaela right?" a tall guy sidled up to me with a cocky grin.

"Uh, yeah, excuse me?" I said with a weak smile, making a beeline for somewhere else, I needed to find Sam, then get the hell out of here. He began following me.

"Hey! I wanna dance! Relax girl, I don't bite... hard, I just wanna have some fun." he grinned at me. Irritated, I decided to get to the point.

"Right, what's your name," I stated coldly.

"Allan," the boy stated proudly, he began bouncing somewhat, his idea of dancing. "And I can't help but notice, no class ring, no jacket, where's your boyfriend baby?"

"Okay, Allan? First off I'd suggest that you quit that, you're making me seasick." I started calmly. "Second I have absolutely no desire to wear cheap knockoff rings like that monstrosity on your finger. Third. When was the last time your mom _washed_ that jacket? Because frankly you smell like a horrifying combination of gym socks and far too many combinations of spray on deodorants, all of which are disgusting. Little hint, you _shower_ after you stand around in the gym, posturing and pretending that you work out."

"Oh dude you been _told_!" another jock shouted with a laugh.

"Hey what's that supposed to mean!" Allan shouted.

"See that?" I stated calmly, leaning toward Cam, the girl having materialized at my shoulder to see what was happening.

"Roid rage," Cam trilled, no doubt a rumour well on it's making, I shot her a thankful grin, turned and finally made it to the bar. I glanced around and and surveyed the room, cell phones were already lighting up. Sam was walking through the crowd, trying his best to not bump any of them. He finally collapsed beside me.

"Mikaela, thank god," Sam panted. I looked around casually and spied a good girl.

"Blonde, two o-clock." I murmured.

"Yours or mine?" Sam muttered. I rolled my eyes, we were facing the same bloody direction.

"Yours, go talk to her," I muttered, I grinned, accepted a drink and wandered back into the crowd. The symbols danced in front of my eyes, I forced myself to look around them, holding back the desire to write and glancing out the window.

Right at a yellow Camaro. My cellphone buzzed against my hip, I quickly flipped the phone open and looked at the text.

"Need U K"

"distraction, 60s"

"got it"

I set the drink down, folding the napkin into my palm. Sam had picked the right girl out, pretty, intelligent, and a bright smile. But _far _more importantly, she had a predator's gleam in her eyes. Socialite. _Total_ matchmaker girl, she wouldn't date Sam, but with the right impression, there was absolutely no doubt she would hook him up properly. I looked her over for another second and made a beeline, catching Sam around the waist.

"Hey!" I said with a grin, "listen, I gotta go bro, see you in class tomorrow."

"Uh, yeah, Mikaela." Sam half stuttered.

"Saaaam," I grinned, catching his chin playfully. "Stop playing shy and show the world my sweet little brother." I turned quickly and caught the girl's eyes, we eyed each other for a second, speaking in the language of women. She knew I wasn't his sister, but she also knew that I had full intent on protecting him from untrustworty females.

"You treat him right," I said with a small smile, showing her firm eyes.

"Oh yes ma'am," the blonde stated, throwing me a salute. I glanced at it and grinned.

"You're a _brit_!" I said cheerfully, her eyes lit up at my statement. "Incredible explorers! They got stuff _done!_ Our great great grandfather was an explorer. Just don't blush when you say sextant bro. _Later_!"

The blonde grinned as I whacked a furiously blushing Sam's chest and made a beeline toward the door.

"So you know exploration! You know, I have a friend who..." the blonde grinned at Sam. Mission accomplished. I glanced over as a light shone through the window.

"HAY! Who drove the frickin' yellow Camaro? Huh? There's a frickin car on the lawn!"

I ran to the window and saw Bee, parked cheerfully on the lawn with his car alarm blaring, lights flashing.

The precise opposite of discreet. Perfect.

Sam was standing beside me a second later.

"I got this one," I murmured, I offered him a fist. Sam shot me an intensely grateful look, bumped my fist goodbye and went back to chatting up the pretty blonde who'd been eyeing him curiously.

I ran out and shoved my head through the window.

"What's happening?" I whispered worriedly.

"Houston, we have a problem."

"What is it?"

"Hay! Is that your car on our lawn?"

"Uh, yeah it is," I called up quickly, "Sorry about that, I have no idea what it's doing here, buddy must be pranking me. I'll get it out of here, just a second."

I jumped into the driver's seat and began wrestling against a shrub to get the door closed.

"Bitch you gotta _ride_? Why you holdin' out on us girl?" Cam asked incredulously.

"I've only known you seventeen hours," I replied quickly. "And he's not supposed to be here."

"I love Camaros." Allan drawled, leaning in the passenger window.

"Agh, I can't do this right now!" I looked at him exasperatedly.

"Don't be a wimp!" he said grumpily, sliding into the passenger seat.

"Get out of my car, please." I said flatly.

"Why?" he glared at me.

"My insurance doesn't cover passengers, so please get out."

He frowned and got out again. The second the door closed, Bee took off.

"What's happening Bee?" I asked worriedly.

"Message from Starfleet captain... we need to talk."

"Optimus is in town?" I asked incredulously.

"Here we go here we go."

"Good grief," I said tiredly, relaxing back into the seat and letting Bee drive. He began playing music quietly, I couldn't help but grin.

"So we're rocking out now?" I laughed softly. He began cutting soundbytes together, resuming the flirting game we'd always played while he was driving, or I was working on him. A long trip later and we pulled up in a cemetery. I got out and began walking toward Optimus, climbing up a retaining wall.

"What in Primus name are you _doing_ here!?" I demanded incredulously. "You know university isn't a matter of go there, spend one day you're done! It takes a _long __time_ for humans to download information!"

"I am sorry Mikaela, but the last fragment of the all-spark was stolen." his voice rumbled softly. I'd almost forgotten how incredible that voice was.

"Like what, like Decepticon stolen?" I asked, immediately on edge.

"We placed it under human protection at your government's request. But I'm here for your help, because your leaders believe we brought vengeance upon your planet, perhaps they are right. That is why they must be reminded by another human of the trust we share," he looked at me quietly. Waiting for my answer. Just looking into those beautiful, burning blue optics tore my heart from my chest, chewed it up and threw it back in again.

"This isn't my war," I said quietly. I couldn't afford to be involved, not again.

"Not yet, but I fear it soon will be. Your world must not share the same fate as Cybertron. Whole generations lost." He shook his head sadly.

I moved forward and touched his ankle.

"I know, and I'm – I want to help you, I do, but I'm not an Ambassador. You know? I'm just a normal kid, I don't figure large in this world. I am where I'm supposed to be now, staying off the radar. Normal. I'm sorry, I – I really am."

"Mikaela, fate rarely calls upon us at a moment of our choosing."

"You're Optimus Prime, you don't need me," I said quietly, walking back toward Bee.

As I hopped carefully down the retaining wall, my heart wrenched to hear his parting comment. The beautiful, rich voice so deeply laced with it's sad kindness.

"We do, more than you know."

"Kae?" Bumblebee chirped sadly as we drove away.

"I can't, little brother," I whispered. "I have my orders."

I could hear his sage nod resonate softly over the sounds of his engine.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus watched his scout drive away with the human femme, his processors ground and whirred with worry. Her energy signatures had changed. There was no doubt in his mind that the same Mikaela whom had saved his life resided in the tiny carbon organism. But there was more to her now, a... spark... an impossibility. Frowning, Optimus resolved to find a way to get her to Ratchet. The Medi-bot had been cheerfully studying the humans, letting them study him in return, the chance of firsthand research finally winning out over his grumpiness. He might know.

Stepping down onto the road he quickly transformed into his alt mode and took off, driving quickly to the plane that would take him to Diego Garcia.

* * *

**Don't kick me! I know! 99.9 percent of us would have dropped _everything _to help the big guy! I'll tell you why later! Patience!_  
_**


	9. 8 On the first day of school,,,

**Chapter 8 - On the first day of school the All-Spark gave to me... Do I need to say anything else? Massive thanks to my ever-patient Betas who give me just enough of a kick to actually post these things :)**

* * *

(MPOV)

"Mikaela," Sam grinned at me, gesturing toward the empty seat beside him.

"How's it going Sam?" I smiled at him gently.

"Oh, lonely, depressed, the usual," Sam rolled his eyes, "You were right though, we are better off as friends." He sounded like he'd rehearsed that in his head a few times.

"You're still chaffing that Leo there had me put in the freshman 55?" I gave him a half smile. "I _told _you once we're settled down I'd play your wingman, find you a girl better suited to you. What happened to that girl last night?"

"She can do that?" Leo asked in shock from Sam's other side. "You got a hot ex-girlfriend who'll find you other girls? Do it man! _Do it!_"

"Lara said she wants to hook me up with a friend of hers, Carly... something," Sam shrugged. "She took my picture and all that stuff, says Carly is planning on working at the British embassy over here."

I smiled to myself, the girl sounded perfect for him.

The professor strutted into his lecture hall at that moment with all the arrogance of a self-proclaimed genius, tossing his hat in a well-practiced move onto the lectern.

"Space," he gestured around him then held up a pocket watch "Time," he took a bite of his apple and dropped it, bouncing it off of his shoe to land at the feet of one of the girls in front. "Gravity."

"Thank you," she whispered up to him, snatching up the apple and cradling it.

Wow, horndog, _this_ was going to be an interesting course. I checked the syllabus, bellcurve marking scheme. Brilliant. I couldn't help but roll my eyes slightly. Sam was watching me curiously. I gave him a tiny shrug and turned my attention back to the professor.

"Finish that for me," he smirked at her, "We're going on a journey together, you and I today, all you eager, nubile young minds, on the cusp of adulthood. And I shall be your consort! Your guide, your chaperone into the heart of darkness." He gave another tolerant chuckle which was joined by the rest of the class. My gaze became fixated on the textbook in front of me. Symbols began to dance in front of my eyes again.

"Welcome to Astronomy 101. For what do we know about the stars? Virgo! The virgin. Orion the great hunter. These are no mere twinkling diamonds, for lovely maidens to wish upon. No they are dynamos filled with a throbbing, savage and pent up energy. Behold the work of Albert Einstein, a professor once, like moi."

Faster faster, I flipped through the pages, not reading, absorbing the content. I reached the last page and slammed the book shut, my hand shooting into the air in the next moment.

"Put your hand down put your hand down put your hand down..." Sam whispered desperately.

"Young lady there are no questions until I've reached the climax of my lecture."

I stood up with my hand in the air still, my mind practically buzzing with information. Too much information, I could barely keep up with myself. "I just finished your book and there's only one problem Einstein's wrong." Quiet laughter rang through the hall as I moved quickly to the lectern. "Energy does equal mass times the velocity of light squared in this dimension but what about the other seventeen, nobody ever talked about the other seventeen. Clear example." I began writing rapidly on the black board for a few moments, drawing out the symbols floating in front of my eyes. I spun about and looked at the Professor, "Break down the elemental components of energon, assume a constant decay rate and extrapolate for each of the f-f-fou-fou-fourteen galactic convergences it took the Sentinel Prime expedition to receive an e-e-e-echo on the signal and you wind up with a formula for inter-dimensional energy increase that mass and light alone cannot explain come on guys I can't be the only one in the class who..." I flashed back to reality and coughed slightly, blushing. The professor walked slowly toward me, getting into my face.

"Young lady, I will not be punked in front of the dean. No, this is my universe here. Do you understand, I am the alpha and the omega, get out of my class!"

"Yes sir," I said quickly and beat a hasty retreat to my desk, snatched up my books, and all but ran out of the lecture hall. The professor's next words followed my retreat out the door.

"Anyone else care to have some sort of mental breakdown?"

Sam ran after me.

"Mikaela!" he whispered hoarsely.

"I gotta go, I gotta go find them," I choked out. "Stay here Sam, we've got no idea what kind of trouble this is gonna turn into. If you want your normal life back, stay."

Sam looked at me worriedly.

"I can take care of myself, you know that," I added softly.

Sam took a deep breath and reached out, gently touching my cheek. In a sense, this was the real goodbye.

"Be careful," he murmured. "If anyone asks, what do I say?"

"That I've always done that kind of thing," I murmured immediately, the lie an easy one. "Blame it on a mild seizure, controlled epilepsy caused by extreme mental stimuli. I've been having them for so long I already know my limits. If I'm not back in three months, tell them that's why we broke up, you didn't know how to handle it, it freaked you out mid-makeout when I'd start babbling and that I didn't blame you. You wanted kids someday, but I don't want to pass this 'genetic flaw.' Apologize to the professor on my behalf, and erase that board. You got that down?"

"Got it," Sam nodded and turned, walking back into the classroom.

I stood and listened for a moment.

"Young man, you are late," the professor stated snappishly.

"I'm sorry Professor, she's a friend of mine from highschool," Sam began calmly.

I touched the tiny canister holding the cube splinter hiding beneath my shirt and began running toward my dorm room, fumbling with my books and searching for my cell phone, the waste bin overbalanced as I stumbled against it. Finally, I crashed through the door to my room and dropped the books, staring at the phone.

"How the hell do you call an Auto-bot without a listed phone number?" I moaned weakly and sat down at the computer, frowning. I pulled up a list of phone numbers to the Pentagon and crossed my fingers. Maybe kill two birds with one stone.

"Good morning, this is the public line for the Pentagon, how may I help you today?" A polite voice answered.

"Hello?" I said in a panicky voice, "My name is Mikaela Banes and I have no idea how you can help me, I need to talk to somebody fairly high up with clearance on something that happened a couple of of years ago that's classified and I can't talk about it but something happened and it's an emergency and I don't know how to contact the person I need to talk to!" I babbled and shut up immediately.

"Understood, can you please hold while I get my superior?" the polite woman's voice said calmly.

"I suppose so yeah," I said, standing and beginning to pace. Five minutes of infuriating calming music and a different voice came on the phone.

"This is General Morshower."

"General," I said quickly, taking a deep breath, "I need to find Captain Lennox, I think, I don't know if he's been promoted, it's been two years since I last saw him in _Mission City_."

There was silence on the other end of the phone.

"Sir?" I said desperately and slumped onto my bed, "Oh gods please don't hang up, I'm going insane, I know it, I need to talk to Lennox, or rather the... the people he's in charge of, I'm in trouble, I think, something's happening..." I began babbling, rocking back and forth.

"I'm still here, we need a secure line, where are you?" Morshower barked in my ear, I shut up again.

"I'm in New York, in my dorm room at the University."

"Pack a few things. Do the people you need to talk to know how to find you?" Morshower asked quickly.

"Yeah, yeah they do," I said quickly, snatching up my duffel and throwing a few odds and ends into it, finishing my run kit. Paper rustled and glass broke under a heavy foot in the hallway. "Oh fuck," I whispered and leaped for the computer, immediately erasing the search history and snapping the laptop shut, shoving it into it's compartment in the bag.

"Is anyone after you?" Moreshower asked quietly in my ear.

"Unknown," I said quietly, easing toward the door and quickly throwing my bag across my shoulder.

"Listen, I have a soldier headed toward you, get yourself to the library, meet him at the front entrance in ten minutes, he will escort you to headquarters, understood?"

"Understood, thank you sir," I said quietly as a hand pounded on the door.

"Keep your cell-phone on and in your pocket until whomever is knocking goes away."

"Yes sir," I said again and pocketed my earpiece, opening the door. I looked up into a stupidly familiar face.

"Hey Mikaela, haven't seen your car around," Allan started with a small smirk.

"Hey, Allan was it?" I cut him off, "Yeah, sorry about that, it's in the shop right now, I'm kinda busy-"

"That was some kind of freak you did in class," He interrupted, pushing his way into the doorway, "I know who you are, I knew you were special. And we both know that when two people in the know get together-"

"I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about," I interrupted him quickly, "Now, thank you for checking up on me but I really need to be going-"

"Where you going in such a hurry? Surely you have a minute for me," he grabbed my wrist and pushed me into the room.

"Let me go please," I said flatly.

"No, I wanna talk with you for a minute," he leered at me, shutting the door behind himself. "Somebody as pretty as you should know what that means."

"Let me go this instant!" I snapped, tugging my hand lightly, gauging his reaction.

"I don't think so, Mikaela Banes, you have something we want, something my superiors would... kill to have." he began moving closer to me, I could smell electricity on him. Not electricity. Ozone. Energon. It was tainted, dirty, as though the clean, pure scent that emanated from Bumblebee had been corrupted.

"_Let me go!_" I shrieked, driving a knee into his groin, he didn't flinch.

"Pathetic little humans, leaving something so vulnerable so accessible," he smirked at me, his face began to fall apart, showing bits of metal here and there as he transformed, his eyes beginning to glow a dirty red. "Give me the map little insect."

"Map to what?" I demanded as he grasped my other wrist.

"To the Energon source," he snarled wrenching me around so my back was to the door. "There is another source on this planet, and you're going to lead us to it!"

"I have no idea what you're talking about!" I shrieked, and launched myself into the air, knees to my chest, back against the door, heels into his torso. In that moment I was grateful I'd worn stilettos as the heels sank into gaps in his armour.

My wrists wrenched from his grasp as he fell back, my shoes still stuck in his abdomen, hopefully short-circuiting something. I didn't know, I didn't stick around to watch.

Barefoot and my bag still swinging against my hip I ran out of the dormitory, taking off for the library at the speed only adrenaline could achieve. My hand flew into my pocket and the cell-phone was in my ear the next moment.

"Are you still there?" I asked desperately, running up the steps to the library.

"Where are you?" Morshower barked.

"Library steps," I gasped, "please please tell me your man is close by."

"I'm stuck in traffic! There's a load of cars going around me and I can't see their drivers," a voice said faintly.

"Looks like help is on it's way," Morshower's voice said in my ear.

"Or one hell of a fight," I said faintly, tucking myself into a concealed spot. "What do the cars look like?"

"Fire and rescue, yellow Camaro, a _wicked _looking semi..."

I began to breathe a little easier.

"So you've taken down the one after you-" Morshower prompted me.

"They don't go down that easily," I murmured, looking around myself worriedly, "I left a pair of heels sticking out of his chest, if it shorted him he might be down for a few minutes. I'm just praying it doesn't think to kill someone else with my shoes to make me look delusional. I'm certain I'm going insane now. There's no way this happens to sane people."

"You'll be hidden if that happens." Morshower said firmly, cutting me off. "This conversation has been recorded and you're not going insane."

"You'll have to forgive me for not getting my hopes up," I replied tiredly. "Fuck, gotta move!" I added in a low growl, Allan was striding toward the library, sans shoes in his chest.

I ducked into the library and scanned the area. Back entrance.

I ran for it, skulking behind one of the shelves.

"Where are you?" General Moreshower growled in my ear.

"In the library," I murmured. The wall exploded, I got up and started running. "BOMB BOMB BOMB!" I shouted.

Instant panic, people were running everywhere, I hid among them, exiting the building.

"So much for fucking _subtle_," I snarled to myself, I ran for a car, older model, broke in and hotwired it. "Whoever owns this car has my apologies," I stated perfunctorily, slamming it into reverse and screeching out of the parking lot.

A cop car chased after me, I looked at the driver just in time to see it flicker.

"General, please be advised I am in a stolen car with a Decepticon, designation Barricade on my bumper," I snapped out. He bashed the corner of my car, fuck off. I spun a donut and sped the other way, my Uncle's training kicked in, decreasing my response time as I dodged the oncoming cars. I wished I had my bike.

"Where are you now?" the general barked.

"The news chopper up there is going to say I'm the silver ford going north on the one way southbound," I snapped out.

"There are no choppers in the area-"

A grappling hook appeared beside my head. Fuck.

The only option, I spun another donut, up on the curb, around the light post.

Get out of the car. Keep moving.

"Alright, Blackout is tangled to my car at the moment," I gasped, running as hard as I could. An older building, concrete. Huge pillars.

I tucked myself into a concealed spot again, breathing heavily, the chopper released itself and took off again.

"Mikaela!" General Moreshower shouted in my ear.

"Quiet," I muttered softly. "False cop and angry chopper nearby."

"Mikaela, where are you?" Moreshower whispered.

"Fourth pillar, main-street bank," I whispered.

A truck chose that moment to make a screeching halt a block away. Air-brakes hissed and chains clattered. That engine sounded familiar, Peterbilt modified, twenty-seven RPM.

"If that's not Optimus I'm a dead spark," I whispered, creeping out of my hiding spot.

Allan, running toward me. Decision made for me I sprinted toward the semi, climbing up the steps and through the door opening for me.

"Where were you?" Optimus' voice demanded over the speakers. In that moment, the most beautiful voice in the universe.

"Hiding! Go go go go, he's coming!" I shrieked.

"You're with the leader?" Moreshower asked in my ear.

"Yes Sir," I said in a marginally calmer voice. A second later I was thrown back into the seat with the force of the acceleration.

"I'll leave you without distraction then, we'll talk later."

"Thank you, General," I replied. The line went dead.

"You called the military?" Optimus rumbled curiously.

"I don't have your phone number, it always comes up protected and unlisted. I was trying to get Lennox," I shrugged, breathing heavily.

"Ah."

I took a deep, calming breath then shrieked as a skeletal metal frame clung to the side, scrabbling at the window. A gun appeared under my hand.

"Take care of that will you? He's scratching my paint." Optimus rumbled in perverse amusement.

"That's not _funny_ Optimus!" I half shouted, snatching up the gun and aiming. A deep breath and I was centred, "Roll down the window will you?"

I aimed for the chest and gripped the handle, an incandescent bolt of energy blasted me across the cab and threw the skeleton into a light post.

"Good shot," Optimus congratulated me as Ironhide, Ratchet, Bee and a new silver car flanked us. "Now, you said you wanted to talk?"

"Perhaps now is not the best time?" I half shouted as Blackout flew over us. A grappling hook embedded itself into the roof next to my head.

"Wait for us to get into the air!" Optimus groaned as we lifted off, I snatched the gun up again and hooked my knee around the seatbelt, shoving myself out the window and taking aim for the cable. "Give me enough fall time to transform," Optimus commanded.

Dangling in the window, I waited. We were above water now, fuck.

"Aim for the hatch the grappling hook came from," Optimus murmured softly. I took a deep breath, switching my aim. "Wait for it..."

"NOW!"

I fired and felt myself ripped from the cab. Time seemed to slow to nothing as I watched truck become bipedal, the helicopter swerving away with a trail of black smoke following him. A giant hand flashed out and snatched me out of the air, pulling me toward his chest as we fell, landing heavily on the edge of the bay. A few juddering, running steps and we were beneath a bridge.

"Be very quiet, Grindor hunts," Optimus rumbled softly, pulling himself up among the underlying girders as he had the first time we'd met.

"That's not Blackout?" I whispered.

"No, Grindor," Optimus rumbled softly. I nodded and fell silent, feeling a massive amount of dejavu, and a little bit of shock. It felt so... correct... that I was on his shoulder. Except_ this_ time, there was no Sam to pull me off of my perch.

We listened to the chopper circle for a few minutes, then retreat.

"Something's wrong, that was too easy," I whispered softly, sitting tucked into Optimus' shoulder. He nodded minutely. "Where do I sit so I'm not in your way?" I asked softly, surveying his shoulder.

"There's fine," he rumbled softly.

I nodded and tucked myself somewhat deeper into his shoulder.

"Let's move," he rumbled after another minute. "We need to get out of the city. Hopefully the EM field hid us long enough that Grindor gave up."

In moments he was climbing over the seawall, I jumped into his hand and he set me down for a moment before returning to truck form. Without missing a beat I scrambled into the cab again, still clinging to the gun.

We took off driving.

"Once this is over, I did not give you that rifle," Optimus told me quietly as a bit of beeping sounded over the speakers. I nodded my agreement.

"Optimus, what's happening?" a familiar voice came over the speakers.

"Major, Mikaela has been targeted," Optimus answered aloud, "she is with me now, we are getting out of the city, Grindor, Starscream and Megatron are no doubt close by."

"And Barricade," I added quietly.

"Why are they attacking her?" Lennox asked sharply. "She's supposed to be off the radar, college, normal kid!"

"They seem to think I can lead them to another Energon source," I said aloud, crossing my arms as symbols began dancing in front of my eyes again. "I don't know if this is the best time to pick apart precisely why I'm certain I'm going insane like Sam's great-grandfather did when Megatron zapped him. Either way, the Decepticons know more than I do."

"Right get back to base, we'll talk then," Lennox commanded brusquely. The line cut out immediately. I sat in silence for a long while, staring at the dashboard.

"There's a grappling hook stuck in the roof still," I finally said quietly, looking up at it.

"My shoulder plate," Prime grunted irritably, taking a quick right onto an exit.

"Did you want me to try and get it out?" I asked, still staring at it.

"Do not shoot it," Optimus snorted, accelerating down another highway.

"I don't think I have to," I said musingly, reaching up and giving a light tug. With a surprisingly small amount of resistance it slid through and landed on my thigh, clamping down. "Damnit! Ow!" I shouted, tearing the claw from my thigh and throwing it out the window, grasping the gash in my leg.

"Be more careful with things from Decepticons, they are designed to hurt," Optimus said in a musing tone. "What are you doing?"

"Ripping up a shirt," I grumbled, tearing another strip off of an old t-shirt that had made it's way into my bag.

"Why?"

"I'm bleeding," I sighed, carefully winding the cloth strips around my leg.

"Mikaela!?" he rumbled in shock.

"I'm fine," I shrugged. "It's not that bad, but there's no sense in getting lubricants on you. Ironhide would be ribbing me to no end."

Optimus snorted and accelerated further, I watched the path we took, another highway, off that and onto a dirt road.

"Megatron is in pursuit," Optimus rumbled furiously. I held the gun he'd provided close to my chest. Breathing deeply, I kept my eyes on his mirrors.

"Here he comes," I stated coldly. He was behind us, transforming.

Optimus braked hard and ejected me, I landed on the ground, rolled a few times and got to my feet. By the time I looked up, Megatron had tackled him.

"Mikaela! Hide!" Optimus roared. I ran, cradling the gun to my chest I ran until I was well into the trees, the sound of battle ringing in my ears.


	10. 8,2

**What? You thought I was ****_that_**** mean? Chapter 8.2, it was just really, _really long!_**

* * *

(MPOV)

I looked back.

Optimus was on his feet, fighting.

"Weak!" he snarled, lifting a tree and breaking it over the other mech. Wow. "Puny!" another massive hit. "Waste of metal!" Optimus snarled at him. Perversely, even with two enormous mechs fighting so close to me. The danger, the adrenaline.

I couldn't help but admire how quickly he was getting those hits in.

His blades were out now. Harrying Megatron.

"Junkyard scrap!" Optimus snarled at him.

I took a deep breath and heard a horrifying sound.

Megatron's voice.

"Decepticons!" he roared. Oh god. A trap. I began running again. I had a gun, best case scenario I could take out optics. Worst case... at least I could distract a couple. I got into firing range and stood waiting. Grindor landed, and Starscream that much closer.

"Come here girl!" Starscream growled, grinning at me. Eight hundred feet. I took aim, kneeling down, he took two paces and I fired two shots.

One hit his face, the other just below the chestplates.

Hah.

I took off running. I needed to get to the high ground. Starscream screamed like a little girl. I'd have to remember that. Tell Ironhide. Optimus was holding his own, the three bots chasing me, and rapidly being crippled by him. I took cover behind an enormous, fallen tree and took aim again.

Grindor got past Optimus, running toward me, I fired off a few shots, each one catching his chest, Optimus had him down again. Starscream ran past and Optimus caught him, flinging him around. He was letting off shots. I ducked behind my tree and popped back up the second I heard a crash.

"There is another source of Energon hidden on this planet!" Megatron snarled at Optimus. "The girl could lead us to it!"

Roundhouse kick to the face. Fuck.

I aimed and let off the shots while Optimus was low.

Head-shots. Daddy's specialty. I needed better ground. Optimus got up and I started running again, glancing over my shoulder as often as I dared.

The three were ganging up on him now, Optimus was obviously reeling in shock for that statement. He needed his concentration back.

A few hits and Megatron caught him in the chestplates with a solid blast.

Straight toward me.

I got the hell out of the way.

He landed heavily and shifted slightly. So close.

I could smell the energon.

"Is the future of our race not worth a single human life?" Megatron growled, advancing on us, I sank back into the tree roots I was using for cover and took a deep breath.

This close, I might be able to get a shot up under his chest plates.

"You'll never stop at one," Optimus growled, I looked at him in shock as he got up, a second blade emerged from his free hand. "I'll take you all on!" he roared.

My breath was effectively stolen as he began tearing them apart.

Wow...

Megatron was quickly down, already having taken a beating. Starscream was yelling, his arm torn off. Optimus walloped him a few times with it before kicking him away.

That had to have been taught by Ironhide.

But then, Optimus was on Grindor's back, two glowing, red-hot hooks extending from his hands and tearing his face apart. The bot was effectively dead, Optimus jumped down from his back and dragged him down with a hook.

He began looking around, dropping to a knee.

"Mikaela! Where are you!" he shouted.

Megatron was coming up behind him.

I was moving before I even knew it, out in the open, braced.

"_Behind you!" _I bellowed, letting off shots, hitting Megatron's face as many times as I could. Optimus was on his feet again, laying a solid hit to the Decepticon leader's chest. I held my fire the second Optimus was in my way, spinning circles. Starscream was reaching toward me with his lone arm.

I began letting off shots again, straight into his face, he backed off, screaming like a little girl again. I turned and ran again, getting clear of the bot's feet, or trying. For a moment, Megatron was directly above me. I shot straight up and switched back, running between Optimus' legs.

"You give toys to insects now?" Megatron snarled. Optimus blasted him backwards.

In the noise, the screeching sound of abused metal, the thunder of their footsteps, Starscream shouting, I barely heard the engines coming toward us.

Barely. I turned and aimed to see the most beautiful of sights.

Ironhide, Ratchet, Bumblebee and several new cars that I didn't recognize. Roaring toward us, transforming.

"Auto-bots attack!" Ironhide roared.

Starscream and Megatron let off a few more shots and took off.

"Mikaela!" Optimus roared, his back to me he dropped to his knees. "Mikaela where-"

"I'm right here!" I shouted, walking toward him on shaky legs, he whipped around and stared at me as I slung the gun over my shoulder. "Wow, never a dull moment." I stated flatly. I put the gun down and immediately climbed up his chest somewhat. "Are you alright!?" I demanded worriedly.

"Mikaela are-" Optimus rumbled at the same time.

"I'm fine," I snapped. "I'm _not_ the one that took a cannon blast to the _chest!_ _Are you alright!?_" I demanded shrilly.

"You saved my life," Optimus rumbled softly, reaching up and lightly cradling me in his hand.

I leaned my forehead against his thumb.

"What do you say we head back to your place?" I asked weakly. "Mine's an absolute mess." he looked down at me calmly.

Behind me, Ironhide was snorting softly.

"Optimus, are you still capable of transforming?" Ratchet demanded.

Optimus nodded and lightly set me down. Ratchet reached over and touched his shoulder. Optimus groaned softly as a flash of energon flew over his frame. Repairing him.

Mostly.

He transformed and I picked up the cannon he'd given me, climbing into his cab. I glanced over and saw something frankly astonishing.

He'd managed to keep my run kit.

"How the hell?" I asked with a frown.

"Subspaced," he rumbled gently, I looked up.

"There's still a hole in your shoulder plate," I stated worriedly.

"Do not worry about it," Optimus rumbled soothingly. "How is your leg, do you want to ride with Ratchet?"

"If I start feeling lightheaded maybe," I shrugged, "how far are we going?"

"Diego Garcia, there are soldiers before we make it there though, an hour?"

"That's fine," I murmured. I relaxed back into the seat somewhat.

"Now then, where were we?" Optimus rumbled placidly. I stared at him... well... his dashboard. "I mean before the unpleasantness."

I snorted, I could feel him smirking slightly.

"That's not funny," I informed him, desperately struggling to not laugh.

"Then why did you laugh?" he rumbled with mocking curiosity.

"Because you made me," I shot at him, with a mockingly irritable pout.

"I will not be able to say so at base, but you are an incredible fighter, Mikaela," Optimus rumbled with a smile. "I am proud to fight beside you."

"Bull," I snorted. "About all I managed was a couple of distractions. You never said that that's where Starscream got his name."

"Mikaela?" Optimus rumbled in amusement.

"He screams like a little girl," I snorted.

"You _shot_ him in the _face_," Optimus rumbled with a snort.

"Mikaela shot Starscream in the _face!?" _Ironhide demanded with a grin over the radio.

"She did," Optimus rumbled with a smile of his own.

"My big-sister shot Starscream and I _missed it!?_" Bumblebee demanded.

I rolled my eyes.

"Oh come off it, Optimus tore them apart," I called back with a snort. "I got a couple of lucky shots in."

"Twenty," Optimus rumbled calmly.

"Hmn?"

"You made twenty shots, twelve head-shots, seven critical chest and one cod." Optimus rumbled with a smirk.

"Optimus Prime," I stated firmly. "You should have spent more time concentrating on them, not counting how many times I shot at them."

"I _was_ concentrating on them, the plasma rifle kept count, who did you shoot in the cod?" Optimus rumbled curiously.

"Oh... uh..." I coughed, suppressing the shudders running through me as the adrenaline began to wear off.

"Come on Kae!" Bumblebee chirped cheerfully.

"Megatron," I murmured quietly, embarrassed. "Right about the same time you punched him in the face... again..."

Ironhide was howling the next moment.

"You shot _Megatron_ in the _spike!?_" Ironhide hooted gleefully.

"Let's get out of here," Ratchet put in calmly. "The humans are on the way to clean up the mess."

"Auto-bots, initiate radio silence," Optimus ordered calmly.

He drove in silence for a while. I bit my lip, the symbols were returning.

"Mikaela?" he rumbled gently. I shook myself somewhat and began wrapping more strips of the shredded t-shirt around my leg.

"How have you lot been? I've seen bits and pieces of battles online, the conspiracy nuts are going crazy." I said with a small smile, leaning back in the seat.

"Shanghai was a mistake," Optimus said darkly, "far too many casualties."

"There's got to be a better way to monitor the size," I said musingly, "The video clips from Shanghai show that thing being enormous, size like that they would have sent you in immediately, not just air dropped you in afterwards."

"It is obvious they are searching for something," Optimus stated, "your leaders believe they are searching for us, that we have brought vengeance upon your planet."

"No," I said musingly. "No, if they were bent on vengeance they'd set a trap for the lot of you. You're a Prime, you were trained to guard and protect at the academy, if they were looking for you they'd have you by now. One Decepticon would touch down, make a load of ruckus and you'd go after them to find that a load more were lying in wait. Unfortunately, Megatron or no, Decepticons aren't stupid, they're greedy, they're arrogant, they're ambitious, but they are not foolish."

"How do you know that?" Prime asked very calmly.

"Looking at the data," I shrugged, tying off the last bandage. "If you'd had two incursions it would suggest they're testing you, but after what, six? And no more than what? One or two Decepticons in any one area? No, they're looking for something else. Ugh, I hate smart enemies, give me a stupid opponent any day." I rubbed my forehead irritably.

"How do you know what was taught at the academy?" Optimus clarified in an even calmer tone.

"Not sure," I said quietly then sighed, leaning my head against his window. "Optimus, I need to ask you something that touches the line of insulting, but I need to ask it now, and not in front of other humans. They need to see that I trust you, not that I'm teetering on paranoid terror at the moment."

"What do you need to ask?" Optimus asked gently.

"Speaking the truth as a Prime, did you or any of the other Auto-bots implant a mass of Cybertronian knowledge into my mind?"

"We most certainly did not! I would never break that trust! Such a transfer would potentially kill-" Optimus started indignantly.

"I knew it wasn't you," I sighed in relief, stroking the seat.

"Then why ask such a thing?" Optimus demanded.

"I needed it confirmed, I'm so sorry for doubting you." I replied quietly, fighting the hitch in my voice.

"Lay down in the sleeper, you're exhausted. You said Cybertronian?" Optimus prompted me gently, no doubt listening to my heart rate increasing with upset. I struggled to make my way between the seats, sinking onto the soft mattress.

"Symbols that dance endlessly in front of my eyes, pieces of information that no human should know, let alone know instinctively and visions." Tears began to streak unnoticed down my cheeks. "Visions of places I've never seen, places that defy every rule of existence as I understood it, and then being corrected by more information seeping into my mind, Optimus." I sobbed, I couldn't stop myself. "It's too much, there's too much to process, writing it down sometimes makes me understand it, but it doesn't go away-"

"Shh, easy little one," the deep voice rumbled softly, surrounding me with a gentle nimbus of safety. "When we get to NEST Ratchet will do a full scan on you, we'll find out how to remove-"

"No!" I whimpered, curling onto my side in the bunk.

"Mikaela, you are under the duress of an information overload. Surely you'd wish it to cease," Optimus said gently.

"I close my eyes and see the most beautiful things," I whispered, curling myself deeper into the padding. "When I dream, I see the birth of the stars, the creation of planets. Last night I watched a scorched and barren wasteland become a lush and vibrant home again..." I trailed off, looking out the windscreen with exhaustion slowing my thoughts.

"When did it start?" he asked softly, I could feel him slowing down as we caught sight of a well-fenced compound. "When did you begin seeing the symbols?"

"I've been seeing them ever since..." I gasped, "ever since I touched the cube splinter! Prime I'm such a fool! A splinter of the cube got caught in my jacket, I found it two weeks ago."

"Where is it?" Prime asked sternly.

"Around my neck," I said softly, "I put it in a little canister when I found it, and intended to leave it hidden in a safe place. It won't let me, I can't get more than ten feet from it."

"What happened when you touched the splinter?"

"It burned," I said softly, "It felt as though my blood were on fire again. Like it did when I pushed the cube into Megatron's chest."

"You never mentioned it before." Optimus rumbled.

"When the All-spark set fire, I could feel her anger," I said softly, feeling oddly drugged. "A thing of creation should never be used as an instrument of destruction. I understood it, and as I did, it's like she understood my reason, saw my remorse in destroying it to prevent destruction. The pain went away after that. A lot of pain went away," I said musingly, "It's weird, I cut myself the other day and it took me over an hour to notice that I was bleeding-"

"What!? Ratchet needs to scan you," Optimus said urgently, pulling into the compound and directly into a C-17. A slick series of hisses and clunks and I was sitting bemused in Optimus' palm. I looked at my leg and groaned.

* * *

(OPOV)

"Damnit, I'm getting lubricants all over you," Mikaela grumbled, snatching up the remains of her shirt and trying to wipe the sticky pool of blood off of Optimus' hand.

"_Ratchet!_" Optimus bellowed, kneeling in the plane and cradling the little human as she stubbornly kept wiping up the blood still dripping from her leg.

"Where's it all coming from?" Mikaela muttered as the plane dipped and bounced on it's tires, accepting the weight of first the medi-bot, then Ironhide. Several soldiers followed.

"She's shocking," Ratchet stated urgently, mid-shift. "Prime, why didn't you have her ride with me?"

"Stubborn creature that she is, she said she was fine," Optimus growled, "my sensors were focused on making sure nothing snuck up on us."

"Right! Everybody's loaded up, let's get to base!" Lennox shouted, climbing into the plane and walking toward Optimus. "What's happening over here?"

"She's defying my calibrations!" Ratchet exclaimed. "What happened? You two were together for an hour and a half, what were you talking about?"

"She doesn't notice pain anymore," Optimus rapped out, "From what I understand she somehow absorbed the power and knowledge from the cube when she pushed it into Megatron's chest."

"I don't know what that means but she's bleeding out in a hurry," Lennox stated urgently, climbing into Optimus' hand and putting pressure on the blood-soaked bandages.

"Oh hey Lennox, when did you get here?" Mikaela looked up at the Major with a bemused smile. "Could you help me get this off Optimus' hand? I don't want him to rust."

Ironhide snorted his amusement while the main hatch of the plane closed, sitting still and allowing a few of the soldiers to tie him in place for liftoff.

Ratchet activated his holoform directly beside the young woman, still sitting cradled in Optimus' hand, accepting the medi-bag offered by one of the soldiers. He immediately got to work cutting away the cotton strips holding the gash somewhat closed while Mikaela watched him curiously.

"Oh, it's me that's bleeding isn't it?" Mikaela looked up at Optimus. "Sorry."

"Ratchet, you need to save her," Optimus said desperately, startling everyone around him. He looked up and realized his mistake. He hadn't used that tone since... he ruthlessly stopped that process.

"Prime, she's lost a lot of blood, but she should be okay," Lennox said comfortingly.

"Optimus, she's going to be alright," Ratchet looked up at him with a frown. "What's got your processors in a knot?" the Medi-bot asked sternly.

Optimus stayed silent for a long moment, weighing his answer. Scrap it all, she was one of his dearest friends now. If she would accept him, he would _gladly_ be her guardian.

But he couldn't say that aloud, not here.

"She is the All-Spark now," he said finally. "We need to keep her safe."

"I'm just the host," Mikaela corrected in a cheerfully bemused tone, one hand waving about errantly. "It'll pass or transform again when I die. Probably to Ratchet though, Optimus. Ratchet's always fixing stuff."

"The knowledge has been integrating itself into her mind," Optimus said quietly, "She's becoming a living, sentient All-Spark. It chose her."

"With good reason," Ratchet stated, slipping an IV into the crook of Mikaela's arm. "She's a female, a natural creator among humans, but a sentient All-Spark won't be strong enough to save Cybertron, Prime."

"The All-Spark began as a Sentient," Mikaela murmured, staring at the IV in her arm. The three auto-bots stared at her in shock.

"Mikaela?" Optimus rumbled softly.

"Hmn?" she murmured, still staring at the IV in her arm.

"Mikaela look at me," Optimus murmured, she tilted her head weakly to look up into his chest, then up to his optics. "We're going to make it better," he told her softly, flexing his hand ever so slightly in a minute, full-body hug; drawing a calm, relaxed smile from the femme.

"Optimus?" she murmured. _∂Take me to Cybertron? Cast my ashes in the Guardian's Falls, they were so beautiful in the dienne.∂_ her body relaxed into sleep.

"Whoa whoa whoa, what did she just say?" Lennox asked in a shocked tone.

"How..." Ratchet looked at Prime with worried optics, tying off the last bandage and nodding his completion.

In silence, Optimus cradled the tiny creature a bit closer to his spark, offlining then restarting his optics. Sensors never leaving her, he observed the beings around him.

"She was speaking common," Ironhide muttered, "It was the strangest accent..."

"She spoke in Cybertronian?" Lennox exclaimed.

"One of the languages, anyway," Ratchet shrugged carefully, watching Optimus.

"Thought you said humans wouldn't be able to learn it, or are you just jealously guarding your secrets again," Epps grinned at Ironhide, thwacking a joking hand lightly on his knee plate.

"There are over one thousand variations of the Cybertronian language, Epps," Ratchet said quietly, "Try to say:_ ∂My name is Technical Sargent Robert Epps, __United States Air Force Combat Controller.∂_

"Ratchet," Optimus began warningly.

"Nah, lemme try," Epps said with a frown. _∂My technical rusty Pitfire, useless scrap Insect junk tin spark∂._

Ironhide burst out laughing.

"Ratchet, it is not nice to make humans randomly swear." Optimus chided him before looking quickly down at the human beginning to stir in his hand, there was fight in her, she was clawing her way to consciousness.

"Ironhide, you're enjoying it, wanna translate?" Graham nudged the bot beside him. The mech looked down with a shit-eating grin.

"Ratchet said Epps' name and title. Epps just swore a bit."

"But was I close?" Epps looked up at Ratchet.

"You went too slowly, it changes the meaning," Ratchet said comfortingly, he looked quickly at Mikaela as her heart rate changed. It began beating faster as adrenaline flooded her system. Optimus read Ratchet's scans in shock as they watched her muscles slowly begin clenching, preparing to jump to her feet in a second if it proved necessary. Damaged as she was, she was becoming battle ready.

"Then what did Mikaela say?" Lennox asked with a frown.

"She..." Ironhide began and looked up at Prime.

"She asked to be laid to rest in a place where it would heal a world." Optimus murmured, watching the tiny femme in his hand. He felt himself sag somewhat and reached his free hand out, extending a few cables from his fingers to gently stroke the hair back from her face. "We will keep you safe, Mikaela," he rumbled softly and was astonished to see her body relax back into his hand.

"There must be a better way," Ratchet exclaimed harshly as Optimus offlined his optics again, "Some way to separate the all-spark from her mind."

"Can you think of any way that would not destroy her?" Optimus asked quietly. "She communed with the all-spark the moment she joined it with Megatron's spark. She accepted it, understood it. Commiserated with it's anger at being used as an instrument of destruction. They do not wish to be separated."

"So what, you'll lead her along until it's time for her to die?" Lennox demanded harshly.

"For them to lead me along would necessitate my ignorance toward what must happen." Mikaela stated calmly, Optimus held back a flinch, looking down at her as she lay cradled over his spark.


	11. 9 Close encounters

**As always, anything you recognize, and possibly some of the things you don't recognize, I don't own. I simply enjoy playing with them.  
********Chapter Nine - Close encounters**

* * *

_"So what, you'll lead her along until it's time for her to die?" Lennox demanded harshly.  
__"For them to lead me along would necessitate my ignorance toward what must happen." Mikaela stated calmly, Optimus held back a flinch, looking down at her as she lay cradled over his spark._

(MPOV)

"Mikaela, we will not destroy you to-" Optimus began.

"Optimus," I said quietly, opening my eyes to look up at him and running my hand along the plates of his palm, "leadership often means making difficult decisions. You would sacrifice yourself countless times over to save Cybertron. It would shame me to not do the same." I struggled to sit up, feeling lightheaded and weak.

"You would-"

"I would leave this body to save millions more," I said firmly, looking up at him, "Millions like myself, and millions of lives radically different from my own, and yet we share the best and worst of all civilizations."

"You would not survive the journey to Cybertron," Ratchet stated calmly, "your body is not built to..." he trailed off with a frown. "You aren't built to survive more than one hundred and twenty years at best. Not yet..."

"Ratchet!" Optimus almost snarled. "You can't possibly-"

"We could possibly upload her," Ratchet said blandly.

"Out of the question, I would not put her through such an ordeal."

"Optimus," I said quietly, "I will die eventually, at least let mine have meaning."

"We will discuss this later," he stated, barely touching a commanding tone, but it was still there never the less.

"Yes, we will," I replied in a deliberately light tone, his optics imperceptibly narrowed at me as I squirmed to the edge of his hand. "Lennox, how have you been?" I called out as I dropped onto my toes, resignedly ignoring the sharp pain in my thigh.

"You, young lady, are not going anywhere," Ratchet stated firmly, reaching toward me.

"Of course not, we're on a plane thirty-five thousand sixteen feet above the ground. Where am I gonna go Ratch?" I grinned up at him and walked toward Lennox, refusing to so much as limp. The IV in my arm tugged. I looked down at it in irritation.

"Talk yes, walk about while you're still hooked up absolutely not," Ratchet said grumpily, I could still hear the amusement lurking beneath the gruff tone as I swore quietly.

"Why the _scrap_ do I have tubes stuck in me?" I demanded just as grumpily.

"Being as you managed to ignore losing over five pints of lubricants I won't take that personally," Ratchet snorted, lightly picking me up and handing me back to Optimus.

"Mikaela, any idea how the Decepticons managed to find you?" Lennox asked curiously. "You were pretty far off the radar."

"I have no idea," I said tiredly, poking at the IV in my arm until a strangely familiar hand firmly grabbed my wrist. I looked up curiously.

"Leave it be," Ratchet's voice commanded briskly from the human form.

"Wow Ratch, nice avatar," I grinned up at him. He rolled his eyes as the plane shuddered lightly.

"It comes in handy," he grumbled. "Now behave will you?"

"Oh fine," I sighed, "But can I please at least pace a bit?"

"Why?" Ratchet asked suspiciously.

"It um..." I scrambled for a reason, "It prevents blood clots in the legs while flying." I stated, mostly truthfully.

"You don't have enough blood in your veins _to_ clot, and we're landing soon." Ratchet stated unhelpfully.

"All the more reason to prevent what little blood I have _from _clotting?" I shot at him hopefully.

"The real reason, please," Ratchet glared at me. I closed my eyes and sighed.

"Moving about seems to help keep the symbols at bay." I finally murmured, barely loud enough for the bots to hear me. I crossed my arms again and curled into myself slightly, fighting back the urge to begin writing again.

"Hold on, little one," Optimus rumbled softly, pulling me closer to his chest.

"I need a bigger processor," I whispered in defeat, curling up in his hand.

"All this weird crap," one of the soldiers muttered. "At least E equals MC squared still."

"In this dimension," I replied automatically, the symbols swimming through my vision, I began tracing a few of them on Optimus' palm with my finger.

"Great, so we got more dimensions now? Bugger."

"Have you found out what the warning meant at all?" Lennox asked patiently, looking up at Prime.

"What warning?" I muttered, still tracing. Optimus sighed and played a soundbite.

"_The fallen shall rise again_."

"Origins unknown," he rumbled softly.

"Grandfather Blackbird knows," I muttered, then looked up, "That was weird," I said with a frown. I closed my eyes and watched the hypnotic, dancing symbols.

"Grandfather Blackbird?" Epps called out, "Sounds like an old plane at the Smithsonian or something."

"We need to find out what that Decepticon punk _meant_, The Fallen-" Ironhide grumbled. Another memory snapped into place. My eyes flew open.

"In the beginning there were seven Primes, the original leaders." I cut Ironhide off. "They set out into the universe seeking distant suns to harvest Energon. Harvest Energon. The Primes set out with one rule, 'never destroy a planet with life,' l-l-life life until one of them tried to defy this rule, his name was f-f-for-forever more the Fallen." I began gasping under the overload of information, my hands flew to press into my temples. I could only see the mass of gold in front of my eyes. "He built in the desert a great machine to harvest energon by destroying suns, intending to wipe out the human race by turning it on with the key."

"What key?" Optimus asked intently, lifting me toward his face.

"Matrix... Matrix..." I babbled, rocking. "The only way to activate the machine was with the key, the matrix of – There was a great battle over possession of the key, bu-buh-but the fallen was stronger than his brothers. So they had no choice but to steal the key away and hide it-" I began gasping again, doubled over and wrapping my arms around myself. Cold fire made my head throb as I fought to understand.

"Optimus, she's overheating," Ratchet barked out.

"The seekers came, to find... searching for..." I choked out, writhing and curling into myself. "Searching for..." my eyes closed of their own accord. My thoughts stilled as blissful darkness enveloped me.

* * *

(OPOV)

"Searching for what?" Optimus asked urgently, frowning worriedly at the tiny carbon unit cradled in his palm.

"She's unconscious, and the better for it," Ratchet stated firmly, Optimus barely heard him. "Prime, we cannot leave her like this. She needs..."

"It is impossible," Optimus murmured to himself. The plates in his palm still tingled with the symbols she'd drawn. Impossible.

"It's completely possible!" Ratchet protested.

One of the most bizarre counterparts he'd heard in a while.

"That... that was _frickin'_ messed up," Epps stated flatly, staring at the girl. "What the _hell_ just happened?"

"An information burst, triggered by Primus only knows what," Ratchet grumbled.

"Optimus? What triggered it?" Lennox looked up at him.

"Primus, not Optimus," Ironhide chuckled darkly, garnering curious looks from the soldiers. He quietly began explaining Cybertronian names and titles.

"Major, we cannot leave her unguarded," Optimus stated firmly.

"Well, we're going to need a damned good reason to have an 'un-read' civilian staying at base." Lennox stated calmly.

"She will be my assistant?" Ratchet suggested, "her knowledge of mechanics will prove helpful, and she's already acquainted with us."

"That I can probably sell," Lennox nodded, buckling himself in as the plane began to descend. He glanced at his watch. "Ugh, it's going to be a nightmare to get her into housing at this time of night."

"She will remain with us for the night," Optimus rumbled quietly, "Either on Ratchet's stretcher or in my sleeper."

"Straight to bed then, excellent!" Epps crowed, settling in his seat.

* * *

(RPOV)

::. She's not waking up.:: Optimus commented softly to the Medical officer as they walked toward the Hanger. Ratchet looked over, scanning Mikaela again.

::. She needs rest, there's an excess of energon built up in her tissues, if she woke now, she'd be in agony.:: Ratchet replied grimly. ::. She isn't designed for it, it needs to be released, and we both know how..:: He gave Prime a knowing, stern look.

::. Humans are not open about such things.:: Optimus frowned.

::. Her pheromones suggest otherwise.:: Ratchet smirked, remembering the burst of pheromones the femme had released when Prime had first transformed. Practically intoxicating for all that it had been alien, even Prime had stared at her for a second before returning to the mission at hand. Ratchet had onlined an extra processor in interest.

_"__Are you Samuel James Witwicky, descendant of Archibald Witwicky." Optimus glanced at the femme before obviously forcing himself to concentrate. _

_"__They know your name," the femme had whispered, looking up at Prime, then around at everyone else. Her pheromones had been... unique. There was no revulsion, just astonishment and perhaps a bit of arousal. Her pupils were dilated as Prime made the introductions. She had looked up at Ironhide with no fear, although her scent had almost been washed out by Sam's. Ratchet decided to experiment. _

_"__The boy's pheromone levels suggest he wants to mate with the female." he stated as Prime spoke his name. _

_Her pheromones had dropped so fast Ratchet was tempted to re-evaluate their sensitivity to gravity. The contraction of her pupils re-iterated the shocking blue-green of her eyes. Fascinating._

::. Take her somewhere private if you have to.:: Ratchet stated, leaving a smug, unspoken suggestion hanging in the air.

"It's so cold," Mikaela whimpered softly in Optimus' hand, startling both bots.

::. She's still asleep, she'll actually rest once she releases.:: Ratchet looked at his leader with a broad, knowing smirk. ::. I'll do it if it's so distasteful to you...::

::. Not a word.:: Optimus commanded the Medi-bot, delicately tucking Mikaela into his chest, shutting his vocal processors down before a grunt of pleasure could escape him.

Ratchet stood for a moment, weighing his chances of getting a good parting shot off at Optimus. Deciding against the numerous voyeur comments he could have chosen, he made his way toward the hanger. Thought processors turned toward segregating a space for his new assistant to work in. He hoped the opportunity to work in a superb shop would prove a lure for her.

"Yo Doc Bot!" one of the infernal twins shouted out.

"What did you do this time? No! Don't tell me. At this point I don't even _want_ to know." Ratchet grumbled irritably, aiming a laser scanner at Mudflap. "Only a pair of twins could do more damage to each other than a Decepticon, hold _still_!"

One re-attached servo and a good scolding later, Ratchet looked about the massive workspace and vehicles lined up for repair.

"Hay Ratchet!" a soldier jogged up to the contemplating bot.

"Chance, shouldn't you be asleep?" Ratchet rumbled musingly.

"Insomnia again. Word's out you got yourself an assistant, need help setting up?" the Australian Lieutenant asked curiously.

"Mmn, prospective assistant," Ratchet rumbled, "She'll need a lift or two, and a workbench."

"Oh prospective assistant. She know what a grump you are yet?"

Ratchet shot a withering glance at the lieutenant.

"Let's see what we can find," Chance grinned. "Who knows, if we bribe her with nice things she might overlook your grumps."

Hmn. Maybe.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus cradled the unconscious girl as the second C-17 taxied in beside the first. She shifted minutely in his spark-chamber, sending an exquisite thrill through his sensors. He strode pensively along the runway, finally choosing a spot and carefully sitting, leaning against a massive concrete tower.

Mikaela began talking again, dreaming.

"Run... don't let them find you... no... please..."

Curiosity finally got the better of him, he offlined his optics and reached for the energon running through the human's system. Her dreams rose on the currents, he brought a backup processor online to keep watch and lightly caressed her mind, observing.

...

"Uncle," Mikaela was crying, hanging onto a distinctively Asian man not much taller than her.

"Tinny's spirit can rest in peace now," the Asian said calmly. "I want you to do everything you can to stay free, the rest of us understand, we want you to be safe. Look at me Cricket." a gentle hand lifted Mikaela's face to look up at the man. "Beautiful little Cricket, there are hard times ahead of all of us, remember what I taught you."

He calmly sat her down in a chair. Optimus watched with tearing pain in his spark as a sobbing Mikaela allowed herself to be tied up.

"Please Uncle, run, don't let them find you," she whimpered, "you'll die in there, or they'll send you back. You didn't use a gun, they can't_ trace_ you. _Please_."

"Cricket I did wrong, even if it was for the right reasons." the Asian said firmly. "Don't you do what I've done wrong in my life." he picked up a stun gun and adjusted it to a low setting. "I'm so sorry little Cricket, I hope you can forgive me." He kissed her brow as the distinctive blue red of police lights shone through the darkened window.

"I love you Uncle," a tear-streaked face looked bravely up at the Asian as he set the stun gun to her throat and pulled the trigger.

The scene dissolved into darkness.

...

"Now listen Miss Banes, can I call you Kaela?" a man in a suit was sitting in front of her. Mikaela was dressed in an orange jumpsuit.

"I'd appreciate it if you'd continue to call me Miss Banes," the girl said civilly, "or just Banes if you get tired of the 'miss.' please."

The man in the suit frowned.

"You've got some very serious charges against you," a second man growled, glaring at the diminutive girl sitting very still in her handcuffs.

"I know, sir," she said quietly.

"Listen," the man in the suit said coaxingly, "we can overlook all of this messiness if you cooperate with us. Come now, you don't want to go to prison do you? Have a record?"

Mikaela sat silently, hands clasped in front of her. Eyes staring off into the distance.

"Yo Banes!" the second man, unshaven and smelling of tobacco waved a hand in front of her eyes.

"Sir?" she said politely, looking at him.

"You gonna cooperate or not?" the man growled.

"I apologize, but no," she said quietly. "I have nothing more to say."

"Diego! Murphy!" a man burst into the room angrily. "You've had her in here for six hours, Child services is crawling up my ass! Get her out of here!"

"Sir she..." the unshaven man started.

"She ain't no closer to giving anybody up than she was when she stepped in here, cut her loose!"

"But Captain!" the man in the suit shouted.

"I don't think you heard me Murphy! Cut. Her. Loose." the Captain snarled, "It's an open and shut case on her. They're transporting her to holding, give her to the feds boys."

"Welp, here's my card if you wanna talk," the man in the suit handed Mikaela a small white piece of paper. She held it in her hand numbly as two guards entered the room, she rose obediently and followed them.

"You need to use the bathroom?" one of the guards asked calmly.

Mikaela nodded and offered her ankle to him. The guard smiled apologetically and fastened shackles to her feet.

She never said a word.

...

Darkness.

Optimus thought her dreams were done until he heard her voice, singing in barely more than a whisper.

"Fare thee well love, fare thee well love, far away, you must go. Take your heart love, take your heart love, will we never meet, again no more. Far across love, far across love, o'er the mountains, and country wide, take my heart love, take my heart, love, no one knows, the tears I've cried. So I'll drink today love, I'll sing to you love, in pauper's glory my time I'll bide, No home or ties love, a restless rover, if I can't have you, by my side.

"Well come back love, oh come back love, the sun and moon, refuse to shine. Since you've gone love, gone away love, this lonely girl has had, no peace of mind..."

Optimus couldn't stop himself, he reached for her with all of his spark, lighting up the cage she slept in. He surrounded her fragile form with the light, warming her against the cold.

Energon seemed to seep from her, making his light stronger as she clung to him. The traces of her blood that had gotten through his armour flared, another processor fired up, idly examining the dried iron and energon rich solids. His nanites were going berserk over it, consuming it rapidly and using it to repair the hole and several dings in his armour.

As gently as he could, he rocked her, warmed her, kept the darkness at bay until she finally slipped into a proper, restful sleep. As carefully as he could, he transformed around her, laying her in his sleeper and driving slowly into the hanger.

"Optimus!" Will Lennox shouted from the top of communication central.

"Shh!" Ratchet whispered desperately. Gesturing urgently for the humans to keep their voices down.

Optimus resisted rolling his optics and hacked into one of the speakers beside Major Lennox.

"If at all possible, Major," his voice came quietly from the speaker, causing the soldiers around it to jump. "I would prefer to delay communications with the Pentagon. I just got Mikaela into a proper sleep, moving her does not feel like a good idea at the moment."

"Is she badly off?" General Moreshower's voice asked quietly from the other speaker.

"She will heal, but her system has taken several rather nasty shocks over the past twenty-four hours." Ratchet piped up seriously.

"Why is Optimus the one taking care of her?" Morshower asked quietly.

"Of all of us, Optimus is the best to care for another's mind," Ratchet answered promptly. "They know each other well enough to be friends. It is better to touch the mind of a friend than a colleague, far less invasive."

"Understandable," Moreshower nodded, "Will, when your lot are free to talk, I'll be back here at oh eight hundred."

"Yes sir," Lennox saluted smartly.

"Thank you, General," Optimus rumbled quietly before he parked in his usual spot. The hangar slowly shut down around them for the night. Optimus sat silently, contemplating the tiny human sleeping in his cab. Wishing he could ask her who the Asian was, why she had slept in a cage. He searched the internet, looking for faces, grumbling quietly when nothing showed up.

::. Bumblebee.:: he finally transmitted to the scout.

::. Sir?.::

::. What do you know about Mikaela?.::

::. That she's brave and kind and does a really good oil change, she pestered Sam constantly about taking proper care of me.:: Bee responded automatically.

::. What else?.::

::. She's smart, and made a lot of sacrifices in her life.:: Bumblebee replied in a musing tone ::. She's never really said anything about it, but she smells of grief and worry even when she smiles, and anytime Sam asked her she'd say something vague and re-direct the conversation to his favourite topics. She's very good at it. Got me when _I_ asked, we were talking about the stars forty seconds later.:: the scout quickly replayed the year old conversation.

Optimus nodded, returning to his contemplation of the sleeping girl.

::. Sir?.:: Bumblebee asked after a while.

::. Bumblebee?.::

::. Is she gonna be okay? She used to come over to Sam's just to talk with me, clean and wax my armour when Sam was busy. Her phone was always on when I needed her, she's a good human.:: the energetic scout's tone was worried.

::. We will keep her safe.:: Optimus stated firmly, warming his cab when her external body temperature began to cool slightly. ::. Get to your re-charge cycle, old friend.:: he added gently.

Bumblebee agreed readily and was soon deep in his cycles.


	12. 10 First, determine your allies

**Chapter 10 - First, determine your allies**

* * *

(MPOV)

I woke up slowly at first, until I realized I wasn't suspended in a hammock. The click of a door opening quietly and I had my knife in hand, sitting bolt upright before I even had my eyes open.

"Whoa, good survival skills if you're in the jungle, Jane," Epps grinned at me. "C'mon, let's get some grub Mikaela. You look like you could use some coffee."

"Coffee?" I asked drowsily, sheathing my knife and rubbing at my eyes. "Where the hell am I?"

"You are at base," Optimus' voice rumbled quietly throughout the cab.

"Oh shit!" I exclaimed, jumping to my feet and collapsing with a vitriolic string of expletives. "Ow, I was sleeping in your cab all night? What about the hole... in your... shoulder plate?" I stared up at the perfectly mended roof. "No way I slept through that. Did Ratchet drug me again?"

"Yes you slept in my cab for most of the night, the hole mended itself as most are wont to do in both of our species, and no, Ratchet gave you a mild painkiller, nothing more." Optimus listed off with a low chuckle. "Sargent Epps, I believe you may need to assist Mikaela if her leg is not yet up to supporting her this morning."

"On it big guy," Epps grinned, offering me a shoulder to support myself out of Optimus' truck form. "C'mon, let's get you some coffee then over to Ratchet, he's been grumbling about something or other, whoa, probably your leg judging by the bandages."

"Oh damn it!" I growled, looking at the yellowed stain over the gash.

"You look more alert this morning," Lennox called over to me as Epps helped me walk toward the work area Ratchet had evidently commandeered.

"Looks can be deceiving," I called back with a grin while Epps laughed. "Need coffee."

"You are no longer in shock," Ratchet stated calmly, "your alertness is much improved, but caffeine would be detrimental at this point."

"I have gone temporarily deaf and didn't hear you say I can't have coffee," I stated blandly, earning a glare from Ratchet.

"Your ear-canals are in working order and there is no blockage in your neural transmitters, no coffee," Ratchet retorted.

"Damn," I muttered as Epps helped me sit down.

"I'll be back with the coffee," he murmured, I shot him a grateful look. Ratchet's holoform flickered into being beside me.

"Wow, nice avatar Ratch," I grinned at him then frowned. "Wait, I said that last night, didn't I?" my eyes widened, "It _was_ you who told me to rest!"

"Cognitive skills are back online," Ratchet nodded at me as he untied the bandages on my thigh. I looked down at the blackened gash and sighed.

"They poisoned it, didn't they?" I asked in a resigned tone.

"It would appear so," Ratchet agreed, "an anti-coagulant, which is why you bled out so quickly. None of it remains in your system however."

"So if I trim out the damaged bits it'll clot together properly?" I asked calmly.

"Mmn, I'll do it," Ratchet nodded, grabbing a box from one of the shelves. He fished out a syringe and made to help me toward a makeshift cot.

"Aw Ratch, don't put me under, can't you just use locals?" I looked at him pleadingly.

"I've taken your sensitivity to sedatives into account this time," Ratchet stated apologetically.

"It's not that," I patted his holoform's shoulder, "I just don't like being asleep during the day, messes up my internal clock."

"Now _that_ I can agree with," Ratchet snorted and picked up a different bottle, pulling the serum into a larger syringe and offering me a sterile wrap, which I obediently surrounded the gash with.

"So how have you guys been?" I asked, leaning back in the high chair as Ratchet numbed my thigh.

"Passable, a few more Auto-bots have arrived..." Ratchet began, we idly chatted as we waited for the freezing to set in before he began to cut away the dead skin and a tiny amount of the muscle beneath.

"How did this happen anyway?" Ratchet finally asked as he picked up a smaller scalpel. "Optimus said a hook was stuck in his shoulder..."

"I pulled Grindor's grappling hook out of Optimus' shoulder, yeah," I said with a frown, "it came out easily enough, but it recoiled and grabbed onto my thigh, hence the gash."

"Hmph, figures," Ratchet grumbled, carefully trimming the dead from the living.

"Yeah well, stuff happens," I shrugged. "At least I've got the Doc-bot with the steadiest hands on the planet on my side." Ratchet snorted softly, but his shoulders pulled back slightly with pride. I couldn't help but smile.

Lennox, Epps, a man in a suit, and an older gentleman in fatigues walked toward us while Optimus transformed, moving to crouch close by.

* * *

(OPOV)

"Optimus," Mikaela smiled up at him as he knelt to her level, "I can't remember if I thanked you last night for coming to my rescue."

"You did," Optimus nodded calmly, the dear femme. He turned to look at the approaching humans. "Good afternoon General, Director, Major, Sargent."

Lennox grinned and looked at Kae as Epps endeavoured to hand her a cup of coffee.

"Ambrosia, you have never smelled so sweet," she murmured, sipping at the black liquid. It smelled rather odd, but she seemed to enjoy it.

"Mikaela, I'd like to introduce you to General Moreshower." Lennox said calmly, indicating the man in fatigues.

"General, it's nice to meet you in person," she smiled then froze. "Ratchet can I squirm for a second?" Optimus had to bite back a smile. _That,_ was a good move.

Ratchet's holoform put the scalpel away and nodded, Mikaela turned and offered a targeting hand to the General, he mimicked the action, seeming to hold her hand firmly for a moment.

"And Director Galloway, NSA" Lennox added, Mikaela offered her hand to the man in the suit, who stared at her for a moment before taking her hand.

"How's the leg?" Epps asked, setting a tray of food on the bench beside the femme.

"The dead tissue has been excised," Ratchet stated calmly, picking out a set of silks and threading them, "Mikaela is young, and liable to heal well."

Mikaela grinned and popped a pink cube off of the tray into her mouth as Ratchet detailed her recovery. Galloway looked pale while Moreshower nodded approvingly.

"General," Mikaela said calmly, "thank you for not hanging up on me yesterday."

"We cleaned up the Decepticon that was after you," Moreshower informed her calmly, "I thought you should know that it did, in fact, find someone to kill with your shoes."

The femme sagged in her chair. The mark of a good spark, she felt grief at the death of a stranger.

"Who?" she whispered.

"A Mr. Thomas Hughs, he's in stable condition at St. Mary's hospital," Moreshower informed the femme with a small smile as Mikaela perked up again, looking at him with hope burning in her eyes. "You must have scrambled something in that thing, unless your feet are backwards."

"No, no they're the right way around," Mikaela sighed in relief.

"Why the hell aren't you in a hospital?" Galloway finally asked irritably.

"Ratchet's fixing me up," Mikaela shrugged, leaning back in her chair again to watch the holoform carefully set another stitch.

"You brought a medic here, instead of going to the medic?" Galloway demanded, looking at the holoform. Mikaela looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"You honestly expect to try and fit Ratchet into a surgical room?" she asked incredulously. "Mind, can your holoform move out of line of sight from your body?" Mikaela looked at Ratchet curiously.

"Possible, annoying, _slow_, a true pain in the processors, but possible," Ratchet stated, carefully coating the now perfectly stitched wound with a mild antiseptic before wrapping it. He patted her good leg and flickered out. "Now stay put, I'm watching you." he grumbled in true Ratchet form, his metal body moving once more.

"But..." Galloway stared at Mikaela, then at Ratchet and back again.

"Try not to think about it," Mikaela stated gently, "The sheer number of calculations that make controlling light vibrations to create a solid form possible would make Nicola Tessla faint-"

True.

"You had _him_ take care of you rather than a human surgeon?" Galloway finally sputtered, Moreshower, Lennox and Epps looked at him in horror.

Optimus looked down at the man in irritation. But then-

"Why wouldn't I?" Mikaela asked calmly, taking another sip of coffee. "Ratchet is capable of doing a full diagnostic in seconds, and can monitor my vital signs while he works. The reality that his avatar is, in fact, a hologram makes it unnecessary to sterilize his hands before performing medical aid, bacteria doesn't stick to beams of light."

"You trust-" Galloway started indignantly.

"Unconditionally," Mikaela stated firmly. "I trust the Auto-bots with my life, health and freedom absolutely. They have never given me reason not to."

Behind Galloway, Optimus sat a bit straighter with pride. There was not a single trace of a lie in her vocal patterns. Lennox gave her the thumbs up, mouthing a 'careful' while Epps grinned.

"Well what did they do to earn that trust then?" Galloway sneered.

Mikaela took a deep breath and looked at Lennox.

"What's his clearance?" she asked calmly, jerking her thumb at Galloway while Epps went into a silent fit of laughter. General Moreshower courteously ignored him.

Optimus couldn't blame the man, it was all_ he _could do to not laugh. There were _so_ many levels of insult inherent to those three simple words.

"Liaison between the President and the Auto-bots," Lennox informed her calmly.

"He was read in?" Mikaela asked with a frown.

"I'm right here!" Galloway protested.

"He was," Moreshower nodded.

"Ah well," Mikaela shrugged and turned to Galloway, "Proper introduction maybe, I'm Mikaela Banes, the civilian female that Optimus here caught from falling thirty stories, and then fended off two Decepticons from getting the All-Spark that I was trying to get into military hands under Captain – Major now right?" Lennox nodded with a grin, "Congratulations Major, Major Lennox's command." she finished, holding her hand out again. Galloway shook it again.

"Is that why you agreed to being... Ratchet's... assistant then?" Galloway asked weakly.

Oh _scrap_, they hadn't asked her yet-

"It is, partially," Mikaela said calmly, that was a surprise, not a single look of surprise at the announcement crossed her face. "It would be an honour to work under Ratchet's tutelage." she continued with a small smile.

"They said you're an expert with mechanics!" Galloway shouted gleefully, evidently thinking he'd caught someone in a lie. Scrap.

"I am," Mikaela said patiently, "I was raised stripping and repairing engines, however I don't pretend to know everything, there are sub-systems in _these_ guys that I could only _dream_ about learning, the fact that Bumblebee has a titanium composite cross ram manifold with individual duel injection throttle bodies the likes of which I'd only seen _once_ before distinctly suggests that I have more to learn. Which Ratchet would be capable of teaching, if he's willing. I mean, do you know everything there is about diplomacy?" Mikaela asked him blandly, popping another pink cube into her mouth. Galloway snapped out of his shell-shocked, glazed look to frown.

"Oh, well, most of it," he said weakly. "If you'll excuse me, I have an appointment I can't miss at the White House." he wandered toward the towering hangar doors, clearly forgetting any message he was supposed to convey. Another well-dressed man followed him out toward the sounds of a helicopter starting up. Mikaela watched him go with narrowed eyes.

"That, is a weaselly sort of man who's been promoted well above his skill set," she muttered to herself, "He's in too deep for his own comfort and desperately trying to prove his worth. Gotta be careful with that one. He is _far_ too used to people sucking up to him."

"How can you tell that so quickly?" Optimus looked at her curiously while the humans standing around her looked impressed.

* * *

(MPOV)

"I shook his hand," I shrugged, taking another sip of coffee and turning to the General.

He was grinning.

"You realize he's going to understand that insult you threw at him in about two hours, right?" General Moreshower asked me, evidently fighting back a laugh as Lennox and Epps jumped, looking at him curiously.

I looked at him calculatingly for a second.

"Three if he doesn't have have internet capabilities to look up what a cross ram manifold is." I grinned.

"I _knew_ someone who could stand to drink that awful coffee is a force to be reckoned with!" the General reached over and shook my hand firmly. "Congratulations, and welcome to Diego Garcia."

"Thank you General," I grinned, returning the solid handshake. I glanced up and caught the slight narrowing in Optimus' eyes.

"I'll explain it fully later," I smiled up at him.

"I will hold you to that," he rumbled.

"So has Galloway been informed what the Decepticons are actually after?" I asked patiently, looking around myself.

"For now we're assuming they're looking for you," Moreshower told me calmly.

"No, I'm nothing more than a map," I said firmly, "they're looking for the Matrix of Leadership." I looked up at Optimus grimly, lightly rubbing at my temple, trying to banish the mild ache creeping up my neck and behind my eyes. "The Fallen is still alive, if inactive."

"Which would mean something if we knew what the Fallen is." General Moreshower stated, leaning against the work table.

"She totally figured that one out last night." Epps grinned. I frowned at him.

"I did?" I asked curiously.

"Still don't really remember huh?" Lennox asked sympathetically, "the amount of blood you were trying to wipe off of Optimus' hand last night is probably the reason."

"Friggin anti-coagulants," I grumbled, rubbing more vigorously at the headache. I looked at Optimus' hand. He held it up to show perfectly clean plates.

"I hope you don't mind that I used it," he rumbled gently. "The iron oxides held a substantial charge of energon."

"More's the power to you," I grinned, still rubbing my temple absentmindedly. Optimus' spark resonated gentle amusement. Off on the other side of the hangar, I noticed the silver mech look away quickly, Bumblebee grinning at him.

"Relax the muscles in your back," Ratchet told me from across the work area, not looking up from whatever he was working on. "That headache is only going to get worse if you don't."

"Easier said than done Ratch," I called back, standing up in the hopes my leg would let me pace. No such luck, I leaned my weight on my good leg and the table.

"What can you remember?" Optimus asked quietly.

"Bits and pieces," I frowned, crossing my arms. "It's almost like the All-Spark finally got tired of trying to tell me everything in Cybertronian and has finally started translating bits and pieces into Mandarin."

"I don't suppose you speak Mandarin?" Epps laughed.

"Badly," I shrugged, "It's been a long time."

"When was the last time you spoke?" Moreshower asked mildly.

I looked up at the ceiling, doing a mental calculation. I closed my eyes and dug my nails into my palm, the motion concealed beneath my arm.

"Five years ago, six now I guess." I said calmly, "Anyway, I'm just the map, the Decepticon that came after me said there was another source of Energon here. That I was going to lead them to it."

"So who's grandfather Blackbird anyway?" Epps asked with a grin.

"Jetfire," I said immediately and frowned again, pinching the bridge of my nose. "Ugh, I need to pace, this is absurd." I cast about and spied a sturdy looking set of rags.

"_That's_ a bad idea," Ratchet stated calmly as I took a single hop toward them.

"Bah! Bloody psychic friggin Auto-bot! Somebody get me some crutches, or a cane or something!" I threw my hands in the air in exasperation.

"Somebody take her for a drive before she goes stir crazy," Ratchet finally looked up from the engine block he was re-assembling.

"Hey when was the last time Bee had an oil change?" I asked suddenly, "I don't think I've ever _seen_ a faster carbonization rate than that bot manages."

"A week ago," Ratchet rumbled, smirking at me, "if you had something to disassemble would you sit still?"

"Maybe," I narrowed my eyes at him. Ratchet stood and pulled down a twisted mass of metal from an isolated shelf.

"Deactivated Decepticon servo. Strip it down and bag each piece for parts. That is, of course, if you actually want to be my assistant and you weren't simply covering for us." Ratchet stated, depositing the twisted mass on the work table in front of me and plunking an enormous box of multi-sized bags beside me. Will rolled a tray of tools beside me while Optimus settled more comfortably in place. Epps and Moreshower dragged chairs close to, settling in for a good chat.

"That offer was genuine? Awesome!" I grabbed a screwdriver and gleefully attacked the first set of screws while Lennox settled down with the others.

"So how does this work anyway?" Epps asked me curiously.

"I dunno," I replied, glancing up at him, "It started out as the occasional dream, places I'd never seen before..." I trailed off, remembering some of the visions. "A certainty that they were gone now, but that they could be healed." I shook my head minutely and turned back to the servo.

"I do need your report, what happened that you were calling," General Moreshower stated calmly, sitting back with the coffee Epps handed him.

"Verbal or written?" I asked calmly, setting down another screw.

"Verbal for now," Moreshower shrugged. "I might need a written from you later though."

I nodded calmly and continued stripping the servo.

"I started fully understanding Cybertronian, either that or it was being translated," I said calmly, tapping my temple. "I can only describe it as a full information burst." I froze and snorted. "I read a nine hundred and sixty two page textbook in thirty-six point two seconds, went into a meltdown and completely offended my professor when I told him he was wrong," I shook my head tiredly and sighed, then jumped. "Oh god, and I wrote in Cybertronian symbology in front of a class of two hundred and thirty," I groaned. "Here's hoping the class bought the professor's remark that I was having a mental breakdown, I had to coach Sam into covering for me. At least I got my run kit."

"You're a bit young to have a run kit," Moreshower said with a frown.

I shot him a weak smile and removed a long stretch of metallic fibres, bagging them carefully before removing another plate.

"Anyway, this insanity started up full tilt when I touched the cube splinter," I looked up and took my necklace off, carefully removing the small metal canister from it's concealing blown glass decoration. I offered it to Optimus.

"That should be placed in Military hands," Moreshower commented idly.

"With all due respect, good luck with that," I told him with a sigh. I offered him the canister, "try to walk away from me with it."

He rose and took the offered container, walking toward the hanger doors.

Seven feet and his arm swung back, he frowned and tugged. I stifled a yelp at the painful wrench beneath my ribs. He tugged a couple of more times then grasped the container with both hands; yanking it away from me with all of his strength.

I felt myself propelled forward, off of the chair and toward the doors, landing heavily on my leg. I collapsed onto my side, clutching my chest and desperately trying not to cry out.

"Mikaela!" Optimus called out, Ratchet was at my side in an instant, silent as he carefully stretched me onto my back. Moreshower was beside us a moment later.

"I am so sorry," he said immediately, pressing the canister into my palm.

"'S'kay," I gasped, "I didn't know... it was going... to do _that. _Last time... I just walked across... my room and it followed... after me."

"Mikaela, stop covering your chest," Ratchet ordered me tersely, "I need a clear scan."

I un-crossed my arms for a second and couldn't stop the soft keen that tore from my throat. In a pained second I had my knuckles stuffed into my mouth, biting down hard against the searing burn pounding against my ribs.

"Where does it hurt?" Optimus' voice asked urgently, powerful arms wrapped tightly around me, pulling me into a sitting position.

"Prime this is impossible!" Ratchet finally exclaimed furiously. "She's human! There's no way her spark can be out of alignment!"

"Where do you keep the splinter?" Optimus' holoform asked softly, his face pressed against my hair, "Mikaela, where did you keep it?"

"Over... over my... heart," I whimpered, clinging to him. One hand gently stroked down my back, carefully taking the canister from my hand before moving up again.

"Major," the holoform's voice commanded quietly, "take the splinter and walk backwards, keeping the canister at this level until I tell you to stop."

I could hear slow, careful footsteps as Will hurried to obey.

"That's far enough," Optimus ordered in the same quiet tone. The footsteps ceased. "Hold onto me, Mikaela," the deep, soothing voice murmured in my hair, I struggled to obey as his hand gently wrapped around my wrist, drawing it over his shoulder. An arm never ceased to hold me tightly to his chest as the other hand was carefully drawn to hook around his neck.

"Will, stand up very slowly with me," Optimus said quietly, "keep the shard at the same level as her spark, right here," I could feel a finger lightly press against my back before the arms tightened and pulled me to my feet. We moved slowly, Optimus taking a careful step backward, I could feel the burning recede, as though it were moving back toward my heart again. As though it were moving back where it belonged.

"Holy crap, that's some _serious_ force pulling on this," Will muttered.

"Hold tight," Optimus ordered quietly.

"A little further," Ratchet's voice added softly.

Something clicked deep within, the pain eased away, replaced instead by my muscles screaming at me. I felt battered, bruised.

"Ratchet?" Optimus murmured.

"It's aligned again," Ratchet said quietly, leaving a 'but' hanging delicately in the air.

"General, I think we should continue this at another time," Optimus stated quietly.

"You're right, I'm so sorry Miss Banes."

"My fault," I murmured, "next time that happens I'll do the walking."

"There will not _be_ a next time," Optimus rumbled in a bizarrely harsh tone, "the shard will remain with you."

"Agreed," Moreshower stated, "as of now, I am unaware of any part of the cube's whereabouts. Major, Sargent, I don't think that needs to be an order?"

"No sir," Lennox replied automatically, the canister was pressed into my hand again. I weakly slipped it back into it's concealing glass.

"Call if you need anything," the General stated calmly.

"General?" I murmured, struggling to turn around to face him.

"Yes Miss Banes?"

"Mikaela," I said with a small smile, offering him my hand. His face softened as he shook it gently, firming his grip automatically to match my own strength.

"Chris," he said gently. "We'll speak again when you've healed."

"Thank you, General," I said softly. He turned smartly and walked out of the hangar.

"What should we do?" Epps asked with a frown.

"Mikaela will probably be better off with Ratchet and Optimus," Will looked the question to the Auto-bots, I felt Optimus nod and lift me effortlessly, taking care with my leg. "We'll go for a run then, gather everybody up Epps." he ordered with a grin.

"Yes sir," Epps shot him a smart salute and trotted off.

"Get some rest Mikaela," Will told me gently before walking away.

"Optimus?" I murmured.

"Mikaela?"

"Just Kaela, or Kae will do," I told him softly, I could have sworn he held me a bit tighter, "Could you set me back at my workbench?"

Optimus sighed and began walking, "Kae you've just suffered a massive internal trauma, you need to rest until it heals or it could slip again."

"Why did I know you were going to say that?" I groaned weakly.

"Because you're a brilliant, stubborn young woman. Come on, we'll go for a drive," he said gently, the holoform setting me in his hand.

He transformed around me, somehow managing to set me in the passenger seat with barely a jostled limb.

"Now _that's_ cool," I laughed weakly as he revved up, pulling slowly out of the hangar.

Optimus just gave a low chuckle as he drove, I leaned against the window, watching the directions we took. He turned along the coast and rumbled around the deserted curves. I silently watched the scenery for a few minutes before my eyes drifted closed.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus noted the tiny femme's eyes finally drifting closed, cuddled into his seat and her face leaning trustingly against his door.

The dear femme.

He drove up to the cliffs and transformed carefully, cradling the tiny femme to his chest plates and watching the sun slowly make it's way toward the horizon. He sat, contentedly cradling her for a few hours until the sun reached the point where the light bent through the atmosphere, refracted through the oxidized hydrogen.

"Kae?" Optimus murmured gently. The sunset was beautiful tonight, he wanted her to see it. Her eyes opened and she squirmed in his hand slightly.

"How long was I out?" she asked drowsily, struggling to sit up in his hand.

"A few hours," Optimus murmured.

"Why'd you let me drop off?" she asked with a small pout.

"You are stuck with us," Optimus stated blandly, "You need your rest, I will take you out here any time you want."

"I'm sorry you're stuck with me," Mikaela said apologetically, "I'm not exactly-"

"There are far worse humans to be stuck with," Optimus chided her lightly then vented a sigh, "I wish there were another way to protect you than to isolate you from your friends and family-"

"You _are_ my friends," Kae objected tiredly. "I'm sorry, Optimus, I should have come when you asked the first time around."

"You still came," Optimus murmured gently. He couldn't help but smile slightly, she considered him a friend.

"If I'd have come earlier it would have at least saved you having a grappling hook stuck in your shoulder," Kae griped quietly then winced.

"Still hurts?" he asked gently.

"The freezing's out of my leg, and the rest of me feels like I got stepped on by Ironhide." she groaned. "What am I forgetting?"

Optimus looked down at her.

"You were going to hold me to something," Mikaela groaned, rolling onto her back in his hand, "I feel like a bloody goldfish, maybe I should get Ratchet to examine my head while we're at it."

"You can explain how you knew Director Galloway's personality by a handshake later," Optimus chuckled.

"Right," she groaned, trying to sit up again, she gave up quickly, tucking a hand behind her head with a sigh.

"We cannot destroy you to rebuild Cybertron," Optimus rumbled calmly. Now was as good a time as any to inform her of it.

"You can and will," Mikaela replied just as calmly. "That's low, Optimus, trying to win an argument with a person who can barely sit up." she ran her free hand along his palm.

"Kae..." Optimus trailed off with a sigh.

"Optimus, I know you don't want to sacrifice another," she said gently, echoing his thoughts. "But it is your duty as a Prime to at least try. You came with the hope of retrieving the All-Spark to repair your home. Cybertron isn't lost, just sleeping."

"You wouldn't survive the journey." Optimus rumbled sadly, looking down at her.

"I wouldn't have to," Mikaela sighed. "Neither do I expect to. 'The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one.'"

Optimus sighed, remembering his own mentor saying just the same thing. He cradled the femme close to his chest plates.

"What do I say?" he rumbled softly.

"Leadership sucks," Mikaela murmured, looking up into his optics. "Everyone looks up to you for the right words, the right answers."

One of the worst parts of being Prime. Especially when he didn't know the words...

Kae smiled up at him, then, "but you also have an amazing group of people around you. In the moments you can't find the words in yourself, you'll find it in them. Being a leader, doesn't always mean you need the words. If I die here, or die out among the stars it doesn't matter. I am one among billions, but at least my death would have meaning."

Optimus looked down at the tiny, brave femme with a deep sadness in his spark. Kae reached her hand out and stroked his palm gently.

"Hush the waves are rolling in, white with foam, white with foam, father toils amid the storm, and the baby sleeps at home." she sang softly as Optimus cradled her gently, watching the sun as it sank below the horizon. "Hush the winds roar wild and deep, how they moan how they moan, brother feeds the wandering sheep, and the baby sleeps at home. Hush the winds sweep o'er the knows, where they roam, where they roam, sister goes to seek the cows, and the baby sleeps at home."

Somehow, he felt stronger now. And somehow, he knew that that was what she'd intended. Kae looked like she was about to fall asleep again, but she was fighting it off.

"Sleep little one," Optimus murmured softly, transforming around her and laying the tiny femme gently in the bunk.

Kae closed her eyes obediently and curled up on the bunk, falling asleep to the gentle roar of his engine.

And somehow, with her so close to his spark.

That made him feel better, too.


	13. 11 Setting up Camp

**Chapter 11 - Setting up Camp**

* * *

(MPOV)

"Mikaela? Kae?" Optimus' voice murmured gently.

"Morning?" I asked, not opening my eyes.

"Indeed."

"Morning Mikaela!" Epps called out, opening Optimus' door. "Don't stab me!"

"Morning Epps!" I grinned, swinging my legs over the side of the bunk and standing.

"Robert," he grinned, "If you want."

"Kae, if you like," I laughed back as he helped me out of the cab.

"How's the leg today?"

"Don't know yet, morning adrenaline rush. Won't feel anything until I fall over." I grinned. "Is the coffee any better when it's drunk in the actual morning?"

"Nope," Chance grinned walking across the hangar, he was holding a cane toward me.

"Yes! Sweet sweet mobility!" I crowed, walking forward to accept the cane, everyone froze. "Whaat?" I looked down, expecting to see at least a bit of yellow on the bandages.

"Wow, you weren't kidding about morning adrenaline," Epps looked at me with raised eyebrows.

"I honestly thought I _was_ kidding," I frowned, cautiously unwrapping the bandages. Fully healed skin, looking bizarre with stitches still holding it closed greeted several eyes.

There wasn't even a scar, just a swath of paler skin, waiting for a tan.

"_Whoa_, you gotta show us how to _do_ that," Chance murmured as he stared at my leg.

"I didn't," I frowned. "Ratchet!?" I began running barefoot toward our shared work area.

"For Primus sake Mikaela!" Ratchet shouted back at me. "You're going to tear your stitches out if you don't stop doing that!"

"Ratchet what the hell happened to my leg?" I stared at him, walking at a more sedate pace the last three steps.

"You got bitten by a Decepticon grappling... hook..." he trailed off and stared at the healed skin. "I'll be a glitch."

The Medi-bot stared at my leg for a long moment then shook his head, hiding the long glance at Optimus from casual view. He onlined his holoform and sat me down, beginning to delicately take out the stitching again.

"Well, I guess Optimus' nanites figured you needed repairing," he stated dryly. "I should have scrapping thought of that. Actually..." he frowned, "They're drawn to energon fluctuations, feeding off of it, that's what causes rapid healing... I didn't think they could be adapted to heal hydro-carbon based flesh..." He shook his head again and glanced at the confused Sargent and Lieutenant, "something for me to start up a couple of backup processors over."

I glanced at the still confused men behind me.

"It means he's going to essentially start up a couple of extra brains in the back of his mind to figure out how to controllably change the nanites that repair them to heal wounds like they did mine. Multi...tasking." I froze and thought for a moment, turning slowly to face Ratchet again.

"Ratchet," I said quietly. "Wouldn't placing the nanites I'm probably playing host to onto someone else and exposing the wound to a very low level of Energon, something like one eighth plasmic rell per square centimetre draw and feed the nanites to repair that area specifically?"

"A beneficial form of highly targeted radiation therapy," Ratchet murmured. "Energon doesn't generally affect humans, that's why your race never really discovered it. Brilliant." he stared into the middle distance for a moment before visibly jumping.

"How do you know what a rell is?" he demanded. It was my turn to jump, then frown.

"I have absolutely no idea," I murmured, crossing my arms and staring at the middle distance myself. "There's no way the nanites built me a secondary processor..."

"You don't have room for it," Ratchet agreed. "So unless..." he trailed off.

"I managed to write it down or integrate it somehow..." I continued, trailing off with a frown of my own.

"You probably picked it up from Optimus," Ratchet finished. "His nanites might have passed information to you, Primus knows I've seen stranger."

"We'll go with that explanation," I grinned, "what's on the menu for today?"

"Two full services and a _dozen_ problem children," Ratchet grumbled. "That's on top of whatever damage _this_ lot manages to do to each other."

"Well I'll get the services out of the way so that I can work on the problem children without them hanging over my head," I announced, immediately walking toward the paperwork stacked on a workbench.

"Food first," Ratchet rumbled at me with a frown.

"You gotta let me wake up before you expect me to digest things," I grinned, looking over my shoulder at him.

The bot rolled his optics and got back to work on the arm he was repairing.

We worked in comparative silence, I finished the services quickly and moved onto the first, turning on the ignition. Accessories, no tickover. I frowned and grabbed a hammer as a half dozen soldiers walked past with Lennox in the lead. Crawling under the hummer I tapped on the starter solenoid. Back out again and turning on the ignition it fired up immediately.

"You fixed that truck with a hammer!" Graham shouted, pointing at the now roughly running vehicle excitedly. I looked over at him and began laughing.

"Temporary fix," I smiled, "starter solenoid is oxidized, that's an easy swap out." I tilted my head toward the engine with a frown. "Though I think the timing's a bit off, what do you think Ratch?"

"Belt's probably stretched," the bot nodded, not looking up. "Solenoids are in the green cabinet, F5."

"No waiting for parts?" I grinned, "best shop ever." I wandered to the cabinets, pulled out the solenoid and took a minute to look at each of the drawers. Familiarizing myself with Ratchet's organization.

Parts on the table I swung into the truck and depressed the clutch. The gears ground. I swung neutral and pumped the clutch, still grinding.

"You bastard," I grumbled.

"Clutch gone?"

"Myep."

"Red case, C5."

"Thanks Ratch."

I cut the engine, made sure it was still in neutral and fired up the winch, attaching the free end to a hook in the floor and towing it to my workspace. In minutes I was on top of the engine, dismantling it.

"Don't you want coveralls?" Ratchet asked mildly.

"Got some my size?" I glanced over at him, he looked around for a second and grabbed a small bundle of cloth, tossing it at me. I caught it easily and shook it out.

"Thanks Ratch," I grinned, pulling on the lightweight suit and climbing back on the engine. We worked in silence again.

I was elbow deep in the gearbox when Ratchet straightened.

"It's noon, go eat," he rumbled.

"Clutch first, food after," I grunted. "I hate quitting halfway through fixing a clutch, you never know who might come by, press it and shoot everything out of place." I waved a spanner idly in punctuation before attacking another bolt.

That earned a snort of agreement.

It was dark outside when I finally stood up with a groan, closing the hood on the second hummer of the day with a quiet click and walking to the workbench I'd commandeered for the day, making short work of logging the repairs and serial numbers. I looked at the row of four completed vehicles and nodded with a small smile.

"If you go to bed without eating you're not going to hear the end of my nagging," Ratchet's holoform stated behind me.

"Okay but I can't promise I'm going to eat much," I replied, turning to face him with a half smile tugging at my lips.

He glared at me and made a shooing motion with his hands as I stepped out of the coveralls. "Go eat." he rumbled irritably.

"Okay Ratchet," I laughed, walking toward the mess hall and the noise emanating from within.

"Oh and Mikaela?" Ratchet added, watching me go.

"Yeah Ratch?" I looked over my shoulder.

"You're hired," he grinned. "Now quit trying to prove yourself, I'd've been happy if you were halfway through the first problem child by the evening."

I stared at him for a second and began laughing.

"Thanks Ratch," I grinned at him, trotting toward the smells of food.

"She has emerged!" Chance bellowed as I walked through the doors.

"I live!" I grinned, picking up a tray and spinning it in my hands, "it's a miracle."

Lennox jumped up and waved the server to sit back down, ducking behind the hot table and grabbing a spoon.

"Wow, gettin' served by a Major, I feel so special," I grinned at the man.

"Question of the day is: do you eat meat? 'Cause if you do that Lasagna is awesome," Lennox grinned, the spoon hovering.

"You. Are enabling an habitual carnivore," I grinned at him.

"Oh thank god," a man dressed in white laughed, emerging from the kitchens with a towel in his hands. "Lennox had me terrified that I'd have to figure out how to do tofu things."

"If you _really_ want I can give you some tofu recipes, though I can't promise I'll take them over animal by-products." I laughed then looked at my tray. "Jeeze Major, that's a portion for an army."

"It's Will. You haven't eaten all day," Will stated firmly, loading my tray further.

"I'm a tiny person, I eat tiny portions," I protested as he steered me toward the table to sit between Chance and Robert.

"Right so for the next couple of nights you're in the bunkhouse with us until they can get your rooms cleared up," Lennox stated with an apologetic look on his face.

"Okay one question," I stated, taking a small bite of lasagna, "any of you snore?"

There were several pointing fingers and more protestations.

"Excellent," I grinned.

"Said what now?" Epps looked at me curiously.

"Where's a more comforting place to wake up than a room full of snoring soldiers? If soldiers feel safe enough to sleep deeply enough to snore? I figure I can go back to sleep." I grinned at them.

"Lemme guess," an enormous african snorted, grinning at me. "You listen to the crickets."

"If the crickets are singing, it's safe to sleep," I nodded. He offered me a fist, and I bumped my knuckles against his with a grin.

The next couple of hours passed quickly, an evening spent shooting the shit.

"So you stole cars as a kid?" Epps asked me finally.

"Yeah," I blushed, looking down.

"S'okay, I did too," the Sargent grinned. "What's your fastest?"

"Ghost car or wire?" I asked quickly.

"Both,"

"Ghost cars with On-star were always two minutes, it took that long to convince the folks to turn it on. Hotwire I was thirty seconds out the space. If I wasn't panicked."

"Where were your stompin' grounds?"

"No man's land mostly, you had a death wish if you stole out of marked territory."

"You weren't affiliated?" Epps looked at me in shock.

"We got lucky," I said softly, "had a few try to stake claim, and a bad fight to stay out, but we did it," I stared into the middle distance before shaking myself into the present.

"Man, the only way an asset can stay unclaimed is if you had a gang of your own." Epps shook his head unbelievingly.

"Well we did, sort of," I said with a sad smile, "Brick, Paddy, Rig, Dad and Sho. We weren't a gang, we were a unit." a memory surfaced, I began laughing.

"What's the joke?" Will asked curiously.

"Oh, we were a true mixed bag," I laughed, "Uncle Sho was Buddhist, Rig was Lutheran, Dad and Brick were agnostic and Paddy was Irish Catholic."

"Whoa, what's that make you?" Chance laughed.

"Oh I went modified Buddhist," I grinned, leaning back in my chair. "Uncle Sho was walking around looking like the cat that got the cream when that happened."

"Alright boys and girl," Lennox finally announced, "Mikaela's going to be here a while, we can cross-examine her later."

He caught my eye and gestured for me to follow.

"Grand tour!" he grinned, catching my arm and leading me to one side of the hangar. An enormous set of mats were laid out with equipment set off to one side.

"Workout space," he grinned, then pointed to a catwalk covered in computers, "that's communication central, and the barracks are this way." He led me out of the hanger and toward a long apartment block, looking more like a motel than a barracks.

"You know you took all the fun out of saying you'd be sleeping on a bunk bed with a bunch of men." Lennox told me with a grin, opening one of the doors. "We don't even _have_ bunks, this one is yours, Chance is beside you here and Jacobs is on the other side."

"Oh wow," I looked at the tiny room with a small smile, "This isn't half bad, there's a window. Excellent!"

"You're way too easygoing," Will laughed.

"Joys of Buddhism, spartan living is easy when you know you have what you truly need in life. It's hard to see anything when you're dragging an enormous suitcase behind you." I grinned back at him. "Those trunks with tiny wheels are useless off the beaten path."

"No, see you're supposed to say something flaky so I can tell you we'll make a soldier out of you yet, not prove you've already adjusted in forty-eight hours," Will snorted, halfway out the door he asked, "you want a wakeup call?"

"That'll be brilliant," I smiled at him. "Hey Will?"

"Yeah?" he stuck his head back through the door.

"Thanks for pulling me out of the frying pan," I said quietly.

"No problem," he grinned at me, a relaxed, _real_ grin. The grin of a new, _true_ friend. An ally. "Have a good sleep."

The door closed quietly behind him. I looked around my new room with a smile, there were far worse places to live.

* * *

(JaPOV)

Will shooed the unit to their beds, Jacobs glanced at the girl again and shrugged.

A girl who slept when the crickets were singing was okay in his books. However she was going to be his neighbour. Which meant they were going to be sharing a bathroom.

Not that he _really_ minded. Girls were fairly clean, after all. And a civilian girl probably wasn't going to wake up until at _least_ seven or eight in the morning. Jacobs got into his small room and promptly began his evening routine. Polish boots, lay out uniform, iron, square away his possessions, sweep the floor, push-ups, sit-ups. The sound of Will's voice wafted through the wall.

"You know you took all the fun out of saying you'd be sleeping on a bunk bed with a bunch of men." Lennox stated with a grin, opening the door. "We don't even _have_ bunks, this one is yours, Chance is beside you here and Jacobs is on the other side."

"Oh wow," Mikaela's voice stated with a smile, "This isn't half bad, there's a window. Excellent!"

Jacobs couldn't help but smile. _That_ was a good attitude.

"You're way too easygoing," Will laughed.

"Joys of Buddhism, spartan living is easy when you know you have what you truly need in life. It's hard to see anything when you're dragging an enormous suitcase behind you." Mikaela retorted in a laughing tone. "Those trunks with tiny wheels are useless off the beaten path."

_Excellent _attitude for a girl.

"No, see you're supposed to say something flaky so I can tell you we'll make a soldier out of you yet, not prove you've already adjusted in forty-eight hours," Will snorted, he sounded like he was walking, "you want a wakeup call?"

"That'll be brilliant," Mikaela stated, she still sounded like she was smiling. "Hey Will?"

'don't wake me up before eight...' Jacobs thought.

"Yeah?" the Major's voice asked.

"Thanks for pulling me out of the frying pan," Mikaela stated quietly, Jacobs admittedly did a double take, that was _way_ too mature for an eighteen year old.

"No problem," Will replied with a grin in his voice. "Have a good sleep."

Jacobs rose automatically as a light knock sounded on his door.

"Major," Jacobs rumbled calmly, opening the door.

"Too loud?" Will asked curiously.

"Nah," Jacobs grinned, he raised his voice slightly so the girl could hear him. "She sounds _way_ older than eighteen."

"Hey Jacobs?" Mikaela's voice asked shyly through the wall.

"Yeah Mikaela?" Jacobs asked curiously.

"If we're sharing a bathroom, you wanna pound on my door when you're done?" she asked curiously. "Serve as a double wakeup call and me not stealing all the hot water?"

"I like her," Jacobs rumbled with a grin. "But you know I wake up at five right?"

"Perfect," Mikaela laughed.

"Seriously?" Jacobs demanded through the wall.

"Rule twenty-eight," Mikaela laughed softly. "In unfamiliar territory, follow the example of the locals."

"I _like_ her," Jacobs grinned at the Major. Will laughed and waved goodnight. Jacobs settled down on his bed and lightly tapped the wall.

"Night Mikaela," he called out quietly.

"Kae," Mikaela stated just as quietly. "If you're my friendly voice in the wall, call me Kae."

"Friendly voice in the wall, you've been to prison Kae?" Jacobs asked curiously.

"Once..." Mikaela stated quietly. "Juvie. An experience I'd just as soon forget as talk about."

Jacobs nodded to himself.

"Night Kae," he called out gently.

"Night Jacobs," Mikaela called back, she sounded like she was smiling.

Jacobs listened to the quiet rustle of sheets in the next room for a moment before the barracks fell silent.

A solid _hour_ of perfect silence.

Too quiet.

"Kae," Jacobs whispered. He wondered if she could hear him.

"Jacobs," Kae's voice murmured. "Is it always this quiet?"

"Unfortunately," he murmured. The sky chose that moment to unleash a crack of thunder, rain began pounding the roof.

"That's better," Mikaela murmured with a snort.

Jacobs chuckled and rolled onto his side, asleep the next minute.

* * *

He woke up and hit his alarm before it went off.

Two minutes to five.

Jacobs was on his feet and stretching, he wandered into the bathroom and had a good, hot shower. Out ten minutes later he whacked on Kae's door.

"Morning Jacobs," Mikaela stated cheerfully through the door. "What's the dress code? Is the coast clear for me to scramble to the bathroom in a towel?"

Jacobs looked down at the towel wrapped around his waist.

"Yeah, you're good," he called back with a snort.

Kae opened the door, clad in a towel and carrying her clothes on her hip.

The two of them surveyed each other for a moment.

The both of them promptly snorted in amusement and traded spots.

"Later Jacobs," Mikaela laughed softly.

"Later Kae," he grinned.

Yeah, he liked the girl, easy to get along with. He got into his room and shrugged into his clothes, stretching and taking a minute to get into the right frame of mind to face the day.

He opened the door to see Mikaela spotlessly clean, dressed and carrying her towel.

"No way you're that fast," Jacobs snorted.

"I'm going to go work in the shop," Mikaela snorted. "What's the point in getting all the dirt off when I'm gonna be covered in grease in twenty?"

Jacobs reached over and caught her hair lightly.

Wet.

"Washed your hair in the sink?" he asked curiously.

"No, had a shower," Mikaela shrugged, throwing her towel into her room and walking toward the hangar beside him.

"And you're _sure_ you're a girl?" Jacobs snorted. Mikaela promptly tugged the collar of her shirt forward and looked down at her chest before looking up at him.

"Pretty sure, yep," she nodded seriously.

Jacobs was howling with laughter by the time they'd made it to the hangar.

"Morning Ratch!" she called out.

"Go eat food!" the Medi-bot called back irritably.

Mikaela rolled her eyes and grabbed a cup of coffee.


	14. 12 Ascertain, Act, and Accessorize

**Yes, I know it is rather short, however:**

**Chapter 12 - Ascertain, Act, and Accessorize**

* * *

(EPOV)

Director Galloway was walking with an agitated pace. Epps watched him warily as he approached the parked auto-bots. He began ranting, oh brilliant, Mikaela glanced up and seemed to murmur something before walking over to Galloway.

The irritating little weasel man looked just about ready to hit Optimus' hood. Epps honestly wanted to see him try.

"I wouldn't do that," Mikaela said calmly, standing nonchalantly beside him as Galloway raised his hands.

The weasel jumped and turned to face her angrily.

"Hear me out," she gave him a half grin, wiping grease from her hands. "You _do_ realize they're sleeping right now."

Oh she wasn't... Epps forced down a threatening grin. They totally weren't sleeping, standard procedure, incoming humans and the bots hid.

"What do you mean sleeping!? They're _machines!_" The man shouted.

"Only in the loosest sense of the term," Mikaela said mildly, looking at the row of Auto-bots with a half smile. "Their stamina _is_ rather incredible but even they need to rest."

She winked at Optimus out of line of sight from the weasel.

Epps bit his lip, hard. She totally was. She was baiting the weasel and he didn't even realize it. _Damn_ she was good. He quickly signalled everyone nearby to listen carefully.

"How are they not machines?" the weasel demanded, "they're cars! _You_ fix them just the same as you do the trucks over there!"

"Well, it's a bit more complex than that," Mikaela shrugged, "and really they chose those forms. The parts change according to form, and as for repairing them, humans have heart and lung transplants everyday. It's the same thing, really, specialized training and all that, although I think I'll stick with cars, I can get grease out of my clothes, but blood is an entirely different story." She gestured back toward her workspace.

"How about you tell me whatever it is you're supposed to say, and I'll pass it on. I _really _don't suggest trying to wake them up. They _are_ trained soldiers after all, you wouldn't try to wake one of these soldiers up rudely, would you? It's really one of those things best done at a distance." she gestured idly around the hangar. Will, Robert and perhaps a dozen soldiers stood straighter, walking about and looking particularly threatening today with their guns on.

"Er... perhaps you're right..." the weasel frowned. He followed Mikaela back to the jeep she was working on and proceeded to inform her of this that and the other thing while she nodded and took the occasional note. Every now and then she corrected him gently on procedures and terminology.

Epps watched her with interest, she was doing an oil change, something that very obviously didn't tax her attention, but she looked like she was concentrating rather strongly on it.

Galloway was looking incredibly comfortable with her apparent inattention, relaxed and making mistakes.

Friggin. Awesome.

The man left quickly, and as the sound of the helicopter faded rapidly away Optimus transformed beside Ratchet and Ironhide.

"You heard it all?" Mikaela asked calmly, looking up at him.

Optimus nodded.

"Thank you," he rumbled.

"Man, you should'a told him to shove it," Epps said with a broad grin.

"You weren't listening hard enough," Mikaela said patiently, then shot men and 'bots an absolutely evil grin. "I politely told him to shove it every three sentences, and implied that he's an incompetent fool... I lost count."

There was a moment of silence.

"Twenty," Optimus chuckled darkly, suddenly crossing his arms while Ironhide laughed.

Mikaela took the grinning fist bump from Epps and went back to servicing the jeep.

"Friggen weasel," Epps growled softly.

* * *

(MPOV)

"Now Epps, it's not nice to call people names," I stated placidly.

"No way you heard that," Will laughed at me.

"I did," Optimus rumbled quietly.

"You gonna rat me out?" Epps grinned up at the mech.

"To whom? Your leader is standing beside you, and I believe _I _shall be 'asleep' as much as Kae allows me to get away with." Optimus snorted, I could hear his amusement and glanced up at him, letting the laughter show in my eyes.

"Which means _I_ get to play with the weasel, right?" I grinned at him.

"Kae, it is impolite to call people derogatory names," Optimus rumbled benignly down to me. It was all I could do to keep a straight face.

"And a bit insane actually, to make it a mission to bait Galloway," Will added with a small frown.

"What's he going to do?" I asked with a laugh, "I'm exiled to a top secret base with ten billion years of Cybertronian learning crammed into my brain. And the All-spark, there's definitely a mind attached to it. Which means I'm either becoming schizophrenic or overloaded with information, neither of which are particularly sane prognoses."

"He..." Epps started, he crossed his arms with a frown.

"He could have you declared a public danger?" Will mused.

"Which means I'd be lost in the paperwork and forgotten here, if not added to your protection detail," I snorted, I made it obvious as I looked around the work bay, out at the coastal base and at Optimus. "There are _way_ worse places to be forgotten."

"Unless you're declared insane-" Epps frowned.

"Which is entirely possible anyway," Ratchet grumbled.

"Ratchet," Optimus rumbled, I glanced up with a small frown at the almost un-heard warning tone. Optimus looked down at me, I resisted the urge to cant my head to the side, listening to the tone that sounded rather like worry.

"I _am_ going insane then," I stated calmly.

"I said it was possible, not inevitable," Ratchet growled.

"Are you a betting bot?" I asked curiously. Ironhide strode over immediately.

"Stakes!" he drawled gleefully as the soldiers stared.

"You are _not_ going insane!" Optimus rumbled sternly, glaring at me. The hangar stood in shocked silence. I glanced around and realized why, the soldiers were standing to attention, watching him warily. His unit was eyeing him somewhat sadly...

"Okay that's half true," I stated calmly, purposely breaking the tension, "I'm _already_ a bit insane, so I'm not _going_ insane, I'm descending _further_. C'mon Optimus! Don't be a spoilsport," I grinned up at him unrepentantly. "Lemme _enjoy_ my descent into imminent insanity!"

I grinned as Optimus' optics widened slightly in shock. Out of the corner of my eye, Ratchet was very busily looking anywhere but at me as Ironhide obviously struggled not to laugh. Optimus looked at his senior officers with a frown.

"I think we're going to have to call that one hers," Ironhide finally snorted gleefully. I grinned up at the weapons master.

"Of course _now_ we're going to have to watch her carefully," Ratchet added mildly, looking at me with laughter in his optics. "She has a bizarre propensity for picking on people well over forty times her size."

"In fairness," I smirked at him. "You can't tell me to pick on someone my _own_ size." I promptly walked over and sat on Optimus' foot, knowing it would re-iterate the size difference. "Who would _I_ have to pick on around here?" I asked in a winsome tone, looking around with absolute innocence plastered onto my face. Ironhide snorted and burst out into a full peal of laughter. I glanced up at Optimus as he vented a mildly irritated sigh. I stood and toed my boots off, rapidly scaling his leg to his hip, and jumping into the hand he offered.

He lifted me to his face.

"I do not wish you injured," he rumbled quietly.

"Optimus, I have equal value alive as dead." I stated calmly. "I know you may not understand it, but there is a certain serenity in knowing the value of one's life_._ The fact that you want me kept alive is gratifying, Optimus." I told him gently. "I _am grateful_, but that isn't going to stop me from making light of my own mortality."

I couldn't resist canting my head to the side slightly, listening to the hum of the gentle Mech's spark as what sounded rather like understanding resonated from him.

"You are wrong, you are better alive, than dead," he rumbled calmly. I couldn't help but smile at him.

* * *

(WPOV)

Will searched around for a while. Kae's necklace was pretty, but you could see her glaring at it from time to time.

Half the base thought she was glaring at the cube splinter that had attached itself to her.

But Will had a wife, and Mikaela's necklace was made of glass.

He followed his gut and finally found what he was looking for, a tiny, waterproof match-case that could be strung on a chain. Personally, he found stuff you could put on a string handy. Sarah did too, so he palmed the little container and wandered over to Kae.

She was glaring at her chest again.

"Hey Kae," Will greeted her, a few feet away. Somehow that just seemed... appropriate at the moment.

"Will," she smiled at him.

"No offence, but you're freaking the men out glaring at your chest all the time," Will told her cheerfully. "We've got a bet on now, are you glaring that your necklace is glass or at the splinter?"

Mikaela stared at him in surprise for a moment.

"Oh, could you pass my apologies on to the lot of them?" she asked gently. "I'm sorry, but you're right, mostly it's because my necklace is glass. I don't want to break it, but it's the only thing I've got to hide the splinter in."

"Right, got this for you then," Will grinned at her, handing over the matchcase.

"Oh right _on_!" Mikaela grinned, immediately taking her necklace off. She pulled out the concealed metal tube inside of it and unscrewed it.

Will watched curiously as she delicately shook a piece of metal, about the size of his little finger out of the tube and into her palm.

Then she winced.

For good reason, there was a massive flash of blue light. It enveloped her for a moment before disappearing again.

"Would you stop that already? I'm already having one hell of a time coping with your first information dump," she told her hand irritably. She slipped the splinter into the matchcase and strung it around her neck, her glass necklace delicately tucked into a shelf in her workspace.

"It did what now?" Will asked in a shocked voice.

"Oh every time I touch the splinter directly I wind up getting zapped, and then these bloody symbols just start going insane," Mikaela stated, waving her hand in front of her face irritably. "I'm sorry that I have absolutely _no_ idea how to say that without sounding batshit crazy."

"Well, you just managed it," Will snorted. "At this point, pretty much gotta take for granted that there's some seriously weird shit happening to you."

"Nice to hear somebody else say that," Mikaela murmured with a small smile.

The next moment, Bumblebee was tearing into the hangar, transforming and immediately crawling over to Kae.

Will heard him trill a few sounds, along with a couple of clicks.

But the real shock was when Kae answered in the same.

Because the both of them were now looking shocked.

Bumblebee was trilling and clicking excitedly the next second, making Mikaela laugh.

"Uh..." Will muttered.

"Oh, sorry, Bumblebee picked up a static EM burst from my co-ordinates, he was asking if I'm alright." Mikaela smiled at him.

"Okay, but what was the second bit?" Will asked curiously. Bumblebee was beaming at him now.

"Big sister... said... an entire sentence!" Bumblebee played the soundbytes cheerfully. "She hasn't... done _that_ before!"

Mikaela looked down at her chest again.

"Okay _that_ burst I can live with," she murmured with a smile.

Will shook his head with a snort.

"Weird shit Kae, weird shit," he muttered to himself.

"Better me than you though, right?" Mikaela snorted. Will jumped.

"No way you heard that!" Will demanded with a snort.

"Duh," Mikaela told him with a smirk. "I have damn good hearing for one, and it hasn't been damaged by listening to bombs."

Okay that was true.

Will shrugged, nodded to the scout and the girl and wandered back to his tasks.


	15. 13 The paranoid Mulberry

**To every individual who loves watching Galloway get his come-uppance *Looking at my dear sweet Betas* Mostly this got stuck in my head, so if I have to visualize it, so do you XD**

**This one's for you. **

**Chapter 13 - The Paranoid Mulberry**

* * *

(MPOV)

I watched with something of a frown as Ironhide glared at the Director. Somehow, I got the feeling that he was quite ready to dispense with the weasel. I scolded myself somewhat for thinking like that, Primus forbid I think it and say it _aloud_.

...

Mind...

I glanced at Ratchet, set my spanner down and stretched my shoulder out, glaring at the truck. Puzzles that refused to be solved always made my shoulder ache.

"Take a break Kae," Ratchet immediately stated. "Before you break that thing."

"How do you propose I break the truck?" I muttered. "It's already broken."

"I meant your shoulder," Ratchet muttered. "Now go relax and let your muscles regain their proper form."

I winced. The bots were too bloody observant for my own good. However, it worked this time, I wandered over to Ironhide with a tub of wipes, idly pulling one out and wiping a bug off of his grill.

"Hmnph? Oh. Hey Kae," Ironhide grunted softly, still glaring at the Director.

"If you don't quit that, your faceplates are going to freeze there," I murmured, going after several more bugs.

"Mmnph," Ironhide grunted again.

I worked in silence for a little while, wiping away the almost non-existent dust.

"Hey Ironhide?" I murmured.

"Mmnph."

"Do me a favour Ironhide?" I murmured.

"Mmnph?"

"Sing a song Ironhide, I'll teach it to you." I grinned.

"Why in Primus name would I do that?" Ironhide growled softly.

"It'll make the Director squirm."

Ironhide was quiet for a minute.

"I don't sing," Ironhide grumbled.

"You don't gotta say the words aloud," I murmured with a grin.

"You just said sing."

"Well hum it," I murmured.

"_You_ sing it."

"Yeah but if _I _sing it it won't work," I murmured.

"What won't work?"

"Making the Director Paranoid."

Silence.

"A song is supposed to do that?"

"Just trust me will you Ironhide?" I asked in exasperation. I mean yes, according to Optimus the irritating little Weasel man could usually be counted on to yell for three hours or so, but still.

"Sing the song," Ironhide rumbled again. "And we'll _see_ if I sing it."

I'd take that.

I knelt down, out of sight from the catwalks and began wiping his chrome down.

"All around the mulberry bush the monkey chased the weasel-" I started singing softly. Ironhide snorted softly. Oh yeah, I had him on my team. "The monkey thought t'was all in good fun, pop goes the weasel."

I let him think about that for a second.

"What's the game plan?" Ironhide rumbled softly.

"Oh, I thought you could transform and pace a bit, like you seem to want to do, hum the song and every time you hum 'pop goes the weasel' glance at the Director?"

He stood silent for a long moment.

"Ironhide?" I murmured.

"Hurry up with my armour so I can pace," he snorted softly.

I chuckled and quickly wiped him down, wandering back to my workbench and glaring at the truck again. I pursed my lips, ran through the problems again and grinned. Electrics.

Twenty minute fix.

I glanced up with idle 'curiosity' as Ironhide transformed.

Now that. Was a sight to behold.

Ironhide was lazily pacing back and forth, idly spinning his cannons and humming the children's lullaby. Jolt was openly staring at him.

"Ironhide?" Optimus rumbled calmly.

Silence. I wondered if Ironhide could hear me.

"Well, he's gonna be yelling for another hour or two, and my legs are crampin' up," I growled under my breath.

Then, to my joy.

"Well the little slagger's gonna be yellin' for another fifteen breem and I've got a kink in my lines," Ironhide grumbled. Movement in the corner of my eye.

Of all things, Ratchet winked at me. Then, then the sound of a vocal processor offlining, then rebooting again. The sound was coming from Optimus.

No way.

Optimus nodded to Ironhide and turned back to Galloway.

Then that dear, _treasure_ of a bot, completely blocked out any sign that he noticed Ironhide either humming or pacing.

Priceless.

Every now and again I'd glance up, Galloway was fidgeting, sweating, his body language focusing more on Ironhide's pacing and glancing than on his own speech.

The man finished rather quickly after that.

He beat a hasty retreat, and the second the sound of the helicopter began fading, Optimus turned and crouched down to look at me.

"That. Was cruel." Optimus rumbled flatly.

"Then why did you laugh?" I asked him curiously.

"I did not laugh," Optimus rumbled immediately.

"You laughed." I told him with a grin.

"And how did you arrive at that conclusion?" Optimus asked, anyone could hear the low tone of amusement creeping up in his voice.

"Because you laughed," I shrugged.

"I did not laugh."

"You offlined your vocal processors so we wouldn't hear it, did you not?"

"Yes but-"

"Because you laughed." I grinned.

Optimus promptly buried his face in a hand.

"I can _still_ hear you grinning Optimus," I murmured with a smirk. Ironhide snorted, and covered his throat.

"You, are a terrible person," Optimus informed me.

"I know," I shrugged, turning back to servicing the jeep.

The soldiers surrounding us were dead silent, staring at us.

"Oh see now look what you've done! You made the _humans_ glitch!" Ratchet scolded me the next second. I snorted, and immediately covered my mouth and nose. Scrap. Humans in the area. Bee didn't care when I snorted, but girls weren't supposed to snort.

Optimus rolled his optics and reached toward me. Then, an infinitely careful finger tapped my head.

"Quit corrupting my unit," he rumbled calmly. It was a commanding tone, but inherent to that tone, a mocking lilt.

"Did you _really _want to hear him yell for another two hours?" I asked him teasingly.

"...No," Optimus rumbled in a resigned tone.

"Then it's not really corrupting, is it," I grinned, purposely refusing to make it a question.

Optimus rolled his optics again, shooting me a mildly irritable look and rising.

"_Femmes!" _her rumbled, shaking his head and returning to his own tasks.

I glanced at Ratchet, worried now, what if I _had_ offended him?

But the medic was smirking, shooting another wink at me.

Hah. Victory.

* * *

**A final note, it is entirely possible that you learned 'pop goes the weasel' with different lyrics, be it the cobblers bench or whatnot, which is understandable, the nursery rhyme is practically regional at this point. However I learned this particular version as a child, so that's how I wrote it and cobbler's bench just seems weird to me now ;) feel free to substitute it in your own mind however, who am I to stop you?**


	16. 14 Weirdness Wires and Rodents

**Chapter 14 - Weirdness, Wires and Rodents**

* * *

(RPOV)

A week after her arrival, Mikaela was wandering around the workspace. She'd finished the menu, as she called it and was puttering around, rapidly completing the make-work projects.

Of course he himself couldn't figure out the damned problem with this servo.

"Kae, go eat or... something," Ratchet groused.

Not that she was distracting or anything, it was just fun to watch her pretend to give in to being bullied. After watching her refuse to be bullied by _Optimus_, Ratchet could safely say she was pretending to give in. She glanced at him and grinned.

"Oh come on Ratch, I'm practically out of my make-work jobs now, I eat lunch and I won't have anything to do to work off the calories!" she protested mildly.

"So take a nap," Ratchet grumbled.

"Blasphemy!" she cried out with wide, innocent eyes.

"Blasphemy? So the Judaeo Christian god taking Sundays off to rest is a bad thing?" Ratchet stated blandly. This servo could wait, he couldn't resist a good argument.

"He deserves it after all the intelligent design he managed to come up with!" Mikaela said with a smirk, crossing her arms.

"And evolution had nothing to do with why you're standing in front of me?" Ratchet shot back at her.

"What's all this with the evil-lution talk?" Kae grinned, "everybody knows that the world is four thousand years old and that the first man and woman were Adam and Eve."

"Carbon dating puts the dinosaurs well before human existence," Ratchet stated with a frown, she couldn't possibly believe...

"Carbon dating is a flawed science," Mikaela snorted, "the good lord put those skeletons there to test our faith."

"If that's the case, how the scrap do you explain me?" Ratchet demanded, grinning down at his assistant in spite of himself.

"According to the bible you're a demon, here to tempt us away from the good word." Kae shot back at him with a broad grin.

"The devil may quote scripture to his own ends," Ratchet smirked. Let's see her top-

"Oh _shit_ they've found me out," Mikaela said with a snort, crouching down and giving herself devil horns. Ratchet leaned back on his bench stool and laughed.

And it was an absolutely incredible feeling, he laughed freely at the Femme's joke. It was such a simple thing, and he'd walked right _into_ that one.

Ironhide was grinning at him, and that was such a good thing. His oldest friend had stuck with him through thick and thin. Ratchet had been giving him the pit over the last few vorn, he'd have to make that up to him.

"Ah well," Mikaela continued as he chuckled. "At least it's warm in hell."

"You're cold in the tropics of your planet," Ratchet snorted, "of course your body temperature is normal, and your nerves still-" He cut himself off, turned to the servo he'd been grinding his processors over and snorted, opening one section and running a systems diagnostic. It wasn't damaged, it just thought it was. Relativity. "Only you would pull that off," he looked down at a smirking Mikaela, "now go eat food."

"Love you too Ratch," Kae grinned up at him before she turned toward the mess.

Ratchet flew through the rest of his tasks for the day, then glanced up to watch his assistant as a handful of the soldiers, Jacobs in the lead, half-dragged her to the workout space. She was laughing as the soldiers began showing off. Ratchet onlined his holoform and walked toward them curiously. They'd begun arguing, trying to get Kae to do something.

"Oh go on!" Jacobs laughed.

"Okay fine!" Mikaela finally laughed. "On one condition."

"What's that?" the marine asked in amusement. Mikaela promptly plopped down in his place on the bench and reached up for the weights.

Three feet above her hands.

"You bastards are taller than me. Little help?" she asked sweetly as the soldiers laughed. Jacobs pulled the bar down to her hands and she took the weight over.

"No, Kae you don't wrap your legs around the bench!" Jacobs immediately stated.

"Jacobs, I gotta wrap my legs around the bench," Mikaela laughed, pulling an enormous amount of weight off the ground.

"Why the hell would you need to do that? It's bad form," Jacobs stated firmly.

"Because you've got how much on there again?" Mikaela asked sweetly.

"Er... it's at one sixty," Chance called out, looking at a pin. She pulled the weights up again and Ratchet looked at the muscles she was using.

Damn near all of them. Sneaky.

"That still don't really explain it," Jacobs rumbled with a frown.

Kae did something absolutely hilarious then, she extended her arms as far up as she could, shouted "Fingers!" and unwound her legs, crossing them mid-air as the weight pulled her three feet higher than the bench.

"I only _weigh_ one-twenty," she said mildly, doing chinups on the wobbly one-point bar as the soldiers laughed at her. Ratchet chuckled and walked toward his assistant, watching with crossed arms as she caught the bench with her calves and held herself steady, using her entire body to pull the weight down, uncoiling quickly and plopping herself down on the bench again, her legs wrapped around it and she began using more of her upper body to pull the weight.

"Brute force," Ratchet called out with a low laugh.

"If it isn't working, you aren't using enough." Mikaela grunted, bringing the bar down to her waist.

"Precisely what is pulling more weight than you _weigh_ going to do?" he asked with wry amusement.

"It makes doing-" She frowned and slowly slid upward, putting the weights down carefully. She jumped down and walked to the horizontal bars.

"Sorry, it makes doing this easier," she grinned, jumping up to the lower bar and pulling herself up with barely any effort. Her muscles just synced themselves to do it, every single one of them working against gravity.

Slowly, achingly slowly she pushed herself up into a handstand on the bar.

"That was slow," Jacobs rumbled in an impressed tone. "Now how fast can you do it?"

Mikaela laughed and launched herself around the bar, landing neatly on the higher one and bending around, standing on one foot in the crane stance.

"So much more fun," she grinned, leaping lightly to the lower bar and down to the ground again. She didn't so much as teeter, she puffed a low breath. "Man, getting out of shape though." she frowned at the bars.

Ratchet scanned her again and shook his head.

"You are well above the average fitness level, and several points above what a healthy female should be at," Ratchet told her calmly.

"Yeah, but I _used_ to be able to do that without so much as raising my heartbeat," Mikaela snorted. "It's a standard saying, I'm a female, so I'm going to have to work twice as hard to prove I'm half as good as Jacobs there."

"Sad, but true," Chance shrugged, "of course now you realize _I'm_ going to have to work twice as hard to prove I'm half as good as you are, Kae," he added with a grin. Mikaela burst out laughing along with the rest of the soldiers. Ratchet grinned.

* * *

(WPOV)

Will strolled down the housing corridor at four-thirty, lightly rapping on the doors to the morning runner's rooms. He paused at Mikaela's door and shrugged, knocking gently, she'd mentioned she was getting out of shape yesterday.

"Mikaela?" he called out quietly. No answer.

He knocked a bit harder, the door swung open.

"Oh shit, sorry Mikaela I..." he glanced in the room. Empty. "Mikaela?" he shouted.

"Major?" Jacobs' deep voice asked curiously, "what's wrong?"

"Have you seen Mikaela?" Lennox asked worriedly. Several frowns crossed the faces of the men standing in the corridor.

He took off running toward the hangar, calling to the first bot he saw.

"Bee! Bumblebee! Did Mikaela come in here?"

The bot was immediately on alert, shaking his head in the negative and standing straighter. Optimus and Ratchet were transforming the next second, striding quickly toward the hangar doors.

"There is an energon reading three miles from here," Optimus rumbled. Three running steps and a Peterbilt semi was roaring down the airstrip, Ratchet and Ironhide close behind. Bee stayed still long enough for Will to jump into the passenger seat, taking off almost before the door was closed.

Ratchet had his holoform active and opening the hanger door by the time Bee came to a screeching halt, transforming almost before Lennox had gotten out.

"It's okay, but you're not going to believe this," Ratchet stated in a heavy, muted tone as the door slowly opened. Will ran through the normal door and froze.

"Oh hey Lennox, you ever have a song stuck in your head and it's like the worst song ever but you can't help but whistle it or sing it and it's like it repeats itself repeats itself repeats itself repeats itself repeats itself, Optimus Ratchet Ironhide Bumblebee," Mikaela said, grinning at the intruders. Her movements were jerky, mechanical as she looked back and forth at Will and the Auto-bots.

"What. The hell." Will said, absolutely gobsmacked.

"Lennox you look like you're about to freak out, don't freak out don't freak out easy fix, puzzle – code in my head, now it's on the floor," she gestured about and began walking toward one of the walls that the symbols had crept up about as far as she could reach. "Now here's the part that I can't quite figure-"

There was a crash as Lennox observed an incredibly frightening spectacle.

Optimus dropped to his knees.

Mikaela flashed around at the noise, crouching into a frightened, defensive stance and looking around wildly, gesturing for quiet.

Ironhide had his cannons out for a second, listening for a disturbance before holstering them again.

"Okay what were you going to say?" Mikaela asked in a normal voice again.

"Steady Optimus," Ratchet rumbled quietly as the towering mech reached forward to collect the young woman.

"Height! Yes! Brilliant!" she crowed, producing another piece of chalk – at least it was just chalk. "Wall!" she moved quickly toward one of the sets of symbols, almost walking off of his hand.

"Optimus!" Ratchet called out worriedly.

"Ratchet, what do I do?" Optimus held the girl cupped in his hands.

"I think it'll be best to just let her get it all out," Ironhide announced, "If she understands it she can put it on a back processor and move on with something else."

"Ratch?" Optimus looked up worriedly.

"Ironhide's probably right, I can ferry her about on the walls," Ratchet stated calmly.

"I'll do it," Optimus murmured quietly, standing and carrying her toward one of the walls, she immediately began writing again and within minutes they had a system. She knelt and he lowered her toward the ground, she stood on her toes and he lifted her. Leaning from side to side and he moved his hand in that direction.

Will glanced up and began to worry that she'd need to use the ceiling as well until an entirely different kind of voice rang out in the silence.

"Optimus?" Mikaela asked softly.

"Kae?" he rumbled quietly. She stood silently, staring at three walls and a floor full of chalk symbols and drawings.

"I'm going insane, aren't I?" Mikaela asked quietly. She sat down in Optimus' palm and curled her knees up to her chin.

The mech turned and walked toward the hangar doors, looking at his medical officer in desperation.

"No..." Ratchet stated musingly, "No, you're just overloaded."

"That's not conducive of sanity," Mikaela murmured quietly, her voice echoing in the empty hanger.

"You mentioned on the plane that writing it down helped you to understand it?" Ratchet pressed calmly.

"Well... sort of, it's weird, I look at the symbols and I can't... well I can _sort_ of read them," the girl uncurled her limbs and looked around at the walls. "But there are parts that I still don't understand, and the ridiculous part is that as I was drawing them, each symbol that I completed seemed to shatter in front of my eyes into a thousand more except that one!" she glared at a repetitive symbol throughout the walls.

"You drew it too quickly," Optimus rumbled softly, "it needs more of a curve."

"You can read it!?" Mikaela half shouted, spinning around to stare at Optimus hopefully.

"The language of the Primes?" Optimus rumbled, looking down at her with what could only be amusement, "I might."

Mikaela seemed to freeze for a moment, frowning. She sank down onto her knees again, her ankles crossed and her hands palm up on her thighs. Looking directly at Optimus she opened her mouth and ejected the most bizzarre string of clicks and clear, deep tones Will had ever heard.

"Steady Optimus!" Ironhide called out again as the mech held out his free hand to steady himself against the wall.

"Yes he could teach you," Ratchet added, looking at the girl, "but a request like that traditionally came from the Prime caste-"

"Not..." Optimus whispered, he trailed off.

"Optimus?" Ratchet murmured curiously.

"Not according to the history," Optimus rumbled softly, looking around the walls.

"Well at least take a minute to get your processors synced, you'll crush your prospective pupil if you fall on her." Ratchet laughed.

"What's going on?" Will finally figured he could ask.

"Long story," Ratchet chuckled, "Our glorious leader just got the shock of the century, it's taking him a minute to process."

"I was never taught to teach," the Mech finally stated quietly.

"Well could you at least show me what's wrong with that symbol?" Mikaela asked softly, looking up from his hand pleadingly.

Optimus blinked down at her and set up a holo of two symbols side by side. Will couldn't see any difference. Mikaela just seemed to stare at them for a second before slapping her forehead.

"I'm such a fragging glitch," she groaned, walking off Optimus' hand before he could react. She kept walking on the thin air, darting from one symbol to the next, correcting them. She stood... floated... back and pointed at one of the sections.

"_Finally! _Telekinesis is made possible by the application of – holy shit I'm in the air!" she promptly dropped three feet before Optimus lunged forward to catch her.

The silence was deafening.

"'Holy shit I'm in the air!' Doesn't work," Bumblebee played the soundbytes suddenly, hopping up and down for a second. The next minute Ratchet and Ironhide were leaning against each other with a loud crash, howling with laughter. Will fought to not do the same, that sounded more like Mikaela.

"What am I to do with you?" Optimus murmured down to the girl lying flat in his palm.

"Hopefully? Helping me figure out how to not need saving every ten minutes," Mikaela replied rather breathlessly, sending the mechs to laughing again.

"Major, I would request that you do not erase these for a little while." Optimus rumbled, looking down at the broadly grinning man.

"Yeah alright," Lennox chuckled, "I wasn't looking forward to cleaning this place up anyway, I'll let you guys handle it." he turned and walked out the door, jogging back toward the main hangar would have to count as the morning run today.

* * *

(MPOV)

"So what do I do now?" I asked quietly. Optimus stood silently, cradling me in his palm as he looked around at the mass of information on the walls.

"We learn," Optimus murmured, he walked to the middle of the floor where a hub of empty space sat. He turned and pointed to the first symbol I'd drawn. "That, is space."

I sat in his palm for a minute before standing. I ran barefoot up his arm and tucked myself into a rather comfortable spot on his shoulder. The balance here was so much better.

"Is this alright?" I asked worriedly. Optimus turned his head somewhat and gave a small smile.

"That is just fine. How much can you read so far?"

"Space, time, dimensions, energon," I said calmly, parroting back the symbols he'd pointed out. "Prime, Femme, units of measurement..." I frowned, continuing onto symbols he had not yet read. "Primus, Mico? That's latin, spark... All-Spark?" I looked up at Optimus curiously.

He smiled and pointed.

"In the beginning, there was Mico..." he rumbled softly, pointing to each circle as he read them to me. I curled up on his shoulder and listened, loving the sound of his voice as he read, history, mathematics... as he read I understood, every symbol gracefully splitting into my mind. Visions of beautiful places formed beneath those glyphs. I curled a bit more into his shoulder, listening and watching in fascination.

* * *

(WPOV)

Galloway was walking into the hangar with an entourage today, Will resisted rolling his eyes at the director's antics. What a tool.

"Miss Banes!" Director Galloway shouted. Okay that was new.

"Behind the Hummer!" Mikaela shouted.

The entourage walked over to her immediately as she continued stripping an engine down.

"While you are here, Miss Banes," Galloway stated calmly, "be forewarned that you are expected to make a report on anything the auto-bot's tell you. Most specifically weapons technology."

Will groaned softly, that was a brilliant way to get Optimus upset, trying to get a civilian to spy on guests was just bad form.

Today was going to suck.

The next sound fairly shattered the status-quo.

"No," Mikaela stated calmly. Will, the entourage, several soldiers and Ratchet stared at her in shock as Galloway began going red in the face.

"And before you go off on precisely why I should be spying on the Auto-bots I will tell you precisely why I am refusing." Mikaela stated in a firm tone, looking up at the entourage. "But first a little trivia question, if you can tell me what happened on November first, nineteen-ninety-six, I will tell you why I will not betray Optimus' trust and tell you any of the technology they have refused to share with human kind.

"If you wish, I will write reports for you, but be forewarned I will be taking both Optimus Prime, and Major Lennox's advisements on the content of those reports. Was there anything else?" she asked politely.

Galloway stared at her, mouthing wordlessly before taking a deep breath and ranting at her for about an hour. Will watched, completely impressed as Mikaela worked patiently on her project, listening to Galloway and occasionally taking notes.

The man finally seemed to calm down somewhat and finished by telling Mikaela the message he had from the president before he exited the hangar again. Will casually watched Mikaela as she watched the entourage out of the corner of her eye.

The sound of the chopper taking off and leaving filled the area before her hands ever stilled on her project.

"Mikaela!" Will called out, walking toward the girl. She stood bolt upright and held a finger to her lips. She waved a hand at Ratchet and caught his optics, tugging on her ear before staring firmly at her workbench. Ratchet frowned and scanned the bench.

"A listening device, how rude," Ratchet grumbled, "Kae, there aren't any explosives on it, could you shut it down?"

"Yes Sir," Mikaela stated in a polite tone. She promptly reached under the work bench and pulled out a tiny microphone. She patiently pulled the batteries out of it before looking at Ratchet. Will watched her mouth 'any more?'

Ratchet looked around, evidently scanning the area.

"Nope, that's the only one, good catch Kae," he rumbled with a snort.

"Okay, go ahead Will," Mikaela grinned at him.

"That's a seriously bad move Kae," Will told her flatly. "Galloway's going to put you on his hit list if you're not careful."

"There's two ways we can play it now," Mikaela stated with a shrug, "Optimus, did you hear everything?" she added, looking at the Peterbilt as the big man transformed and strode carefully to the mechanic's corner.

"I did," Optimus rumbled in a flat tone.

"How do you intend to play?" Will asked worriedly.

"Two options," Mikaela shrugged, "either we leave it at that and if he insists that I write reports I'll bug you two to help me make sure there's nothing he can use in them or..." she grinned and pulled a pad of paper toward herself, quickly jotting down a letter.

"What's that?" Will asked with a frown as she tore the sheet off and handed it to him. He read it, then re-read it. He whistled and leaned against the bench.

"Major?" Optimus rumbled curiously.

"I wouldn't even do this letter justice reading it aloud," Will murmured, "Kae, this is political-espionage _artwork_."

"Why thank you, Major," Mikaela grinned. "Which means you've already worked out the implications, yes?"

"What does it _say_, Major," Optimus rumbled somewhat irritably, Will grinned and held the sheet of paper up for Optimus to read.

_'Director Galloway,_

_I apologize for my rudeness, however, these unfortunately strange times call for bizarre actions. I  
fear you must be made aware that the Auto-bots have an incredible sense of hearing. There is no  
doubt that my supervisor, Ratchet, not two hundred feet away could easily have heard you. As  
you know, he reports directly to Optimus._

_Nevertheless, I shall endeavour to pass onto you what information I can.  
With any luck, this missive will reach you unaltered. _

_Yours faithfully,_

_M'_

Optimus stared at the letter for a long moment, before turning to stare at Mikaela.

"It's your guys' call," Mikaela shrugged, grinning. "But there's definitely potential, if you feed him tidbits, information that he can barely use, but is obviously the work of an eighteen year old girl attempting to get close to Optimus? We could have him walking around here being smug and secretive instead of hostile."

Will stared at the girl for a long moment before he burst out laughing.

"I like it, there's a shit ton that could go wrong though, we'd need one hell of a lot of backup plans, but god help me, I like it." Will snorted.

"Those are easy," Mikaela grinned, "if he goes to you, Will, claiming that I'm better than you because 'the civilian girl knows where her loyalties lie,' you say: 'who do you think fielded those letters for her?'" Mikaela shot him a shit-eating grin.

"And if he outs you as the mole?" Optimus rumbled with a frown.

"Then you guys either out me as your double agent, which could go bad fast..." Mikaela frowned. "No, it would probably be better if you kicked me off base. If that happens I'll go off grid, if you still need to find me we'll figure something out... although, if we play it right I could very well wind up applying for a job with Galloway, at which point 'double' no longer applies. Either way, whatever reports I send to that man I want you two helping me make sure the content doesn't come back to bite us in the ass."

Mikaela patiently tossed a used oil filter into the correct barrel and leaned against the Hummer she'd been servicing.

"Well then first off, we need to properly clear the air, whose orders are you going to take?" Will asked the girl mildly.

"You're beating about the bush, Major," Mikaela grinned at him. "What you really want to ask is where my loyalties lie."

"Well... not that rudely," Will stated, looking at the girl with new respect.

"My loyalties lie first and foremost to Optimus," Mikaela stated firmly, looking up at the big man. "I'll gladly take your orders, Major, up to the point that they are contrary to what the Auto-bots would approve of. Which I rather doubt you'd order anyway," she added with a wry grin. "Unless I'm _very_ much mistaken, you lot have already become a tight knit unit. You're a soldier Will, and a damned good one, you don't leave your men behind. You're alive, which means you're smart. And a smart man knows who his real allies are."

"Christ _sake_ Kae, you've been here what, two weeks and you've already figured that out?" Will asked in a stunned tone. He looked up at Optimus. "We gotta keep this one, she's _way_ the hell too smart to let her wind up in someone else's camp."

"Agreed, although I would prefer to destroy that letter, as a civilian, Mikaela should not have to answer to Director Galloway. Kae is here for her protection and as an assistant to Ratchet." Optimus rumbled firmly.

"True," Will nodded, he handed Kae the letter back. She grinned and looked at Ironhide as the bot transformed.

"Hey Ironhide!" she shouted with a broad grin.

"Mikaela?" the bot looked down at her curiously.

"Target practice?" she grinned, balling the letter around a few rusty bolts and copper wire. She sprinted to the hangar doors.

And _that_ was a bizarre sight, tiny girl, twenty foot mech in a gunslinger stance.

"Pull!" Ironhide bellowed gleefully, Mikaela pulled back and threw the ball with force, a good distance too. Ironhide drew a small cannon at speed and blasted the ball into nothing as Mikaela cheered.

The iron and copper flared red and green for a moment as it burned into nothing. Makeshift fireworks. Awesome.

Ironhide was laughing as he walked out of the hangar doors past Kae, Will grinned, that in itself was awesome, getting Ironhide to laugh. It was a good day on patrol if Ironhide was laughing, damn but that bot had some stories.

"And the point of that was?" Ratchet asked with a snort as Kae wandered back to her project.

"Not everything needs a point," Mikaela laughed. "But you have to admit, watching Ironhide blast stuff is _way_ the hell more amusing than a friggen paper shredder."

"That and Ironhide definitely gets cheerful when he gets to blow shit up," Will added with a snort. "Can see where he's coming from though, a bit of constructive destruction is great stress relief. Later." Will grinned, jogging toward the waiting squad.

Today was going to be a good day.


	17. 15 The Warrior Goddess

**Chapter 15 - The Warrior Goddess**

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus sat silently, trying to untangle his processors. It had been a week since Mikaela had drawn the symbols in the empty hangar. Optimus had taken to watching her since. She truly did not stop moving, Mikaela wiped her hands on a rag and tossed it into the bin before carefully closing the hood on her final maintenance of the day. She looked up and saw the moon low in the sky.

Optimus could practically see her thought process as she rolled her eyes. A wry, 'last maintenance of the night, then'. She glanced around and stretched, even going so far as to sneak a peek at the recharging Auto-bots before she walked silently to the mats, taking her shoes off and taking a slow, deep breath before she sank into an opening stance. Optimus quietly onlined a secondary processor, Mikaela froze, listening.

"Go back to your recharge, Optimus," she murmured in an incredibly soft, soothing tone, moving... dancing through her stances again, "it's just me. Get your rest. If danger shows it's face I'll scream the roof down."

It was beyond him how she knew who had woken. Or even that he was awake.

"You should be sleeping," Optimus rumbled softly, onlining his holoform behind her.

"So should you," she shot him a wry smile, dipping into another stance. "I'm sorry I woke you."

"I was awake, too many processes," Optimus stated honestly, he couldn't help it, he reached out and laid his hands on her shoulders. For all that she was soaked in sweat, her skin felt like ice. Optimus frowned, turning her and reaching to cup her cheek. "You are exhausted." he rumbled worriedly.

"Just a long day," she gave him a weak smile, "Don't worry about me, Optimus, you have enough on your processors as it is."

"It is my fault you are here," Optimus rumbled softly, "You should not be working yourself so hard. You do not have to do all of this." he looked across the hangar at the rows of vehicles she'd been repairing. Mikaela turned to follow his gaze, looking at the work she'd completed.

"It feels better when it's done though," she murmured softly. "As though every time I fix something, every hour spent making sure that when these things are needed they won't fail. I know Ratchet scans them, making sure I haven't missed something. I'm glad for that. I just wish I could do the same, you know? Something more to keep everyone safe."

She laughed softly.

"To feel like I'm useful somehow, not just another liability." she reached up and idly touched the cube splinter now cradled over her heart in a utilitarian little vial. "I think I'll read for a while," she said quietly, turning to look up at his holoform again. "Something boring so I fall asleep and get out of your..." she trailed off with a frown, looking at his metal body.

"'Hair' does not precisely work, does it?" Optimus rumbled, looking down at her in amusement. He tentatively reached up and ran his fingers through hers, "Although I find I can understand why your species kept it, it is a remarkably tactile thing."

"I didn't know your holoforms could process tactile information," Mikaela said with raised eyebrows.

"To give you need to feel," he murmured gently, shrugging and looking into the middle distance.

"To feel you need to give," Mikaela murmured in return, looking out the open hanger doors and into stark greys of the night. "Give until it hurts and keep giving in the hope that someday... someday it will be enough."

"You're going to argue philosophy with an alien-" Optimus fought to keep his tone light and teasing as he wondered where she had come up with that. It struck close to spark.

"A person," she retorted, looking up with a frown and startling him. "You're not some cold machine, programmed to take specified actions based on strings of numbers and logic. A difference in molecular makeup has no bearing on the ability to think and feel."

"I dare you to convince Director Galloway of that," Optimus rumbled irritably, glaring at the middle distance as he spoke the problem that had robbed him of a proper recharge. Come to think of it, now was usually about the time that he would call the femme now standing in front of his holoform.

"Oi!" she frowned, she faced him fully and reached up, cupping his holoform's face in her hands. Optimus was shocked to find them warm despite the ice of her arms, immensely gentle for all that she held him firmly. "The mark of a man is not how he treats his equals, it's how he treats those beneath him. Only the shallow, the power hungry and empty try to belittle and shame those they perceive to be beneath them. There are always greater and lesser people than ourselves. Galloway is an empty shell of a human, he does not care who he ruins to take more.

"And yet here stands before me the avatar of an 'alien,'" her eyebrow raised somewhat as she said it, scorning the very word, "a Prime who should be resting, but instead you're awake, trying to convince the least of us that I need my rest." she let loose a piercing, blue-green gaze, irrevocably catching Optimus' eyes. "Now tell me who is the better person." she finished firmly.

Optimus stared at her in shock.

"How do you know all of this? You have rarely seen or spoken to Director Galloway." Optimus rumbled, a third processor fired up, taking great care to memorize the feel of her hands on his face and unravel the puzzle wrapped in a tiny carbon unit that stood before him.

"I shook his hand," she smiled up at him. "There are thousands of languages, but not all of them require listening with your auditory receptors. Now get yourself back to your recharge cycle. I'm not the only one who's exhausted."

"At least lay down?" Optimus asked her softly.

"Alright," she smiled sadly, "I'll leave you be." she pulled away gently and made for the hanger doors.

"Kae?" Optimus rumbled softly, she turned around to look at him curiously.

"Optimus?" she murmured. He walked over and cupped her cheek, determined to give back the feeling of worthiness she had just so easily, and naturally instilled in him.

"Will you stay here tonight? I feel better when you are close by," he said softly.

"You shouldn't have to put up with me all the time," Mikaela murmured, looking down.

"There is nothing 'have to,' about it," he murmured firmly, tipping her face to look at him. "You claim to be the least of us, yet you manage to see through to the heart of a problem in seconds, a problem _I_ have been grinding my processors over for a solid orn, you give peace of processors to rest." Optimus rumbled. "Now who is the least of us?"

"Still me," Mikaela grinned in a light tone, surprising him by winding her arms around his waist and craning her neck to look up at him. He was reminded once again just how diminutive she really was, on the phone a great deal of the time, he had had absolutely no issue visualizing her at his _own_ size. "I _am_ the littlest one here after all, even _Chance_ outweighs me by a good twenty pounds."

Optimus stared down at her and began laughing, she loosened her grip slightly to pull away before he wound his holoform's arms around her shoulders, pulling her tightly into his chest and burying his face in her hair. His holo's frame still shaking with quiet laughter. It was an almost euphoric feeling, laughing with her tiny frame willingly trapped in his holo's arms.

"No," he finally chuckled into her hair, holding her tightly, "no you are just right, and bigger than all of us. Now get some recharge."

"You too," she smiled, pulling back and cupping his face again.

Optimus offlined his holoform with a small smile, closing down a last few processes and dropping into his recharge cycle, noting with final amusement that Mikaela was stretched out, sound asleep on the makeshift cot in the maintenance area with a book laying open across her chest.

* * *

He woke to hear her shriek.

"What the hell are you doing here you little freak!?" she shouted.

"Is that all you got! Huh! Is that the best you can do?"

There was a shout of pain.

"That's my eye you crazy bitch!" the unfamiliar voice shouted.

"You gonna talk now?" Mikaela ground out furiously.

Optimus was fully online and transformed in seconds, across the hanger and beside the work area in a few more as soldiers and auto bots scrambled after him.

"I seek knowledge from the cube, the Fallen demands me!"

"What knowledge?" Mikaela demanded.

"You got the shard I need the shard gimme the shard they're gonna _whack_ me I'm gonna be _dead_ without that shard!" a scrap drone reeled off in a terrified voice. Mikaela had him dangling in a pair of oversized tongs, backed against a work shelf.

"Agh!" Mikaela growled, Optimus could practically _see_ the irritation rolling off of her.

"Easy warrior goddess, I'm just a little salvage scrap drone!" the tiny bot shouted. She leaned in close.

"And I'm your worst nightmare," she snarled.

"No, he is!" the little bot said suddenly, going limp and looking directly at Optimus, Ironhide and Bumblebee with terrified optics. Mikaela glanced around at Optimus; her face out of sight from the drone she... _winked?_

"On the contrary, tiny Decepticon," she murmured in a frankly sultry tone, turning back to the drone. "The big guys back there are old enough to know the value of mercy, your death at their hands would be quick, painless. I, on the other hand, am still young even for my own species, and _small_ enough to ensure that your spark does not go out until every piece of you is laying sorted on the table. Beginning with your hands I would think-"

A chill went through the watchers at her tone, the drone began crying.

::. Sweet Primus!.:: Ironhide silently exclaimed in shock.

::. She's bluffing.:: Bumblebee grinned, just as silently.

::. How can you tell?.:: Optimus asked curiously.

::. You saw her wink didn't you?.::

"Aw haa haa! I knew it! I knew I should have let him just crush me! Don't slag me _ple-he-he-ease!_" the tiny bot practically sobbed. Mikaela held him hanging for a second more before carrying him over to the workspace and setting him on her bench.

* * *

(MPOV)

"Oh calm down," I said in a slightly gentler tone. "Stay put. Optimus do you have any questions for him?"

I turned and began sifting through the boxes of spare parts.

"Why are you here drone?" Optimus rumbled.

"I need the shard from the All-Spark, I'll be dead without it, I can't go back without it. Let's face it, I'm a dead bot," the drone whimpered, sitting cowed.

"You live in fear, why would you go back?" I asked calmly, returning with a small optic and sitting in front of the drone. "Power down your eye, please."

The drone looked at me apprehensively but spotted the new optic. His eye went dark, I carefully removed the damaged lens and gently plugged the new one in. A tiny amount of energon seeped from my fingertips, causing the tiny drone to stare at me in shock as his nanites fed, repairing him.

"Oh god, oh Primus she's a _healer!?_" the drone shouted. "There ain't no _way_ I can take you back there! I'll bet the shard has managed to bond to your spark already! They didn't say _nothing_ about no All-spark healer!" he looked around then stared at my forearms, I looked down and stared in shock at the symbols painlessly burning themselves into my flesh. "Wait a second," he narrowed his eyes, "that ain't no human language neither! Oh I know that, that's the language of the Primes! Where the crap did you get that? Shit! How the hell'd the _seekers_ not find you?" he looked at me incredulously.

"Seekers?" Ironhide rumbled dangerously.

"Seekers?" Will parroted him curiously.

"Yeah, seekers pal," the drone looked up, "oldest of the old, they bin here thousands of years, lookin' for something, I don't know what, nobody tells me nothing. Oh they can translate those symbols, that's for sure. And I know where to find them."

"Show me," I commanded.

"Yeah yeah yeah," the drone nodded, grinning and cracking his knuckles, he spun around and faced the map of the world, projecting laser points on it.

"They're everywhere," Will said quietly.

"Bah, they ain't doing nothing no more, run outta energon when the Fallen powered down din't they? Shit, look don't make me go back, I ain't spy material, you gotta hide me, I'll disassemble stuff for you, looks like you got a decent 'mount o' work to do anyway," the drone looked around at the shelves of twisted metal. He spied one and pointed at it. "Hey! Those're Demolishor's struts! When'd you take _that_ asshole down? Oh I'd _pay_ to strip that!"

I gave a low snort and looked up at Optimus.

"All yours," I smiled up at him, "I'm going to go take a shower."

"Oh god don't let them kill me warrior goddess!" the drone shouted, launching himself off the workbench at me. He caught hold of my shirt and began sliding down, scrambling to get a handhold. I rolled my eyes and caught him with my forearm, settling him on my hip easily.

"And how do you propose I do that?" I asked firmly, walking toward Optimus. "I'm not the one you need to convince, he is." I stood in front of Optimus and looked up at him, making my deference and respect for Prime obvious.

"Please Warrior Goddess," the drone whimpered, burying his face into my ribs. "the likes of him don't never have nothing to do with drones, they step on you as soon as look at you. I'll do anything you want just don't let them kill me."

I looked up at Optimus with trust in my eyes. Trust that he would do the right thing. He narrowed his optics at us.

"You may stay for now," he rumbled finally, I could still hear the kindness behind the stern tone. "But be warned, any betrayal of the trust that Mikaela has deemed fit to award you and you will answer to me. Come. You will begin by telling us everything that you know of the Decepticons movements." Optimus ordered, extending his hand to us. "Mikaela, you may be excused if you wish."

"Thank you, Optimus," I smiled, I looked down at the drone. "What's your name anyway?"

"Name's Wheelie warrior goddess," the little drone stated, wrapping his tiny arms around my waist about as far as he could reach before I disentangled him and lightly set him in Optimus' palm.

"I'll be back in fifteen," I said with a smile before jogging toward the hangar doors.

Back in my room I snatched up a fresh set of clothing before walking down the hall to the showers. Already awake, I opted for a lukewarm shower rather than my usual icy blast of hell. A rapid shampoo and I stepped out of the water, smirking that I still hadn't managed to steam up the bathroom as I threw my clothes on.

"You use all the hot water again?" Jacobs asked with a grin as we traded places.

"No, but you might want to watch the cold, there's not much left." I retorted.

"Aw shit," he snorted. "Now what am I going to do with a perfectly hot shower?"

"Cease being a grumpy frikkin' muscle bound bastard?" I asked with a perfectly straight face. He burst out laughing as the door closed behind him. I grinned and tossed my clothes into my tiny hamper bag on the way past my room to the hangar again.

Wheelie was sitting on Epps' shoulder by now, surrounded by a few other men. Their postures suggested they were already shooting the shit. I grinned and walked to my workstation, moving onto the problem child I hadn't got to the night before. Optimus' holo winked in beside me a few minutes later.

"Go for a drive later?" he asked quietly.

"Of course," I said with surprise. "Whenever you want."

Optimus nodded, I saw uncertainty in his stance before he winked out again. I frowned and fired up the jeep. It sounded fine. I put it into gear and slowly drove out of the hangar. The second I got into third gear on the track the engine almost completely quit.

"What the fuck?" I muttered to myself, climbing out and opening the hood. A normal looking engine met my curiosity. I frowned, closing the hood and carefully driving back in first, parking it in my workspace and killing the engine.

I got out and leaned against my worktable, frowning at the quiet jeep. Idly, I pulled a pad of paper and pen toward me and began taking notes on what I'd already observed, flipping through the vehicle's service record and areas of operation.

A full ten minutes of leaning against the table, frowning with a hand covering my mouth and Ratchet came over, onlining his holoform beside me.

"Kae?" he rumbled curiously, "I don't think I've ever seen you so still."

"I'm stumped," I shook my head, "I can't hear anything _wrong _with it, but it completely cuts out in_ third!_ Listen!" I walked over and fired up the engine again. It ran well, even the timing was smooth.

Ratchet's holoform canted it's head to the side with a frown almost identical to mine.

"Problem child indeed," he rumbled as I paced around the gently idling jeep. Next to the gas tank I froze.

"Wait," I murmured. "Shit do you smell that?" I scrambled to turn the engine off, backing quickly away from the car.

"We gotta get this thing outta here!" I commanded sharply.

"Mikaela what on earth?" Ratchet looked at me in shock.

"Did you scan it?" I asked in a hushed tone.

He looked at the car.

"SHIT! Don't scan it!" I shouted, running toward him and covering his holoform's eyes. "you might set it off, use your olfactories." I dragged his holoform to the spot I'd caught the scent and sniffed, looking at him.

"There is a faint scent of explosives below your olfactory range... the burnt wiring?" he asked with a frown.

"In a well-maintained, two year old military jeep that last served in urban areas of Iraq?" I stated in a low, icily calm tone.

The holoform's eyes widened before he bodily lifted me, running toward Optimus on the other side of the Hangar.


	18. 16 The Warrior Goddess Part II

**Chapter 16 - The Warrior Goddess (Part II)**

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus transformed and parked again, all told there was no real viciousness in Wheelie's spark. The scrap drone would prove useful under Ratchet's command, and had certainly taken a shine to his 'Warrior Goddess'.

The Warrior Goddess herself gave him a bit of pause. A femme who had brought him out of a deep, irritated funk and reminded him not six hours previous of the mark of a good spark. And yet she had described possibly the most gruesome death he had yet heard. Slagging was one thing, _death_ by slagging... he shuddered. And she'd stated it in such a tone that left no doubt that she would have enjoyed it!

The femme chose that moment to walk back in, dressed in shorts and tank, her hair still damp from showering. Mikaela glanced around the hangar with a small, contented smile and made for her work area, pulling on a clean set of coveralls.

Optimus onlined his holoform beside her.

"Come for a drive later?" he asked her quietly.

"Of course," she said with surprise in her voice, "whenever you want."

Optimus nodded and offlined his holo again, staying parked and continuing to watch the puzzle that was this human femme. She drove carefully out of the hangar in a jeep and proceeded to give it a test drive, returning minutes later with a frown on her face. She cut the engine and leaned against her workbench, glaring at her own puzzle, taking notes and reading it's service records.

Bumblebee glanced over at him in his peripherals and rolled his optics.

::. She was _bluffing_, Sir.:: the scout repeated himself in a wry tone.

::. That was a pit of a bluff.:: Optimus rumbled, his tone conveying his uncertainty.

::. Oh here.:: Bumblebee stated in amusement, sending a recorded conversation over the primary.

...

"So what _do _you do to keep the masses of suitors away?" Bumblebee asked brightly. Mikaela was sitting on his hood, Bee evidently having taken her for a drive.

"Oh I've got a load of tactics," she laughed, "one for one, defence tactics Bee."

"Optics shot," Bee started, "blind them so they can't find me."

"You go for the eyes?" she looked into his windshield. "Okay, I guess my first line of defence is a cold shoulder if they're being persistent, you know, ignore them and hope they'll go away."

"Legs or tires go next," Bumblebee bragged cheerfully.

"Shit! You're all about the taking them down huh?" she laughed. "Okay, second defence against suitors. There's always the classic, 'I've already got a boyfriend'."

"Take out the weapons is always good for an explosion," Bumblebee chirped gleefully.

"Oh so you're playing nasty are you?" Mikaela laughed, "Okay, here's the defence of true evil: Death by Dissection: Multiple usage."

"Whaat?" Bee laughed.

"Where you threaten to kill them in the most gruesome and detailed manner you can think of until they either go pale, throw up, run away or start crying."

"Well now you gotta tell me," Bee nudged her gleefully, "so I can use it."

"You sure?" she asked with a grin.

"Do it! Do it like you were threatening me!"

"What!? Threaten _you?_" Mikaela asked in shock.

"Yes!" Bee chirped gleefully. Mikaela slid off of Bee's hood with a sigh. Optimus watched in shock as her very presence went from mild defeat to the precise one he'd seen earlier. It screamed the poise of a cold, threatening murderess.

...

::. Oh, see now _that's_ impressive.:: Ironhide rumbled with a snort.

::. I didn't know humans could do that!.:: Sideswipe added incredulously

::. Now looking at that.:: Bumblebee added. ::. Listen.::

The recording started up again.

...

"Bumblebee, if you don't behave I will cut your limb controls, leave the tactile sensors in place and dismantle you, keeping you fully feeling and powered up until every piece is laying perfectly sorted on the garage floor. Beginning with your cooling systems I would think, they and your oil would have to be drained-" Mikaela threatened in the same cold, sultry voice she had used on the drone.

"Sweet Primus Kae!" Bee had actually onlined his vocal processors to say it.

"Oh god I'd never actually_ do it!_" Mikaela shouted, her stance immediately melting into distressed horror, "what do you think I am, some sort of cold hearted psycho bitch? It's a bluff! Which you are the first human _or_ bot to cause me to break I might add."

They stared at each other in silence before Bee broke out laughing.

"You gotta teach me that!" he finally exclaimed.

...

::. It took _forever_ to finally get her to actually explain how it works though.:: Bumblebee chuckled. ::. Devious much, she's brilliantly intelligent.::

::. She can pull a threat like that and yet you still let her change your oil?.:: Optimus asked in amusement.

::. She does the absolute best oil changes.:: Bee stated seriously, he played another conversation over the primary as the bots listened to it interestedly.

...

"Mikaela I don't know what's wrong with him," Sam's voice stated in a worried tone outside the garage. "Dad took him in for an oil change and he's just been off..."

"Mr. Witwicky-"

"For the last time Mikaela, it's Ron!"

"Ron where did you take Bee?" Mikaela asked in a deadly serious voice.

"Just to the Jiffy-"

"_WHAT!?"_ Mikaela shrieked, the door burst open and Mikaela was stroking Bee's hood in a second. "Bee! Oh Bee, did they forget the caps baby?" she asked in a stricken tone.

"Uh huh," Bumblebee stated in a distressed tone.

"Oh Bee I'm so sorry, they didn't take you far did they? Did you manage to keep some oil?" Mikaela murmured in the tone of a worried mother.

"I took him straight home," Ron said in a shocked tone. "What did I do?"

"You took him to a Jiffy, Ron!" Mikaela moaned, "those philistines are so worried about getting through in their allotted time they forget to put the caps back in, the oil drains right back out again on the road, did you never wonder why their runways are always so slick? Ron you _never_ go there with a car you can't afford to throw in the scrap heap let alone a feeling, sentient being! Not to mention they use sub-standard oils! They don't give a damn if your car blows up so long as they don't get sued!" Mikaela turned and stroked Bee's hood before grabbing down an oil pan and setting it beneath him.

"Hold tight sweetie, I'm going to make it all better again, I promise, did they give you a bad filter too?"

Bee voiced the same depressed positive.

"I'll be back as soon as I can baby," she said gently, giving his hood a last stroke before fairly flying out the door. Her stride, her stance fairly crackled with fury.

"Holy shit," Sam said quietly.

"Mikaela wait up! I'll drive!" Ron shouted, Sam following after quickly.

There was a blip of darkness for a second before the transmission began again.

"Bee, I didn't know if you'd want synthetic or the real stuff," Mikaela said calmly, walking in with a purpose, bearing two enormous bags and leading two completely bewildered men.

"Mikaela are you sure you aren't like... Jewish or something?" Ron asked in a shocked tone. "I have _never_ seen anyone chew out a manager like that!"

"Philistines, the lot of them," Mikaela huffed, crawling under Bee and gently removing the oil filter before gently purging his lines. Bumblebee was already perking up as she pulled a vastly superior filter out of her bags.

"Synthetic please!" Bumblebee chirped finally.

"You got it baby," Mikaela smiled gently, fetching the enormous bottle and running a bit through his lines, letting Bee clean out the last of the crap before she replaced the undercarriage bolt, evidently having retrieved it from the Jiffy. She put the new filter in, filled his reservoirs and closed the system as Bee started himself. He revved himself up a bit as she smiled.

"You sound gorgeous, you know that right?" she complimented him. She turned to the menfolk. "Right, I will be taking care of Bee's services here on out," she stated in no uncertain tones.

"Well what do we do when you're gone?" Sam asked curiously. "In honesty what are my chances of keeping you?"

"If I'm gone you go to a proper, fully certified mechanic." she stated flatly, digging out polishing pads, wax and other supplies that looked positively _luxurious_.

"But that's-" Ron started.

"Expensive?" Mikaela stated exasperatedly, "Ron what's more expensive, an eighty dollar oil change or a new car?"

"Oh, good point," Ron said musingly.

...

::. How do you _not_ trust someone like that?.:: Bee asked with a broad grin as the transmission finished. ::. I might add that that was an _awesome_ cleaning job too, it felt _sooo_ good.:: he added smugly. ::. You should get her to do you.::

::. Is that why you were so keen to stay with the boy?.:: Optimus asked in amusement, looking at the femme as she enlisted Ratchet's help.

::. It was a _definite_ perk.:: Bee grinned, turning to watch as well.

The jeep was running as she walked around it, she froze. That was a bad stance. Fear. He focused his auditory receptors toward her.

"Shit do you smell that?" Mikaela scrambled to kill the engine, backing well away from the vehicle.

"We gotta get this thing outta here!" she commanded sharply.

"Mikaela what the scrap?" Ratchet looked at her in shock.

"Did you scan it?" Mikaela asked in a hushed tone, looking at the jeep worriedly.

Ratchet looked at the car.

"SHIT! Don't scan it _now!_" Mikaela shouted, running toward him and covering his holoform's eyes. Dear little femme, "you might set it off, use your olfactories." She dragged his holoform to the spot she'd frozen and sniffed, looking at Ratchet.

"There is a faint scent of explosives below your olfactory range... the burnt wiring?" Ratchet asked with a frown.

"In a well-maintained, two year old military jeep that last served in urban areas of Iraq?" Mikaela stated in a low, icily calm tone.

Optimus could practically see the click in Ratchet's processors.

::. BOMB BOMB BOMB!.:: Ratchet transmitted in a panic, scooping a startled Mikaela into his arms and beginning to run.

"EVERYBODY CLEAR OUT!" he roared aloud.

::. Ratchet! To me!.:: Optimus commanded, already transforming beside Bumblebee.

He reached down and scooped Mikaela and any of the soldiers he could reach. A few quick paces and he was well away with his passengers, closely followed by the rest of his unit. Each of them bore handfuls of soldiers, a rapid scan showed they'd effectively evacuated the entire hanger in under a minute.

::. I'm going to get this thing out of here before we scan it.:: Ratchet stated, already towing the jeep. ::. I just hope this is a false alarm, it's such a faint scent…::

"What the hell!?" Lennox bellowed, clambering up to sit on Ironhide's shoulder.

"Mikaela found a bomb," Optimus rumbled in an angry tone as Ratchet emerged from the hangar. It was beyond reckoning, Mikaela had _driven_ in that jeep.

The soldiers in his hands froze. The silence broken only by the gentle whirr, hiss and click of the fidgeting Auto-bots.

"How the hell you know what a bomb look like?" Tibir demanded, Optimus looked down at the group in his hands.

"I didn't see it," Mikaela stated truthfully, climbing carefully to his shoulder.

"I hope that this is just an over-reaction," Ratchet stated apologetically, striding toward them. "However, Mikaela is absolutely correct to have stopped me from scanning a potential fireball indoors. Is everyone clear?"

"Headcount!" Lennox bellowed, rapid shouts rang through the area.

"All safe and accounted for Sir!" Jacobs finally shouted out.

"Somebody fire off the alarm!" Lennox commanded.

"Got it," Ironhide stated, in a second a siren started up.

"Go ahead Ratchet," Optimus rumbled. The Medical Officer turned and scanned the vehicle, Optimus listened to the scan and felt anger flare in his spark.

"Definitely a bomb," Ratchet rumbled angrily as the timer counted down, "and you're right Kae, designed to be set off by radio signal."

"Is it a dud?" Epps asked curiously.

"Well... ma-" Tibir started.

Zero. Optimus turned his face sharply, keeping the shockwave and heat from the femme. The immense noise spiked the adrenaline in her system, but she still pressed against his cheek trustingly, her breathing barely quickened.

A secondary explosion followed the first, a loud, whistling shriek. Kae stayed quiet, the only recognition of the noise a slight flinch. Closer to him. The soldiers in his hands were about as explosive as the jeep.

"Holy Shit!" Epps shouted, "What the hell!"

"_Is everyone okay!?_" Lennox bellowed. "How the _fuck_ did that get in here!?"

"That's way too fucking big for just the gas tank!" Jacobs bellowed. "What the fuck was in that thing!?"

"EVERYBODY CALM DOWN!" Mikaela bellowed from his shoulder, straightening her spine. "Let's just thank whatever deity you adhere to that it blew safely! Somebody put that fire out or we won't have anything left to find out what went wrong!" Optimus couldn't help but feel proud of her, he'd have to tell her later.

A fire truck roared toward the blaze, sirens blaring, and within minutes a burnt out husk lay steaming in the sunshine.

Soldiers were set back on the ground again, Optimus stood again, leaving Mikaela on his shoulder, the adrenaline in her blood was decreasing.

"How the fuck did you spot that?" Lennox bellowed up at her.

"Smell!" Mikaela shouted down, she squirmed slightly before standing on Optimus' shoulder. Optimus offered his hand and lowered her to the ground, preparing to either online his holoform or scoop her back up again. She hopped down and made for the hangar.

"Where are you going?" Ratchet asked worriedly.

"I'm going to get my notes!" she called back, breaking into a ground eating trot. She disappeared into the hangar for a moment and emerged again, bearing a sheaf of papers.

"Right, here," she said calmly, handing Lennox the paperwork.

"Okay, that's efficient, what's up?" Will asked calmly. Mikaela shot him a weary look.

"I'm a girl, I drove that jeep around the track, my adrenaline is dropping faster than the mercury in the arctic and I'm rapidly using up my quota of emergency calmness," she stated patiently. Optimus looked down at her with pride in his spark, noting the way she had one hand worrying her fingers in her pocket. A very small tell. She must have noticed it herself, she pulled her hands from her pockets and crossed her arms.

"Okay, good point, but how did you know it was a bomb?" Jacobs asked gently.

"Is there any chance I can get away with plead the fifth?" she asked with a small smile. "I grew up in dangerous areas, gangs are getting smarter, or dumber, depends on your point of view." she shrugged. "I had a friend who's a complete pyro, went to college to be a fireworks technician. He _adored_ conspiracy stuff, spent _months_ nagging me about 9-11.

"Anyway, semi-educated guess based on those reports:" She pointed to the paperwork and her own notes. "Jeep started acting up in an urban area, engine's fine, fuel lines are fine, air intake is unclogged but it cuts out in third. Smell of burnt wire near the gas tank. My money is on a bomb badly wired in with the fuel pump, the wire must have burnt, killing the electricity flow – thank the gods. If it was a three way splice it wouldn't totally affect the main line. It blew with the vehicle turned off so it probably pulled the charge into a battery with low voltage in the wires. That's my guess, I have absolutely no idea what kind of fuel that was, the only explodey things I do is internal combustion. Now if it's okay, I'm going to go over here and freak out a little bit."

"Last clarification," Will said gently, a smile tugging the corners of his mouth, "you didn't do it?"

"Oh _fuck_ no! Radio control in a fucking _antenna farm!?_" Mikaela burst out incredulously, "I promise you, if I ever want to blow up a car I'll strip it for parts, winch it out and ask Ironhide to use it as bloody target practice! Or I'll dump _thermite_ on it! We'll sneak beer in and use it as a fucking _bonfire_ night!"

"Is good enough for me," Tibir called out with a grin. Mikaela nodded and walked into the shade cast by the hangar, chose a clean spot on the concrete and knelt down, closing her eyes and breathing deeply.

Optimus looked over at her in concern.

"She's alright, just shaken," Ratchet murmured.

"Man these notes are incredible," Will stated, reading them over, "she even details what RPM the jeep cut out at."

"You should see the rest of her notes," Ratchet grinned, "She writes and doesn't even think about it, her knowledge is practically instinctual."

"Crap, I need her again," Will groaned. Mikaela stood up and walked toward them.

"Thanks for the compliments," she said in a remarkably calm tone.

"You can hear us all the way over there?" Epps looked at her curiously.

"In your guys' defence I haven't been front and centre to many explosions," she said calmly, "I fix things old school, the way dad taught me. TT triple S. You need a fairly good ear to hear when the timing's off."

"TT triple S?" Epps murmured, looking around.

"Touch taste sight sound scent," Jacobs rumbled, grinning. "Same as tracking."

"'Cept I don't chew on poop," Mikaela retorted blandly. Jacobs hit his heart with a fist, obviously struggling to keep from laughing.

"How are we supposed to make her a soldier when she already is one?" Epps asked Will with a broad grin.

"Polish her up maybe?" Jaques piped up.

"Soldier, not tart," Graham grinned. Mikaela promptly punched his arm before grinning.

"Oh the double entendres and puns available," she sighed in mocking regretfulness.

Graham stared at her for a second before roaring with laughter.

"That's horrible," he stated seriously, offering her a closed fist, she bumped his knuckles and turned to a grinning Major Lennox.

"What's the crap now?" she asked seriously.

"You put money down on the wiring, but what do you think the second explosion was?" Will asked seriously, "you know these trucks better than most of us by now."

Mikaela crossed her arms and bowed her head for a second before grinning.

"Propane reserve," she said calmly, "takes a little while, but they're fitted with a safety valve that blows at specific pressure, hence the whistley flame thrower instead of another full structural fail blast."

Ratchet grinned and crossed his arms.

"_That_ is why I hired her," he stated with a low chuckle. "Proud of you Kae."

Mikaela looked up at him with a smile before turning to the hangar.

"Do you want to drag the rest of them out to scan them, or can I get back to work?" she asked in a resigned tone.

"Dude, you can take the day off," Lennox immediately protested.

"That was the only one that smelled of explosives, but I do want to scan the rest of them before you take another for a test drive," Ratchet stated in an apologetic tone.

Mikaela visibly sagged into herself.

"Day off, not funeral," Tibir interjected.

"Fall off the horse," she said quietly, glaring at the hangar.

"Get back on," Lennox nodded with a frown of his own.

Optimus frowned, not recognizing the reference, several of the Auto-bots looked confused.

"It's a mantra for fear," Mikaela explained calmly, not even looking at them. "If you fall off the horse, get back on again. Originated along learning how to ride. If you fell off and stayed off, the fear of getting back on grows. Get on right away and you conquer your fear while it's still manageable."

"Makes sense," Ironhide rumbled.

Mikaela crossed her arms for a moment, gave a deep scowl and marched determinedly into the hangar.

"Which will probably be the closest she'll ever be to admitting that that scared the living shit out of her," Will commented mildly.

"Girl's got style," Chance grinned.

As one, soldiers and auto-bots walked back toward the hangar. Mikaela was already elbow deep in one of the regular maintenance sessions.

"Where do females keep their brass?" Epps asked in a musing tone.

"There is very little deposit of brass in the human body," Ratchet murmured. "Although her iron is remarkably high."

"Steel in her spine then," Graham nodded with a grin.

Optimus shook his head, he'd ask Kae later.


	19. 17 Hands

**Chapter 17 - Hands**

* * *

(MPOV)

I woke up and stared into the darkness with a sigh. I popped my lenses back in and walked toward the hangar in the pitch black of the new moon. I checked the list on the wall and started in on an oil change.

"Kae?" Optimus' voice murmured gently.

"Morning Optimus," I whispered softly.

"N...no... it is still evening."

"Is it? I'm sorry, I didn't wake you did I?"

"No."

I nodded and screwed in a new filter.

"Why aren't you resting?" I asked quietly, looking up at the holoform standing beside me. "You of all bots could use it."

"Too many processes," he shrugged. "Why aren't you sleeping?"

"I don't know," I shrugged. "Body just doesn't seem to want to. I was asleep an hour ago, but I've never been able to get back to a proper sleep when I wake up in the dark."

I topped up the oil, checked it with the dipstick and nodded, putting everything back in place before gently closing the hood. I looked around with a sigh, there weren't anymore quiet services to do.

"I should not be encouraging you to stay awake, but will you explain handshakes to me?" Optimus rumbled curiously. "I know of the social convention but..."

"But knowing a personality in a handshake is more of an oral tradition," I smiled, wiping the grease from my hands onto a rag. I offered him my hand.

He stared at it with a frown.

"That's technically an insult," I told him calmly, lowering my hand, "it suggests that I am not worthy of shaking your hand."

"I am sorry," he frowned at me worriedly. I smiled.

"I'm not taking offence," I responded gently, "you asked me to explain, remember?" I offered him a hand, he grasped it quickly. Firming his grip ever so slightly to match my strength. I canted my head and looked at him.

"A person who's eager to learn," I said immediately, holding his hand, he didn't pull back. "Patient, understanding, a good man, strong," I tapped his hand. "Firm grip, firm strength in your arms, a firm resolve, trustworthy. You don't underestimate people but try to understand them. But the _speed_ that you take my hand says you're at times over-eager to please, that you could potentially be walked over, or used."

Optimus stared at me.

(OPOV)

"That's what your handshake says," Mikaela smiled, gently releasing him.

"How-?" Optimus asked in shock, he pulled his hand back and looked at it, then her.

"You're sure you want to learn it?" she asked quietly, looking at him with sharp eyes.

Optimus looked at her for a long moment.

"I do," he said quietly.

"Offer me your hand," she commanded with a small smile.

Optimus held up his hand, and Mikaela took it in both of hers. "Keep your hand vertical to the ground to remain neutral, facing up is a giver, facing down a taker. When you offer your hand, aim for the receiver's naval." She explained calmly, tilting his hand back and forth. "Now, when you grip you're showcasing more than simply strength, although a lot of males believe that it's a competition to crush the other's hand. It's not, a handshake is supposed to be an offering of peace during a greeting or introduction, a sign of agreement at the end of specific discussions."

Optimus watched in fascination as Mikaela effortlessly explained the nuances of touch and pressure, demonstrating weak and firm grips as she told him what each meant.

"Aggression is the position of the hand," she continued, she held his hand at the palm, the webbing of their thumbs lightly touching. "Here is neutral," she slid her hand back to grip his fingers, "here is insecurity, knowledge of personal weakness and a desire to appear strong. Gripping the knuckles or fingers does not allow the other person to get any kind of grip, and it takes very little pressure to cause pain." she slid her hand to mesh their thumbs tightly, almost painfully. "Sorry," she said calmly, "here is aggression, a knowledge of perceived superiority." she pulled away slightly and lightly caressed the almost hurt.

"Then how did you know what kind of person Director Galloway is?" Optimus asked curiously.

In response Mikaela shifted her grip on his hand, it was... Optimus stared at her in shock, saying aloud what the points on her handshake meant. "Weak, fragile, his hand gives pressure at the top, a taker. He grips toward the fingers, insecure."

Mikaela nodded and turned her body slightly to the side, perfectly mimicking the stance Optimus had observed of the Director.

"He doesn't face you straight on, and he was leery of even shaking my hand, almost refusing the first time, and quick to release," she said calmly, "it's faint, he knows how to hide it, but that in itself means that he knows how to hide that he's hiding. So an insecure taker who hides. His arm is firm, but his grip is weak. Firm resolve, but otherwise weak, yet his vocal patterns, and assumptions suggest that he is accustomed to authority."

Optimus couldn't help but grin as she tested him, shifting her hand and stance with each shake. She smiled up at him as he read off the signals.

She suddenly gripped his forearm and brought his hand to grip hers.

"Very few people use this one, but by no means is it meant as an insult," she said calmly, "it's thought to be a 'warrior's shake' grasping each other's armguards. There are a lot of other handshakes, 'secret handshakes' and the like, that are usually taught by an amiable person. I don't really know them," she laughed softly.

"How do you mean?" Optimus grinned.

"Oh there's all sorts of movements," she chuckled, "fist bumps," she curled his hand into a fist and hit her knuckles against his lightly. "often they say 'pound it' along with offering their fist, those are more an offering of approval, kudos. And there're all sorts of sequential handshakes that Epps would probably know better than me," she laughed. "Just bear in mind that judging a person by a handshake is still very subjective, I'll be the first to admit that my analysis is not always correct."

"How did you learn all of this?" Optimus asked interestedly, guiding her with a gentle hand to sit on the cot, he settled beside her.

"Dad taught me the basics, after that the rest is simply observation over time and experience," she shrugged, toeing off the enormous boots Chance had given her with a promise of getting the right size, and resting delicate feet on the cot.

Optimus looked at her for a long moment.

"It is not something that you teach often," he said calmly.

"No," she agreed, "so my teaching skills aren't all that good," she added with a laugh.

"No, they are excellent, you taught something that seems to be generally instinctive in a manner easy to grasp," Optimus rumbled. "but you asked if I truly wanted to know."

Mikaela sighed and seemed to sag beside him.

"Kae?"

"It's difficult to unlearn something," she sighed, "I've taught you a way of judging a personality by observing unconscious body language. But now you know that I'm not simply capable of observing another, I can control my own, lie at the basest level, and I _do_ so everyday."

Optimus stared at the femme in shock.

"How... why?" he murmured.

"By controlling my own body language," she murmured softly. "Suppress and conceal my initial reactions so that people can't see if something upsets me. Tailor my own handshake to to give the impression I want others to see. I've honestly done it for so long that it's automatic. I can't even remember what my _own_ handshake used to say."

Mikaela stared into the middle distance for a long moment with a sadness in her eyes far too mature for her years before seeming to shake herself. "Of course _admitting _that is one of the most foolish things a person can do," she shrugged. "But then I've been a fool for far worse things than trusting you," she glanced over at him with a half smile before frowning suddenly. "That sounded like a guilt trip, it wasn't intended to be." she added.

"And how do you know you're not the worse fool for trusting me?" he asked curiously.

"I shook your hand, before you ever had the chance to tailor it." she shrugged.

Optimus couldn't help the snort of laughter that escaped him. He reached over and draped an arm across her shoulders.

"Elaborate, you had to teach me how." he rumbled with amusement.

"Not really," she laughed, looking up at him, "I informed you of the social conventions behind a handshake that humans tend to assume everyone else knows and taught you my own observations of what each grip and posture indicates about a person."

"Why did you share your observations if you are so sure it would break my trust?" Optimus asked curiously. "You could have simply explained the conventions."

Mikaela stared into the distance for a second.

"Probably," she said quietly, "but you deserve at least the option to know. You aren't the type to abuse knowledge. When you shook my hand it proved a point, that there are more unconscious parallels between our races than we might believe. Your handshake confirmed most of what I'd already observed of you. You're a good person, someone who deserves the knowledge humans often need to protect themselves." she snorted, "I probably would have wound up telling you anyway. You're too damned easy to talk to."

"Make a deal with you then," he chuckled. "We avoid lying to each other as much as existentially possible."

"Deal," she chuckled, idly offering her right hand. Optimus took it and was astonished by the points he read from her grip. He gripped her hand and looked at her.

"You are a strong, hard working person," he told her calmly, "you give more than you take but are still somewhat unsure of your own self-worth. Your strength does a lot to hide your innately gentle soul, and you refuse to underestimate people, trying to find the best in all of us."

Mikaela shot him a wry look.

"And how do you know that I'm not tailoring that handshake for you?" she asked.

"Because it confirms what I have already observed of you," he echoed her words. "So if it was the handshake that came first, then you tailored the rest of you to follow." he added with a gentle smile.

She looked up at him in shock for a second then began to laugh quietly, leaning against him trustingly.

"See? I told you, too damned easy to talk to," she chuckled.

Optimus leaned his holoform's head comfortably against the wall and tightened his grip around her shoulders slightly, enjoying the easy, companionable silence. His thoughts turned inward as he somehow knew, hers would too.

Mikaela... Kae displayed almost every second of the day her easy comfort around him, all of the Auto-bots really. He hadn't seen much of her in the past two years, and yet she accepted them effortlessly, even working alongside Ratchet everyday for the past three weeks with barely an argument. Really, they only argued about how much work she was allowed to do without food or rest. Arguments because truly, Ratchet loved a good debate, and apparently, so did Kae. The soldiers though...

"Penny for your process?" Mikaela asked quietly.

"You are the only human who finds it easy to speak with me, or any of the Auto-bots," Optimus rumbled softly. "The majority of the soldiers have to make an effort to work alongside us without showing their discomfort. I feel as though we have offended them."

"It's possible," Mikaela said musingly, she gave a low laugh. "I'm sorry, the traditional line after someone says they may have given offence is 'nonsense, I'm sure you've done nothing wrong.' but when two similar yet different cultures try to exist alongside each other some frictions can exist. You lot speak earth's languages so well it's easy to forget that you don't necessarily know all of the social conventions that are implied with a certain language. It's nothing _wrong, _simply an unintentional faux-pas. Like refusing a handshake, Primus knows even _human_ cultures mess that one up. In a lot of asian countries you don't shake hands with someone, you bow to them, and there are _hundreds_ of readable variations in the positions of their bow."

Optimus froze.

"I refused a handshake," he rumbled softly. Mikaela looked up at him silently, waiting for him to continue. "The first time I used my holoform, I unintentionally refused a handshake," Optimus repeated himself, "the soldiers aren't simply uncomfortable around our forms, they're uncomfortable with the holoforms as well."

"You could always test the waters," Mikaela shrugged, "how long ago?"

"A few months ago," he answered.

"That's not too long, if you're amenable you could go up to the man whom you refused the handshake to and apologize, gently remind him that you don't really _know_ all of earth's social conventions and offer him your hand. In it's own way, it's a peace offering. Humans, the males especially, tend to have a great deal of difficulty admitting they're wrong, but often gain respect when they do."

Optimus looked down at her in shock.

"You don't have to, but it's a nice gesture," she added quickly.

"No, I will try it," he said calmly, deciding then and there. It was a simple thing, and humble pie hurt no one. "Tomorrow," he added firmly.

Mikaela's arms crept around his chest in a gentle hug.

"What do you think, any more processes to clear away before you get some rest?" she asked with a small smile.

"One more," Optimus rumbled with a low laugh. "How to increase your feeling of self-worth, get you to your own recharge cycle and figure out how to have you appointed as my ambassador."

"I would be a _terrible_ choice for ambassador!" Mikaela protested with a laugh.

"Why?" Optimus looked down at the smiling femme with a frown, "you are intelligent, personable and more often than not you see through to the heart of a problem in moments."

"I'm also just fresh out of high school, and now I'm a college dropout," she said patiently. "If I were to suggest to the President that he come meet you in person, using the line 'in my experience, it's often best to meet someone face to face a few times rather than constantly use an intermediary.' their _immediate _response would be 'what experience? You're an eighteen year old! College dropout with a juvenile record for stealing cars!' And in truth, I am." she finished with a shrug.

Optimus frowned at her for a long moment, she glanced up and sighed.

"I'm sorry Optimus," she said quietly, "In a few years, when I'm older and more likely to garner respect then I would gladly be your ambassador. Absolutely honoured, but about all I can do now is give you my own opinion, and perhaps some advice if you wish it, but frankly? You're likely the only one who _would _listen to it."

He sighed and held her a bit tighter, bringing his other arm around to wrap her in an enveloping hug.

They sat in silence for a long moment.

"And my other two issues with you?" Optimus rumbled suddenly.

Mikaela looked up at him sadly.

"I'll go if..."

"Absolutely not," he rumbled firmly, "I want to know how to get you to sleep, not how to get you out of here." He looked down to see her looking at him somewhat unbelievingly. "We agreed to not lie to each other," he murmured. "I _like_ having you here, you will _always_ be the first human who looked at me and smiled. Who didn't look at us with repulsion or fill the air with the scent of fear. Who... who _still_ doesn't."

Mikaela smiled then, a beautiful, trusting smile that reached her eyes, lighting them with hope and showcasing the kindness in her soul. He tightened his hold on her, pulling her close as they sat in comfortable silence. Her presence was a soothing effect. But he still needed to decide.

"Kae?" he rumbled quietly. She looked up at him in silence. He paused a moment and sighed softly. That was a presumptuous question, not for him to ask.

"How do you always seem to know what to say?" he quietly asked instead.

"I don't always," she murmured softly, she turned and looked at him fully. "But that's not the question you actually want to ask." Her eyes pierced into his soul, seeming to cut through every last one of his defences. He slumped into the wall, and could feel the tension radiating through his spark.

"What the pit do I do now?" he asked in an exhausted tone. Mikaela reached up and touched his cheek.

"If you were human," she said softly, "I would tell you to take a breath, and then another, put one foot in front of the other. Life continues on whether we want it to or not. Sometimes it's simply best to stop, take a breath and blink. And then we do it again. We wake up, do what needs to be done, and at the end of the day we sit back and agonize over the decisions we made, the decisions we still have to make until it's the only thing we can think of. But the longer we're awake, the harder the decisions seem to be. So what the pit you're going to do now?" she smiled up at him.

"You're going to shut down the... four? Processors you've got grinding away, burning the midnight oil. You're going to offline your optics and look at the darkness, even for a minute. And if you don't slip into your recharge cycle you're going to take a deep breath and realize that the air smells of oncoming rain. And that if you listen hard enough, you can hear the crash of the waves on the ocean. Listen to the earth as she breathes, as life goes on whether we are here to watch it or not."

She turned to lean against his holoform again, snuggling into him.

Optimus closed his holoform's eyes and looked at the darkness. He sampled the air and smelled the ozone dropping from a pressure front moving in. So much closer was the scent of her skin and hair. Warm, living scents swirling intoxicatingly amid the scents of the world. Her heartbeat was slow, patient and restful.

He listened as her breathing slowed, indicating that she'd slipped into slumber. And in the distance, waves crashing against the shore. One mimicking the other.

Peaceful

Trying to figure out a problem when you're under duress only increases the duress. Optimus thought quietly, enjoying the inherent trust of the femme sleeping against his side.

Optimus slowed down and synced his processors, using the input of her heartbeat, of her breathing and the sound of the ocean meeting the land.

There was plenty of time to be irritable and stressed. But the earth had turned from the sun, telling her children that it was the time for rest.

Slowly, making sure he didn't wake her, he laid her down on the cot and covered her with a blanket, lightly brushing her hair from her face. He stayed silent for a long moment, making sure she remained asleep before offlining his holoform and slipping into his own recharge cycle.

And never once noticed that he had yet to stop smiling.


	20. 18 When past tries to join present

**Chapter 18 - When the past tries to join the present**

* * *

(OPOV)

Mikaela was up and working beside Ratchet when he brought himself back online. He looked at the lively young femme as she quietly laughed beside the Medi-bot. A moment of reviewing the thoughts he had been processing so late at night proved her correct.

Somehow, in the light of day, they didn't seem so dire, quite so difficult.

"Aw scrap it!" Ratchet growled. "Trust me to pick a project that needs five hands!"

"Hold up!" Mikaela laughed, she squirmed for a second and brought up a bare foot, setting up the clamp she was holding in her right hand between her toes and reaching toward Ratchet with the newly freed hand while the bot laughed.

"Alright, take that screwdriver there and try to thread that screw into the hole while I line them up," the bot chuckled, then grinned as the little femme crowed her triumph. "Excellent, now this one here."

Optimus desperately bit back a rumbling laugh as he watched the two of them re-build a tricky servo, onlining his holoform beside them. Of everything in the universe, _nothing _irritated Ratchet more than trying to sort out tiny work. Binder cables had no thumbs.

He was learning how to use his holoform as dexterously as Kae used her own hands. Tiny, skillful hands. At this level, that servo was huge, you could see the parts for the servo. The fact that she was capable of using her feet as well though, that was frankly hilarious.

"Excellent! A sixth hand!" Ratchet rumbled with a grin. "Grab that there for a second!"

Between the three of them they got the hand properly aligned. Optimus couldn't resist darting a hand to tickle Kae's foot as she finally replaced fingers for toes on the clamp. She squeaked and shot him a mild glare.

"I will get you for that," she said menacingly before breaking down into a bright laugh and giving his hip a light shove before setting the foot down again.

The fact that she _did_ that without a second thought had Optimus biting down a broad grin at his own inclusion.

Ratchet grinned as he quickly set the last of the screws and bolts into place with the holoform. He looked up and offered her the back of his left hand. Kae looked at him curiously and began to scan the area. Optimus glanced up at them and struggled to not burst out laughing then and there.

"Like this, Kae," he rumbled, threading his arm around Ratchet's so that their forearms pressed together.

"Woo! New social convention!" Mikaela laughed brightly, immediately threading her arm around Ratchet's as he offered it to her. "Bear in mind you still need to correct me if I'm doing it wrong."

"Pull back with a bit more pressure, it indicates trust that I won't straighten my arm to fire upon you," Ratchet grinned. She obeyed and the smile on the medi-bot's face broadened.

"Speaking of social conventions," Optimus rumbled softly, Mikaela looked at him for a second before understanding flashed into her eyes. She nodded with a small smile.

Optimus straightened slightly and walked out of the workshop toward Lieutenant Jacobs as the man wandered in and toward the mess.

"Lieutenant Jacobs!" Optimus called out, jogging a few steps toward the man.

"Prime," the African man stated in a neutral tone. "What can I do for you?"

"I wish to apologize," Optimus stated in a calm, sincere tone, "you offered me your hand to shake seventy-eight days ago, and I have been given to understand that not accepting it is cause for offence in Earth's western cultures. For that, I apologize." Optimus finished, holding out his hand to the man.

Jacobs crossed his arms with a frown, staring at Optimus. The bot frowned, confused. Jacobs was insulting him?

"Lower your hand, give him that wry smile of your's and say 'point taken,' I'll explain it later, oh, and don't read aloud what his handshake says." Mikaela murmured, her voice so low only the auto-bots would be able to hear.

After a second Optimus obeyed, he shot the African-American a wry smile.

"Point taken," he rumbled with a low snort. Jacobs stared at him for a second before his face split into a wide grin.

"Sorry man, caught me by surprise," Jacobs stated in his deep baritone, offering his hand, Optimus clasped the powerful hand and noted the strong, good man that Jacobs was. Confirmation of his own observations.

"Good handshake," Jacobs nodded, "firm grip, never trust a man who don't have a firm grip. Mind if I ask why you didn't shake my hand before?"

Optimus stared at the suddenly amiable soldier in shock before he felt the holoform's face break into a broad grin.

"If you offer your hand like that on Cybertron you would be telling the 'bot you are pointing to that he is your target," Optimus rumbled through that grin.

"Holy _shit! _You're _joking!" _Jacobs rumbled, his eyes wide open in shock.

Optimus offered the man another wry grin and turned to the side, showing the back of his hand. "At the academy, we were trained to aim with a straight hand, closing your fist, or folding it back gets your hand out of the way when you fire, but the aim is still where your fingers were pointing." Optimus explained patiently.

"_Fuck_ man! That was totally my bad." Jacobs said suddenly, offering his hand, he looked down, "_Shit! _How do I shake your hand then without targeting you?"

"Well I know _now!" _Optimus snorted, fighting back a laugh, he glanced over at the work area as Mikaela and Ratchet finished their traditional morning argument. Mikaela had caved quickly this morning, Ratchet's holoform following her as she made her way toward the mess.

"Mikaela!" Optimus called out with a grin. She changed her course slightly to join Jacobs and him. He turned to the man again. "At home, it is not uncommon for us to range in individual size from smaller than Wheelie to somewhat larger than the one we took down in Shanghai, I suppose it is one of the other reasons we never offer hands. But there are variations of this:" He offered the back of his hand to Mikaela, who smiled and threaded her forearm against his, pulling back strongly in automatic trust. He noted offhandedly in her greeting that she had secrets kept close to her spark.

"Oh so you get to know the secret handshakes and I don't?" Jacobs rumbled at her.

"In fairness I just learned it ten minutes ago," she grinned at him, "for the past couple of weeks I kept thinking Ratchet was telling me to scan the area."

"Is _that_ why you kept looking around?" Ratchet looked down at the femme curiously.

Mikaela looked up at the medi-bot's holoform and burst out laughing, reaching out and wrapping her arms around his waist in a quick hug as Ironhide onlined his holoform.

"Alright, new rule!" she chuckled, "no assumptions without explanations."

"Oh now you are doing my job?" Optimus rumbled at her, throwing a mockingly irritable glare at her. She shot an incredulous look at him for an astrosecond before shooting his glare down with an absolutely adorable little-girl pout.

"Quit playing Prime and get back to being Optimus," she pouted. Optimus stared at her incredulously before his resolve broke. In moments he was howling with laughter. Jacobs, Ratchet and Ironhide stared at the two of them, two grinning, one confused.

Optimus calmed slightly to look at her, she'd held onto the mocking pout, her arms crossed. He looked at her seriously for a second before reaching out and poking at her lip.

"If you do not stop that, your program will freeze that way," he stated with a grin. She burst out laughing and looked at Jacobs.

"I'm sorry, I caught Chance's insomnia last night and we spent a couple of hours hashing out earth's social conventions," she explained with a smile.

"Oh so _you're_ the one who's coaching him!" Jacobs grinned, "did you make him apologize too?"

"You apologized!?" Mikaela asked with raised eyebrows, looking at Optimus in what he found to be an incredible impression of shock, despite her having literally coached him mid-apology. "That's so sweet! _Shit_, human males could use some lessons from the Auto-bots. I don't think I've _ever_ heard a male admit he was wrong about something."

Ratchet idly reached up and rubbed his throat, glancing at Ironhide. The bot caught the message and simply grinned.

"But yeah, you know what? Thanks man," Jacobs said with a smile, turning to Optimus and offering the back of his hand. Optimus grinned and threaded his forearm with the African's, pulling back and finding himself pleased as the man copied the action.

"So you guys going to join us for breakfast?" Jacobs asked with a broad grin.

"I will sit, but I have plenty of fuel left," Optimus nodded, throwing an arm across Mikaela's shoulders and walking beside Jacobs as Ratchet and Ironhide trailed behind.

"That works, don't that get boring though? Always the same diesel?"

"Gas for me, thanks," Ratchet chimed in. "But yes, it does get boring, it all comes from the same scrapping place! Always the refinery in Florida!"

"Shanghai was weird though," Ironhide rumbled, "Spicy, I had spark-burn for days."

"You can tell the difference?" Jacobs asked in an impressed tone, "hold that thought for a second, Lennox!" he bellowed.

"Jacobs!" Major Lennox bellowed back.

"Shit man! You're not gonna _believe_ this!" Jacobs called out, "Did you know we were technically threatening them when we offered to shake the holoform's hands!?"

"You're fucking _kidding _me!" Will shouted. He trotted over as several soldiers stood to join the group or turned to watch. "Prime, I'm so sorry," he extended his hand and looked down. "Fuck, I did it again."

Optimus laughed and gripped the Major's hand before he could drop it, enjoying himself immensely as the man immediately returned the shake. Solid, dependable man, firm resolve, neutral give and take. Mikaela observations were three for three, two handshakes and respect for an apology.

"Well shit, in for a dollar," Epps grinned, "So totally not targeting you," he offered a hand. Optimus shook it, and was surprised to have the man pull away and offer a fist.

"Like I said," Mikaela laughed beside him, "a million different sequential handshakes that _Epps_ would be better able to teach because I have absolutely _no_ fucking clue about them." Epps stared at the two of them for a second before laughing.

"Right then, here, copy the form my hand does," he grinned. Optimus watched interestedly as Epps showed him the sequence, speeding up and executing the sequential 'greeting' the next minute as the man grinned.

"Those are battle commands," Optimus rumbled, "You just ordered the back ten to take flank then charge forward, sort of." he tilted his head to the side.

"Sort of?" Epps grinned.

Optimus held his hands up with a small smile.

"I fire with my right, and sign in silent with my left," he rumbled patiently, signing it.

"_All _of silent is signed with the left," Ironhide added with a grin.

"Right! Food, Sit, Gossip!" Lennox commanded with a grin, offering trays around.

Mikaela was four for four now, Optimus thought with amusement as Ratchet followed the femme to nag her about not eating enough.

"That's what _I_ said!" the server behind the counter offered with a grin, throwing a hefty scoop of what appeared to be fluffy lumps of pale yellow, two pink disks, brown strips and brown cubes on her tray. The smells were fascinating in here.

"That's the same amount you give Chance and Epps!" she protested, "I'm happy to be one of the guys until you try to make me eat as much as they do!"

"You need food for energy," Ratchet grumbled irritably.

"See? Doctors orders," the server said innocently.

"Traitors!" she growled, winking at the man before grabbing a cup of black coffee.

* * *

(MPOV)

Optimus sat down on my left and across from Lennox.

"So how the hell did you know they didn't know all the social conventions Kae?" Will asked curiously, nodding to Optimus as I took a drink of coffee.

Memories struck and I struggled to not do a spit take, failing miserably. Coffee went up my nose, burning and stinging.

"Oh god it burns!" I laughed, tears springing to my eyes as I snatched several napkins up and pressed them to my face.

"Mikaela are you alright!?" Optimus asked in shock.

"I'm fine Optimus," I said consolingly, wiping tears from my eyes and touching his wrist. "The joys of shoddy evolution, if you laugh while drinking, it comes out your nose."

Ratchet chuckled while several soldiers gathered close.

"And anytime something like that happens it's bound to be a good story." Chance grinned, leaning closer.

"If it's alright Optimus?" I looked at him calmly.

"I want to know too," he murmured sincerely.

"Alright, do you three remember when you first arrived?" I asked with a laugh, "Bumblebee brought Sam and I to the hill to watch you enter the atmosphere, and then to the alley where we first met. Now, here's the first social convention you broke. Ratchet, you really _really_ don't announce that 'the boy's pheromone levels suggest he wants to _mate_ with the female.' You very much _killed_ any probability of _that_ for a while!" I lowered my voice as much as I could to imitate him before bursting out into a laugh as the soldiers around us howled.

"The first? That suggests we broke more," Optimus said worriedly.

"A couple, nothing major," I said gently, touching his wrist again.

"Okay, that one was good, but what made you spray coffee?" Chance grinned at me.

"Oh god!" I moaned before laughing again. "Alright, so these guys transformed back into their vehicle forms and took us to Sam's house to get his great-grandfather's glasses. Weird ass mission, I know, but their logic was sound. Sam left me with Optimus to go try to find the glasses and divert his dad. Except of course neither of us had _any_ idea how serious it was at the time. Everyone transforms and begins walking around in the back yard, brand new sod and a concrete fountain. It was an absolute mess!"

"How?" Chance grinned.

"Footprints in the grass, dents and shattered pottery, crushed roses, Optimus stepped on the fountain, Ratchet tripped over the powerlines, it was great!" I laughed again, "but the insurance covered it. Now here comes the good bit. Sam has a dog, Mojo, which his dad had let out. Normal for us, right? Except this _stupid _little chihuahua _pissed_ on Ironhide's foot." I gestured to Ironhide's holoform.

"NO!" Jacobs bellowed.

"Yes!" I shouted back. "So Ironhide whipped out his cannons, and said-"

"You have a rodent infestation, shall I terminate?" Ironhide interjected. There was another roar of laughter.

"And so there's Sam, standing _terrified_ in front of a twenty foot, pissed on and pissed off Ironhide, shaking the dog and saying 'bad Mojo!" I continued amidst the laughter. "'Hide, I really don't blame you, I would have shot that stupid excuse of a dog myself, but you really don't _do that!_" I laughed.

"Primus only knows how she still trusted us after that," Ratchet rumbled with a grin.

"You gave me the option," I said sincerely. "Optimus, you offered your hand to me, rather than out and out picking me up to put me through the window to Sam's room. As many differences between our races there are just as many similarities. Perhaps not all the good ones," I added musingly, "But a goodly few."

"Like what?" Epps asked curiously.

"Well, when Optimus shook my hand last night for example," I said patiently, "He was a holoform, and it seems to have been the first time he shook _any_ hand, but he still offered a firm grip and all the markers that I use to identify a good man. Confirmation of what I'd already observed of him."

"He could have tailored the shake," Tibir piped up musingly.

"No," I said firmly, frowning. "no I know a tailored shake when I feel it. But it's not just that," I turned to Optimus, "We share the same standards that define a good person, honesty, kindness, loyalty, friendship. And the same capabilities for hatred and destruction."

I lapsed into silence, thinking.

"How you learn?" Tibir asked suddenly.

"By surviving," I said quietly, I shook myself and looked at Chance. "Hey what are the chances of getting fuel from more than just the Florida refinery?" I asked him quickly.

"Oh! Nice try Kae," Will said firmly, "Survive how?"

I sighed and sagged into myself, pushing my barely eaten breakfast away.

"We fought to get legit years ago," I said softly, "we bought a rundown shop and practically re-built it ourselves. I took care of bringing in the parts, which meant having to deal with the suppliers. There was a time that I could tell an undercover cop from a legit seller and a hacker at one handshake. And I had to, you know?" I sighed, "Can we talk about something else? The past shouldn't define us, I've stolen, lied, cheated... I don't want to be that person anymore. And I _really_ don't want to screw up working here with Ratchet."

"So fuel!" Jacobs grinned, "Seriously man," he looked at Chance, "Can we get anything new in for these guys? I can't imagine eating scrambled eggs day in and day out."

"Chicken," Ironhide rumbled suddenly, "This florida stuff tastes like chicken."

"Wait, you guys can tell where it came from?" Chance asked with a grin. He jumped up from his seat and ran toward the door, stopping in consternation when they didn't follow. "Sorry, you coming or what? It's my job to drain the gas tanks on the vehicles that come in, if I knew you were tired of the same gas I would have suggested this before, we've got fuel from around the world in Jerry cans in Warehouse two! Ratchet'll probably have to scan 'em to make sure they're still good but point stands."

"I call Texas," Ironhide rumbled immediately, standing and striding toward Chance.

"Shanghai," Optimus grinned, I stood up beside him, and he lightly pushed me back into my seat. "Eat." he said firmly.

"I've eaten as much as I can!" I protested.

"No seriously! That's as much as she ever eats, I'm actually starting to think her stomach shrank at some point," the server stated with a frown.

Ratchet growled and looked at me firmly, evidently scanning me. His face registered shock as I somehow knew it would.

"Story for another day," I muttered, standing and darting out of the mess hall.

Ratchet onlined his holoform directly in front of me.

"Why?" he growled.

"I'm not going to allow the past to define me," I growled back, "the external scars were easy to get rid of, please,_ please _don't make me show off the internal ones."

"You have sub-dermal implants scattered around your body, and a great deal of scarring on your internal organs." he rumbled softly. "What is on those chips that you've nearly _died_ several times over to protect?"

"Exactly Ratchet," I said softly, "I've nearly died to protect them, and will likely die because of them, I survive. And I survive to keep them safe, secrets that _I_ have to keep safe until the time is right, because at the time there was no other way. No matter how much I trust you." I reached up and cupped my mentor's face. "Now let's get you guys some change in fare." I grinned impishly.

Ratchet rolled his eyes before offlining his holoform and following the rest of the auto-bots. He leaned down and offered me his hand mid-step. I hopped into his hand easily.

"Why was it never repaired?" he rumbled in a stern tone.

"I'm alive aren't I?" I retorted firmly.

"What?" Optimus rumbled beside us.

"Mikaela has suffered massive internal trauma," Ratchet reported strongly.

"Her spark?" Optimus asked in a worried tone.

"No, this was nine years ago," Ratchet stated, I crossed my arms and glared at him. "I want to know _why_ the damage was never _repaired_," he added, glaring back at me.

"What damage?" Lennox bellowed up.

"For the love of all the Gods!" I finally shouted at the medi-bot, "Announce it to the entire _world_ why don't you?"

Ratchet stared at me in shock, setting me down on the ground.

"There are _reasons_ why I don't talk about my past," I growled softly, barely above the range that the Major could hear. Lennox was staring at me, "If I could have changed it I would, but you can't change the past. Only work and give for the future."

Optimus looked down at me with knowing eyes.

"What happened?" he rumbled softly.

"Hunting accident," I sighed, hating that I had to lie, and praying that I'd be able to tell the bot the truth. "We were out in the middle of nowhere, Uncle Sho patched me up the best he could. It was only birdshot. I got lucky."

"Where's the scars then?" Lennox asked curiously, looking at my stomach. I shot him a weak smile and pulled up my shirt.

"Mom gave me an interesting genetic trait, I don't get much scar tissue, I pigment instead." I stretched the skin across my side and watched as Lennox went pale, mapping the scars across my stomach. I released the skin and watched as the scars disappeared amid the tan. "Please, don't rat me out Major." I said quietly. "I don't need people's pity. I survived. I don't ride on the wings of others, I earn my own respect. And surviving a gunshot is nothing."

"Those scars aren't a single gunshot," Lennox murmured. "That's a shotgun spray."

"Like I said, I got lucky," I shrugged. "Far enough away that the pellets spread out and lost a lot of force. Birdshot."

"Some of the pellets are still embedded in your organs," Ratchet grumbled down at me.

"Uncle was a bit more worried about stopping me from bleeding to death and making sure the acid in my stomach didn't start eating away the rest of my organs." I retorted.

"Would you at least let me get the bullets out of you?" Ratchet asked almost pleadingly. "Go after some of the scar tissue so that it doesn't hurt so much to eat?"

I sighed and nodded.

"Fine, but if I get fat it's on you," I grumbled at him. Ratchet snorted and watched as Chance ran toward us again.

"Right! I got it sorted!" he called with a broad grin, he looked at Ironhide and was almost bouncing.

"You got Texas?" the bot rumbled curiously.

"Yeah I do!" Chance laughed, running back toward the warehouse again. I laughed and jogged after him.

* * *

(IPOV)

Ironhide grinned, he was gettin' some steak tonight. Mikaela, the little femme Optimus was so fond of had surprised him somewhat. A shot like that should have been fatal for her species. But there she went again. Running.

She really didn't stop running. Or moving really. Kind of had to respect that.

And quiet, that was good for hunting. He honestly wondered what she'd do with a gun. You know, besides shoot Starscream in the face. He hadn't ribbed her about that for a while, he made a note to do that later. Ironhide looked at Ratchet's scans curiously. She had implants alien to her body, things that had to have hurt to put in, and her fuel system was absolutely messed up compared to the other soldiers'. She kept on smilin' though, upped his respect for her a notch.

"That pattern," Major Lennox grumbled softly.

"Major?" Optimus asked curiously.

"Did you see the scar pattern on her stomach? That's not a single shot of birdshot from a distance." Lennox stated with a frown. "Even if she healed up well, those holes are _way_ too big for a shot of birdshot. I'm thinking she's still alive because they _told_ her it was only birdshot. That's a tough chick right there."

Come to think of it, that was probably why Optimus liked the little femme so much. Ironhide looked over at the Prime as the bot watched her.

There was worry in them optics.

Chromia transformed with her sisters and shot a glance at him.

Now _there_ was a femme that just kept going. Ironhide eyed her with a smirk.

Gorgeous.

And brilliant. There was an idea.

::. Got a question for you ladies.:: Ironhide sent to their shared private channel.

::. Shoot.:: Arcee grinned.

::. What's the Femme point of view on Mikaela there?.::

::. Don't really know her yet.:: Chromia put in mildly.

::. You lot remember her, but we weren't around when you met her.:: Flare added.

::. She seems to be a good person though, Primus knows Prime has been in better spirits since she showed up.:: Arcee smiled. ::. Ratchet as well.::

Ironhide glanced at the normally dour Medical Officer to find him watching the Femme with a small smile.

Huh. Hadn't really seen that for a while. Ironhide battled down a smirk.

::. Sap.:: he sent to the medic fondly. Ratchet shot him a glare, the half-sparked kind. Ironhide grinned, his friend was back.


	21. 19 Repairs

**Chapter 19 - Repairs**

* * *

(RPOV)

Ratchet couldn't seem to stay in his recharge cycle. He shrugged and came fully online to see his assistant asleep on the makeshift cot in the work area with a book perched perilously on her chest again.

Hmm... Ratchet onlined his holoform and touched her shoulder.

"Morning Ratch," she murmured, opening her eyes and looking bemusedly at the dark.

"Evening," he rumbled softly, "would you mind if I worked on you a bit?"

"You gonna put me under?" she yawned.

"A little," he rumbled truthfully.

"Okay, just don't expect me to eat anything in the morning," she murmured and dropped back into her recharge cycle.

Ratchet smiled down at his assistant and delicately slipped a mild sedative and painkiller into her arm. He transformed and walked toward her quietly, extending neural fibres from his hand to press through her skin. He scanned her constantly, watching her vital signs as he delicately excised the scar tissue from her organs and flushed the wounds with energon, watching the nanites go berserk and healing her. He deposited the pellets in a small jar and frowned at them. Compared to the tiny form, they were huge.

She'd have to stretch her stomach somewhat, Ratchet decided calmly, looking back down at his assistant. But at least she could now. He looked at the implants and decided to leave them. She was incredibly protective of whatever was on those chips.

He'd have to do a bit more research on her.

He sat down on his bench and powered down somewhat, a single processor devoted to monitoring his assistant as she slept the anaesthetic off. He was actually astonished just how little she needed, even for her size. Several hours and it had left her system.

He actually felt quite a bit more rested now, more at ease now that she was in better condition. He watched her sleep now, it was a fascinating study in itself, her brainwaves had slowed substantially, her breathing slow.

But then it changed. She began muttering in her sleep, calling out to someone named Tinny. Ratchet watched in astonishment as tears slipped out from beneath her closed eyes.

"Don't leave me, big-sister," she whimpered softly.

::. She gets chargefrights too.:: Bumblebee sent softly. Ratchet jumped, he hadn't realized that the scout was awake.

::. I did not know she has a sister.:: Ratchet sent curiously.

::. Don't ask her about it.:: Bumblebee sent quietly ::. Not unless you want to spend an orn trying to bring her out of her shell, as far as I can tell her sister either abandoned her or is dead. It's one of the things she never talks about, and I mean _never_.::

::. Noted.:: Ratchet sent back worriedly, watching the tiny femme again. She was tossing in her sleep still. Her eyes flashed open, she stood up and began walking.

::. Uh oh.:: Bee sent worriedly. He onlined his holoform and walked carefully beside Kae, never touching her. She didn't greet him.

::. Rude...:: Ratchet sent irritably.

::. She's still asleep, Ratchet.:: Bumblebee sent worriedly ::. Humans call it 'sleep-walking,' I once watched her get up and re-build the Witwickey's lawnmower... Oh thank Primus...::

Ratchet watched in shock as Kae made a perfect beeline to the mats, she stilled and began moving through a sequence that quickly registered as one of the various martial arts on this planet. Tai Chi. It was a new shock when she moved directly from one and began on another entirely. Ratchet watched it curiously, he could find no match.

::. She's just doing her sequences tonight.:: Bumblebee sent in a relieved tone.

::. What happened to the lawnmower?.:: Ratchet sent in amusement as Mikaela closed her stance and began walking back toward the cot.

::. Oh she fixed it, turned it on and scared the pit out of herself.:: Bumblebee sent in amusement. ::. Jumped about two feet in the air and shut the lawnmower down again, she didn't know I'd been awake the entire time and apologized for waking me up.::

::. So what did you do?.:: he sent in amusement, turning to begin his first project of the day.

::. Oh I teased her mercilessly for a week when Sam wasn't around.:: Bee giggled ::. Of course that's only because even _you_ wouldn't bother to re-build an engine while you're in the middle of a recharge cycle.::

Ratchet bit back a snort and glanced over at his assistant as she began to wake.

"Morning Ratch," she murmured, yawning.

"Morning Kae," he murmured quietly, looking at her again. "If you feel you can manage any food today, I want you to drop whatever you're working on and go eat. You need to stretch your stomach back to a healthy size."

Mikaela sat up quickly and clutched her stomach. The look of shock on her face was completely worth it.

"It doesn't hurt!" she murmured in shock. Ratchet smiled.

* * *

(MPOV)

I woke up on the cot again, Ratchet was already working on his first project of the day.

"Morning Ratch," I yawned.

"Morning Kae," he rumbled quietly. "If you feel you can manage any food today, I want you to drop whatever you're working on and go eat. You need to stretch your stomach back to a healthy size."

I sat up quickly and noticed something immediately.

"It doesn't hurt!" I murmured in shock, holding my stomach.

"It shouldn't from now on," Ratchet rumbled with a smile, looking up at me. He pointed at a small jar on my bedside table. "I pulled those out of your organs, and the nanites got rid of a lot of the scar tissue."

I stared at the buckshot in the jars.

"Did... are those just bigger because of calcium deposits or something?" I asked weakly.

"No." Ratchet stated firmly.

"That... that's buckshot," I whispered.

"From three different shells." Ratchet rumbled, turning to glare at me slightly. "Who has been trying to kill you?"

I froze, staring at the medical officer. His glare softened.

"I'm not going to ask what's on the chips, but I would ask _why_ you're so willing to die to protect them, I won't betray you." he stated gently. I looked at him for a long moment.

"I'm protecting a secret that would change the status quo," I said finally. "Information that could do incredible things in good hands. In the wrong hands..." I wrapped my arms around myself for a moment before touching my stomach. I looked back up at Ratchet.

"This is a souvenir from men who work for the wrong hands," I stated quietly, then shot the worried looking medi-bot a small smile. "One which I find myself glad to be rid of. Thank you, Ratchet." I walked over and hugged his calf.

He leaned down and enveloped me in his hand.

I looked up at him with a grin.

"So what's on the menu today?" I asked cheerfully.

"Three new services and a problem child," Ratchet grinned down at me, blessedly dropping the subject. "If you finish that up you can come help me fix this leg."

I grinned up at my mentor and walked quickly to the first service as soldiers began wandering toward the mess hall. The radio beside me began blaring, I jumped and turned to look at a grinning Ratchet.

"It saves having to hack into your iPod to listen to the music," he shrugged. I began laughing and flew through the services, occasionally bobbing to the beat as I went. I was finished the problem child by the time the soldiers began wandering toward the mess again. I stared at the mess hall for a long moment. Debating myself.

"Hungry?" Ratchet asked me curiously.

"I'm trying to decide on that still," I stated calmly, rubbing my stomach. "Either hungry or still nauseous. Joy."

"Your stomach is empty and healed, there is no anaesthetic remaining in your systems," Ratchet stated calmly. "Try to eat."

I shrugged agreement and wandered into the mess.

"Kae! Fancy meeting you here!" Will grinned, throwing an arm over my shoulders. "You _gotta_ try the mushroom ravioli. Seriously."

I caught the scent of the food and felt my stomach grumble for the first time in years.

"That, sounds like a brilliant friggen idea," I stated with a broad grin. He gave me a light shove into the line and picked up a tray behind me.

"So, why'd you never get fixed up properly?" Will asked curiously. "It's not healthy to just go about with a bunch of scars in your guts."

"It's also expensive as hell to have them go in and clean up the mess," I replied, grinning as the cook plopped a small portion of the pasta on my tray. My size.

"Am I really that bad of a cook?" the chef asked with a frown as I walked past.

"No man," Lennox replied for me. "You weren't around yesterday, Ratchet did a scan on her, turns out our Kae came to us already shot."

"Oh shit, gutshot? What calibre?" Chance asked with raised eyebrows as several soldiers turned to stare. I sighed and fished out the small jar of bullets that Ratchet had pulled out of me last night, setting them lightly on the table.

"Ratchet pulled the last of them out last night," I said in a resigned tone.

"I _knew it!"_ Lennox stated loudly. "That's friggen buckshot. How many cartridges?"

"Ratchet said three," I frowned, "That just doesn't seem right, I only remember one."

"What do you remember?" Epps asked intently, "this shit should have been reported!"

I sighed and looked around, taking a bite of the ravioli.

"One shot and you can get away with hunting accident, two and it's sketchy, three and people shot you on purpose, what happened," Will stated firmly. I looked at him gravely.

"Hey, we're not gonna rat on you," Epps snorted. "If you said hunting accident it was for a reason. Can see it in your eyes girl, you're not fond of lying."

"True," I snorted, "It sucks ass."

"So what happened?" Will asked again.

"It was the second time I'd had to run," I sighed, "the lot of us went up to moose camp with Brick. I don't know how they found us, or even who they _were_, really. The best we could figure was that they were the advance, that they'd shot me to pin us down." I gave a harsh laugh. "I felt the first shot, it threw me back against the cabin, next thing I remember I was back on my feet again and running. That's all I really remember. Being thrown on..." I frowned, "I remember being thrown against the cabin, and then... then the ground? the worst stomach ache I'd ever had, and Uncle putting me back together in the van. This pasta is friggen incredible." I added, grabbing another bite.

"Sam said you'd been in the same school since first grade," Lennox stated curiously.

"Hah! Do and expect the unexpected," I laughed. "That's how dad hid me, always the same school, the same address. People in hiding always make the mistake of switching addresses, names, schools. They knew I _existed_, but no one ever knew my real name. It's so much easier to hide out in the open."

"How the hell does that work?" Epps laughed.

"You stand still and watch the world pass by," Jacobs rumbled. I grinned as he pounded the fist I offered him.

"Okay, zen, right, but how does it work?" Epps grinned.

"Okay, when you're looking into someone's past, and there isn't any record of them from before having arrived in the states from Africa, or Korea, what does it tell you?" I grinned.

"That they spent their life in Africa?" Tibir asked curiously.

"No, witness protection gives you a new name, new story, but it's damned expensive to get all the certifications and things back to the start of your life." Will stated with a nod.

"When you're looking for someone, who doesn't want to be found," I stated calmly, spearing another piece of pasta. "Look for the people who materialize out of thin air. Names, faces, addresses, they're easy to change. History though, history is written by the victorious. When a person is hiding, you can sure as hell bet they didn't win."

"So you guys didn't win," Will stated quietly.

"When a gang banger knocks on your door, Will," I stated quietly. "You're free to call the police. There are people to help you."

"When you grow up in the gangs," Epps added quietly. "you call the police and you're dead. You call your gang, they might wind up dead, but they'll still come."

"So if you'd called the police your gang would have killed you?" Jacobs asked incredulously.

"No," I snorted, "we were a unit. I grew up with a hell of a lot of respect for a good cop. But when there's no option but for us to steal cars to pay for med bills, I call the police and they arrest _everyone._ Split us up. And a free asset in jail?"

"You call the police, _they're _dead," Epps whispered. I shrugged.

"Shit Kae," Will murmured.

"Hey," I grinned, "you play the cards life deals you. I'm not in it for a pity party, I'm still standing! And shit, Ratchet just fixed me up, I've eaten more right now, than I _ever_ have at one sitting and I don't feel like throwing up. Doing pretty good I'd say." I indicated the empty tray in front of me.

"Friggen optimist, right here," Epps snorted, jabbing a finger at me.

"_Eternal_ optimist," I grinned, stealing another bite of pasta from Will's tray. "And this eternal optimist is gonna go learn some new shit that up till a month ago? I could only _dream_ of learning. Later boys, save me some dinner!"

I swung out of my chair and jogged toward Ratchet amidst the laughter.


	22. 20 Guns and Wrenches

**Right, first off, if you haven't re-read chapter seventeen - Hands, then go read it, because I being a full and complete blonde, stuck 24 where it shouldn't have been, and a billion thanks to FireRose for pointing that out to me. Right, so without further ado:**

**Chapter 20 - Guns and Wrenches**

* * *

(MPOV)

Ironhide stood up. Or rather, he stretched back out of his Alt-form. I couldn't help but frown slightly. Even in the bright sunlight, I couldn't help but notice a few sparks shooting out of his shoulder.

Of course, for the most part when he transformed, the humans stared at the cannons attached to his wrists.

"What?" Ironhide rumbled, turning to look at me. You could always trust that bot to know when there were eyes on him.

"Doesn't that hurt?" I asked with a frown.

"Doesn't what hurt?"

"Your shoulder."

"Mmnph," Ratchet immediately grumbled. "It's worn out to the bare protoform, and he _still_ won't let me replace it!"

"Don't want a new shoulder, it takes _forever_ to get it worn in properly," Ironhide rumbled with a snort of irritation. Ratchet rolled his optics.

"They've been doing that for the past fourteen vorn," Bumblebee informed me with a snort, lounging casually beside my workbench.

"Of course it _wouldn't _be so badly worn if the lazy lugnut over there would subspace those bloody cannons, rather than carrying them around orn in and orn out," Ratchet added with a snort.

Ironhide burst out laughing.

"Lazy my pede, I build and tear these things down every single time I transform. You _gotta_ take care of your cannons Ratchet, otherwise we'll just have _another_ Sigma three on our hands." the Weapons Master grinned.

Ratchet promptly dropped his head onto his workbench.

"No," he rumbled flatly.

"Go on Ratchet," Ironhide grinned unrepentantly. "Go ahead and remind me what happened to a certain sub-spaced plasma rifle."

"Shut up Ironhide," Ratchet grumbled.

I looked at Bee.

"Shut up Bumblebee," Ratchet added flatly.

"_Ratchet!_" I shouted. "What did you _do!?_"

"I hate you Ironhide," my mentor stated flatly.

"No you don't," Ironhide snorted. "If you hated me you would have _long_ since stopped nagging me about my shoulder. I'll make you a bet Ratchet."

"What?" he asked curiously, looking up.

"If your cannons fire, I won't tell Kae," Ironhide stated simply.

Ratchet was on his feet the next second, striding out of the hangars.

"Are you glitches coming or not!?" he bellowed over his shoulder.

Bumblebee had me in his hands the next second, lifting me to his shoulder as he followed the rapidly gathering group of bots.

I watched with a broad grin as Ratchet stood with a glower on his faceplates, pulling a couple of cannons seemingly out of thin air. They integrated into his wrists and began glowing somewhat.

Ratchet took aim, and a fizzle appeared, it sparked for a moment before powering down. He growled and made to fire with the other. Same damn thing.

What. Were the fricking odds.

I half expected Ironhide to burst out laughing. Instead:

"Both of them!?" Ironhide roared. He hauled off and cuffed Ratchet upside the back of the helm. "Hand 'em over."

"Iron-" Ratchet started.

"_I __**said**__: Hand. Them. Over._" Ironhide growled. Whoa.

Ratchet sighed.

"I'm never going to hear the end of this, am I?" he groaned.

"Hmnph! _Kae_!" he barked out.

"_Sir_!" I shouted back, and clapped a hand over my mouth. I couldn't believe I did that, ah well, Ratchet and I were _both_ gonna get some ribbing. Ironhide was staring at me. Except then, then he grinned.

"'Mon Kae," he rumbled cheerfully, lightly plucking me off of Bee's shoulder. "Ratchet don't get to use his assistant today. _You're_ gonna help me fix these damn things."

"Ironhide," Optimus rumbled in exasperation.

The weapons Master looked at him curiously.

"Uh, human?" I asked curiously, half-dangling from Ironhide's hand.

"Optimus," Ironhide stated firmly. "_My _function."

They stared at each other for a long moment until Optimus rolled his optics with a low snort and nodded.

"Right," Ironhide grinned down at me, walking back to the hangar. "As Weapons Master it is my duty to see you outfitted according to your ability to understand and function with whatever weapon I deem you fit for. You will _not_ share _any_ of this information with any I deem unfit for you to share it with, that includes bots as well, Ratchet and Optimus excluded. Until I deem you a fellow Weapons Master you will _not_ teach another, got it?"

"Got it," I nodded firmly, squirming in his hand to look up at him.

"Good. Now. Before you even _need _to ask, _last_ time he let his weapons go like this, I had to save his sorry aft from a couple of half-rate ruffians, all because he couldn't so much as fire a _warning shot._"

I snorted, I couldn't help it, Ironhide set me down on Ratchet's workbench and poked my toolkit toward me with a finger, setting the cannons down beside me. He settled down on the bench and released a contented groan.

"Right then, you see those little screws there?" He pointed to a good dozen bolts that were probably the thickness of my thumb. Mind, at his size, they _were_ quite tiny. "Need those unscrewed, get into the guts," Ironhide rumbled with a snort. "Ratchet ain't the only one who don't like working on tiny scrap."

I chuckled and glanced at the bolts, grabbing the right tool and getting down to some serious work with the Weapons Master.

"So how are you so sure I'm not Galloway's spy?" I asked him teasingly.

"Welp, one, you just asked that. Two, just 'cause you're fixin' it, don't necessarily mean I'm gonna tell you precisely how it _works." _

"Fair enough," I nodded musingly, cleaning circuits and straightening wires under his command.

"'Course I'm gonna train you up proper anyway," Ironhide shrugged. I froze, turning to stare at him. "What?" he rumbled curiously.

"You're gonna train me to use Auto-bot weaponry?" I demanded incredulously.

"Yeah? So?"

"Human!" I stated incredulously. Ironhide frowned at me.

"Do you not want to learn?" he rumbled through that frown.

"Of course I want to learn!" I snorted. "I'm simply stating facts, I'm human, I thought you guys weren't going to outfit humans with weapons."

"You're more than a human now, Kae," Ironhide rumbled flatly, his own hands stilling as he looked down at me seriously. "You got a spark now, you're registering on our scans as a Cybertronian. Ain't the point though." He leaned forward, bringing his optics to my level and lowering his voice so the soldiers wouldn't hear. "You are dear to our Prime. I was watching you Femme, tiny as you are, _fragile _as you are you were right in the thick of things watchin' his back, you heard us coming and prepared to defend him from further threat. He says you saved his life, and Prime is useless when it comes to lyin' proper. He trusts too easy and assumes ain't nobody gonna stab him in the back. The more optics I got _watchin' _his back the better."

I felt my throat tighten somewhat, the gruff, rough and ready Weapons Master could always be trusted to be bluntly honest. I felt myself straighten somewhat with pride of his trust in me, he nodded and pointed to Ratchet's cannon.

"Now then, that circuit there needs swapping out," he rumbled flatly. "'S'bout ready to go."

I smiled and nodded, turning back to my work.

* * *

(SPOV)

Sideswipe was frowning again, he couldn't help it. The human femme was too calm, to patient compared to Ratchet's normal grumpiness, or even to the bizarrely even tempered Medi-bot who had resided at the temple. A solid month at base now and he hadn't yet seen her so much as _growl_ properly. She would frown, walk around the vehicle for a second and get back to work.

Too quiet.

Anytime Ratchet began grumbling or swearing, she would look up, gauge his mood and act accordingly. Sometimes ignoring it, sometimes offering to swap, oftentimes just straight up _baiting_ him until he burst out laughing. Scrap. She'd worked with _Ironhide._ And he hadn't even _insulted_ her!

"What do you think of the human femme?" Sideswipe murmured quietly.

"Ratchet adores her, she asks good questions, doesn't argue about what I tell her I'm _not_ going to tell her, and she does good work according to Bumblebee," Ironhide shrugged genially, picking up Sideswipe's mood and watching the Femme carbon unit as she patiently looked over another hummer. "And we _all_ know how damned picky _Bee_ is."

The bot in question pulled a face at Ironhide as he transformed.

But this wasn't a battle situation, Ironhide was actually pretty good with younglings. You could see him chuckling somewhat at the scout.

"I don't like it, she's too-" Sideswipe growled softly, but was cut short the next second.

"You piece of tin scrap _bastard!_" Mikaela shrieked at the Humvee sitting stubbornly silent in the middle of her workspace.

"Too what? Contained? Quiet? Too much like you?" Ironhide laughed as Sideswipe stared in shock.

"Kae?" Ratchet looked up from the servo he was working on in concern.

"Rust! Rust Ratchet! Rusty fucking bolts in a two year old vehicle. Where's the justice?" Mikaela demanded irritably, climbing up on top of the engine.

"Can't get a bolt undone?" Ratchet looked at her in amusement, "_that_ took a while."

"If I don't have hydraulic ram strength in my next life I'm going to be severely _pissed off!_" Mikaela shot back, climbing up and balancing herself lightly on the Hummer's frame.

"What are you doing?" Ratchet asked curiously.

"Give me a lever and a place to stand, and I can move the world," Mikaela grinned at him and jumped, landing all of her weight against the wrench. The bolt came loose with a rusty squeal of protest. "When in doubt, leverage," she added, pulling herself free and climbing into a different position, a series of squeaks and clicks told of a now loosened bolt being removed. Minutes later the engine block sat suspended in a lift.

"Aw you've got to be kidding me," Mikaela growled, walking around the engine.

"Hmn?" Ratchet murmured.

"Oil pipe's practically _stuffed _with sand, no wonder it was running rough a month ago. Oh! And blown out head gaskets too! This just gets _better_! _Who_ bloody drives a truck with no _air filter_ and no friggen_ oil left in the engine!?" _

"Well, we were running away from an airstrike," Graham piped up, walking by, "Decepticons don't exactly let you stop at the petrol station to top up the oil..."

"_You!_" Mikaela howled, extending her arms into claws and stalking after the laughing Brit with mocking ferocity.

"So that's how she stands to be around Ratchet, she can grump right back at 'im!" Chance added baitingly, scurrying past to avoid the used oil filter Ratchet delicately flicked at him. Mikaela caught it and tossed it into the bin.

"What the _Pitfire_ kind of stance is that?" Sideswipe demanded indignantly, ducking away from Ironhide's restraining arm.

"Humans refer to that as a stalking zombie," Graham laughed, taking a couple of quick steps out of Mikaela's path, she grinned and flashed him a two fingered salute, making him laugh harder before she walked back toward the hummer.

"Useless!" Sideswipe stated after a moment, searching for zombies online. "They stumble! They're killed far too easily! Get into a proper stance!"

"They're not fighting, Sides," Ratchet rumbled, never looking up.

"One does not go into an aggressive stance and not fight!" Sideswipe stated indignantly.

"Precisely why I wasn't in an aggressive stance," Mikaela piped up, looking up at him calmly. She turned and glared at the engine again.

"If it's a write-off it's a write-off," Ratchet murmured consolingly.

"No, I can re-build it," Mikaela sighed, "It's just a pain when the bolts are stuck," she picked up a socket and attacked a bolt, growling when it refused to budge. When the next bolt proved the same she snarled, backing up and kicking the socket wrench at high speed.

"Unstable," Sideswipe grumbled.

"It's the human condition," Mikaela grumbled right back at him, which admittedly upped his opinion of her a notch, "Especially females, mood-swings."

"No, your stance is unstable, you should be able to kick with force without stumbling! Get into a proper stance!" Sideswipe commanded.

"Take a break Kae, before you break that poor engine block," Ratchet added, looking up with a grin.

"More like before it breaks me," Mikaela sighed, washing her hands in the basin, "I wonder if there's a punching bag nearby. I haven't hit anything in ages."

Ironhide elbowed Sideswipe with a smirk, Mikaela glancing over at the muted crash.

Sideswipe onlined his holoform with a disgruntled look on his face.

"Precisely what challenge is a tiny human femme?" Sideswipe grumbled through his asian based holoform as a heavyset and scarred man appeared beside him.

"Somebody for you to spar with Mikaela!" Ironhide's holo grinned at the girl.

"Excellent! I always wanted to beat up thin air!" Mikaela rolled her eyes.

"Try not to taunt them, those holos are as solid as my medic is," Ratchet grinned at the girl as her eyes lit up. Sideswipe couldn't help but grin at the change in her expression.

He turned and walked to the mats, Mikaela and Ironhide following close behind.

* * *

(MPOV)

"You want to fight you get into a proper stance," Sideswipe threw the challenge at me as several soldiers turned to watch curiously.

I automatically faced him and sank into an almost-forgotten opening stance, facing him with closed defences. He walked toward me gracefully and threw a slow punch, easily deflected, I backed a step and stood in preparation, watching him like a hawk.

We froze for a moment, sizing each other up. In the blink of an eye he threw a few quick jabs at me, followed by a light kick. I deflected them again, drawing calm and earth into my stance and soul.

"Who was your master?" Sideswipe asked quietly as we circled, tracking each other.

"Chen Sho," I stated just as quietly.

"He taught you defence," Sideswipe stated, darting in to throw a few more shots at me. I saw the opening and caught his arm. In a moment he was on his back, my forearm at his throat and one fist hovering over his face.

"He did," I smiled, shooting back to my feet and settling back into a ready stance.

"Damn Sides! She got you!" Ironhide guffawed.

"He let me," I said calmly as the holo jumped to his feet, "there's no way a bot who'd correct my stance to kick off a bolt would 'accidentally' leave an opening that wide."

Sideswipe grinned approvingly and sank into position.

"Let's see what you can do then," he chuckled and came after me with a barrage of punches and kicks. I dodged what I couldn't block, ducked and threw a few punches of my own from time to time. We broke apart and circled each other for a moment.

"You move quickly for one who's feet are deep in the ground," Sideswipe said finally.

"You take a punch well," I replied with a nod, my eyes never leaving his. "You remain stable for one who moves in the wind."

The next barrage of strikes were faster, forcing me to actually concentrate on the movements until he finally got me down on the ground.

I felt _so_ out of practice.

"Rusty, but not bad," Sideswipe nodded, jumping up and offering me a hand.

"Thank you," I nodded, giving a small smile and sweeping his legs out from under him. He landed with a small oomph and looked up at me with narrowed eyes.

"Element of surprise, point," he nodded then recoiled beneath me, and then I was on my back with him on top.

"Sideswipe!" Optimus' voice called out reproachfully, walking into the hangar.

"Oh don't be a spoilsport Optimus!" I called out, arching to look at the mech walking toward us. That space let me flip Sideswipe again, straddling his torso I looked up at Prime with a grin. "Sideswipe has been kind enough to let me get my aggression out, and polish up skills I haven't used since I was barely older than a hatchling."

"That and it's just fun to watch Sides let himself get beat up by a human femme," Ironhide chuckled.

"Damnit! And I thought I was doing well!" I protested, rising easily from Sideswipe's holo chest. I offered him a hand and pulled him to his feet.

"Better than Ironhide," Sideswipe murmured, patting my shoulder comfortingly.

Ironhide snorted indignantly.

"You're still faster with the guns 'Hide," I called up to him with a smile.

The weapons master's holoform smirked at me and got into a gun slinger's stance. I turned to face him with narrowed eyes, copying him.

We drew hands, pointing and mockingly shooting at each other. Just for shits and giggles I went down first, clapping a dramatic hand over my heart and falling over the way a human normally would.

"Kae?" Ironhide asked curiously.

"You killed me 'Hide! Well shit." I laughed. Ironhide snorted as I flexed to my feet, I wandered to the edge of the mats and slipped my over-sized boots back on.

"Where you going?" Sideswipe asked curiously.

"Fix that Hummer," I stated with a small smile.

"But it's a write off!" Ratchet stated with a frown.

"It's a mission now," I laughed, grabbing a can of grease and going over every bolt.

"Why?" Ratchet snorted.

"Because _everything_ deserves a second chance." I stated firmly, running through my mental checklist before starting in on the engine.

* * *

(RPOV)

Ratchet looked down at his assistant as she rapidly began stripping the engine and shrugged. She had good sense, if she figured she could fix it she could. In a remarkably short time the entire engine was laid out on a tarpaulin as Mikaela wandered through the parts with narrowed eyes. She pulled out her iPod and plugged herself in.

Ratchet let loose the small smile that had been threatening to cross his face as his assistant began moving to the beat as she cleaned each part. She turned to the engine block and frowned at it for a minute before walking over to the parts shelves. She pulled down an assortment of new parts and logged them before hauling the load to her spot.

She walked around the newly cleaned and stripped engine block before lifting it up to the drill press. Ratchet set down his tools to watch in interest as she re-bored the engine block, patiently cleaning away the shavings and spurs before inspecting it and beginning to put it back together. He scanned the engine as she worked on it and felt his brow ridges rising. She was improving on the minute flaws he'd found.

Apparently, she'd found them too. That was a very nice, tight fit on the pistons now. It was almost hypnotic, watching as she patiently went over every single detail.

"Hey Ratch?" Graham called out curiously.

"Graham," Ratchet murmured, watching his assistant.

"I can't help but worry that she's actually mad at me," Graham stated, watching as Mikaela re-assembled the engine from scratch. Occasionally logging parts numbers as she went and writing notes.

"Nah," Ratchet grinned as Mikaela hooked up a fuel line on the new engine and hot wired it to fire up. It sputtered for a second as she made several minute adjustments to timing and alignment before triggering a flood of fuel.

"YEAH!" she shouted triumphantly as it snarled to life.

"Holy shit that's a mean roar!" Chance bellowed.

Mikaela cut the engine and grinned at the men who'd stopped to watch as she worked.

"Why thank you, Chance," she grinned, lifting the engine back into the frame. She patiently began hooking it back up, bolting in the engine, releasing the lift and disappearing for several minutes as she scooted around beneath.

Ratchet shook his head with a grin and went back to his own project.

He looked in shock at the time when he finished. He'd missed out nagging her to go to dinner. He looked over and scanned the Hummer Mikaela was closing the hood on, she stripped her coveralls off and stretched.

That vehicle was a beast now. Ratchet began laughing.

"That's an interesting modification," he rumbled down at his assistant. She looked up at him with a smirk.

"Everything deserves a second chance," she grinned.

"Is it done!?" Lennox bellowed from the door to the mess hall.

"Maiden voyage!" Mikaela shouted triumphantly, hopping into the drivers seat. Ratchet listened as she turned it on, it ran smoothly, perfectly tuned. It _sounded_ like a quietly purring _beast_. Rather like Ironhide, actually.

"Shotgun!" Lennox shouted, hopping into the passenger's seat with a grin as a few soldiers hopped into the back.

Mikaela laughed and drove slowly out of the hangar and onto the track. Ratchet followed to watch as the armoured vehicle roared to life, taking off like a rocket with power to spare. She looped the track, spun a donut and returned to the hangar with a truckload of laughing and cheering soldiers.

"And the point of that was?" Ratchet asked with a grin.

"I Graham-proofed it," she stated blandly as the soldiers howled with laughter


	23. 21 Foundation

**Chapter 21 - Foundation**

* * *

(WPOV)

"Optimus?" Will called out in a resigned tone. Today was going to suck.

"Major Lennox," Optimus replied calmly, transforming and striding carefully to communications central.

"You're going to hate me in a minute," Will groaned, burying his face into a hand. This absolutely sucked.

"You have been ordered to pass on information that I will likely find distasteful," Optimus rumbled calmly. "I shall not hold it against you."

"Well I'm sorry anyway," Will sighed, "here goes, are there any upgrades to our weapons technology that you would be willing to share as yet? I'm sorry, the higher ups are crawling up my ass on that."

Optimus surveyed him for a long moment. Will prepared himself to get reamed out.

"Relax," Optimus ordered sternly, "you may tell your superiors that if they wish to hear my answer they may ask me personally. I will not ream you out for something you have no control over."

Will sighed in relief.

"Well, that's one less party that's going to ream me out," he muttered.

"Give them the Hummer," Ratchet stated blandly. Optimus glanced over at his medical officer with a raised brow ridge.

"We've got hummers," Will frowned.

"No, the one Kae built," Ratchet snorted. "She didn't just re-build it, she improved on most of the flaws I've observed on your vehicles."

"Oh come off it!" Mikaela snorted, glancing up from a jeep she was working on, "_anybody_ with half a brain could figure out what's wrong with the setup. Controlled obsolescence, what would happen if we built 'em like they used to? Car companies would go out of business."

"Wait what?" Will stared at the young woman, up to her elbows in jet black grease. She looked up in surprise.

"I'm a mechanic," she stated gently, "as far as I'm concerned, these things were built to break down, which is friggin' criminal really." She shrugged patiently and touched a few wires together, the engine started.

"I'll second_ that_," Ratchet stated, looking back at the twisted pile of metal and wires he was working on.

Shocked, Will stared at Optimus before pounding down the steps and jogging to the mechanic's corner. The big man turned and knelt down, bringing himself more to the human's level to continue the conversation.

"What do you mean they're designed to break down?" Will asked in a shocked tone.

"You didn't _know?_" Kae looked at him in shock. "here, come here." she grabbed his hand and dragged him to an engine she'd dismantled. "Look at that, what do you see?" she asked in a firm tone.

"Um, an engine block." Will stated with a frown.

"Alright, now feel, what's that?" Kae growled, pressing his hand over a part of the engine. Will frowned.

"Um, a rough patch?" he asked, feeling incredibly stupid.

"Oh dear," Kae sighed, reaching up and rubbing her brow, it left a black smear across her forehead. She walked to the wall and picked up a sledge hammer, slung it over her shoulder and walked back to him.

"Right, look very carefully right here, do you see that line?" she asked patiently. Will frowned.

"Is that a crack?" he asked curiously.

"Hairliner, this engine will run with it still, but not very damn well. Put those glasses on," she commanded brusquely. She swung the sledge hammer and brought it down on the engine block. It split in half. More than half, it shattered.

"What the fuck!?" Will bellowed.

"It's useless anyway," Ratchet shrugged.

"How the fuck did you break that?" Will shouted, staring at Kae, "How the hell am I supposed to send _my_ men into battle with an engine that a 120 pound _girl_ can break? No offence," he added quickly.

"None taken," Kae shrugged. Thank god. "Now here's the problem, look at the metal, it's specified to be a high tolerance alloy. _This_ is friggen _monkey_ metal, you can't weld it, fix it, _anything_. The best I could do with it in the_ field_ would be to pack it with glue. Which would last all of five days. Maybe.

"Sope, if you want something to tell the superiors? Tell them to check the weapons they're already making, 'cause if the companies are cranking out cheap shit engines when _you_ guys are facing an enemy that's equipped with a fuck-ton of speed? You need to run, Will, either to fall back or chase after. In a broken car. Now what kind of _guns_ are they sending?"

"Mikaela, I want you to find another engine like that..." Will trailed off as Mikaela casually pointed to a line of vehicles, newer vehicles at that.

"Take your pick, that's _my_ write-off line." Kae stated flatly, she walked back to the jeep she'd been working on.

"What's the difference?" Will asked softly. Kae... laughed? And walked back to him, carrying a chunk of metal. Close inspection showed it to be a piece of a different engine block. She casually dropped it at his feet.

It bounced, and rang like a bell.

She shoved a piece of the shattered engine block off the slab it had been resting on.

It clunked.

"You can hear the difference quality makes, the design doesn't mean shit if the metal doesn't hold up" she shrugged, wiping the grease from her hands. "Give me your gun."

"Um..."

"Hey," Mikaela grinned, "I'm not going to fire it, I just want to show you something."

"Okay..." Will frowned, handing over the gun.

"Semi-automatic .45 glock, military issue?" she shot at him calmly.

Will nodded and watched in astonishment as she deftly cleared the chamber, broke it apart and held up his trigger.

"The most important piece," she murmured, "if this breaks, your gun is useless."

She dropped it at his feet.

It clunked.

Will sat down hard. Kae promptly put his gun back together, turned it around and offered it to him.

"Being a mechanic is not simply knowing what parts looks like, or how they function. It also means knowing how and why they're going to break, and what happens when they do," Kae stated softly. Will holstered his gun automatically.

Oh yeah, if a _civilian_ could tell him that, he had a _hell_ of a lot of material to stall with.

"So what all would you need to repair that engine absolutely?" Will asked Mikaela quietly, looking at the shattered engine.

"Fix it properly, or fix it so it'll run again?" Kae asked over her shoulder, already elbow deep in the jeep again. "Both are friggen expensive, even when I'm working for _free_."

"Okay, both," Will grinned as Optimus snorted behind him.

"Okay, if I'm going to continue to use that monkey metal? I'd need..." she frowned and looked around the shop. "A crucible, sand-mould setup, a _way _heavier duty grinder/polisher... probably some other stuff, oh, and a guy to run the equipment, because I've never done it before," she grinned at him cheerfully.

Will stared at her.

"Oh come on Major!" Mikaela laughed, "I'm eighteen! I just gave you the same demonstration my own father did when he taught me what a hairliner is. I know where the parts come from, what they're made of, and how they're made. Not how_ to_ make them."

"Okay fair enough," Will laughed, leaning back in his seat. Her laughing admission admittedly making him feel a great deal better. "So hypothetically, if you were building the engines from absolute scratch, to _your_ standards what would you need?"

"Mmmnn..." she hummed, seeming to stare at her chest for a moment.

"Oh go on Kae," Ratchet grinned. "You already know."

Mikaela snorted and glared at her mentor.

"Alright fine, if I'm building them from absolute scratch I'd need the Peterbilt factory." Mikaela stated with an absolutely straight face.

"Wait what?" Will asked with a laugh.

"The Peterbilt factory, or at least their setup," Mikaela snorted, she trotted over and promptly climbed up Optimus' leg to his chest. "Optimus did a brilliant job emulating their engines, they're made to last _forever_, I mean, look at his intakes alone!" she promptly pointed to a part in his abdomen as the mech snorted. "Optimus has a _damned_ good sense of taste. Diesel engine. Not named after the fuel, named after the inventor, Rudolph Diesel. Right here is a _massive_ amount of power, properly fitted together and made to run long distance with as little maintenance as possible. The only limit on the power is the strength of the material, and the only engine that I can think of to beat him is _maybe _a Rolls, and _only_ because they're good enough to make jet engines."

Will watched in amusement as Kae ducked in to kiss Optimus' bared engines before dropping back to the floor.

"I'm pretty sure you'd squash me if I did that," Will called over to the big man with a laugh as the Mech watched Mikaela with amusement written plainly on his face.

"Only because he fell over in shock," Ratchet called back with a snort.

Mikaela laughed and closed the hood on the jeep, reaching up and stretching. It was a shock to listen to her joints popping.

"C'mon Kae! You're eighteen, why're you walking around like a popcorn bag?" Will asked, only half teasing.

"Don't say the list!" Mikaela immediately called out to Ratchet, turning around to point at him. The mech closed his mouth with a small glower.

"Why?" he rumbled in a dangerous tone.

"Because every time I listen to the list I start feeling bloody ancient," Kae snorted. "I have problem children to fix, and nobody to do my back."

"Say the list," Will stated firmly as Jacobs wandered over, "Major trumps civilian."

"Fractures and advanced wear to her hands and feet, pin in her left femur-"

"Car accident!" Mikaela chimed in.

"Her right arm has been broken three times, left wrist once, three gunshots to the stomach, and a hairline fracture in her right hip. On top of the fact that her muscles are somewhat stronger than her skeletal frame is built to handle easily."

"Fuck Kae, you're creeping up on _my_ list," Jacobs rumbled with a snort. Mikaela sighed and twisted her body somewhat, her spine popping.

"At least my odds are on dying young," she grumbled, "I _seriously_ don't want to grow old and have all of this coming back to haunt me."

"That's horrible," Jacobs grumbled.

"True though," Kae snorted, "Emancipated at thirteen because neither dad or I wanted me to wind up in the system? The foster system stats put me at dead by 25."

"What about staying with your mom?" Will frowned.

"Dead," Kae shrugged, digging into another jeep. "You play the cards life deals you."

"We're keeping her so we can try to get her past 26," Jacobs stated firmly.

"If we don't wind up getting her killed before then," Optimus rumbled sternly. Mikaela glanced up at the mech with raised eyebrows. "You deserve the chance to live," he rumbled, frowning down at her.

"We _all_ deserve the chance to live," she stated calmly. "That doesn't mean we all _get_ that chance." she shrugged. "Like I said, play the cards life deals you, and don't let the past define you. I'm not going to fold, hell if I die young, I die knowing I got the chance to meet the species that I want to be in my next life." she grinned up at Optimus.

"Oh, Amen to that," Jacobs laughed. Out of the corner of his eye, Will could have sworn he saw Ratchet shoot a long glance at Optimus.

"So Kae," Will stated, "would you mind if I dragged a few of my superiors here and you can give them the same demonstration?"

Mikaela glanced over at him and snorted.

"Have at," she chuckled, "but before they show up, don't forget to brief me on how finicky they are on language."

"Done!" Will stated with a grin.

* * *

(RPOV)

Ratchet eyed his assistant as she watched Will with amusement. The Major went back to communications central, making phone calls to his superiors.

She glanced up to see Optimus still frowning down at her.

"What's wrong?" Mikaela asked calmly, and jumped slightly as Prime onlined his holoform in front of her, gently cupping Kae's shoulders in his hands.

"Kae, you have my word. We will do everything to keep you safe," Optimus rumbled gently.

"My safety is a non-issue," Mikaela stated calmly. "When the time comes, you will take me to Cybertron and you will heal your world."

"I _will_ not sacrifice-" he growled at her.

"_You_ will not sacrifice me," Mikaela growled, interrupting him. "I will sacrifice _myself_ for your home, just as you damn near did to save _mine_."

"This is not up for discussion," the holoform snarled softly. "Nor is there any question, I will not allow-"

"Me to die?" Kae interrupted him again. Ratchet glanced at Ironhide, the mech was smirking slightly at the blatant lack of visible fear in her. "Optimus, I'm human, at best I'll last eighty years, if that. I'm not repairable. You don't want to believe _me_ ask your medical officer. I know my fragility, I know my _fate_. One way or another I _will die_."

Ratchet's spark flared. That was the true problem, their human counterparts were so blasted fragile. So short lived.

Their bodies simply weren't built to last.

Optimus opened his holoform's mouth, and Kae calmly covered it with her hand.

"Hush, just listen," she stated softly, she took a deep, shuddering breath, looking down for a moment. "The vast majority of Cybertronians won't know of me. I won't be remembered. But let me go with honour, Optimus. Let me die with my boots on and my head held proudly, when I go let me go with dignity. You saved my life, my planet. I owe you a life debt, do not condemn my soul by letting it go unpaid."

Ironhide straightened, shock in his optics. Ratchet remembered a time when the Weapons Master _himself_ had said much the same thing.

Every last auto-bot in the hanger heard her. They couldn't help but hear her.

But those words...

Those words, spoken so softly, so calmly...

It tore at every spark that heard it. She was ready, even if _they_ weren't. Mikaela turned back to her workstation and started up on another service, evidently not noticing them. Ratchet knew better now, she always knew when one of them were looking at her. Somehow, she simply knew.

Anyone could see the hurt in Optimus' eyes. Not that she had in any way rejected him, it was the absolute opposite, now. Anyone could understand that hurt. She was prepared to _die_ for him, for _all_ of them.

For a world that in this form, she would never see, never know. But as sure as the pitfire burned, they weren't prepared to let her go yet.

But they didn't have a choice, not really. An orn spanned two _weeks_ for her, Ratchet could scan her to his spark's desire, and he did. Every day, every hour, every _astro-second. _She was that much closer to her death.

"You are wrong, Kae," Ironhide drawled softly. Mikaela turned to look at him, several of the bots did. "You will _always_ be remembered."

Yes. Yes she would.

Mikaela smiled at him, visibly struggling to make it the happy smile that made people smile around her. That tore at his spark, too. Instead he knew, somehow, that even _she_ knew it was a wry, saddened half smile that crossed her face.

"There is no better, Ironhide," Mikaela murmured.

Bumblebee onlined his holoform beside her.

"Big-sister," he whimpered softly.

"No matter where I am in this universe, no matter what dimension, what life, you will _always_ be my little-brother," Mikaela whispered, reaching out and cupping his face in her hands. "And no matter _what _happens, little-brother, I will always, _always_ love you. In life or death, my spark will always be with you. You remember that Bee."

His holoform was taller than her. Pit, his _body_ was twenty-eight times her size.

But it was instantly recognizable, the second they touched, the way her arms wound around him and his face buried it's way into her shoulder. He really _was_ her little brother.

Then a sound, so low the soldiers wouldn't be able to hear, so low _Ratchet_ could barely hear it. A soft, comforting croon.

Kae was rocking her little-brother, crooning to him.

"Now you listen to me, my little-brother," she murmured gently, rocking him. "I'm not dying today, and I'm not dying tomorrow. For every second that I have in my life, I'm staying right here beside you. Whether you want me to or not. Brat."

Bumblebee snorted.

"That's no fair," the holoform stated in soft indignation.

"Oh what, making you laugh?" she asked with a small smirk.

Bumblebee pouted at her.

"What have I told you about that face?" she demanded sternly, Ratchet jumped.

"Pouting makes me look like a kid not getting his way," Bumblebee pouted. "Which I am. I don't _want _you to die!"

Mikaela pursed her lips, looking severely at him.

"We don't always get what we want, little-brother," she told him sternly. "Life is unfair like that, sometimes. It means we need to work hard to _get_ what we want."

"But Kaaeee!" Bumblebee whined softly.

"But Beeeee!" she whined right back at him, which sounded ridiculous. Bumblebee snorted. One point Kae. "Come on Little-brother! Face the facts! You feel how squishy I am!? This is a pretty good holoform! Look at you little-brother! You're all squishy!"

She promptly began tickling Bumblebee, the scout's holoform immediately trying to bat her off as she did. He was failing spectacularly at it, she somehow managed to duck and dodge any and all of his swings.

"What? What are you laughing at?" she teased him as Bumblebee's holoform snorted and giggled under her ministrations. "Come on Bee! Tryin' to be _serious_ here! What are you laughing at? Huh? Huh? Hey Bee? Guess what Bee?" she teased him cheerfully, ducking around and tickling him.

"What? What what what?" Bumblebee laughed outright.

Mikaela punched him lightly in the side.

"_You're it!_" she shouted, and took off.

Primus, for such a tiny creature she could move at one _pit_ of a pace, her oversized boots lay forgotten behind her. But what was priceless was the way Bumblebee squawked and transformed, driving after her.

The hangar stood in silence.

Ratchet looked around and snorted, rising and striding after them, Optimus, Ironhide, Sideswipe and the femmes close behind.

They made it outside the hangar doors just in time to watch Mikaela run _over top_ of Bumblebee as he drove carefully toward her.

"_Alt form is cheating!_" she shouted with a laugh as she scampered away again.

"Is not!" Bumblebee played the soundbyte with a laugh.

"Is too!"

"Is not!"

"It is _too_ you over-horse-powered little _brat!" _she squealed, the two of them laughing as she ran over top of him again.

Bumblebee squealed around, his tires smoking the second she was far enough away, driving after her again. She turned and made to run over top of him.

Instead, Bumblebee transformed, catching her in his hands.

"Gotcha!" he chirped gleefully as she squirmed in his hands.

Except then somehow she was free of his hands, jumping to his chest and scrambling to his shoulder.

She began messing with his helm. Bumblebee sat down on the ground and laughed, gently poking at her.

There were soldiers gathered around Ratchet's feet now, he looked down and almost snorted in amusement at the shocked looks on their faces as the comparatively giant mech and tiny femme continued to mess with each other's armour.

A minute or so and Kae slid down his chest somewhat, wrapping her arms around Bumblebee's neck struts.

"I love you, Bee," she said with a gentle smile.

"Love you Kae," Bumblebee said with his _own_ voice, quickly offlining his vocal processor again to cut the static. Now that was impressive.

They sat there for a long time.

Ratchet looked at his assistant with curious optics.

Curious, because her mood had shifted so quickly. Eventually, Bumblebee stood up again, grinning as he walked back to the hangar with Kae nestled into his shoulder.

Ratchet shot his assistant a curious glance.

But then he looked into her optics... eyes...

She knew precisely what she was doing. Her pain didn't go away so quickly, but she'd be _damned_ if she was going to let others feel that pain.

_Especially_ her little-brother.

Ratchet felt his already considerable respect for the tiny femme up itself several notches on the scale. It was the way he would always remember her.

He glanced at Ironhide.

::. She...:: he sent on the private channel that had grown between them.

::. Is living the way she wants us to remember her by.:: Ironhide sent back to him gently most especially, the way she wants her brother to remember her as.::

::. You...:: Ratchet sent with some surprise. Of course the bot knew what he was thinking, they always did. That's what a friend of three hundred vorn did.

In his memories, Kae would always be his favourite assistant. The femme who would always stop to take care and cheer up her little-brother, who'd scold him right back when he wasn't taking care of himself.

::. Yeah, me too.:: the Weapons master sent silently.

Bumblebee set Mikaela down beside her boots.

"Kae?" he murmured softly, looking at her.

"Bee?" she asked, looking at him cheerfully. Bumblebee's optics took on a mature cast that Ratchet hadn't really _seen _in the scout before. It was the maturity of leaving youngling-hood behind without regret.

"You don't really gotta do that all the time," he said softly.

"For you Bee?" Kae murmured, reaching up and cupping his cheek gently. "There isn't a have to, I'm going to do it anyway."

She leaned forward and kissed his cheek.

Optimus watched them with an unreadable expression as Kae turned back to her work, and Bumblebee wandered back to the hangar doors, transforming and driving off to patrol.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus roused himself somewhat as Mikaela walked on silent feet to her workstation.

"Still not sleeping?" he murmured, onlining his holoform behind her.

"Just because I'm not, doesn't mean you shouldn't," she retorted with a small smile, craning her neck to look up at his holo. He reached forward and laid gentle hands on her shoulders, noting the tension beneath the smooth skin. He began rubbing the muscles idly as she hummed.

"No wonder you are not sleeping, Ratchet would tear me down to my protoform if I were carrying _half_ the tension in my neural fibres as you are in your tendons," he rumbled sternly.

"Yes well, I don't have anyone to do my back anymore," Mikaela shrugged lightly beneath his hands, reaching forward with the screwdriver.

Optimus snorted softly and promptly picked the tiny femme up, carrying her lightly to the cot tucked into the mechanic's corner.

"You could simply ask," he rumbled with amusement, laying her down. "On your stomach, miss obstinate."

"You carry me to bed and call _me _obstinate?" she shot back at him with a low laugh, obediently rolling onto her front. Optimus sat his holoform down and ran firm pressure up her spine, eliciting a low moan from the femme.

"Am I hurting you?" he asked in concern.

"No, _gods _that feels good," she mumbled, eyes closed in bliss as he continued to knead her muscles. "Just so you know, you're under orders to tell me how I can return the favour."

"Yes Ma'am," Optimus rumbled with a snort, the dear little femme. "Despite the fact that I owe you several already?"

"What the hell for?" Kae snorted, humming the next second as he began working the knots out of her shoulders.

"Well, you shot Director Galloway's arguments down, specified your loyalty was to _me, despite _my having almost gotten you killed multiple times, gave back my own feeling of worth, honoured _all_ of us with your trust. You've allowed us to isolate you from your life without complaint, and got Ratchet laughing again, that's a feat in itself." Optimus chuckled softly.

"That's not hard," Kae chuckled, "Ratchet is so much like my dad it's like I'm working with him again."

"Oh?" Optimus murmured interestedly.

"Dad didn't exactly sit me down to explain engine parts," Mikaela murmured, "he taught me the same way he was taught. Paddy started it though."

"How?" Optimus asked curiously.

"Well, it was summer, dad was yelling and swearing at an engine that he couldn't figure out what was wrong with. I was scared, mum was gone. Paddy noticed and walked over, picked me up and murmured, 'ask him how it works.' then he set me down in a tall chair next to dad and walked away. I didn't notice it at the time, but while I was watching their faces, Paddy hauled off and gave dad a kick in the arse." she giggled. Optimus couldn't help but laugh softly, that sounded like Ratchet and Ironhide's interactions, vorns ago.

"Then what?" Optimus chuckled.

"Well, I said 'daddy? How does it work?' and dad just sort of looked at me for a long moment and began quietly talking aloud, working his way through the engine. When kids were learning that the knee bone connects to the leg bone, I was learning that the battery leads connect to the starter. And all the while he fixed that engine, and then the next, he said it aloud. That was our favourite interaction after that. Dad would talk, and I would listen, and then he was quiet one day, so I sat down on the floor beside him and recited every single engine part as he touched it."

"You miss him," Optimus murmured.

"I miss all of them," Kae whispered, "but when you love someone, they're never truly gone, I'll carry a part of all of them to the day I meet them again."

Optimus' spark flared at the gentle, absolute truth in those words, he leaned down and slid his arms around Kae, she turned in his arms and hugged him back, automatically soothing the un-spoken hurt with the natural movement.

"What was it like, growing up on Cybertron?" she asked softly, looking directly at him, rather than the holoform.

Optimus pulled forward slightly and transformed, moving as quietly as he could he sat down as Kae grinned, walking on silent, bare feet after him. With a contented sigh, Optimus laid down on the floor, letting Kae curl up on his chest plates. He reached up and settled a gentle hand over her before offlining most of his motor reflexes.

He onlined a holoform of Cybertron, images of the beautiful world he had grown in before it had been destroyed by war. And he spoke, he spoke freely and openly of the loss of his planet, of all the incredible things. He didn't notice when he slipped peacefully into a full recharge cycle, unhampered by remaining in his truck form, and he didn't notice when Mikaela curled up a little bit more in his hand, sound asleep listening to the gentle hum of his spark.


	24. 22 Friends from another life

**Chapter 22 - Friends from another Life**

* * *

(WPOV)

Will yawned and stretched, he'd knocked on Kae's door, she was gone again, that was happening more and more lately. He shrugged and jogged to the hangar, slipping quietly in and looking first toward the workspace. He jumped to see Optimus in his bipedal form, sprawled across the floor and evidently sound asleep. Ratchet transformed and held a finger to his grinning face before pointing to Optimus' hand.

Kae was curled up on the titan's chest plates, sound asleep beneath an enormous hand. Right out, too, Will noted with a grin.

"That, is so cute," Will murmured.

"And about scrapping time," Ironhide rumbled with a snort. Optimus' optics brightened as he came online, sitting up slowly and cradling Kae. She woke with a start.

"Where's Tinny!" she shouted before her eyes were open.

"Kae, wake up spark-daughter," Ratchet murmured, her eyes snapped open to stare blearily at the mech. She curled up somewhat in Optimus' hand.

"Ten more minutes dad," she grumbled, Will rubbed his ears to hear several deep tones and clicks emerge from her.

Ratchet began laughing, reaching forward and collecting Kae from Optimus so the Mech could stand a bit more easily.

"What'd she say?"

"She doesn't have math until second period," Ratchet snorted, glancing at Optimus.

Will burst out laughing as Kae flinched in Ratchet's hands.

"I'm awake, I'm awake," she mumbled.

"Well you shouldn't be," Ratchet stated patiently, "It's Sunday."

"Sunday my ass, it's Wednesday and you know it... Thursday..." Kae yawned and stretched, her joints popping somewhat, but not as much as they had yesterday.

Will began laughing as Kae wound her hair up into a bun and tied it off, plopping into her tall chair and staring at the twisted pile of metal in front of her for a moment. She shook herself and grabbed a screwdriver, starting to dismantle it again.

"So you up to reaming out my superiors today?" Will asked with a broad grin, looking up as Optimus stretched carefully, making sure he didn't accidentally hit one of the lights.

"Oohh bring it," the big man rumbled with a snort. Of all things, he grinned down at Will.

"Nothing like a proper recharge to get the processors going," Ratchet snorted, batting at Optimus' side with a hand. The larger bot caught the hand in a flash.

Scary fast flash.

"You should try it sometime," Optimus snorted, Will stared as Optimus lightly picked Ratchet up and laid him gently on the floor. The motion, had it been sped up, would have been devastatingly destructive. Friggen cool though. "And while we are at it, Ironhide, I believe we could use a good training day, do you agree?"

Will stared as the bots around him transformed, cheering.

"Now you need to tell me how to get the _men _as cheerful about a training day," Will snorted, walking toward the catwalk.

"That's easy Major!" Mikaela called out with a broad grin, "you just have to yell one word."

"And that is?" Will shouted back to her with a laugh.

"PAINTBALL!" Kae shouted, punching her hands in the air.

"WHERE!?" Jacobs bellowed from the door, Chance and Epps at his heels, looking around with broad grins.

"Yeah alright fine!" Will laughed, sitting on the steps, "I'll see what I can do."

Mikaela grinned and set to her work again as the techies settled at their stations, bringing computers online and looking busy.

"Confirmation, the big wigs are coming today," Jerry stated.

"Kae!" Will called down.

"Will!" the girl called back.

"I need you to find me another one of those engine blocks you like breaking so much!" he shouted, "we've got superiors coming in. Moreshower, Galloway, Sec Def, if you're gonna do the same thing with the gun take Moreshower's, he already knows the drill."

"On it!" she called out, standing immediately and walking toward one of the Hummers, dragging a lift behind herself as she went.

"The next one over is a factory defect," Ratchet added offhandedly.

"There see, you're supposed to snap to like that," Will grinned down at Jacobs, the man snorted.

"Kae, quit snapping to so quickly!" he shouted, "you're making the rest of us look bad!" The girl in question began laughing, a real laugh, the infectious kind that spread throughout the hangar. Even Ratchet was snorting back a hearty guffaw.

It wasn't lost on Will as Optimus looked down at the girl proudly.

Reaming out or not, today was going to be awesome.

* * *

(EPOV)

A full entourage marched in at precisely noon, met by Will as the Big man casually transformed and strode toward communications central. He took a moment to laugh at that, he knew when the bots were transforming in earnest, in battle and when they were just doing it for the sake of showing off.

Epps casually walked over to Mikaela, who was patiently working on another jeep.

"Alright, briefing time, can you hear me?" he murmured, knowing the girl's sharp ears would catch his words, even if he could barely hear himself, sure enough, her eyes flicked up to catch his with a small wink.

"You know the General, the Director, next to him is Sec Def, religious, he's pretty strong against cursing, um, the rest of them are aides and bodyguards."

Kae scanned the entourage and seemed to freeze. Epps watched in shock as her eyes flashed to ice for a second before she visibly composed herself. He walked over to lean beside her.

"What?" he murmured.

"Familiar face," she stated quietly.

"Problem?"

"Hope not," she murmured, darting another glance at the men before shrugging and digging back into the jeep.

"So-" Epps started, happy to start an idle conversation. Optimus' voice rumbled a stern no. That was expected. He jumped to hear the men begin yelling, that was fast. Amidst the shouting, Optimus stood firm, arms crossed and glaring.

"No! You know what! I want to know what happened on November first, ninety six!" Galloway bellowed, stomping across the catwalk and down the ladder, closely followed by his personal aid. Another man, one who Epps kinda recognized followed them, the rest of the entourage running after them.

"Banes!" the Director bellowed.

"Galloway!" the stranger barked.

The Director turned, red-faced and immediately silent, glaring at the man.

"Nothing happened on November first, nineteen-ninety-six," the man stated coldly, Epps watched intently as the man's eyes flicked a warning glance at him.

Epps promptly closed his mouth with a nod, recognizing the man.

Drew, CIA. Solid, as far as CIA went, called himself the standard plant man.

"But she-!" Galloway stated, turning to point at Mikaela.

"Miss Banes' involvement in the happenings on that particular day are classified above your pay grade Director Galloway," the man stated coldly. "That is the end of the discussion." he turned to Mikaela, giving her a long, hard stare. "Miss Banes," he nodded sternly. She nodded firmly back to the man. "_He_ sends his regards."

"Pass my thanks to him," Mikaela stated quietly.

"Duly noted," the man nodded, he turned to Galloway again. "Miss Banes is within her legal rights to deny your demands on her to spy on our guests, _they are our guests_," the man overrode Galloway sternly as the man made to object. "And as such, the events of November first that _did not happen_ make her stance clear and well reasoned, if you do not cease your posturing you will be facing charges laid directly by _my_ superiors. Have I made myself clear?" the man stated coldly.

It was worth it just to watch Galloway swell up indignantly and storm out of the hangar. The sounds of a chopper taking off came and went before anyone moved.

"Kae, you good?" the man asked in an entirely different tone.

"I'm good, thanks for the bail," Mikaela stated with a small smile. "Does this mean I'm allowed to recognize you?"

"Hey, it's worth it just to piss that guy off," Drew laughed. "I _was_ serious though, Director sends his regards and wants to know your take."

"I'll write you a report to give to him," Kae smiled, "I like the clean shaven look, by the way, way better than the moustache and stubble Drew."

"And it doesn't itch either," Drew snorted, "right, write me a report, I'll pass it onto the Director. While you're doing that I'll make your excuses."

"Lifesaver," Kae grinned, pointing at the man and jogging over to her work table.

"What the hell!?" Epps stated flatly. "Drew, since when did you know Kae?"

"Since... shit, when did I actually meet you?"

"That's your call, either on the first, the street, or when you were interrogating me," Mikaela shrugged. "I don't know if the street happened or if it was an hallucination yet."

"How much do they know?" Drew asked seriously.

"Well, _now_ they know that something's certainly _wrong_, they aren't _dumbasses_," Kae snorted, shooting the man a reproving glare.

"My bad!" Drew snorted, "alright, introductions, Mikaela Banes was entered into a CIA program years ago, her life and history is a matter of public record because it's absolutely true, her _task_ is to live precisely as she has, in the event that it will ever be needed for an agent's cover, she's a living backstop. In return, Miss Banes will be relocated along with her family and set up with a new life."

"Then what happened in November?" Will asked curiously.

"October, actually. Miss Banes' father was spot recruited, you want to tell this part?" Drew asked over his shoulder as Mikaela continued to write.

"You tell it, clinically, please, I'm writing."

"On November first, we received intelligence that classified military equipment had potentially made it into the hands of organized street crime."

"Hey, I remember that, it kinda died down though, after..." Epps trailed off. "After the Crips' warehouse got raided by rivals. You did that?" Epps asked, looking at Kae.

"Oh come off it, I was eight!" Mikaela snorted, she looked into the distance for a long moment before going back to her writing.

"Don't be modest," Drew snorted, "At eight years old you..." the man trailed off at the furious glare Mikaela levelled at him.

"Oh come on!" Will called out, shooting pleading eyes at Mikaela.

"On October fifteenth, ninety six I was seven years old and planted amidst the chattel with a sub-dermal tracking beacon. I spent my birthday in a shipping container." she stated coldly. "I don't like remembering it. On November first things came to a head, the CIA credited us with not only breaking a human trafficking circle, but discovering that civilian gangsters had gotten their hands on weapons, _classified military weapons _not two weeks after their testing was completeand enough explosives to make Hiroshima look like a firecracker. I shudder to think what will happen if the Auto-bot's share their weapons technology. We'll be at DEFCON one within the week. In a world of secrets, no secret is safe for long."

There was deathly silence as Kae turned back to the report she was writing.

"That's..." Will stated quietly.

"Miss Banes was given field training on bomb detection and disposal, because I was there, to 'purchase' her." Drew stated quietly, "At eight years old, she impressed the hell out of the agency. My cover was blown, I was shot in the leg. She kept her head, slipped the cuffs off of her wrist, tied my wound off with my tie when her father and his men created a distraction outside and disarmed the bomb under my instruction." Drew turned and looked at her. "The Director sent me with a message, Kae. The followup investigations have been closed, there's no danger from it's exposure now, so permission is hereby granted to speak the details, Miss Banes."

Mikaela froze, staring at the man.

"Your standing?" she demanded.

"I get to keep my job, if that's what you mean," Drew grinned. Kae nodded.

"Kae?" Optimus murmured.

"We were pinned down," Kae murmured softly, sitting very still and staring into the distance. "There were twenty of us all told, women and little girls purchased from their families in rural China. I was planted among them in Hong-Kong. We spent two weeks at sea in a seacan, bad weather, you could hear the wind howling through the rigging. But we took care of each other."

"The second the bomb had been defused, Kae took a gun off a dead man, knelt in the middle of the floor between me, the women and the door. She shot five men, and singlehandedly held off the hoards until her father and his men personally busted in to get the lot of us out." Drew stated quietly. "The first time I saw her, rather than her picture, I thought she was a really small twenty year old. I didn't find out until we were in the ambulance that she was eight. We enrolled her in the program after that."

"So I lied a bit," Mikaela sighed tiredly, folding several papers and seeming to change her mind, she offered them up to Optimus. The big man smiled and onlined his holoform, reading her report with a surprised look on his face before handing it to Drew with a nod.

"About what?" Epps asked curiously.

"This isn't the first time I've been caught up in classified shit. I know what to look for when it comes to bombs, 'cause Drew taught me," she murmured, crossing her arms and looking down.

"I don't particularly care where the knowledge came from," Ratchet stated mildly, "you stopped a potential fireball indoors. And just so you lot know? There's going to be _hell_ to pay if I don't get to keep my favourite assistant."

"Oh he admits it now!" Ironhide rumbled with a snort.

"Yes I admit it, in a hundred worlds, Kae has taken the place of my favourite," Ratchet stated firmly, "I'm keeping her. Period. So rather than weapons, take the hummer _she_ built."

Epps grinned as Ratchet artfully, if gruffly returned the conversation back to the track that Will had wanted it on. The second the men were gone though...

"You, were shooting guns at seven years _old!?" _Will practically shouted at her.

"Will," Mikaela stated softly. She looked up at him, and Epps almost had a heart-attack. Her eyes... she had the eyes of a seasoned _veteran_. _Not_ an eighteen year old. "I don't want to lie to you, Will, please. Don't ask."


	25. 23 Fieldtrip!

**Chapter 23 - Fieldtrip!**

* * *

(MPOV)

I stretched as I walked toward the hangar, looking around with a bit of surprise as I walked in. Will was standing beside a kneeling Optimus, a single computer was burning the midnight oil, manned by a yawning Jerry.

"You want me to..." I murmured, pointing back the way I came.

"No, Kae you are with me," Optimus rumbled quietly. I looked up at him with raised eyebrows. "We have something of an... ambassadorial mission at hand," Optimus rumbled, rolling his optics.

"Dress code?" I asked with a half laugh. Will rolled his eyes and tossed me a rather comfortable looking jacket.

"New York, it's getting cold," Will sighed.

"Something's eating you," I stated calmly, looking at the Major.

"Information, there's a civilian with potentially more knowledge about what's happening with you than _we _have," Will groaned, looking at the computer again.

"Robowarrior," Optimus rumbled with a frown.

"May I see?" I asked curiously, plopping down beside Jerry, he turned the screen toward me and shoved the keyboard slightly. I took it up and began typing quickly. "So you've got the IP nailed down, address from it?" I murmured.

"Yep," Jerry nodded. I frowned in thought for a second and opened up a new window.

I began scanning the blogs, bringing up windows, articles, closing them just as quickly until I spied it.

'defunct government... sector 7'

"Got it." I stated calmly.

"Got what?" Will asked curiously. I pointed. "Okay, but sector seven was huge."

"It means we're looking for an ex agent," I shrugged. "Shall we go?" I stood and looked up at Optimus.

"We shall," Optimus rumbled firmly.

"That still doesn't make any sense," Will frowned at me as we walked toward the plane, Optimus transformed and idled behind us.

"Once an agent, always an agent," I laughed. "Have you never noticed the way an agent stands? Joys of being a criminal, I can pick out an agent, a cop and a thief out of a crowd the way you can pick out a bad apple among the troops."

"How'd you know that?" Will snorted.

"One, you're a Major, two, not one of the soldiers under your command here is a bad apple," I snorted, skipping up the ramp and into the plane.

"How'd you know _that!?"_ Will demanded as I strapped myself into one of the seats.

"Seatbelt?" I asked innocently, looking down at the clasp.

"No, that I don't tolerate bad apples in my unit." Will stated.

"I have eyes to see, and ears to hear," I shrugged, smiling at Optimus as he onlined his holoform beside me.

"Yeah okay, but most people don't even know what to _look_ for," Will pressed on with a wry grin.

"You're talking to a criminal girl who spent her childhood among incredibly gifted men," I laughed. "My father and his men taught me one hell of a lot, but the first lesson I _ever_ received was how to read a person."

Will fell silent. I looked at him calmly.

"Stop feeling sorry for me," I told him patiently.

Will jumped and stared at me.

"Pity sucks," I told him with a half smile. "It doesn't get anything _done._ If I can't be bothered to pity _myself, _you shouldn't waste a moment pitying me. I learned a _lot_ from the men who raised me, and they made the lessons far easier than how _they_ learned them."

Will heaved a sigh and shot me a wry look.

I rolled my eyes at him.

"C'mon Will, catch a nap, we're flying what, five hours?" I asked with a small smile.

He sat back in his seat with a snort.

I closed my eyes and fairly listened to him stewing. I cracked an eye to look at the two of them. Will looked like he needed to say something. Ask something.

Optimus _always_ looked like that.

"Let me hazard a guess," I stated with a snort.

Will looked at Optimus curiously as he snorted.

"Which is to say you already know," he rumbled patiently.

"Not always," I shrugged.

"Shoot," Will stated quietly.

"You're curious as hell about me, statement of loyalty or not, I'm still an unknown to you," I stated calmly.

Will sighed and leaned back.

"About all I know about you so far, is that you're way the hell more mature than most people your age." he sighed. "The CIA is interested in you, Hetty knows you when most people think _she's_ an urban legend and Galloway hates your guts."

I turned to look at him calmly. We sat in silence for a long moment.

"Then the real question is," I stated calmly, lightly reaching over and catching his wrist, I caught hold of his pulse and held his eyes. "As a soldier, a man of honour, can you promise me that what I tell you, you won't use against me? I won't ask you to lie for me, I have no intention to cause that necessity."

Will's pulse jumped slightly. Shock. His eyes said the same. He looked at my hand on his wrist for a long moment, thinking, then looked in my eyes.

"Strictly between the two of us." he nodded firmly.

I smiled and released him.

"Then ask," I shrugged patiently. "If I'm free to tell you, I will."

"The first time I saw you in your 'normal' life, you were working nightshift in highschool," Will told me calmly.

"Uh huh, and?" I snorted. "There was work to be done, bills to pay. If I were twenty eight, not eighteen, you'd be calling me a mature, intelligent and hardworking woman, not pitying me for accepting my lot in life."

"What about your childhood?" Will demanded.

"I had an incredible childhood!" I protested immediately. "I grew up with four uncles, and a father who did their best to be there for me. I wasn't shipped away to school, everyday was 'go to work with your dad' day."

"Stealing cars," Will stated flatly.

"Sometimes," I nodded. "But more often than not it was building motorcycles. Dad never taught me to steal, I was given the groundwork of right and wrong from the cradle. Stealing, killing, lying is wrong. But sometimes you have to _do_ wrong to _survive_. Above all else, I survive, falling back on doing wrong _only_ when the right way is no longer an option."

Will stared at me. So did Optimus.

I gave him a half smile.

"The right way was to work nightshift in high school. You gotta survive."

"But..." Will whispered.

"Okay, another angle. Did you know that in the end, a single, undamaged car door sells for five hundred dollars?" I asked him with a smile. "If I stole a car, stripped it down of the cosmetics and parts and re-stamped the serials I could feasibly make three grand on it untraced. It takes me three hours all told." I held up a hand, and looked at it. "Sell it to a shop and they'll sell the individual parts. _They'll_ make an additional ballpark of four grand profit, _more_ if they take care of the installation and paintwork."

I held up my other hand. "Nightshift job makes one grand a month, I work an average of seven hours per night, five and a half nights per week." I stated calmly, offering the hand. "But stealing is wrong." I flipped the first hand over and settled them in my lap.

Will and Optimus stared at me in shock. I leaned back and closed my eyes.

"So you guys..." Will whispered.

"It takes forty hours for me to assemble a motorcycle. After everything I'll make about three grand on it." I snorted.

"Why weren't you doing _that _then!?" Will demanded.

"Overhead," I snorted. "A motorcycle frame costs about twelve hundred dollars to buy," I stated calmly. "You can figure that an engine will cost an additional three thousand in parts, along with another grand or so of brakes and electrical. Done properly I could probably sell that custom made bike for ten and average four grand gross profit."

"Then why weren't you doing it!?" Will demanded. I opened my eyes to look at him.

"Property tax for our commercial warehouse is one fifty per month, mortgage payment is four. Utilities are thirty, my _trailer_ cost thirty per month property tax, utilities an additional sixty. Every cent that I don't spend on food, clothing or shelter is saved for the _next _time the cops decide that I'd be better off in jail for something or another. Dad's been in jail for five years, more or less the same for my uncles. The crips and the bloods have been eyeing my territory for those five years. The only reason they haven't already _moved_ is because I have an alliance with the wolves."

Will and Optimus stared at me in shock.

"You-" Will choked.

"The wolves are a good gang," I shrugged. "Primarily non-violent, our territory borders theirs, I have a great deal of respect for their methods, they keep their territory as crime free as possible. They respect our neutrality primarily because we build _damn _good bikes and our motorcycle sales depend on more than one biker gang as well as the un-initiated and the weekend riders. They get that. So they're allies, so much so that it went uncontested when Brick married Mary, it made us family."

"Kae..." Will choked. I felt my eyes harden slightly.

"To date I've had offers from six gangs to be made a prospect and potentially patched into their gang, despite the fact that I'm female." I stated firmly. "Three of those gangs have spent a great deal of time trying to _force_ me in. I survive, Will. I survive. The lands we've claimed are technically a dowry, they're in my name. But my first loyalty was to my unit. To my father and my uncles."

"They kept your territory safe? At what cost?" Will choked.

"In return, I provided free services to their bikes, cost of oil and parts." I stated firmly. "Side jobs, I built a few bikes at cost for a couple of them. Easy things. We maintained our alliance."

Will slumped in his seat, staring at me.

"But now..." he whispered.

"Now, Dad's taken over the reigns again," I shrugged. "The kind of man my dad is... he and I fought like _devils_ whether or not I was going to college."

"He-" Will started indignantly.

"He practically kicked my butt for even _thinking_ of not going." I snorted.

Will stared at me.

"And you've _seen_ me battling it out with Optimus and Sides, it takes a _lot_ to kick my butt." I grinned at him unrepentantly. Optimus snorted in amusement, then vented a deep sigh. He looked at me sadly.

"In all of that, you chose your path," he rumbled softly. I looked at him curiously. "I have trapped you with us."

I snorted in amusement, looked at him and burst out laughing.

"Then you _really_ _don't_ know me," I snorted.

Optimus and Will looked at me curiously.

"Optimus, if I had decided to disassociate myself from the auto-bots, you would never have found me." I told him firmly.

He smiled. Will shook his head.

"You know, eventually you would have been found," he told me wryly. I snorted.

"Nope, at _best_ you would have found an agent, three or so years from now using my name," I smirked at him. "And considering how much of my identity I agreed to trade with said agent, it's entirely possible you would have _believed_ she was me, right up to the point that Ratchet scanned her."

Will stared at me and burst out laughing.

"Good to have you on the team, Kae," he snorted.

"Good to be here," I smiled, leaning back in the seat and closing my eyes.

* * *

I opened an eye as the flight announcements were made.

We were landing. I opened the other one and smiled at Optimus as he grimaced at the plane.

"We're not going to crash today," I told him with a snort. "If anything, even if we _did_ crash you'd probably survive."

He glared at me somewhat.

"It is not my own life that worries me," he grumbled irritably.

"Daaww," I grinned at him. "You giant softy."

Optimus snorted.

"Tell that to the Decepticons," Will snorted.

"I will," I stated airily. "They'll die of shock, problem solved."

The two males stared at me and burst out laughing. The plane thumped onto the ground and taxied around for a few minutes before the flight crew began wandering around.

I undid the seatbelt and climbed up into Optimus' cab.

"Right, so we've got the co-ordinates," Will muttered almost to himself.

"Indeed," Optimus rumbled patiently, getting into gear and driving down the ramp as the flight crew waved him on.

We drove. Eventually, Optimus parked and onlined his holoform behind me.

"Deli, nice cover," I stated cheerfully. I slid out of Optimus' cab and waited for the menfolk to catch up.

I kept my face down and away from the ATM and traffic cameras.

Old habit. The males were watching the street, I'd already done that. Instead, I walked idly into the deli and began watching the people.

Oh. My god.

Seymour Simmons.

Optimus and Will were behind me the next moment.

"Too. Easy." I murmured with a low snort.

"Well, now what?" Will grumbled softly, looking around the crowded deli.

"Watch, and learn," I snorted. I got into line. Will looked at me as though I were insane. I shot him an innocent look.

I stood in line for a few minutes, got to the front and looked Simmons straight in the eye.

"Robowarrior," I stated calmly. He barely twitched. Barely. I very purposely directed his eyes to Optimus Prime.

He stared at me.

"No," he muttered. "Alright, meat store's closed!" he began shouting, he whacked a bell on the counter. "Everybody out!" he began walking around, clearing the store out. I calmly walked behind him and pushed Will and Optimus' holoform against the wall.

"You gotta be kidding me," Will muttered.

"Old friend," I snorted.

"Old friends! You're the case that shut down Sector Seven!" Simmons half yelled at me as the last civilian walked out of the store. "Got the kibosh disbanded, no more security clearance, no retirement no nothing. All 'cause of _you,_ the little criminal girlfriend." he sneered at me. Optimus made to step forward, I planted a hand to his chest and pushed him back slightly.

"Moron, where's the whitefish!" a distinctly Jewish woman demanded. We looked over, a man was dragging meat along the rolling racks.

"Hey, don't touch me with the pigs!" a man shouted.

"Yakov!" Simmons shouted.

"What?" the man shouted.

"You don't get Christmas bonuses just standing around. You want those new teeth you saw on sky-mall?" Simmons asked.

"It's my dream," Yakov nodded, hitting a meat mallet down again.

"Help her out," Simmons commanded.

Quickly, the store was clear. He turned back to me.

"You live with your mama?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No my mama lives with me, it's a big difference," he shot back at me. "They've got your face all over the skywatch, you know that?" I nodded irritably, crossing my arms. "So NBE one is still kicking, huh? How did that happen? Huh? Don't answer, I don't know what you're hiding but I don't want anything to do with it so goodbye, you never saw me I've got bagels to shmear. Vanish!" he commanded, turning to walk away.

"Look, can you give me five seconds," I stated irritably, walking after him. "Look, hold on," I caught his shoulder. "I need your help."

"Really, you need my help," he stated sarcastically.

"I need-" I stated angrily. "Look, for _christ_ sake Simmons," I snarled, catching his collar in a hand as Will stared between us in shock. "You think you've got it _bad?_ My _family_ had to steal cars just to pay for my mother's medical bills, and she died anyway. Now I've been exiled to a top secret base, I can't move around without a soldier hovering over me and I'm going insane for the sheer amount of information that was crammed into my brain by the All-spark, and we're talking several _billion_ years of learning swimming in front of my eyes in symbology every second of every day. Guess what, _now_ I have to deal with an ornery ex-agent who knows more about me than _I _do and doesn't want to _share_."

Simmons stared at me in shock as I slammed him against the wall.

I wanted to stop, I really did, I just couldn't.

"And if that's not enough, your insistence on calling me the little _criminal_ girl when we were in sector seven caused _just_ enough of a shit stir that fucking _suits_ have been following me ever since that day. Do you _realize_ just how hard it is to follow the orders to look _normal_ when I have to duck and dodge every fucking _suit_ carrying a _glock!?_"

"Seriously?" Simmons whimpered, staring at me.

"That's why you ran?" Will gasped.

"Meat locker, now," Simmons growled. I released him and followed him into the ice box. "What you're about to see is top secret," Simmons stated. "Do not tell my mother." He opened up a hatch in the floor and climbed down the ladder. Will touched my shoulder and went next. I waited until he was at the bottom before sliding down.

"Showoff," Will snorted.

Optimus didn't bother with the ladder. He simply winked his holoform to the bottom of the steps, looking as innocent as a ray of sunshine.

"Showoff," I muttered. He snorted. I looked around, there was a tv playing re-runs of talk shows featuring alien nuts. Floor to ceiling in files, books, boxes and papers.

"Okay, files, files," Simmons muttered, looking around, "We're talking about symbols..."

Will reached toward a head in a domed glass, Simmons reached out and lightly whacked his hand with the paper he was holding.

"Hey, still radioactive. Hands off."

I glanced at Optimus as he scanned it.

"Frenzy," he rumbled quietly.

"Should I feel bad that I went after him with a sawsall?" I murmured worriedly. Optimus looked down at me in amusement.

"What did you do?" he rumbled with a snort.

"I kind of cut his arms, legs and head off with an electric saw," I muttered guiltily.

"That's my femme," he rumbled with a snort, patting my back.

"Okay cube brain," Simmons stated with a snort, turning to look at me. "Any of these look like the symbols you saw?"

I stared at the photos in shock and reached for them.

"Where did you get these?" I demanded quietly.

"Before I got fired, I poached S-7's crown jewel," Simmons began, climbing up a filing cabinet. "over 75 years of alien research, which points to one inescapable fact. The Transformers? They've been here a long, long time."

"How do you know this?" Optimus demanded beside me, scanning the photographs over my shoulder.

"How do I know?" Simmons grinned, he dug out a box and tossed it down to Will. "Archeologists found these unexplained markings in ancient ruins all over the world."

He clambered down and took the box, opening it up and beginning to slap photographs down on the table.

"China. Egypt. Greece." he smacked a projector and the lights came on. "Shot in 1932." he added, pointing to the screen.

"Cybertronian," Optimus rumbled darkly, looking through the photos.

"Optimus?" I asked quietly.

"Do you see the cant, here, and here," he rumbled, pulling me to stand in front of him. I squinted at them and jumped as the symbols dancing in front of my eyes began up full force. I began struggling to breathe.

"What do you see?" Optimus rumbled softly in my ear, pressing a pencil into my hand. I began writing automatically as Optimus growled softly.

"What is it?" Lennox demanded.

"Decepticon variations, the old ones," Optimus growled. I leaned against him as the information began blurring in front of my eyes. The faint hum of his spark changed instantly, the holoform's arms winding tightly around me.

"Whoa whoa whoa, what's this?" Simmons demanded, looking at the holo. "Aren't you a bit old for her?"

* * *

(OPOV)

"How do I know?" Simmons grinned down at them. He dug out a box from the pile and tossed it down to the Major. "Archeologists found these unexplained markings in ancient ruins all over the world." The man climbed back down and opened the box, slapping photographs down in front of Kae. "China. Egypt. Greece." He started up a projector and showed more symbols in a jumpy film.

Optimus barely heard the man's continual commentary. His eyes were locked on the symbols. He felt Kae looking up at him.

"Cybertronian," Optimus rumbled darkly, looking through the photos. A dialect he couldn't translate. Not properly, he couldn't tell the speed they'd been written.

"Optimus?" Mikaela murmured quietly.

"Do you see the cant, here, and here," Optimus rumbled, pulling Kae to stand in front of him. She leaned closer to the photographs, so close, he could feel her muscles ripple in a flinch. He could hear her struggling to breathe.

"What do you see?" Optimus rumbled softly, pressing a pencil into her hand. She began writing automatically as Optimus growled softly.

"What is it?" Lennox demanded.

"Decepticon variations, the old ones," Optimus growled, Mikaela began struggling a bit more, Optimus worriedly wound his arms around the femme, holding her tightly. She pressed against him, relying on him for support.

"Whoa whoa whoa, what's this?" Simmons demanded, looking at the holo. "Aren't you a bit old for her?"

"We do not worry about the age of mates, if that is what you mean," he rumbled irritably. "However at this point I am _more_ concerned for the state of Mikaela's _mind_ than _your_ worry that I would _ever_ take advantage of a Femme currently struggling to _stand_."

"Oh..." Simmons stated quietly. He glanced around for a moment before looking at Kae. "Is she okay?"

"I'm... okay..." Mikaela gasped. Optimus flinched slightly and pulled her away from the drawings, covering her eyes.

"Shh..." he murmured gently, holding her carefully and covering her eyes. "Calm, little one," he rumbled gently. Mikaela turned in his arms and buried her face in his shoulder.

Optimus felt a surge flow through his spark at just how... _right_ that felt.

Mikaela was breathing deeply now, her muscles relaxing as he held her. Eventually, she pulled back with a final, deep breath.

"Better?" Optimus rumbled worriedly, cupping her face in his hands.

"That was intense, but yes, better, thank you," Kae murmured.

"You ran?" Optimus rumbled curiously.

"We're in the middle of Sector Seven's poached archives and the first thing you ask is that _I_ ran?" Mikaela asked wryly.

"It's safe to talk down here," Simmons called out quietly.

"Please?" Will asked quietly, looking at Kae pleadingly. "I _really_ want to know why we couldn't find you, the nurse _swore_ you couldn't have gone far..."

Optimus felt another surge of shock, remembering Kae's words.

'...But now you know that I'm not simply capable of observing another, I can control my own, lie at the basest level, and I _do_ so everyday...'

"Why would you need to do that?" Optimus rumbled sadly, cupping her face.

"To stay alive," Mikaela stated quietly. "At the CIA I have... well... _had _a specific handler..."

"When you have a handler, if you see another suit who recognizes you, you run, 'cause you can bet that if a suit recognizes you, they're out to kill you." Simmons stated quietly, looking at Mikaela with sharp eyes.

"Which is bizarre, because if _you_ know that, why weren't your men better trained?" Mikaela asked curiously, looking at the ex-agent. "I managed to pick the cuff keys out of your man's inside pocket, shouldn't be _able_ to do that with an agent."

"Rookies," Simmons shrugged. Mikaela snorted in agreement. "Well, that explains one hell of a lot, I'm sorry."

"Shit happens," Mikaela shrugged.

"Do you get the feeling you're missing something?" Will asked, looking at Optimus. "Because _I _sure as hell feel like I'm missing something."

"It's an agent thing, lemme guess, you're a red baby?" Simmons nodded at her.

"_Laurentian_ deep," Mikaela snorted.

"Wow, that's... _wow,_" Simmons stated in shock. He looked around.

"Simmons, I need your help," Mikaela stated softly. "Please."

"You can't go _anywhere_ anymore, can you?" Simmons frowned at her.

"My contacts are there, but they're _useless_," Mikaela stated irritably. "The left hand truly doesn't know what the right is doing. I wasn't lying, I didn't need a rosette. But then _none_ of us knew about sector seven. Hetty doesn't count-"

"Hetty knows everything," Simmons snorted.

"Why were you guys spending so much time _isolating!?_" Kae demanded.

"Are _they_ ready for it?" Simmons demanded, pointing to the ceiling. Mikaela pinched the bridge of her nose.

"They're _never_ ready for it, and at this rate they're never _going_ to be ready for it. How many _bandaids_ can they plaster on?" she groaned.

Simmons snorted.

Irritably, Optimus looked down at Kae.

"Sorry, that's just us catching up on old times," she stated calmly. "To business."

Simmons grinned at her. Mikaela smirked.

"Rule forty four, time to put your hero pants on," she stated with a smirk.

Simmons rubbed his hands together with a grin.

"Uh, what?" Will demanded.

"Rule five, Will," Mikaela stated calmly.

"That, is possibly the nicest thing anyone has ever said about me," Simmons stated with a grin. Mikaela smiled at him.

"For god sake would you read me in already!?" Will demanded.

"Rule number five, you don't waste good," Mikaela stated calmly. "Simmons is on the ground already, his unit didn't track the bots down with energon signals. They _found_ us through a video on Sam's _phone_."

"And the police report," Simmons shrugged. "Stupid easy."

Mikaela frowned, crossing her arms and looking at her chest. She looked at Optimus.

"Wheelie may be the best to partner him," she stated calmly.

Optimus jumped in surprise. He looked at Simmons, then back at her.

"Wheelie!?" he demanded.

"Can get into a hell of a lot more places than the rest of us," she stated calmly.

Good point.

Optimus crossed his holoform's arms.

"Do you feel we can trust him, either of them?" he demanded of Kae.

"Simmons? Absolutely. Wheelie? He'd be returning without the all-spark sliver, and without our location. He came in in a shipment hiding as a dead symbiont." Mikaela stated calmly. "His choice is death at their hands, or research assignments at yours. If he willingly surrenders his transponder, then yes, he can be trusted."

Optimus nodded.

"He comes back with us?" he rumbled calmly.

Kae frowned. She turned to Simmons.

"What do you think, rendezvous at base or will that harm your cover?" she asked firmly.

Simmons frowned.

"You're right," he muttered. "Yo Lennox, you bring a secure burner with you? We need numbers."

Lennox jumped and handed over the spare cell-phone he was carrying.

"Done deal," Simmons nodded. "Keep in touch, we need to establish a secure channel if I'm going to be your eyes on the ground."

Lennox stared at Kae.

"Goes in the paperwork as classified secure, civilian consultant," she stated calmly. Simmons beamed at her.

* * *

(WPOV)

Will sat down in Optimus' cab and stared at Mikaela.

"Okay, how much did I miss?" he asked with a frown.

"Not too terribly much," she shrugged. "The agency taught me the codes to speak to another agent, primarily the ones that get them to like you. If you're _really_ curious, you now have Simmons as your groundwork eyes. He's going to keep tabs on his contacts, the civilian lines, the word of mouth. All of the channels that _I_ used to pay close attention to, except now I'm stuck at base."

Will shook his head.

"What's he going to be able to find out?" he demanded.

"Well, with Wheelie's help? Like as not he'll be able to find and document the deactivated Decepticons, go through those files of his and perhaps find out more about the energon source the Decepticons believe that I'm going to lead them to. Etcetera etcetera."

"But..."

"He's also the link," Mikaela stated calmly, turning to look at him with serious eyes. "He's the translator between the bogus claims of nutjobs, and the hysterical ramblings of a scared person who saw an alien in the flesh... metals..."

Optimus snorted in amusement and drove back to the airport.

Straight onto the waiting plane.

"So..." Will stated with a frown. "Sorted?"

"Sorted," Mikaela grinned at them.

They sat in silence for a long moment.

"Okay, _now_ will you read me in?" Will demanded again.

"As an agent, and as a living backstop, there is a set of rules you live by," Mikaela stated quietly. "Rules that we accept because not only your life, but the lives of the people you love depend on them."

Optimus stared at her, right beside Will.

"Rule number one," she stated softly, looking out the windscreen. Her eyes were a million miles away. "Never, _ever_ lose your temper..."


	26. 24 Training Day

**Right, initially I accidentally stuck this where Chapter 17 should have been, 19 in the list so if you've read this already, okay, go see 17 19, it's _actually_ Chapter 17 now. Otherwise, I'll do a double update today, for those who did catch it before :)**

**Anyway, a billion hugs to Bee4ever and Firerose Prime who kick me in the head on occasion, pointing out my more gratuitous errors and plotholes, they give me the struts to keep going, and the little niggling ideas that turn into full blown chapters. Reviews and critiques are quite appreciated, anything you recognize, I don't own. I figure it's safe to say that from time to time.**

**Chapter 24 - Training Day**

* * *

(MPOV)

"Ironhide!" I shouted in a pissed off tone.

"Mikaela!" he shouted back.

"If I strip this thing will you shoot it for me?" I called over in a pleading tone.

"Why not shoot it yourself?" Hide grinned down at me as I fumed over an absolutely destroyed jeep that would no doubt defy even rebuilding.

"I don't have a gun, and you're faster with the cannons besides," I grumbled.

"Wait until you're a bot and _then_ we'll see about _that!_" Ironhide rumbled with a grin, leaning down and picking me up lightly.

"Where we going?" I asked curiously, sitting in his hand easily.

"We, are going to the training field," Ironhide declared.

"There's no way I'm gonna keep up with you lot on the field!" I stated indignantly.

"That's why we picked something up for you, coming Ratchet?" Optimus rumbled cheerfully, leading the way out of the hanger.

"If only to make sure I'm close enough to pick up the pieces," Ratchet grumped, rolling his optics and following.

"What the scrap are the lot of you getting things for me for?" I demanded, then thought of something, "What did you mean 'Wait until I'm a bot'?" I looked at Ironhide.

"Nothin'," he shrugged, grinning.

"Well, seeing as you're currently exiled onto a top secret base and maintaining military equipment without pay or any real complaint we figured giving you a bit of stuff could substitute a paycheque." Lennox shouted up at me, walking beside Ironhide.

"I'm exiled on a tropical island surrounded by awesome friends and working at what I love, in one of the best equipped shops on the planet! It's the best work vacation a person can possibly have!" I shouted back, "You _know_ me, I'd be going stir-crazy if I wasn't helping Ratchet!"

"Point stands!" Lennox grinned at me as Ironhide set me down. "You're still in the same shape you were at Mission city right?"

"I guess," I said with a frown, "It's been a while since I've done a proper run though."

"Well, from now on you're running with us." Lennox commanded briskly, handing me a silver disc. "While you're here, you're Petty Officer Mikaela Banes."

"Commission into the army?" I gave him a lopsided grin. "Does that mean I have to wear fatigues?"

"No, but it turns out the amount of work you've done equals a commission and a set of wheels," Lennox grinned, "So the army, being the army decided to grab one of these for you, seeing as it's retail value is the same as your wages should have been." He walked over and pulled a tarpaulin off of a bike. I froze.

"No," I gasped, staring at it.

"You don't like it?" Lennox looked at me worriedly. "You always crossed me as-"

"Shh," I murmured, holding a finger in his general direction. "Dream logic states that the second I touch that beautiful machine I'm going to wake up. Lemme look at her for a few minutes." I began circling it slowly.

"I hope you don't mind, I took her out to break in the engine and new tires, so the shine is off a bit..."

"Sixty miles? Perfect for racing now," I murmured, finally daring to run my hands along the seat and tank. "There's no way in hell I've racked up this amount of work, do you even _realize_ just how expensive these things are?"

"Joys of the army, they can justify spending a ton of money so long as it isn't wages," Lennox rolled his eyes and grinned at me. "Are you going to fire her up or not?"

I grinned and straddled the seat the next second, turning the key, kicking into neutral and firing up the engine. A roar, a purr, I stretched against the bike in mechanic's ecstasy.

"Do you _hear_ that timing?" I moaned over the engine's purr, "Have you _ever_ heard something so sexy? I need my helmet!" I jumped up and began sprinting toward the hangar, only to be caught up in Optimus' hand.

"They're right here," he rumbled quietly, offering me pants jacket and helmet. I could hear a hint of a smirk in his voice.

"Leathers!" I shouted with a broad grin, "and a new helmet too?" I grinned up at him.

"With a radio, if you are eventually going to do maneuvers with us, we need to communicate," Optimus rumbled calmly.

"Yes sir," I grinned up at the mech as he set me down beside my bike, it was a moment's work to strip out of my coveralls and fly into my leathers. I indulged myself slightly, stretching and working myself into it properly.

::. Radio working alright?.:: Optimus' voice came clearly over the speaker.

"Loud and clear," I grinned, "I'll be back in a second, I want to get the feel of her." with that I kicked into first and took off on idling speed, testing the balance. I did a slow lap around the old runways, thirty.

::. Yo! That as fast as you can go fleshbag?.:: Mudflap's voice taunted over the radio.

::. Not much faster than those little sticks they call legs!.:: Skids added.

"Oh! Oh is that how it's gonna be!" I called back in mocking indignation as the two cars flanked me. I surreptitiously geared down.

::. Yeah that's how it's gonna be!.:: Skids shot at me, I could hear his grin.

::. Remember the rule, no harming the humans.:: Optimus' voice interjected mildly.

"I'm shocked you two," I laughed, turning lightly around the corner as they slowed slightly to do the same, "You don't actually expect me to open her up on the first date? You gotta _romance_ her, learn what she _likes_, become attuned to her wavelength." I explained expansively, lightly weaving back and forth in a final balance check.

::. Pay close attention to that one.:: Chromia' voice smugly came over my radio.

Awesome.

::. Maybe we should give her an optic for that helmet, you need to see Prime's face Kae.:: Ironhide's voice chuckled. There was a muted crash, oddly. The distinctive sound of an elbow meeting chest plates.

::. Slooowwpoooke!.:: Mudflap grinned, pulling ahead of me slightly.

"You ready to eat those words?" I called out baitingly.

! Whatcha gonna do about it fleshbag?.:: Skids shot back immediately.

"Gonna make you Eat. My. Dust!" I shouted, slamming down my visor and opening up the throttle, the bike came into her own, shooting ahead of the twins as we raced along the straightaway, they revved up and raced after me.

"C'mon you two! Gotta do better than that to keep up with a fleshbag synced with her ride!" I shouted gleefully, flying up through the last of my gears.

::. Slow down! You're almost at the curve!.:: Skids shouted indignantly.

I took her down one gear and leaned, skimming the skidplate on my knee along the ground, low enough amid the high grass surrounding the track that I no-doubt disappeared.

::. Mikaela!.:: Ratchet's voice shouted just before I finished the turn.

"Hey Skids, Mudflap, you coming or what!" I shouted gleefully, righting the bike into the next straightaway and flying toward the gathered bots.

::. Oh girl! You can ride me anytime!.:: Arcee's voice came over my speakers.

"Now that's one hell of a compliment," I grinned, screeching to a halt at Optimus' feet. I pulled the helmet off and cut the engine, sitting the bike and waiting for the twins to catch up. I couldn't resist stretching out my muscles and pressing myself against the seat. "Oh by the _gods_ I've missed that!" I moaned.

"Your pheromones are off the charts," Ratchet teased me lightly.

"I do not doubt it," I grinned up at him, relaxing in the seat.

"Who the _hell_ taught you that?" Lennox demanded, jogging toward us with a few soldiers behind him.

"If I told you, I'd have to kill you," I quoted at him blandly.

"Loyalty... check," Graham grinned. I stuck my tongue out at him quickly.

"She's already got her speed, I say she does maneuvers with us," Ironhide rumbled with a grin. I glanced up to see Optimus nod.

Ratchet grinned and pulled something from his chest, his holo flickered to life and offered the light pack to me.

"What's this Ratch?" I asked him curiously, settling my helmet down on the ground.

"C'mere, it's something for you to shoot with," Ratchet snorted, carefully helping me into the pack. "If _you'r_e going to be doing maneuvers with us, _I'm_ going to make sure it's beneficial."

"Wait, she gets Auto-bot Weaponry?" Lennox demanded indignantly.

"Being as Mikaela is the only human capable of _using_ that, yes," Ratchet shrugged.

"Okay but how does it work?" I asked curiously, letting the holo strap the pack firmly to my back and running the cord down my arm into a mechanical glove.

"It taps into your neural network and collects the energon that's been building in your tissues. It won't hurt." Ratchet stated comfortingly.

"Oh. Yeah I'll pass on that!" Epps piped up with a shudder. A couple of soldiers nodded agreement.

"Alright, let's give it a try then," I shrugged, pressing a button on the glove. A tickling, creeping feeling, as though a couple of loose hairs were moving about on my back caused me to squirm slightly. "That feels weird," I frowned, then winced as the filament fine cables pierced through my skin, "You're a rotten liar Ratch," I added, shrugging my shoulders and flexing at the itchy, mosquito bite feeling of the cables.

"It does hurt! I knew it!" Epps added victoriously.

"No, not hurt precisely," I shook myself lightly, "it's... itchy... like acupuncture needles or mosquitos – whoa!" I looked around in bemusement.

"What?" Lennox asked.

"I got double vision," I looked up and blinked. "Yep, definitely double vision, I can see Optimus and the ground at the same time." I moved my hand about, making sure not to aim at anyone. "That's wild!" I laughed, flicking my hand around. "Target, target..." I cast about and caught sight of a tree-stump. Squinting at it I aimed my hand, a surge of icy fire raced up my back and down my arm, an incandescent ball of energy seeming to emerge from my knuckles to engulf the stump.

It exploded into fire.

"_Fuckshitfuck!_" I shouted as Ironhide howled with laughter, he aimed and shot the stump a second time, destroying the fire's fuel source. The twins were in agreement for once, hooting right beside Sideswipe.

"What... what did that... stump ever do... do to _you_!?" Sideswipe choked out between guffaws.

"Come here, Kae," Ratchet chuckled, reaching for the pack, I guiltily made to take it off.

"Don't be absurd," Optimus rumbled, lightly patting my shoulder with an enormous finger. "Ratchet is simply going to adjust it to training mode."

"But what if I actually _hit_ one of you guys!" I exclaimed, the shock more evident in my voice than I would have liked.

"Well, considering you just shot a ball of pure energon, you'll likely be powering the rest of this lot up rather than injuring them." Ratchet chuckled, the click of switches causing the filaments to adjust themselves under my skin, stroking my nerves in a way that sure as _hell_ didn't hurt. "Quit squirming will you?"

"I can't help it, whoa, that feels friggin weir-augh!" I suddenly had to lean against Optimus' leg or risk collapsing.

"You alright Kae?" Ratchet asked innocently. Mocking innocence, he knew damn well what my nerves were saying at the moment.

"You did that on purpose," I glared at him, panting while struggling to stand on rubbery legs. The tingling throb low in my abdomen did absolutely _nothing_ to help my concentration. I took a deep breath, fighting to not let it shudder.

"That's what you get for teasing us," Ratchet stated blandly, patting my shoulder.

I didn't quite understand that, I'd have to ask Optimus later.

"Do I want to know?" Lennox asked curiously.

"No, no you most certainly do _not_," I stated, still leaning heavily against the Prime, "I can _feel_ you laughing Optimus," I added, lightly thwacking my knuckles against his ankle.

"Me? Never," Optimus rumbled blandly as I made my way to the bike again. The soldiers ran to a few of the jeeps, I looked at them and noticed with amusement that they were the ones I'd completely rebuilt. I burst out laughing the next second.

"Okay boys!" Lennox bellowed from the lead jeep. "Kae _built_ these, so now _we_ get to test if she actually managed to Graham-proof them!"

"If that's the case," I bellowed over to them. "Keep in mind what modifications or shortcomings you find in them so I can fix it!" Lennox gave me the thumbs up with a broad grin. Graham settled into the drivers seat, already fiddling. I watched with a smirk as he obviously popped the clutch. I got off my bike and ran toward him.

"What's this do?" he asked curiously, pointing to a lever I'd added to the dash.

"Secondary Rev control," I smirked. "Clutch in, brakes. Turn it on. Put her in second. Seatbelts." he obeyed and I nudged the lever, increasing the revs to the point that popping the clutch would have him spinning his wheels, not stalling. "Remember this number," I told him seriously. He nodded curiously as I backed up from the hummer with a grin as the soldiers watched me curiously.

"Pop the clutch!" I called out to Graham with a shit-eating grin.

He obeyed and the soldiers promptly began whooping and howling as the truck began inching forward, squealing it's tires.

"E-brake off! Gun it!" I bellowed. Graham obeyed and the hummer took off like a rocket amidst the cheering soldiers. I ran back to my bike with a grin as the Jeeps and Hummers got back into formation. The soldiers had wolfish grins on their faces, and we hadn't even started yet.

"Alright, Mikaela, you will ride with Arcee," Optimus ordered, I quickly wound my hair and slid the helmet into place again.

"Ratchet, you're sure this won't hurt you lot?" I asked quietly, taxiing to sit beside Arcee.

::. They'll be fine.:: Ratchet told me calmly.

"Don't hit the humans!" Skids and Mudflap chorused, rapidly transforming and taking off. Arcee's holo flickered, a raven haired woman sitting with sultry poise on the sleek motorcycle.

"Now that's hot," I grinned at her, kicking into gear and watching for her signal. She grinned at me and audibly got into gear herself.

::. Let's Roll!.:: she commanded briskly over my headset, roaring off. We wheelied side by side for a second before I took her left, staying tight to her seventh.

::. Team Call!.:: Ironhide's voice half-shouted over the radio. He and Optimus called out names, and each team rapidly separated, Arcee and I idled beside the rumbling Peterbilt.

"Mark!" Lennox shouted. Across the field, shouts of 'Set!' sounded. Arcee and I caught each other's eyes and nodded, she added her 'Set!' as I eyed who of the other team I'd be aiming for.

::. Let's see what you can do.:: Arcee told me softly before taking off at high speed, the two of us staying tight to Prime's left flank. In moments we were in the thick of things, Arcee transformed alongside Optimus. Time slowed. In that moment I saw their vulnerability as they transformed, fighting focus snapped into place as though it hadn't been years since... I ruthlessly stopped that thought and pulled in front, blasted away a few shots, returning fire as quickly as I could.

::. Good Girl!.:: Sideswipe bellowed beside me ::. Cut Left! I'm on your flank!.::

In seconds I was all but lying on my left side with Sideswipe staying tight on my right. Full circle and I was flanking Arcee again.

The 'Battle' became pitched at that point, the secondary vision making it ridiculously easy to hit what I aimed for. Out of worry I avoided hitting faces and chests like the plague.

::. Little Sister! Recharge!.:: Sideswipe shouted, holding a hand toward me, I fired, hitting his palm perfectly and watched with a second's interest as a few dings in his armour popped back out. Prime shouted behind me, without even thinking about it I swung my hand behind my back, seeing him somewhat crippled. I spun about and automatically blasted the twins, they retreated as I shot Optimus' hand, flying past as his nanites repaired the tube in his leg. He was up and rolling by the time I'd circled around again.

::. Mikaela! Covering fire for Arcee!.:: Optimus called out, I watched her path and began firing at anything that came close to her. Graham among a group of broadly grinning soldiers roared toward her while I snarled softly. A flush of energon seemed to change the glove on my left hand. I frowned and fired a wild shot then let out a whoop of laughter at the splat of orange on the ground. A second later Graham and his vehicle were pelted with bright orange paint as I zoomed past. Another flush of energon and I caught Ironhide's chest plate with a burst. He stared at me in indignation.

::. Hitting me in the most strongly armoured place will do nothing in battle!.:: he commented in a stern tone.

"I'm keeping away from faces and sparks!" I called back, cutting sharply right to stay on Arcee's six.

"Where in the hell did you get paint balls?" Graham bellowed as we roared past toward Prime again. I swung my left arm around and saw him laughing as he batted at the orange.

::. Little Sister! Recharge!.:: Sideswipe grinned, holding a palm toward me again. I laughed and double tapped his hand without so much as slowing down. There was a shriek from just behind me, I watched Chromia transforming mid-air and fall heavily. In seconds I was making a screeching halt, kicking the stand down and kneeling beside her.

"Busted a tire," she groaned as the noise around us lessened.

"No doubt, that's one hell of a spike in your tire," I stated calmly, setting my helmet down on the ground and lightly turning her tire until I could reach the nail. "You okay if I pull this?" I looked up at her with concern.

"Go for it," she nodded, sitting up lightly to watch as I quickly pulled the rusty nail and pocketed it. "Trust me to find the only bloody nail on an airport runway," she rolled her optics. "Charge me up will you?"

I gave her a lopsided grin and backed up slightly, aiming carefully for her shoulder and firing a light burst of energon, watching fascinated as her wheel struts righted themselves.

"Get back on your bike, I'll cover you!" she said with a grin, jumping back onto her tire as I wound my hair up and settled the helmet quickly back on. We raced off together, headed back toward the 'battle.' I rejoined Arcee quickly and started firing again.

The battle became truly extreme at that point, I never noticed the soldiers backing off to the side to watch, staying in the thick of things beside Arcee all the while.

I didn't notice the passing time until it was suddenly difficult to see.

::. There's the opening! Go!.:: Arcee shouted suddenly, I raced forward through the hole.

Time slowed. Ironhide was falling toward me, his cannons out and powering up to fire at the ground in his own style of a handspring. Without even thinking about it I dropped to my side, skidding and spinning along the ground beneath him. I aimed upward as his cannon came above me and fired. Ironhide was blasted up and backward, landing heavily as I kicked back up onto my tires and kept going. I swung my hand back around to see him hefting himself up to stare at me incredulously.

::. _Mikaela!_.:: Ratchet and Optimus were bellowing in terrified tones.

"_Focus_!" I bellowed back, racing toward the 'flag' and snatching it up with barely a hiccough in my speed. I tucked it into my jacket and touched my front brakes, spinning around with smoking tires and racing through the 'enemy' ranks back toward Optimus. Arcee took my flank, providing covering fire as we dodged and weaved through the slower moving 'bots. I reached Optimus and threw the flag-canister up at him. He caught it, straightened and commanded everyone to group together.

Taxiing around somewhat I settled beside Arcee, who grinned at me as Chromia took my other side.

"Where the _pit_ did you learn _that?_" Chromia grinned at me. I glanced around to see the soldiers well out of earshot.

"I learned city racing from my Uncle. Underskidding in urban areas takes you under semi-trailers. It gets people off your tail when they think you're dead on the other side." I grinned.

"Good work, everyone." Optimus rumbled, looking at each of us in turn. "Skids, Mudflap, you did better with your teamwork today, but you still have work to do. Arcee, you and the girls stuck together very well, but you left an occasional opening on the right. Mikaela." he looked down at me with a small frown, "Your speed and ability to take orders was good, but you never once made a critical hit."

I blushed and looked down.

"Optimus, she hit precisely what she was aiming at," Sideswipe of all bots spoke up. I glanced up at him curiously. "You did good Little Sister," he grinned at me.

"Gotta give the Femme credit for not wanting to injure her allies," Ironhide added, looking down at me approvingly. "Gave me a turn when she hit my chest, not my spark. But her reasons are sound. It's an unfamiliar weapon for her, we can't expect her to know that one of those shots to a spark would provide a full recharge instead of repairs."

"Killed the lot of _us_ in one pass!" Graham added, showing off the orange paint splattered over everyone's hearts.

"Good," Optimus nodded, "The rest of you, you know your strengths and weaknesses, just as you've learned each other's. The earth has turned from the sun, and has reached the time for rest. Roll out."

"Little Sister, you're still wired right?" Sideswipe grinned down at me.

"I... yeah," I said with a frown.

"Sparkshot, go for it," he grinned, turning to face me fully.

"But..." I frowned.

"You're still calibrated properly," Ratchet said with a smile, "Go on, you need to get rid of the fear of hurting us with that. I might as well throw a pie at you."

"Okay," I said quietly, my hand flashed up and let off a shot, directly into Sideswipe's chest before he even looked twice. He flew back and crashed down.

"FUCK!" I shrieked.

Optimus looked down as Ironhide howled with laughter.

Sideswipe sat up and shook his head.

"Aw _man_, you gotta _try_ _that_!" he exclaimed, laying back down again.

"Fuck, I just – FUCK!" I shouted.

"It doesn't hurt," Optimus rumbled gently.

"Do me!" Ironhide chuckled. I stared around myself in shock.

"Go on Kae," Optimus rumbled with a low chuckle, reaching down and touching my shoulder with a gentle finger. "It doesn't hurt, I promise."

"Optimus I blasted him off his bloody tires!" I moaned. Sideswipe looked up at me.

"_You_ try getting blasted with an enormous cake," he grinned, and belched. "_Man! _Can't do that much, get fat."

I stared at him.

"Seriously?" I asked weakly.

"Seriously," he grinned, jumping to his feet. "Share it around little sister. Everybody else does it!"

I sighed and aimed for Ironhide, "if you say so..." a ball of light caught him in the chest, knocking him on his aft, he began laughing again.

"Now, how many of us can you catch before you feel tired?" Ratchet asked curiously.

"Let's see I guess," I shrugged, swinging my arm around and letting off shots the second a spark was in sight. In moments I was surrounded by a circle of sitting auto-bots.

"You aren't tired?" Ratchet looked at me incredulously. I frowned for a second.

"No, not appreciably," I said with a shrug. "I mean, I just spent what? Six hours buzzing about on my bike after a year or so without the practice, so my legs feel a bit shaky, but I don't _feel_ tired..."

Graham walked toward me with Will and Robert behind him.

"Hey Mikaela, where'd you get the paintballs?" he asked with a grin.

"I was about to ask the same," Ratchet's voice came from directly behind me. I jumped and turned to face his holo.

"I don't know," I said truthfully, looking down at my left hand. "I saw you lot roaring up to menace Arcee while I was providing cover fire and got frustrated, and then _this_ happened!" I frowned for a second and felt the same flush of energon as before, the glove changed over my hand, increasing the size of the tube and narrowing my vision slightly.

"It shouldn't do that," Ratchet frowned, poking at the pack.

"It transformed, why shouldn't it?" Epps shrugged, "It's your guys' technology."

Ratchet's holoformatic face blanked out for a second before he sighed.

"And here we thought you were joking about syncing," he shook his head and looked at me mournfully. "It's probably going to hurt to get this off of you."

"Why?" I frowned, looking at the glove, it transformed back into the original, sleek glove. A moment later I poked the button and felt the fibres retracting from my skin. "Oh, ow, barbed," I grunted, twitching and trying to force my muscles to relax. A few irritating tugs at the base of my spine and neck and I was free, carefully un-buckling the pack and handing it to a stunned looking Ratchet.

"The energy readings haven't changed," he muttered, staring at me with a worried expression.

"Ratchet?" Optimus looked down at us.

"Optimus, do a scan on Mikaela," Ratchet frowned, his holo winking out.

Optimus gazed down at me calmly.

"Her energy readings are stronger," he stated blandly, looking at the medi-bot.

"She transformed the pack," Ratchet added, looking at Prime meaningfully. Optimus let out a slow gust of air from his out take valves. I frowned slightly, several of the Auto-bots' sparks had a touch of worry in their resonations.

"I'm gonna go get some grub," Epps announced, turning toward the hanger and closely followed by a dozen soldiers.

"That, sounds like a brilliant idea," I grinned, starting up my bike and following them.

* * *

(OPOV)

"Major," Optimus rumbled softly, watching the girl idle slowly alongside the soldiers, chatting and joking with them easily. "Mikaela may need to stay in the hanger with us. Her bio-signs are becoming too close to those of an auto-bot. There is no EM shield around the apartment complexes."

"So what, she's becoming an Auto-bot?" Will asked, walking alongside the mech.

"No, she's integrating the knowledge from the All-Spark, and converting a great deal of her own chemical energy into energon, but she won't simply spontaneously transform into an Auto-bot." Ratchet stated blandly, giving Optimus another significant look. "But she is giving off a definite energon reading now. It's still weak, but growing stronger."

"What do we do about it?" Lennox asked calmly, watching the young woman park her bike and trot toward the soldiers, joining them for the evening repast. Chance had his arm over her shoulders as they laughed, treating her as one of the guys.

"We don't know yet," Optimus stated quietly.

"Options?" Lennox stated.

"Either we find a way to separate the All-Spark from her mind, which would definitely kill her. Continue to let her use this pack, which will more than likely degrade her nervous system and eventually kill her. Or upload her into a new body. Which could possibly destroy her, or possibly make her an Auto-bot." Ratchet stated calmly.

"So the options are kill her, maim her or change her," Will summed up calmly. "Is there some reason why you're hesitant to change her?"

"It would hurt," Optimus rumbled softly.

"Does she know yet?"

"No," Ratchet murmured.

"Tell her," Will shrugged, "she's mature for her age, it's her life, let her decide. Unless you lot find it fundamentally wrong to create an Auto-bot body and upload a willing mind into it. _I_ wouldn't mind another auto-bot around, hell, she proved well enough today she's an asset in a battle situation. Holy _crap_."

Ironhide snorted his agreement.

"Ratchet has cheerfully skipped a rather crucial point," Optimus growled softly.

"Which is?"

"How to get her into a new body with enough power that she doesn't immediately offline, we are not at Cybertron, where such a thing would be simple." Optimus grumbled.

"That could pose a problem, yeah." Will nodded. "Right, so do you think she's ready for field work with you lot?"

"A couple of days rest and she will have enough of an excess of Energon that she could come along." Ratchet nodded.

"Good, I'll leave you to your recharge, I'm starved," Will grinned, striding after his men.


	27. 25 Girl Talk

**Chapter 25 - Girl Talk**

* * *

(APOV)

Arcee transformed and stretched, looking over at the human femme.

::. Gonna go talk to her?.:: Ironhide asked cheerfully.

::. I believe so.:: Arcee replied musingly.

::. Good, outside the fight, a femme needs other femmes around.:: Ironhide rumbled rather sagely, especially seeing as he was generally the bot that had his pedes in his vocal processors most of the time. Arcee looked at him in mild, self-admitted shock.

::. Am I wrong?.:: Ironhide asked curiously.

::. No, and I'm not sure which surprises me more.:: Arcee sent back to the gruff old warrior fondly. Ironhide snorted in amusement. Her sister Chromia was still in the plotting stages of catching the bot's optics, she'd made an excellent choice, in Arcee's mind.

::. Can I make a suggestion?.:: Ironhide rumbled curiously.

::. Always, old friend.:: Arcee stated in surprise.

::. Kae don't really play subtle.:: Ironhide sent musingly, turning to look at the femme. Arcee couldn't help but smile.

::. Neither do I.:: Arcee smiled.

::. Bull.::

Arcee glanced over at the weapons master and giggled slightly. It had been a _long_ time since she'd done that. Arcee calmly shifted into her bipedal mode, striding to Mikaela and looking down at her.

Mikaela looked back up curiously.

"Arcee?" she asked calmly.

"May I join you?" Arcee asked the tiny femme calmly.

"Welcome to," Mikaela stated with surprise in her voice, gesturing to the space around her. "May I continue stripping this servo in your presence?"

Okay _that_ was a surprise.

"Of course!" Arcee stated in surprise. "Why would I not?"

"Just observing the differences between our races and cultures," Mikaela shrugged calmly. "Some humans, although not all, find it... disorienting, disrespectful when a person they are speaking with is not focusing on them during their discourse."

"Hmn," Arcee hummed, winding herself around a rather comfortable bench. "I suppose I can see where they are coming from, are..." she trailed off somewhat, not wishing to give offence. Mikaela's hands barely stilled as she turned to look at Arcee with a smile.

"I don't really assimilate subtleties very well," she stated calmly. "However our non-verbal vocalizations are generally the same, you're worried about giving offence, stop worrying about it, it takes a _lot_ to offend me."

Arcee couldn't help but smile.

"I like you," she smiled at Mikaela. "You are an excellent fighter and plainspoken, both of which I treasure in a companion."

Mikaela grinned at her.

"So back to the question you were going to ask?" Mikaela asked curiously.

"Does your race have difficulty multi-tasking?" Arcee asked curiously. Mikaela pursed her lips slightly.

"Some of them?" she answered unsurely, her hands slowed slightly. "I mean, to multi-task is not an instinctual trait, it's learned. I can work and talk at the same time. Keep track of a few subjects at once. Others' abilities to do the same? My father taught me how, he's as proficient as I am, but others that I've worked with are completely _useless_ at it."

"I wonder why," Arcee stated musingly.

"I'm only running one processor," Mikaela shrugged. Arcee jumped in shock.

"You're what?" she asked in shock.

"One processor," Mikaela stated calmly, tapping her head. "Haven't got _room _for a second, so we make do with what we have."

"Astonishing," Arcee murmured, shaking her head. "You fought, used momentum and gravity to your greatest advantage going beneath Ironhide and you made those calculations with a single processor?"

"No, I didn't make _any_ calculations," Mikaela smiled. "Not consciously, at any rate. Sliding beneath Ironhide is trained into me to the point that I simply don't think about it. The rest was a hope and a prayer." Mikaela shot Arcee a guilty look. "Praying mostly that I'd use enough of a shot to change Ironhide's vectors without _hurting_ him."

"You can't hurt us with those shots," Arcee snorted. "At best you'd make him overload, he'd likely _appreciate_ it."

Mikaela stared at her.

"You know, overload, critical mass?" Arcee stated curiously, looking at her. "Does your species not reach a point of ultimate pleasure?"

"Oh!" Mikaela stated with a surprised look in her eyes. "We do, but generally when we speak of overloading, or critical mass it's in the context of causing damage."

"Ah," Arcee nodded. "Well now you know."

"Indeed," Mikaela nodded cheerfully. She snorted. "Thank you." she stated with a twinkle in her eyes that could only be called wicked.

"Hmn?" Arcee asked curiously.

"That, makes me feel _so_ much better about shooting at Ironhide," Mikaela laughed. "Total contradictory in terms, feel good about shooting at Ironhide."

Arcee didn't bother to bite down the chuckle of amusement at that thought.

The two of them glanced at each other and burst out laughing. Chromia and Flare onlined and looked over at them curiously, transforming into bipedal form and striding over.

"We get to gossip with Mikaela now?" Chromia asked cheerfully.

"Kae," Mikaela stated calmly.

The three of them looked at her curiously.

"You are friends," Mikaela stated with a smile. "Mikaela is my given name, my _friends_ call me Kae."

"We would be honoured to call you friend, Kae," Arcee smiled at her. Kae beamed at them. "And that being the case-"

"Got your eye on anyone yet?" Chromia asked mischievously.

"I..." Kae started, her eyes flicking to Optimus before she visibly restrained herself. "No, human rules on base, it's better if I present myself as the soldiers' little sister." she shrugged.

"Where's the fun in that?" Flareup pouted.

"I never said it was _fun," _Mikaela snorted. "Simply necessary for keeping the peace."

"But doesn't your species at least..." Arcee started, she broke herself off. That wasn't a topic humans seemed to be comfortable with.

"Get urges?" Kae asked with a low laugh, looking at her.

"I apologize, we know humans-" Arcee started.

"Are uncomfortable speaking about it?" Mikaela asked cheerfully. "Of course, most of them are. I'm not most of them."

The femmes grinned at her.

"Alright, so who do you have your eye on then?" Chromia asked with a small smirk. "Don't lie, your eyes flickered."

Mikaela snorted.

"You rat me out and I'll kick your assplates," she murmured conspiratorially.

The femmes leaned in with grins.

Mikaela turned and looked at Optimus again.

"I know I have absolutely no chance to catch his optic," she murmured. "But at the same point, it doesn't hurt to look does it?"

Arcee smiled indulgently at the tiny femme.

"I wouldn't say you have _no_ chance," she murmured with a smile.

"Perhaps," Mikaela shrugged. "He is an... incredible person. But if experience has taught me anything, advances like that tend to strain friendships, and his is a friendship that I would sorely regret losing."

Arcee reached over and gently laid her hand on Kae's back, touched by the simple statement. She noted what she was doing and made to pull back.

"I apologize-" she started.

"For what? Touching me?" Mikaela asked softly. "You go right ahead, Arcee, if the truth is to be known? That is the only thing I find lacking in this place." she looked around at the hangar, the base. "The lack of touch."

"You are a sister," Chromia murmured with a smile, reaching out and laying her hand over Kae's.

"As such, you are welcome to join us," Arcee continued with a smile, gently rubbing the femme's back.

"Anytime girl," Flare added with a smile.

"Thank you," Mikaela smiled at them. It was a different smile, one of contented relief.

"Come for a drive?" Arcee asked with a grin. "We are due to make a patrol, after all."

Mikaela grinned at them and rose. She looked over at Ratchet.

Arcee started worriedly, the old medic was humming in memories.

And by the sound, very few of them happy.

"Ratch?" Kae called out quietly. The medic looked up distractedly. Kae frowned somewhat. "Are you alright?" she asked gently.

"Hmn? Oh, right, go eat or... something..." Ratchet muttered.

Mikaela frowned slightly and walked toward him, climbing his leg to get onto his work table. Ratchet looked at her neutrally.

"Don't do that," Mikaela stated gently.

"Do what?" Ratchet asked flatly.

"You've shut your emotions down, don't do that, it's bad for you," Mikaela scolded him gently. Ratchet stared at her, and Arcee synced her processors in relief when the suppressors cut out from Ratchet's systems.

"You are an excellent assistant," Ratchet stated neutrally, looking at Kae. "As such, you should not have to bother with my moods."

"Ratch, don't you _dare_ shut your emotions down believing that I shouldn't have to deal with them," Mikaela stated sternly. "Whatever has happened in your life, whatever the memories you access. You have a right to your grumps, your laughter and your grief."

Mikaela smiled at him gently, then.

"Besides, if you start shutting your emotions down so I don't have to deal with them, it means I'm going to have to do the same, and I don't have the run protocol for automatic suppression. I'd have to do it consciously."

"The suppression of emotions is detrimental to both human and Auto-bots," Ratchet stated sternly, glaring at her. "You are to do no such thing!"

"Then neither are you," Mikaela shot back at him calmly. "If you're going to yell at me, do it. I'm tiny, I'm squishy, I am _not_ fragile."

Ratchet stared at her incredulously for a moment before the look turned wry.

"Alright Kae," he rumbled gently, reaching out and touching her hair with a gentle finger. Mikaela smiled and hugged his finger for a moment before she climbed down from his workbench.

"Do you mind if I roll with Arcee, Chromia and Flare?" she asked gently.

"No, go ahead," Ratchet shrugged with a half-smile. "Don't forget to eat."

"When I get back," Kae laughed softly, gently patting his leg before she trotted to her corner, quickly getting into her riding armour.

Arcee quickly transformed with her sisters and shot Kae a wry look as she fired up her own, non-sentient bike.

"You wanted me to ride with you?" Kae asked curiously, looking at her.

::. How do you know that I'm looking at you like that?.:: Arcee asked curiously.

::. I dunno, I just do.:: Kae sent back on her radio ::. I thought you'd prefer to stay free to transform though.::

::. mmn, good point.:: Arcee nodded thoughtfully.

The four of them rolled out of the hangar together.

::. Where do you want me in formation?.:: Kae asked curiously.

::. Standard narrow formation.:: Arcee commanded calmly. Kae fell in behind Flare with a smile.

::. Initiating Femme channel.:: Chromia called out calmly.

Arcee felt the switch and smiled.

::. So why are you so certain you would have no chance with Prime?.:: she asked curiously.

::. You mean besides the fact that he's Prime?.:: Mikaela asked in amusement.

::. That makes no difference.:: Chromia snorted.

::. Okay true, how about the fact that I'm tiny and squishy, and he's enormous and gorgeous?.:: Kae stated with a laugh. ::. No, he is a dear and incredible friend, I have no desire to lose that.::

::. I still don't understand that.:: Flare stated calmly.

::. That's a major difference between our cultures, I suppose.:: Mikaela stated musingly ::. Humans for some reason, have a great deal of difficulty maintaining platonic friendships between males and females. Don't ask me why, because I frankly have no idea. The biological imperative maybe.::

::. The need to propagate your species? How does that destroy friendships?.:: Arcee asked curiously.

::. I was raised in a patriarchal society. Males tend to view their mate having other male companions as competition, they take care of their mate for the sake of the continuation of their specific genetics. It's _decreasing_, sort of, but evolution is difficult to argue with, even _if_ Mico tweaked it a couple of times.::

::. Mico created you as well?.:: Chromia asked in a shocked tone.

::. She created all of us, in a sense.:: Mikaela stated in a musing tone ::. Although more, she created the Cybertronian race directly, my race was slowly getting out of the trees when she arrived. She... helped our minds, the human brain to become greater, I suppose.::

::. Then we are sister races.:: Flare stated in surprise.

::. I suppose, your race is still cooler though.:: Mikaela snorted.

::. What do you mean?.:: Arcee asked with a laugh.

::. Well, I'll live approximately one vorn, as will my potential children, and their children. By comparison, you're practically eternal. You'll die when you choose to. I haven't got any choice in the matter, at best I'll live a vorn and die, because my body will be incapable of sufficiently repairing itself.::

::. So we live longer.:: Chromia snorted does that make us cooler?.::

::. How does it not?.:: Mikaela laughed ::. You have a _far _longer time to live, see the universe, meet people, fall in love...:: she trailed off softly.

::. Kae?.:: Flareup asked with gentle curiosity.

::. At the end of a human's life, _very_ few of us say that we have lived a long life.:: Mikaela stated quietly ::. We look back at what we did, what we didn't do, and tell our children to do as much as they _can_, because our eighty years on this planet is far shorter than we can comprehend at a young age.::

::. That's one of the reasons you want Optimus to take you to Cybertron, isn't it?.:: Arcee asked softly.

::. Even though I will never _see_ Cybertron, never walk upon her surface, I will be there.:: Mikaela stated with quiet dignity.

Arcee pulled up into the lookout and transformed with her sisters as Kae parked. She reached over and picked the tiny femme up.

"There's nothing that _any_ of us can say that will change your mind, is there?" she asked gently. "Come ice tempest or Pitfire, Optimus will take you to Cybertron to heal our home."

Mikaela smiled somewhat.

"Well, one can hope, there's always the chance that he'll just have me live my life out, because once I die Mico will transform or pass to another form. If she knows that my remains will be taken to Cybertron, then she'll stay with them. Otherwise her wisdom and knowledge will pass to another." Mikaela stated calmly. The four of them looked at the water crashing against the shore.

"This planet is so very beautiful, in it's own way," Flareup stated quietly.

"She is," Mikaela murmured.

They stood in silence for some time.

"I still think you should hold up some hope of catching his optic," Chromia stated calmly, looking at Kae.

"But even if I were successful, Chromia," Kae stated flatly. "He would have a lover for a vorn, less than a vorn and I would be dead. He's lost enough, a lover for a vorn..." she trailed off bitterly. "I can't do that to him."

A small flash of pain tore at Arcee's spark. That was a harsh truth, Arcee held the tiny femme a bit closer. Kae looked up at her, and anyone could see the sharp pain in her eyes.

"No matter how much I adore him," she whispered in a choked voice.

The femmes gathered close to her, rocking somewhat. Arcee looked at the tiny femme closely, and felt her spark harden somewhat in resolve.

She would change, if she felt so strongly for the Prime, she would change, become one of their number.

Anything less would be unworthy of her spark.

* * *

(CPOV)

Chromia sat, rather bored actually.

Ironhide was so blasted quiet. He didn't even snore...

Okay, that was something of a lie, she'd seen him snore once, she'd liked that sound.

But that had been a long time ago.

Scrap, he'd been her third, and admitting that she'd found a mate so early into her life would cause no end of ribbing.

Not only the third comments, no, those were simple to deal with, she'd say yes, third, of thousands. Simple as that. No, the ribbing would be of lost time.

Chromia grimaced slightly and leaned back against the hangar wall.

Bored.

Hey, there was something new.

Sort of.

Kae was walking slowly toward the hangar on silent feet. She spotted Chromia about the same time she was spotted. Kae nodded to her, and her feet suddenly began to make a soft sound. The courtesy of announced presence.

"Evening," she murmured softly. "Quiet night?"

"Too quiet," Chromia grumbled softly.

"Mmnph, agreed," Kae nodded, glaring at the compound for a moment. Chromia jumped slightly, looking down at her.

"How so?"

"I've never slept when there isn't a bit of noise, crickets, snoring, _something_," Kae sighed. "And while I'm not sleeping I'm laying in the dark and bored out of my skull."

Chromia chuckled, and Kae looked at her.

"Welcome to the club, we have badges," Chromia snorted.

Kae began giggling.

"Do you mind if I join you? _Guaranteed_ Ratchet did all the oil changes on me so that I'll theoretically go back to sleep."

Chromia grinned and patted the ground beside herself.

"You looked pensive while I was walking, penny for your process?" Kae asked curiously, settling down on the ground.

Chromia pursed her lips somewhat, then cycled her processors.

"Just how open is your mind at the moment?" she asked pensively.

"Quite," Kae stated calmly. Chromia nodded.

"May I put something forward as..." Chromia frowned. She knew the word in Cybertronian, across several of the frequencies even, she hadn't found an adequate translation for it though. Scanning a language was one thing, speaking it instantaneously, in the correct context, with the right word _for _the word was quite another.

"A situation that will be mutually accepted as not being about you even though ninety percent of the time it _is_ about the person speaking the situation?" Mikaela supplied blandly.

"_Yes_," Chromia snorted. "What is the word for it?"

"Hypothetical," Mikaela stated with a smile. "Have at."

Chromia nodded. An outside observer was always handy.

"Alright, so say a person found the one they knew was the one, but only on the third try," Chromia began calmly. "Person has gone on to make several conquests since, but the third was _the_ one."

"Okay," Kae nodded. "Three questions in clarification?"

"Shoot," Chromia nodded.

"Does said one know that they are the one?"

"I... don't... think so?" Chromia murmured.

"Is said one available?"

"Yes," Chromia smirked.

"Did said one enjoy the time spent with the knowing one?"

"I believe so," Chromia murmured unsurely.

"Then the one that knows should definitely, _carefully_ go after said one, if initial, then secondary advances are not rejected, have at." Kae nodded firmly.

Chromia nodded.

"Nice to hear it from someone else," she snorted softly. "Now how does said person deal with the ribbing of finding the one third try?"

"Hmn?" Mikaela asked curiously.

"The third?" Chromia looked down at her.

"How does it work on Cybertron?" Kae asked curiously.

"Well, we have our first, learn from them, a second less so, then the third, on and on making conquests," Chromia shrugged.

"Huh," Kae nodded. "Well that's cool."

"For your race?"

"Well the males are semi-secretly vaunted for their number of conquests, women are scorned for it most of the time." Kae shrugged. "Doesn't _stop_ us, but point stands."

"Ugh, weird," Chromia grimaced.

"I know right?" Kae snorted. "So what's wrong with the third?"

"Absolutely _nothing_!" Chromia almost exploded. "I keep trying to find things that I don't like about him, and there were _several_, but the more I'm near him the more I find that those things are what I cherish the _most_!"

"That, is love," Kae murmured softly. Chrome smiled and looked down at Kae, and was shocked to see the femme's optics looking a million miles away. But there was such longing there, Chromia couldn't help but reach for her.

But the second she touched the tiny human, her eyes sharpened.

"What's wrong with love?" she demanded softly.

"_What?_" Chromia demanded. "What do you mean what's wrong with love!? It is what _binds_ us, makes us _whole_!"

"Then what is wrong with loving the third?" Kae shot back at her.

"The ribbing!" Chromia exploded.

Kae turned and looked at her incredulously.

"Really? The _ribbing!?_" she demanded. She looked about ready to blow a capacitor, and it sure as the pit burned wasn't in anger.

"They aren't going to bother me about him being the third!" Chromia grumped. "All I say to that is yes, the third, of thousands. It's done right! No! _Then_ they're going to rib me about lost _time!"_

Kae snorted.

"You know what I say to that?" she smirked. Chromia stared at her.

A comeback against lost time?

The _potential!_

_"__What?_" she demanded with a broad grin.

"Assuming that by then they're bugging you about lost time with 'Hide? In your place, I would walk right up to him, wind around him as seductively to _him_ as you can and say: 'Precisely why we're making up for lost time'."

Chromia sat.

A backup processor noted that Kae was looking up at her worriedly.

No time to stay shocked that the tiny femme had just blown her processors.

But. It. Was. _Brilliant!_

Talk about a way to make a _point!_

Chromia immediately synced her processors, leaned down and picked the tiny femme up, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

"I. Am using that." she stated flatly.

Kae dangled in her hands, looking as flabbergasted as Chromia had been a moment ago. That look was actually priceless. Chromia memorized it to use on her later.

"I. Would _pay_ to see that." Mikaela stated flatly.

Chromia grinned. Then noted Mikaela's position.

"Oh! Sorry," she stated with a worried frown, setting the femme down.

"No worries, one question?"

"Yeah?" Chromia stated worriedly.

"You just photographed me looking absolutely shocked a moment ago. Didn't you?"

"I did," Chromia nodded seriously, fighting a smirk.

"And you're going to use it to blackmail me at some point, aren't you." Kae stated, Chromia looked at her a bit more closely. She was fighting to not laugh.

"A-yeah," Chromia nodded. Smirking.

"You're a horrible person, you know that right?" Mikaela stated.

"But that's why you love me!" Chromia stated innocently.

Mikaela froze, staring at her.

"That. Is the best use of that line I have _ever_ heard," she stated seriously.

They stared at each other for a moment and died laughing.

Chromia slowly wound down to a soft, cheerful chuckle while the femme beside her breathed somewhat more heavily.

"Learn something new every day," Mikaela finally sighed between giggles.

"What?" Chromia asked curiously.

"Girl talk is universal," Kae grinned, leaning against her side.

"And thank Primus for it," Chromia smirked.


	28. 26 Guardian Predator

**Chapter 26 - Guardian Predator**

* * *

(MPOV)

I woke up with stiff muscles, again. Wondering what had roused me this time, the sun wasn't quite up yet.

"Mikaela?"

"Will?" I called back.

"Morning run," the man behind the door stated almost apologetically.

"I'll be out in a half sec!" I called out, scrambling out of bed and staring at my rather limited wardrobe. I shrugged and put on the shorts and tank I'd worn yesterday, a quick couple of strokes with the hairbrush and I was tying my hair up out of my face while walking out the door. I picked up the same pace that the others were jogging at, following them out of the barracks and onto the tarmac. I fell in at the back of the line as they settled into a ground eating trot. Will was in front as the group splintered from it's regimented two deep line of jogging soldiers, a group formed.

"Hey Kae, you sleep in those clothes or something?" Epps asked with a broad grin, looking at my outfit.

"Nah, I just don't have all that much to wear," I replied with a half smile, "just means I wear the same thing twice in a week."

"That would absolutely _kill_ my sisters," Jacobs laughed from Epps' other side.

"Oh woe is me!" I said in a perfectly winsome little girl tone, "the same clean clothes twice in a _week_?" I laughed along with everyone else in earshot.

"Why didn't you say something before?" Chance asked curiously.

"Right, 'cause I'm going to walk up and say: 'Hey, you mind if I borrow that eighty million dollar C-17 so I can fly to Miami for a mall crawl?"

"Don't know if that's such a good idea," Lennox said calmly, "You can borrow the C-17 sure, but I'm more worried about how open you'd be to attack at the mall."

"Another good reason," I grinned.

"For?"

"For not having brought up my distinct lack of outfits," I laughed, "Seriously, I wear coveralls ninety percent of the time, I am _so_ not worried about it."

"And we're _sure_ she's a sheila?" Chance asked with a grin, I gave him a light punch in the side.

"No, I'm actually an extremely curvy boy," I stuck my tongue out at him.

"You hit like a sheila," he shot back at me.

"Considering the kicking force of a 'roo? Thank you." I grinned. Chance laughed.

"You lost me," Epps frowned.

"Kangaroo can balance on 'is tail and kick a man flat on his arse, break a good few ribs in the process," Chance grinned, we turned, jogging toward the air tower. Epps elbowed Chance, vying to run beside me and starting a trend.

"The hell are you lot doing?" I finally asked with a laugh.

"Last hundred yards to the tower you carry the one on your right," Lennox shouted with a broad grin, "Go!" I promptly ducked out of Epps' reach and picked Chance up in a fireman's lift, picking up my pace slightly as Chance howled with laughter, the over-sized boots lay forgotten behind me. I set him down at the old concrete tower and turned to watch the last few steps of the rest of the soldiers.

"You headbutted my boob!" I told Chance indignantly, rubbing my chest. He promptly sat down, laughing harder.

"Okay fine, point taken," Will wheezed, evidently having been stuck with carrying Jacobs. The enormous African extended a fist toward me as he laughed, I pounded it automatically with a broad grin.

"_Little Sister!_" Sideswipe bellowed, his voice quieted by the sheer distance between the tower and the hangar. My heart stopped. Wrong tone. Panic. I took off at a dead sprint, easily outstripping the heavily booted men behind me.

"Sides!" I shrieked, "What's wrong!"

"Primus damned Decepticon symbiont came in pretending to be deactivated and got Ratchet!" Sideswipe bellowed, skating toward me at high speed. In a second I was in his hands and being whisked back to the hangar.

"How the hell did it manage to _pretend _to be deactivated?" I demanded, breathing heavily with my heart pounding at high speed. Sheer adrenaline making my tone sharp.

"You ain't never played dead?" Sideswipe asked, his tone panicked as he put on an extra burst of speed.

"Humans still have vital signs that indicate life," I snapped, I'd apologize later. Sideswipe set me down at the doors and I was running again toward the downed medi-bot. "Sit-Rep!" I commanded, immediately climbing into Ratchet's chest as he groaned. I pinched off a tube spurting coolants and laid a free hand against the badly damaged and glowing spark chamber.

"Symbiont lashed out and caught him in the chest," Ironhide rumbled furiously.

"Has it been deactivated?" I demanded.

"Not yet, it's playing dead again," the weapons master reported.

"Well segregate it," I snapped, "make sure it doesn't hurt anyone else then do a full scan on the rest of the parts that have been shipped in. If it has even the remotest trace of energon I want it isolated for further inspection to make sure this doesn't happen again! Move!" Ironhide practically ran.

"Bumblebee!" I shouted, "I need you to get me five of the number three hose clamps, A-3 in the blue case and a number two Phillips screwdriver. ∂Ratchet! You with us?∂ I asked sharply.

∂Spark... my Spark...∂ he mumbled, obviously in shock.

"Optimus!" I barked as Bumblebee handed me the clamps and screwdriver. "I need my energon pack NOW!"

"Ratchet kept it. It has been destroyed," Optimus barked.

"Aw this is gonna hurt," I growled, shifting and pressing my bared thigh to Ratchet's spark chamber, quickly closing off the leaking hoses. "Fine! Bumblebee! Grab the filament strands, bag number 55862!"

The scout was gone and back in a moment, handing me the sealed bag. I tore it open with my teeth, still holding the irregular, gaping hole in Ratchet's spark chamber closed with my thigh. In a moment the strands were reacting to the energon flickering over my skin, concentrating, I forced half of them to connect to my nervous system, gathering the energon from my tissues and turning into a mild welder stemming directly from my wrist. I ignored the searing pain as metal came to life and bonded with my nerves.

"Plate metal! Bag number 48159!" I commanded, it was in my free hand in seconds. I tore that open and suspended it on the now gently waving tendrils emerging from my free hand. It began to reshape itself, forming a perfectly sized patch. I quickly laid it over the wound and watched as the filaments began to integrate the patch and spark chamber.

"Nova?" Ratchet murmured, his optics still offline.

"No Ratchet," I said gently, "I'm sorry, it's just me, Mikaela."

"Kae, power me up," Ratchet grumbled tiredly, "my nanites are being lazy little bastards again."

I smiled and took a deep breath, focusing myself before reaching out and stroking one of Ratchet's neural bundles. I watched bemused as the fibres reached for me, slipping into my skin beside my borrowed neurals. The medic's nanites finally got to work again, quickly repairing the hoses and finalizing the patch on his spark chamber. I climbed out from between his chest plates as his optics onlined again. Ratchet sat up and shook his head.

"Rusty Decepticon scrap," he grumbled irritably. "Good call using your energon... pack..." he trailed off and picked up the still smouldering light pack that housed my energon connector. "Mikaela what the _pit_ did youdo?" he demanded, looking at me sternly.

"Helped out a friend," I growled, the filaments delicately winding themselves around my forearms. "Did I miss anything?" I asked in a gentler tone.

"No, I'm alright now," Ratchet sighed, scooting back to lean against the wall for a few moments to regain his equilibrium, his nanites still straightening the odd strut.

"Good," I said with a curt nod. I turned and began walking toward the pile of servos being guarded by Ironhide and Sideswipe. "Lennox!" I called out curtly, "I need your gun."

"They aren't hot loaded-" he started with a frown.

"Good," I interrupted flatly, holding out a hand.

He stared at me in shock, handing over his gun without another word. I accepted it readily and looked it over for a half second, testing the weight and inspecting the calibre as I walked toward Ironhide.

"This is the lot?" I asked curtly.

"It is," he rumbled menacingly, glaring at the pile.

I immediately took off the safety and shot each piece, watching for the slightest twitch. Two recoiled, transforming in front of our eyes into small advancers. Their guns came online, aiming for as many as they figured they could take down. Their optics glared hatefully at me. In seconds the filaments on my arm had transformed, firing two searingly bright arcs of plasma before anyone had time to react. Two well-concealed spark chambers imploded.

"_Now_ they're deactivated," I growled, reversing the gun and handing it to a stunned Lennox.

"Since when did she have a friggen Rambo program?" Epps called out in a stunned voice. I turned to look at him with raised eyebrows.

"Don't be absurd. Rambo got his ass handed to him," I said with a half grin. I held up my hand and the filaments coiled again, I looked down at them with a frown, another personality was trying to encroach on mine, searching for a spark, metals to convert.

"It's been fun boys, but it's time for you to stop trying to initiate a personality overlay," I snarled, walking toward Ratchet again. The fibres writhed, receding into my skin before I reached back and wrenched them from the base of my neck. I threw them on the workbench and massaged the abused muscles and nerves in my spine, collapsing into my usual chair across from Ratchet.

"Don't do that again," we chorused.

"I won't if you don't," I replied, burying my face in my hands.

"Today, is a day for painkillers," Ratchet rumbled, his head leaning against the wall again. I nodded agreement.

"What the fuck just happened?" Lennox shouted.

"She just..." Ironhide rumbled in shock.

"Never. Again." I groaned, curling into myself, I felt like I was on fire.

"Unless someone gets hurt again," Ratchet murmured wryly.

"There is that," I murmured, pinching the bridge of my nose.

"Still not telling me what just happened!" Lennox stated worriedly.

"Mikaela somehow managed to integrate Cybertronian neural fibres into her own neural network to repair Ratchet," Optimus rumbled mildly.

"So, that pack she used does the same thing doesn't it?" Lennox growled.

"The pack used neural fibres that Ratchet donated, they were _neutral_," Optimus rumbled, turning to glare at me. "Mikaela used fibres that had been taken from a Decepticon, they still had memories _from _that Decepticon which tried to overlay it's personality over hers. And damn near succeeded."

"Not even close," I muttered.

"Then would you care to explain that display?" Optimus bellowed at me.

"_Nobody _hurts the people I love," I snarled, standing up and facing him. "That thing almost fucking killed Ratchet! There are times for compassion, and times for making _damn_ sure that it doesn't happen again." I shut up immediately, covering my mouth and shrinking into myself in horror.

Rule number one, never lose your temper.

Instinct kicked in. Retreat.

I ran toward my bike, ignoring leathers and helmet and roared off.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus took a couple of steps to go after the obviously distressed young femme but was quickly blocked by Bumblebee.

"Let her go – cool off," the scout played the soundbytes quickly.

"She's been infected with-" Optimus started.

"No," Bumblebee shook his head vehemently. "No – she hasn't." the mech frowned for a second then sighed, onlining his vocal processors.

"...She is not infected... that was all Mikaela..." he said calmly, shutting off the processors to cut the static.

"Bumblebee?" Optimus stared at his scout in shock.

Bee rolled his optics and touched his temple, a hologram of a conversation began to play in an open space.

...

"Why don't you talk to Sam more?" HoloBee asked, cutting soundbytes together.  
"I dunno Bee. It's a bad idea for someone like me to get attached to people," Mikaela sighed, carefully waxing Bee's hood.

"Uncle Sam needs you!"

"Heh, no he doesn't," Mikaela laughed sadly, moving to wax the rest of his armour. "No... Sam needs a nice, even tempered girl who can settle down with him and provide a couple of adorable, awkward babies for his parents to dote on and spoil rotten. I just..." she sighed. "I just don't know if Sam is strong enough to handle the person I actually am."

"But you're sweet."

Mikaela snorted.

"So long as the people I love aren't in danger." She gave a final rub on a slightly dull spot and began walking around Bumblebee. "Did I miss anything?" she asked calmly.

"Nope, come sit down."

Mikaela sighed and slid into the passenger seat, leaning her head back. Bee adjusted his seat so that she was half reclined.

"Oh so you're my shrink now?" Mikaela asked with a wry smile, looking at the dash. "You know the shrinks they had in juvie hall wrote me off as a lost cause."

"Why?"

"I refused to open up to them, so they figured I was too deeply closed off from the world," Mikaela smiled. "As if keeping secrets is a crime."

"What secrets?"

"They'd hardly be secrets if I told you," Mikaela chuckled, her body seemed to sag then. "I just hope that someday... someday you'll be around when I can tell them... How's your oil doing?" She asked suddenly, "I'd swear that you're burning your oil instead of the gasoline for the amount of carbon you keep putting into it."

"Oh baby, you change that oil," Bee played a soundbyte that sounded oddly like it had come from a porno. Mikaela laughed and sat up.

"You like that do you?" she asked in a sultry tone, running her hands lightly over the dash. "You've been a dirty boy again, haven't you?"

She and Bee dissolved into giggles at that point, his hood opened and she collected an oil pan. "You want a new filter too?" she asked over her shoulder.

"Nah, I'll clean mine."

Mikaela went about draining the oil and purging Bee's lines.

"If Trent's such a jerk, why do you hang out with him?" Bee quietly played Sam's question from two years ago. Mikaela sighed and leaned against him. "Kae?"

"Guys like Trent..." she murmured softly, "Guys like Trent are easy to not get attached to, I get attached to people and..." she broke off and picked up two bottles of oil. "You want synthetic or the real stuff this week?"

"Synthetic please!" Bee chirped. "I get attached to people and..."

"And you're all about the getting me to talk today aren't you?" Mikaela asked wryly, carefully filling Bee's oil reservoir.

"Just one more moment, that's all that's needed, like wounded soldiers, in need of healing, time to be honest, this time I'm pleading." Bee cut off the Nikleback soundbyte.

Mikaela sighed and screwed the cap on, gently closing his hood.

"It's hard sometimes Bee, I guess you'd be able to sympathize. I'm strong, it comes with mechanics, you need to be strong. But I was taught to fight, too. They never should have taught me to fight, I have a temper to match. And sometimes... sometimes it's impossible to hold it in, to stay calm. If someone I care about gets hurt I react – either to fix the problem or to make sure it doesn't happen again. It's automatic."

Mikaela bowed her head, crossing her arms around herself protectively. "I guess you know how hard it is to not hurt us accidentally, for me it's hard to not snap into a protective mode and hurt someone on purpose, because I can, I know every weak point to hit. It's so _stupidly_ easy to hurt someone." she visibly shook herself. "That's why I don't get attached, if I feel apathetic about someone I don't try to protect them Bee. And that's why I'm not the right kind of person for Sam, either. If he knew that I could kill him in two hits he'd run so fast not even you could catch him." Her laugh sounded forced, exhausted and full of grief. "They're probably right though, I am a lost cause at this point. The only one I can bring myself to be honest with now is you, because I know I can trust you to not tell anyone my weaknesses."

Bumblebee transformed and crouched, reaching for Mikaela.

"Aw Bee," she nestled against him as he gave her a gentle hug. "If you don't quit with the being a sweetheart you'll make me cry, and I just finished waxing your armour."

...

Bumblebee cut the holo and looked up at his leader with sad optics.

"She had just finished work, then school, completely exhausted but she still came to visit and care for me. She was so tired she didn't have her normal shields up."

"That... that explains so much," Sideswipe murmured thoughtfully.

"Elaborate," Optimus rumbled, looking at the silver mech.

"She holds back," Sideswipe reported. "Mikaela takes defensive positions even when she is clearly aggravated. That explains why, she was trained to kill. She's terrified of actually allowing her temper to surface. Heh, she _is _my little sister."

"Sir," Bumblebee looked up at Optimus with an obstinate expression, onlining his vocal processors again. "... She struggles to contain her emotions, and succeeds to the point that it took a severe injury on top of overload stress for her to finally show it ... she has the voice of command, a spark full of compassion, and the strength of a warrior... _please_ don't discipline her for having the same reactions you do." Bumblebee pointed up to Optimus' spark definitively. "If she had come to being in Cybertron, she would have been a Prime." the bot finished firmly.

The hanger stood stock still, staring at the yellow and black Auto-bot standing firmly in the middle of the Hangar doors with his arms crossed.

"When did you get insightful?" Ironhide finally asked curiously.

"...It's amazing how much you really hear when you stop speaking..." Bumblebee shrugged, tapping his throat. He offlined his vocal processors again and began walking toward the deactivated servos, preparing to catalog them for Ratchet, a song playing quietly over his speakers.

"Everybody wants something, just a little more, but making a living, ain't what we're living for. A rich man or a poor man, a pawn or a king: he could live on the street he could rule the whole world but it don't mean one damn thing.

"What do you got if you ain't got love, whatever you got it just ain't enough, you're walking a road but you're going nowhere trying to find your way home but there's no one there. Who do you hold in the dark of night? You want to give up but it's worth the fight, can have all the things, you've been dreaming of.

"If you ain't got someone you're afraid to lose, everybody needs just one someone, to tell them the truth, maybe I'm a dreamer, but I still believe, I believe in hope I believe that change can get us up off our knees..."

Bumblebee looked up from his task suddenly, onlining the holo again. The same song was playing.

"Bee? Could you switch that song?" Mikaela asked softly. "You don't have to but..."

"Do I get to know why?" Bee asked gently, transforming and crouching on the bluffs, evidently having taken Mikaela for a drive.

"It hits too close to spark, I've already lost my someone," she whispered after a time. "you know how much I hate crying."

"You should be allowed to cry," Bee said sadly, "talk to people-"

"That's the thing Bee," Mikaela said with a choked, saddened laugh, "if I stay quiet, I might be able to see them again."

Bumblebee lightly picked her up and set her on his leg, wrapping enormous arms in front of her as they watched the sunset together.

"She is one twenty-eighth my size," Bumblebee stated calmly, "but there is a _reason_ I proudly call her my big sister. Far more than oil changes and polishing my armour, for all of the pain and sacrifice she has held in her soul, she still has the time to listen to me when I'm upset, hug and sing away chargefrights. She has lost more than I can even figure out, been _burned_ so badly that she figures _caring_ is a _weakness_. But she still does, with every beat of her heart and pulse of her spark she cares and gives her love, comfort, friendship, trust and support to us. _All_ of us."

Optimus watched his scout with new respect as the bot went back to sorting servos.

"What are you still doing here?" Ratchet finally grumbled, looking up from his work, "go bring my assistant back so that I can scold her for taking risks on her own life. She'll be at the cliffs by now."

Optimus snorted and transformed, driving quickly toward the most isolated spot on the island. He followed the coast road until he found her motorcycle and began up the steep path.

She was sitting curled up in a ball out on the edge of a jutting boulder.

"I'm sorry," she said softly before Optimus could even announce his presence.

"Life is difficult when you care too much," Optimus murmured, sitting on the cliff edge carefully.

"Bee finally gave himself up huh?" Mikaela murmured.

"He did so to protect you," Optimus scolded her gently. "Caring is not a weakness Kae."

Mikaela began keening softly, eventually crawling into the enormous hand that gently enveloped her.

"It is when it causes you to create pain in another," she sobbed. In silence, Optimus drew her toward his chest plates, cradling her over top of his spark as she cried.


	29. 27 Predator Guardian

**To everyone who pointed out to me that I re-posted the last chapter I thank you from the bottom of my heart, and beg for your forgiveness that I thought I'd be pro-active and post from the hotel parking lot. Curse my half-asleep brain! At any rate: **

**Chapter 27 - Predator Guardian**

**(the actual one)**

* * *

(RPOV)

Ratchet watched Prime drive away.

"It's nice to have a nurse again," Ratchet murmured, turning back to the new pack he was building. Mikaela's own energon was powering his regeneration beautifully, enough that he could easily spare some new neural fibres to rebuild her pack.

"I don't get it," Lennox finally said, grabbing a chair and sitting beside Ratchet.

"When Mikaela drove off, what would you say was going through her head?" Ratchet asked mildly.

"Well she was pissed off at something..." Will frowned.

"Wrong," Ratchet shrugged.

"That's what I still don't get." Will grumbled. "Something about a personality overlay..."

"That personality didn't get anywhere close to overlaying hers," Ratchet chuckled, "have you never seen her get pissed off at an engine?" the mech looked down at the human in amusement.

"Well yeah, once maybe, she shouted at it for a second and walked away. Five or so minutes later she went back and in two hours it was either fixed or damn close to _being_ fixed." Will shrugged.

"Because she cares," Ratchet smirked. "Now think for a second, if she can care enough about a scrapping engine – enough that she'll go to the trouble to fix something that even _I _would write off – what would that translate to if she cared about a living, sentient creature? She's a force to be reckoned with," Ratchet nodded, turning back to the pack. "A strong young femme with the natural, protective instincts of a mother, and the training of a warrior? She killed to protect, and now she grieves that she killed. She just needs the safety of isolation or someone strong enough to care for _her_ to let the grief go."

Will sat in stunned silence for a long time.

"What did Bumblebee mean, she'd have been born a Prime?" Will finally asked in a muted tone.

"Not so much _born_ a Prime..." Ratchet murmured. He paused for a moment, thinking. "More... on occasion, the strength and inherent ability to command would cause the mark of the Primes to be cast as a youngling received their adult body, rather than etched. It's in their very base codes to lead, command, protect. Heal."

"Then why didn't he fix you?" Lennox demanded. Ratchet looked down at him calmly.

"Heal, not repair," Ratchet stated gently. "In your terms I suppose I would heal the body. Optimus heals the soul." the bot looked sadly into the distance. "Except his own."

"His own?" Will asked hoarsely.

"Optimus was one of the primary guardians of Cybertron. In his own processors, _he _lost the war, _he_ lost Cybertron, and during that, he lost his mate." Ratchet stated sadly. "He has never blamed us, _any_ of us for those losses. But neither has he forgiven himself. He hasn't allowed himself to _heal_."

Will stared up at him in shock.

"So..." he choked.

"I have spent the past seventy vorn worrying about him," Ratchet murmured softly. "In all of that time, he has never laughed, barely _smiled_ until now. And now, the only change for us, is Kae. Whatever she does, whatever they talk about, he's beginning to heal."

Will looked at him in shock.

Ratchet smiled.

"It's good to have a nurse again," he repeated himself softly, looking at the doors.

"You guys really care about each other," Will murmured.

"We are more than a unit," Ratchet nodded with a small smile. "We are friends, family, we rely upon each other, trust each other absolutely. Carry each other through pain, celebrate our individual victories together. We are..." he trailed off, looking for the word. "Cohort."

Ratchet looked down at the major calmly, idly scanning him.

"Go eat," he stated calmly. "Your body requires fuel."

Will stared at him.

"We exist together, fight together," Ratchet stated calmly. "As a medic, you are one of my charges. Your cortisol levels are high again. Go eat."

Will grinned and stood up, wandering to the mess. A few minutes and he returned, bearing a sandwich and settling down on Kae's stool.

The dull roar of a large engine finally sounded from the edge of the compound. The dual Energon signatures tickling the edges of Ratchet's sensors immediately identified Optimus and Mikaela returning together. As Optimus parked, Mikaela slowly got out of the cab, her eyes downcast. Optimus transformed and cast a quick glance around before he gently set her bike down in it's place.

"Kae!" Ironhide called out, she glanced up to see the holoform materialize in front of her, a powerful arm wrapped around her shoulders. Ratchet glanced down to see Will watching the interlude curiously.

"What's he saying?" Will finally asked, looking up at the Medi-bot.

"He's complimenting the cannons those filaments formed," Ratchet chuckled quietly.

Will shot him an incredulous look.

"What?" Ratchet snorted. "He's the Weapons Master, it's what he _does."_

* * *

(MPOV)

"Kae!"

I glanced up just as Ironhide's holoform caught me in a one armed embrace, he ducked slightly to murmur in my ear.

"Good job with them cannons, they were good shots," Ironhide murmured softly, "clean kills, neither of 'em suffered."

I took a gasping breath at that quiet announcement, 'Hide's arm tightened minutely around my shoulders, leading me somewhere, I couldn't see.

"You know my first kill was a mess," Ironhide stated amicably, finally stopping. I blinked rapidly and stared at the two advancers I'd killed. "Took hours to deactivate him, still remember the look in his optics toward the end there. Only reason he was my first kill." he looked down at me. "I looked down at him with compassion, fully prepared to take him to Ratchet, he looked up at me with nothing but hatred. It wouldn't have mattered if I had taken him to be repaired, he would have started up killing the second he could stand. It was him or us. It don't get easier to take a life, not really. Now you look me in the eye Mikaela."

I looked up at him, knowing Ironhide could see the grief in my eyes. He nodded and pulled me in tight.

"Yep, I knew it," he grunted.

"What?" I whispered.

"Every life I took, I looked them in the optics, lookin' for even the remotest shred of compassion, grief, kindness, hope. If even a shred of good remains I don't kill." he gripped my chin and forced me to look up at him. "Now get the hope back into your spark," he growled, "you're one of us, a warrior class protector. If you didn't care you'd be nothing more than another Decepticon butcher. And you'd be dead by my hand."

I looked up at him with a sharp gaze.

"Promise?" I said quietly. His hand snapped up to grip mine, I held his just as firmly. Our forearms pressed tightly together.

"On my spark," he growled. "You will never be a murderer. You and I _both_ saw murder in them optics. _You_ put 'em down clean before_ I_ could."

I pulled his holo into a fierce hug

"But next time," Ironhide chuckled, giving my back a quick rub before I pulled back, "Give us some warning before you take on a couple of Decepticons. Don't matter _what_ species y'are, it's a shock to see the gentlest of us all pull a total takedown."

"Optimus is pissed off at me," I said quietly.

"Nah, Optimus is pissed that you beat him to the punch," Ironhide's holoform laughed outright, swinging a companionable arm across my shoulders. "Now get over to Ratchet so he can scold you and make sure you didn't actually hurt yourself."

I snorted softly and glanced over at our shared work area, then looked twice. Ratchet was working on something. I scowled, squeezed Ironhide's forearm and began stalking toward my mentor.

"For Primus' sake Ratchet!" I shouted, using the exact same tone he did. "You just had your guts ripped out, you should be resting!"

Ratchet looked up guiltily for a second before smirking at me.

His optics flashed for a second as he scanned me then frowned. "You stripped your nerves." he growled at me.

"Nice try," I said flatly, "You're going for a recharge cycle if I have to drag you there myself."

"And how do you plan on doing that?" Ratchet growled at me. "Your entire nervous system is sending signals to your brain that you're currently on fire. I'm astonished you're actually _walking_. I'm not the only one going for a recharge."

"Same time." I announced, crossing my arms.

We glared at each other for a long moment.

"You stripped your nervous system of most of it's protection. _I_ am going to fix this pack first so that you don't do something so stupid as directly interface with un-modified neural fibres. While _you_ go rest." he growled.

"There sure as _hell_ isn't going to _be_ a next time, I'm going to personally go through each of the shipments to make sure they're deactivated. I don't give one Primus damned piece of rust if I stripped my nerves or completely tore them out of my spine, _you_ are going to recharge and let your nanites do their work." I snapped back.

"There's always a next time," Ratchet almost snarled at me. "And _next_ time I want you properly equipped so that you don't do more damage to yourself to save-"

"I don't care if I have to interface with neural fibres from Megatron himself until I'm _crippled!_ There are thousands of me, and only one of you!" I shouted back at him. "I can be replaced, you can't. Now go rest!"

The hangar stood stock still as Ratchet and I stared each other down.

"Love you too Kae," he rumbled softly, parroting my usual response to his nagging.

Any possible aggravation swiftly drained out of me. Ratchet reached over and gently picked me up as I walked blindly toward him.

"Don't you _dare_ scare me like that again," I finally choked out, clinging carefully to his shoulder.

"C'mon, I've done what I need to," Ratchet murmured gently, standing up with me still nestled into his shoulder. "But you are wrong, there's only one of you, Kae."

Ratchet set me down beside a tall tent I hadn't noticed before.

"You are going to have to stay with us," Optimus' holo said quietly, flickering in front of me. "Your energy readings have been getting strong enough to register as an auto-bot."

"We did try to give you something for privacy," Will added apologetically.

"Within the EM field, that makes sense," I said with a quiet nod. I looked at Optimus, "I'm sorry for flying off the handle."

"Get some sleep Little Sister," Sideswipe's holo grinned. "Tomorrow we're sparring, and _you're_ not allowed to hold out on me anymore."

I closed my eyes and sagged into myself until powerful arms wrapped around me.

"You don't have to hide yourself from us," Optimus rumbled softly in my ear, "and I am not mad at you, you were not the only one who got a scare today. You have _no_ idea how horrifying it is to watch you tear so many unwilling, hostile neural fibres from your body. You could have _killed_ yourself."

I buried my face into his shoulder, fighting back tears again.

"Um, I'm no expert but..." Chance began warily behind me. Optimus' hand quickly slid up my back to touch the base of my neck, his fingers seeming to press dampness into my shoulder blades. The next second a flash of pain swept out to my very fingertips. I bit my lip, hard, keeping the yelp at bay. But I knew that Optimus' holoform had felt my flinch.

"Optimus, I think you'd better get that shirt off of her," Lennox stated in a worried tone.

My jacket was carefully unzipped and slid down my arms.

"Jesus Kae," Chance muttered, breaking the silence.

"How badly is it bleeding?" I asked in a weary tone.

"Um..."

I rolled my eyes and reached a hand back, mapping the bruising by feel and touching a swollen hole at the base of my neck.

"Great," I groaned, looking at the red on my hand. "That's going to hurt in the morning."

I sighed irritably and ducked into the tent where some dear, enterprising soul had moved my things. I dug out a small bag of powder and brought it back out again.

"Could someone sprinkle a bit of this over the cut?" I asked quietly, holding up the bag.

"Ratchet?" Optimus looked over at the holoform that flickered beside him.

"That's going to hurt like the pit itself, Kae," Ratchet stated quietly.

"Better than letting it get infected," I sighed.

Shaking his head, Ratchet's holo took the bag and opened it, digging out a small amount as I turned my back to him.

"Somebody hold her hand," Ratchet murmured.

"Better not," I said quietly, "hands are fragile. Just do it Ratch, I'll live."

Optimus' holo flickered out in front of me as the mech crouched close, offering a hand for me to lean on. I laid my own over his finger gratefully as the first grains touched the screaming nerves on my back. Fire flashed through my limbs again, leaving me feeling weak and drained.

"What's in that stuff?" Chance asked curiously.

"Powdered murungakai, salt and xian he cao," I grunted, "You'd know them as moringa oleifera and agrimony."

"Herbal stuff?" Lennox asked with a frown.

"Mikaela reacts badly to a lot of the processed medications," Ratchet shrugged, gently wrapping the wound. "Now go lay down."

I nodded tiredly, leaning heavily on Optimus' hand for another few moments before forcing myself to stand straight.

"My kingdom for a hammock," I sighed, "is there any way to roll up the side of the tent so I can keep an eye on Ratchet? He's almost as stubborn about working as I am."

Lennox snorted while Ratchet's holo glared at me, he jerked his head at Epps and untied one side from it's poles, the two men working together to roll up the canvas and tie it off. A screen lay beneath, I walked through and laid gingerly down on the cot, gritting my teeth against the stinging pain radiating through my limbs.

"Chance, we got any hammocks in storage?" Lennox asked quietly. The Aussi nodded and walked toward the storage rooms. Minutes later he was carrying a massive armful of netting with a broad grin.

"Africa," he said in explanation. Lennox grinned.

"Hey Kae?" he called quietly, I opened one eye to look at him.

"What's up Will?" I asked, struggling to sit up again.

"What's the sale price on that kingdom of yours?" he asked teasingly, Chance held up the netting.

"You two are life savers," I groaned in appreciation, standing up to help unravel the massive amount of netting, the three of them waving me off as I stumbled.

I looked at it a bit more closely. "You've got to be kidding!" I laughed weakly, "It's got mosquito netting too?"

"Little extra bit of privacy," Chance grinned, hooking one end to the bizarrely solid tent leg and crossing to tie off the other end. I settled gingerly into the hammock and sighed in appreciation as the menfolk suspended the netting over me.

"Bloody miracle workers, that's what you are," I groaned, closing my eyes and setting myself to swing gently. "You know? Everyone used to think that I slept better on dad's boat 'cause we were out on the water, it was Uncle Sho who hung one up in my room for me though, out in – Damnit Ratchet! You slipped thiopental past the agrimony didn't you?" I grumbled, falling asleep the next second.

* * *

"I did, but how she detected it is beyond me," Ratchet chuckled, his holoform flickered out as he pulled out of his spot, stopping as Optimus stood in front of him.

"You are to rest as well, there is nothing on roster that cannot wait." Prime ordered calmly. Ratchet transformed in front of him.

"Mikaela fed me an enormous slow burst," the medi-bot protested. "I've already regenerated everything and the patch has fully integrated."

"Physician, heal thyself and quit arguing," Lennox piped up with a grin. "Pentathol doesn't last long as a sedative. Kae'll be right pissed off if you're not resting too."

"I want to know how she detected it!" Ratchet protested.

"That's easy," Chance laughed, "Sodium Pentathol, aka 'truth serum' lowers a person's inhibitions. When was the last time you heard her offer information about her father and uncle? You gotta twist her arm just to get a story. Damn but she's been keepin' her mouth shut 'bout her personal life. My money's on her having been a military brat."

"No, as close mouthed as she is it's gotta be CIA or something," Will interjected, "how else would she know Pentathol's name?"

"Ooh, good point," Epps added, "But my money is naval if her dad had a boat."

"Why are we making bets anyway? It's not like she's gonna confirm it, hell do we even know her dad's first name? Or any of their names? She gave us their nicknames." Jacobs rumbled, standing with his arms crossed and watching the unconscious girl.

"So you're in?" Epps grinned.

"Twenty on marines," Jacobs nodded, "She's got Semper Fi written all over her."


	30. 28 Briefings, are never brief

**Chapter 28 - Briefings, are never brief**

* * *

(MPOV)

I woke up feeling drugged and groggy. Bleary eyes looked at the mosquito netting suspended over me. I carefully unwound myself from the netting and looked over to where the auto-bots were resting. My muscles felt stiff and bruised, I shuddered to think how they'd have felt if I'd slept in a cot. Pulling on a pair of loose trousers I staggered toward the mats in the dim light emanating from communication central.

Standing on the mats I took a deep breath and forced myself to move slowly first through the tai-chi stances, then through the long, demanding sequence that uncle Sho had carefully interposed into my mind.

My body screamed at me as I moved. I carried on until I'd closed the final stance then walked back to my tent, laying gingerly down in my hammock and surrounding myself with blankets. I closed my eyes.

...

I felt the vibration of the air, the shifting of net and struck out with one hand, catching a wrist before I even opened my eyes.

"Holy shit!" a familiar voice shouted.

"Sideswipe! For Primus sake!" Optimus rumbled irritably.

"Hey! I'm just doing what Ratchet ordered!" the holoform objected.

"Then for Primus sake kill me without sneaking up on me," I grumbled, leaving my eyes closed, even the dim light through my eyelids hurt. "I hate waking up on high alert."

"How the hell did you do that?" Epps demanded, his voice came from the corner of the tent, he wasn't inside. "Sideswipe didn't make a single friggen sound!"

"You know how a spider knows that something is in it's web?" I said with a half smile. "I love a good hammock."

"Very sneaky Little Sister, now you're awake Ratchet wants to look at your nerves," Sideswipe chuckled.

I groaned and swung myself out of the hammock, walking barefoot with my eyes closed out of the tent and toward the sound of Ratchet's spark.

"How's she doing that?" that was Chance's voice.

"You don't even want to know," I mumbled, stopping and taking three steps sideways as the sounds of Ratchet, then Optimus transforming came and went, I walked to Ratchet and reached out a hand, lightly touching his calf. "Thiopental is a low blow Ratch, now you have to deal with a hungover assistant." I slumped against him and pinched the bridge of my nose.

"Indeed," Ratchet rumbled, I could hear his frown.

"I'm sorry I'm hungover," I groaned, "in my defence I didn't drink any alcohol. I'd call in sick but I'm currently sitting on my boss' left foot."

Epps snorted. I could hear the tiny snicks of several men trying in vain to not laugh.

"You can laugh aloud you know," I said tiredly. "Light hurts, not sound."

"Mikaela open your eyes for a second," Ratchet rumbled intently in front of me, warm hands cupped my cheeks gently.

I cracked one eye open and shut it again, grimacing in the bright daylight. I took a deep breath and forced my eyes open, looking at Ratchet as long as I could before pure reflex shut them again. Not that I could really see anything, everything was blurry, overly bright.

"Well, at least the nanites decided to stay with you," Ratchet sighed contentedly, "they'll be finished repairing the last of your nerves in a few minutes." his holoform scooped me up before depositing me into a familiar hand. I relaxed in Optimus' palm as the air rushed past slowly, a set of hissing vibrations proved he was standing up.

"Where we going?" I asked curiously.

"If you can make it to my shoulder, we have a briefing to attend," Optimus rumbled apologetically.

"What are my chances of coffee?" I sighed, standing up and reaching toward where his shoulder always was when he was lifting me.

"There'll be coffee there," Epps shouted up.

My hand touched an exhaust pipe. Automatically, I clambered into the most secure part of his shoulder. In the depths of my imaginings, my spot.

"Okay, the angel is on the big man's right, let's go!" Lennox's voice commanded.

A little bit panicked, I could feel the slow, juddering steps of Optimus walking and hear several footsteps behind.

"Two questions," I murmured, very calmly.

"Hmn?"

"Am I dressed alright to be paraded in public?"

"Cargo pants and a tank top? You're fine. The second?" Optimus rumbled, a low tone of amusement colouring his voice.

"They didn't seriously make my handle 'the angel'?" I protested mildly.

"I thought it quite suitable," Optimus chuckled, "you are the angel on my right after all."

I couldn't help the quiet, relieved laugh that escaped me as I squirmed into a more comfortable position, wrapping one arm around his exhaust pipe. I ventured another peek at the light, finding it somewhat more bearable.

"Don't open your eyes for a few minutes," Ratchet murmured, down and to the right, somewhat behind.

"Done deal," I murmured, leaning my temple against Optimus' frame. It was safe here.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus stood carefully, cradling Kae in his hand.

"Where we going?" she asked curiously. Optimus almost smiled as she relaxed in his palm, trusting him so absolutely.

"If you can make it to my shoulder, we have a briefing to attend," Optimus rumbled apologetically.

"What are my chances of coffee?" Kae sighed, standing up and reaching toward where his shoulder always was when he was lifting her there. The sweet femme. It made him want her acceptance of him as her guardian. It made him want _her._

"There'll be coffee there," Epps shouted up to her, jarring him into the present.

Mikaela's hand lightly touched an exhaust pipe. As though automatically, she settled into the most secure part of his shoulder. Somehow, it just felt so right.

"Okay, the angel is on the big man's right, let's go!" Lennox's voice commanded.

Optimus noted a jump in Kae's pulse, the only tell, she was absolutely still.

"Two questions," she murmured, Optimus could hear the strain in her tone.

"Hmn?" he rumbled softly, as though not noticing her discomfort.

"Am I dressed alright to be paraded in public?"

"Cargo pants and a tank top? You're fine. The second?" Optimus rumbled, a low tone of amusement colouring his voice now. That was Kae.

"They didn't seriously make my handle 'the angel'?" she protested mildly.

"I thought it quite suitable," Optimus chuckled, "you are the angel on my right after all."

There was a quiet, relieved laugh beside his auditory receptors. So it had been the second question?

Odd.

"Don't open your eyes for a few minutes," Ratchet murmured.

"Done deal," Mikaela murmured, leaning her temple against his frame.

A helicopter landed, and an entourage piled out.

Galloway looked quite ready to explode. At least there were others around him today.

"Alright," Lieutenant Colonel Darnell called out. "We have a quiet mission at hand: Washington Smithsonian Museum of Aeronautics. According to Wheelie, who has been working alongside Agent Simmons, one of the primary Seekers is laying in disguise there. Your mission is to find and either fully de-activate or collect him. In six hours there will be a dirty bomb threat at the museum, we're going to have a hazmat team on site to take the credit for safely removing the bomb. Please _please_ try to keep the damages down to a minimum. We'll have two miles radius closed. Petty Officer Banes."

"Sir?" Mikaela called out calmly.

"Where did you go?" Darnell called out, barely daring to look at him. Rude. He was looking for Kae among the soldiers now.

"Up here Sir!" Mikaela called down, cupping her hands around her mouth. Optimus watched as she cracked an eye open and opened the other, squinting slightly in the bright sunlight.

"HOLY shit, you... er... hem. He looked around at the Auto-bots uncomfortably for a second before calling up, "You'll be going in civilian clothes and under the guise of Lieutenant Chance's sister while the museum is still open." Darnell called out.

"Yes Sir!" Kae called down. And once again, the arguments among the humans began.

He had heard it so many times it practically made him want to shut off a processor.

"Holy shit, you weren't kidding," Mikaela muttered softly.

"What?" Optimus murmured curiously.

"They absolutely adore repeating themselves," she murmured.

Suddenly, in the middle of watching the humans arguing, Optimus had to fight off a snort of laughter.

"Oh shit don't laugh," Mikaela snorted softly. Optimus immediately revved his engine slightly. That hid the snort. Mostly.

The humans looked up at the rev though.

Scrap.

"Say: it is a three hour flight, can you not do this whilst _moving!?" _Mikaela whispered.

"It is a three hour flight," Optimus rumbled irritably. "Can you not do this whilst moving?"

Wait what?

"Action now, explanation later," Mikaela murmured.

The humans were staring at him, but behind _them, _several of the soldiers were now very obviously fighting back their own laughter.

"Yes, well, uh..." Galloway started. Darnell shot him a harried, irritable look.

"Major, you have your briefing, any questions?" he looked around at the soldiers.

Finally, the _actual_ briefing. Where the questions were asked.

Darnell barely looked at him though, somewhat more often now that he knew Kae was there.

"Xenophobe?" Mikaela murmured softly.

"Little bit," Optimus rumbled just as softly.

"That why I'm on your shoulder?" she chuckled quietly.

"And I like having you there," Optimus murmured, biting back a smile. Mikaela smiled and scooted closer to his face, crossing her ankles delicately above his collar strut.

Bumblebee barely managed to hold back a snort behind him.

::. What?.:: Optimus rumbled over the primary.

::. Tell Kae that I say "now you're just rubbing it in his face".:: Bumblebee snorted.

::. She what?.:: Optimus asked, shocked.

::. She's rubbing it in Darnel's face that she's not scared of us.:: Bee chuckled.

::. I will pass it on.:: Optimus sent gravely, biting back a smile.

But he still let the scout know that he _was_, in fact, having to bite back that smile.

"Bumblebee says now you're just rubbing it in his face," Optimus snorted a few minutes later as Darnell shot another harried glance up at Kae before marching toward his chopper.

"Bumblebee, is an excellent judge of character," Mikaela replied with an absolutely straight face. "What time do we leave?"

* * *

(MPOV)

"Six hours, you need to get dressed," Optimus rumbled with a low laugh.

"Oh crap, what the hell am I going to wear?" I muttered. "Just what kind of a sister is Chance supposed to have?"

Optimus began laughing outright, turning and walking back toward the hangar. I stood in his palm as he lowered me, quickly hopping down and all but scurrying into my tent. In minutes I had all of my clothes laid out neatly on my hammock, glaring at them with crossed arms. Three shirts, a pair of shorts and a pair of jeans beside the men's tanks and rather baggy fatigues Chance had routed out of storage for me.

"Hey Kae! Optimus said you weren't sure what you're – oh," Chance looked at my clothes and shut up. "Shit. You were actually serious."

"Mostly," I said calmly. "What do you think," I held up my badly faded – _mostly_ clean even though they'd just come out of the wash – torn jeans and a fairly intact t-shirt. "I could probably cut the shirt into looking good, you know, vintage. But I have no idea what I'm going to do about the jeans, I _just_ washed them! Unless you think I can get away with wearing the fatigues and claiming I got them from the army surplus store-"

"_Crap_. WILL!" Chance shouted. "Will! Mikaela wasn't kidding! No mate I mean by _our_ standards she don't have anything to wear!"

"You're kidding!" Will jogged over, followed by a handful of soldiers. "You decent Kae?"

"Depends on your point of view, but I have clothes on," I called back, frowning at my clothes again. Optimus onlined his holoform a moment later, closely followed by the girls.

"That's all you've had for over a _month!" _Chromia exclaimed, her tone was practically horrified. "That's _criminal!_"

"Oh come off it," I laughed, "I've been wearing coveralls twelve hours out of the day and sleeping for eight, I didn't exactly pack for a month long vacation with a General on the phone directing me to 'pack a few things.' I grabbed my run kit. I _usually_ run to a place where I can pick up a couple of things with cash if I need it." I frowned at the clothes again.

"You've had to run before?" Optimus asked intently.

"Yeah, couple of times," I murmured, my mind already on a method of modifying the T. "Mostly I needed to get – hmn," I cleared my throat quickly. "Anyway, that's beside the point. Like I said, I can probably slice up the T to look vintage, but what are my chances that I can get away with the fatigues for pants?" I turned to look at the soldiers.

"Considering I'm taking you to the museum to convince you to join the army wearing _my_ fatigues, not likely," Chance said seriously.

"Oh! You gonna give me the recruiting speech?" I grinned at him before sobering my expression. "Anyway. Shit."

"If we leave in three hours we'll have time to go shopping!" Arcee grinned. "Wear the T and jeans for now, we'll pick you something up on the way."

"Shouldn't we leave in two hours then?" Epps asked quietly.

"Even better!" Chromia crowed.

"You can't be serious," I said flatly.

"I, am completely serious," Chromia stated flatly, "we are going shopping. For Primus sake girl, you don't even have any underwear out! We're staying overnight!" she promptly began looking through my lingerie bag. "Where are your bras?"

"Er... I'm wearing it," I muttered, blushing right alongside the rest of the soldiers.

"You've been wearing the same bra everyday!?" she almost shouted at me while Arcee shook her head.

"That's not right," Jacobs growled. I stared at him along with everyone else.

"I wash it!" I protested immediately.

"A girl needs more than one bra- what? I have three sisters," he growled. "C'mon, you've soldiered up enough girl, and done your damnedest to make sure the lot of us aren't put out of our way. It's about time you used up a bit of your female quota."

"Look, I make do, I don't have all that much!" I protested in an embarrassed tone.

"Mail's in!" Chance shouted suddenly, jogging toward the doors. In minutes he was sprinting back with a broad grin. "They're here!" he shouted, coming to a screeching halt and handing envelopes to the present Auto-bot's holoforms.

"Excellent timing!" Arcee grinned, opening hers and glancing at the numbers on a black and silver card.

Optimus accepted his with a nod and quickly read the accompanying sheaf of paper, he nodded again. I looked at him in curiosity as his spark began to resonate with a rare difference. It sounded rather smug.

"Shall we leave in two hours then, Major," Optimus rumbled, his holoform actually smirked. I stared at him.

"So Moreshower managed to tweak the paperwork to make Mikaela your dependant?" Will looked at the holoform in amusement.

"Oh for Primus sake now _you're_ in on all this!?" I demanded incredulously.

"You'd deny your guardian the chance to buy you nice things?" Optimus asked innocently. He shot me a mischievous grin.

I just about died a little bit inside.

Because out of sight of the soldiers, and most of the bots.

Optimus himself was shooting me that grin.

I froze, the only safe thing to do. If I moved, I'd burst out laughing.

That would not do. "Danger, going shopping with them was scrapping dangerous. Remember that," I began coaching myself.

"Oh come on Kae!" Arcee laughed wrapping an arm over my shoulders, "you can't possibly believe we'd miss the chance to try out the upgraded holoforms! We can move four thousand feet out of line of sight now without even slowing down!"

"And so you've decided you're going to go shopping," I said in exasperation, reaching up to cover my eyes. "Not only does this feel like a _massively_ bad idea, the lot of you are completely incorrigible."

Good, cover face.

"Hurry up and go shower," Flareup grinned, "and get the grease off your arms, you're playing 'sister being pitched to', not 'sister already a brilliant mechanic'."

"Where's your makeup?" Chromia asked over her shoulder, looking around.

I sighed and pulled out a small bag. Powder, mascara. The only stuff that'd survived.

"Is that it!? Where's the eyeshadow? Eyeliner! _Lipstick_ for Primus sake!"

"We'll split up," Arcee said with a nod, "Flare and I'll get the makeup, you get the clothes with Kae and Optimus." Chromia nodded firmly. Then grinned. "Oh this is gonna be fuun!" she practically sang.

"Completely. Incorrigible," I said, rolling my eyes. I grabbed my tiny toiletries kit and headed for the shower, throwing a final, "we are _not _buying much!" over my shoulder.

* * *

(OPOV)

"You'd deny your guardian the chance to buy you nice things?" Optimus asked innocently. He shot Kae a mischievous grin, with his body and holoform both.

For a moment, he could see the laughter in her eyes. She froze, as though movement would break her composure.

It was made even better by her not denying his guardianship over her.

"Oh come on Kae!" Arcee laughed, wrapping an arm over her shoulders, "you can't possibly believe we'd miss the chance to try out the upgraded holoforms! We can move four thousand feet out of line of sight now without even slowing down!"

"And so you've decided you're going to go shopping," Mikaela said in exasperation, reaching up to cover her eyes. Good move, it could be used either way. "Not only does this feel like a _massively_ bad idea, the lot of you are completely incorrigible."

Which if Optimus knew a femme's manner of wording something, she was coming shopping. An ideal situation, the bots would be there to protect her, she would be there to help them not slip up.

"Hurry up and go shower," Flareup grinned, "and get the grease off your arms, you're playing 'sister being pitched to', not 'sister already a brilliant mechanic'."

"Where's your makeup?" Chromia asked over her shoulder, looking around.

Mikaela sighed and pulled out a small bag.

"Is that it!? Where's the eyeshadow? Eyeliner! _Lipstick_ for Primus sake!"

Which was beyond him, really, femme things. He didn't mind admitting that.

"We'll split up," Arcee said with a nod, "Flare and I'll get the makeup, you get the clothes with Kae and Optimus." Chromia nodded firmly. Then grinned. "Oh this is gonna be fuun!" she practically sang.

"Completely. Incorrigible," Mikaela stated, rolling her eyes. She grabbed another small bag and headed for the shower, throwing a final, "we are _not _buying much!" over her shoulder.

::. I am certain you can convince her otherwise?.:: Optimus rumbled over the primary, glancing at Arcee.

::. Watch and learn Prime.:: Chromia smirked at him.

"I don't get it," Epps said quietly as Mikaela disappeared well out of earshot. "You guys are holoforms, aren't the clothes sort of an illusion?"

In answer, Optimus simply took his shirt off and handed it to the man. Epps looked at it in surprise and handed it to Jacobs.

"It is easier to keep the holoforms on track when you don't have to pay attention to things like air currents. It looks wrong if everyone's clothes around you are blowing about in the wind, or a black light is causing everyone else's clothes to glow but yours aren't. So we materialize our clothing." the holoform shrugged.

"But if you materialize it..." Will began.

"Primus Major!" Arcee piped up with a small smile, "sure we can wear whatever we want, so long as we have the raw material to _make_ it with. I don't know about you but _I_ get tired of polyester _very_ fast."

"Girl's got a point man," Jacobs chuckled, nodding at Mikaela's jeans and t-shirt. "You notice that everything Mikaela wears are natural fibres? She'd _die_ if she wore this thing," he handed Will the shirt.

Optimus felt quite alarmed at that statement, many of the bots did. He'd have to ask Kae, hopefully it was another of the human's expressions, not literal.

"Not to mention the second we offline the holos the clothes tend to go with," Optimus added in an amused tone, defusing the conversation. "I do not think Kae would be impressed if she lost her clothes in the middle of the museum?"

Bumblebee chirped beside him, quickly covering his vocal processors and adding a cough for good measure. Good move.

"No, no that would not be good," Chance murmured, fighting back a grin. "Okay I lie, it would be hilarious. But still not good."

* * *

(MPOV)

I set my toiletries bag down, looked at my clothes and groaned, turning around and walking back toward my tent. I stopped short, staring at the naked torso of Optimus' holoform. Huge, male, gorgeous. A body that spoke of a lifetime of fighting.

I looked up at his metal body and found myself thinking the same thing. I shook myself out of that thought before my pheromones could betray me and walked toward the quietly chatting group, listening to the conversation and finding myself amused at the reason Optimus was shirtless, walking up behind Chance just in time to cuff him upside the head.

"I'll have you know I was voted 'primary inspiration of wet-dreams' three years running at school." I said mildly, "the proof is in the yearbooks!"

"You were _not_ supposed to hear that!" Chance grumbled.

"But it's so much more fun when I do," I laughed, grabbing my clothes. "Okay _this_ time I've got everything. Or do I? Live in fear of my ninja skills!" I stated dramatically, walking away with a bundle of cloth on my hip. Laughter followed me through the hangar.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus watched Mikaela quietly approach the group from the showers. She stopped and looked at him for a long moment. Oh right, still shirtless. Optimus stood a bit straighter, and was surprised to catch the beginnings of a wash of her pheromones as she looked up at his metal body. Fascinating.

::. Oh she _wants _you.:: Arcee murmured silently.

::. The holoform is an impressive human male form.:: Optimus replied.

::. Don't get us wrong, it is.:: Flareup chimed in with a smug expression ::. But it's not the _holoform_ she wants.::

Optimus watched in amusement as Mikaela walked on silent feet just in time to lightly cuff Chance upside the head.

"I'll have you know I was voted 'primary inspiration of wet-dreams' three years running at school," she said mildly, "the proof is in the yearbooks!"

Optimus glanced at the full, trim form and privately agreed. She _was_ well built, for a human.

"You were _not_ supposed to hear that!" Chance grumbled.

"But it's so much more fun when I do," Mikaela laughed, picking up a bundle of clothing. "Okay _this_ time I've got everything. Or do I? Live in fear of my ninja skills!" She stated with her own unique dramatic flair, walking away with the bundle of cloth on her hip.

Optimus crossed his holoform's arms with a low chuckle, watching the dear little femme walk away. He narrowed his eyes, for all that she carried herself like a young, average human female, she walked with a predator's unconsciously precise, silent steps. Fascinating.

"Ninja skills indeed," Arcee murmured, her holoform caught his' eye and winked.

"Let's get ready to go then!" Epps grinned. "We're going to a proper mall right? I need to grab a few things myself..."

Optimus kept his holoform online, and precisely ten minutes later a much cleaner, and modestly dressed Mikaela walked back toward him.

"You know, if I didn't know any better I'd think you enjoy walking about without a shirt on," she said teasingly, flashing him a bright smile.

"If I did not know any better, I would believe you enjoy _watching _me walk about without a shirt on," Optimus rumbled back in a perfectly bland tone.

"Oh but I do," she laughed, putting her things away and pulling out a brush, comb and a pair of scissors.

"What are you doing?" Optimus asked interestedly as she began brushing her hair.

"Cutting my hair," she shrugged, propping a mirror in front of herself. "If we're going out in public, I don't want to increase the danger of someone being able to recognize me. I've had long hair for years, it's time for something new."

"But-" Optimus started, reaching toward her. She had her hair in a long braid and tied off in moments, and shorn off before he could stop her.

"KAE! You did _not _just _do_ that!" Flareup shrieked.

"It's_hair_ Flareup," Mikaela shrugged, "it'll grow back eventually." she began brushing her hair into different patterns, trimming bits here and there.

"Well if you're doing that here," Flare said irritably, holding out her hand for the scissors. "I'll give you a proper pixie cut."

Mikaela grinned and handed the scissors over as Chromia and Arcee onlined their holoforms inside the tent.

"What did you _do_!" Chromia exclaimed in horror.

"If you lot are going to insist on shopping, I'm going to do everything I can to make sure I'm not readily identifiable." Mikaela said firmly, crouching slightly so that Flareup could cut her hair more easily. In minutes Flare was nodding, Kae grabbed her towel and roughly dried her hair, emerging with it sticking up in every direction.

Optimus looked at her and fought desperately not to laugh aloud.

"I can _still_ feel you laughing Optimus," she grinned over at his holo, she looked like pure, unadulterated mischief like that. She winked and turned to the mirror again, frowning in concentration. Her hair turned blonde.

"I didn't know humans could do that!" Arcee said with a frown.

"Neither did I!" Mikaela laughed. "I'm thinking those nanites are starting to do upgrades on me. Welp, what do you think?" she looked at her shirt and peeled it off quickly, snatching up the scissors and cutting it here and there, heedless of the startled Auto-bots standing in her tent. Optimus fought himself tooth and nail, she didn't have her bra on.

Completely bare protoform, she'd been in his spark-chamber, that protoform was so soft...

"Okay, _now_ I'm ready to go," she grinned, dragging the shirt on and adjusting the slices to ride properly. With deft fingers she took out the all but invisible studs she'd worn in her ears and threaded silver through the tiny holes. She turned and grinned at the holoforms.

She looked like a tiny punk. Optimus took another look at her and began laughing outright, pulling her into a crushing hug.

"I can't tell if that's approval," she said with a small smile, wrapping her arms around his waist. The feeling of her bare arms was intoxicating.

"You look like pure mischief," he told her with a snort.

"Let's try it out then," she grinned, walking out of the tent and toward the group of soldiers gathering the last of their gear. Her very stance took on a look of shock, awe, and a little bit lost come to think of it.

Lennox looked up and swore.

"Miss this is a restricted area, how did you get here?" he barked in a worried tone.

"I don't _know!_" Mikaela replied in an almost panicked, lost, younger girl's tone, "I had this dream that a giant blue and red robot came and saved me from this skeleton looking thing, except it was made of metal. And then he turned into a truck and drove onto a plane that brought me here! _Where am I!?" _

Jacobs looked at her and snorted, obviously trying not to laugh.

"OPTIMUS!?" Lennox bellowed.

Mikaela took one look at the shocked, terrified soldiers and began laughing, Jacobs succumbing seconds later.

"MIKAELA!?" Chance shouted, staring at Kae as though she'd grown a second head.

"I told you boys," she laughed, "be afraid of my ninja skills! I am the master of disguise! Now are you ready to go or what?"

Mikaela bounced over and caught Chance around the waist.

"We're going to the museum!" she squealed, flashing everyone a broad grin.

Jacobs looked at Mikaela appraisingly and turned to Lennox.

"The blonde is a nice touch, she actually _does_ look like Chance's sister."

"You knew!?" Lennox looked at him incredulously.

"Man, she told nothing but the truth, a giant blue robot came and saved her, turned into a truck and drove onto a plane. Not to mention she's wearing the same damn clothes. Well done on the personality overlay though," Jacobs grinned, "they'd a recognized you if you'd walked toward us the same way you always do. Who taught you that?"

"Brick," she grinned, "the man was enormous and could switch from being a badass to a teddy bear in seconds. Daddy never needed a shotgun to keep the boys away from us."

"Us?" Jacobs asked in an amused tone.

"My mom and I," Mikaela replied with barely a hesitation and a small laugh, "if I was pretty, mum was drop dead gorgeous." she gave a small smile before straightening up with a grin, linking her arm in Jacobs'. "So what are your sisters like?" she asked brightly.

"Vain!" Jacobs laughed, walking toward the plane with a punky little girl on his arm. He began telling stories of his childhood.

Optimus offlined his holoform and transformed, driving slowly after the group of cheerfully chatting soldiers.

::. Good, isn't she?.:: Bumblebee commented silently. ::. A vague answer and a prompt into the other person's favourite topics.::

::. Bumblebee?.:: Optimus asked curiously.

::. Us. Kept the _boys_ away from '_us_.' Prime, Mikaela's mother offlined when she was eight. How would an eight year old girl, barely more than a hatchling remember a good man keeping interested suitors away from mother and _child_?.::

Optimus almost screeched to a halt in shock.

::. Okay _now _you gotra tell us the entire theory.:: Ironhide rumbled.

::. Hypothesis, all the evidence supports but the only way to prove it is for Kae to out and out confirm it.:: Bee grinned. , so here's the hypothesis. She's protecting someone, or probably more than one person. You noticed she hasn't _ever _told us their names?.::

::. What about just protecting herself?.:: Arcee put forward curiously.

::. If she were protecting herself, why would she jam unmodified neural fibres into her body to save Ratchet?.:: Bee asked mildly. _knew_ the pack was from Ratchet, and she _knew_ those fibres were going to hurt her. _Any_ of us could have welded Ratchet together again. Probably not as well, but we could. She did it herself at her own risk. And here's the second thing, if you pay attention, she's been protecting someone else for so long it's automatic. She offers something of herself, perhaps slips on a piece of information she didn't intend to say. Someone asks a question in clarification. Mikaela replies with something vague on the same topic, and the next thing you know you're talking about one of your _own_ favourite topics.::

::. She slips when she's comfortable or exhausted.:: Chromia mused, looking through Bumblebee's recordings of Mikaela. ::. Around Bumblebee and Optimus for the most part.::

::. Around Bumblebee more frequently.:: Optimus rumbled musingly.

::. No sir.:: Bee replied cheerfully. ::. You just haven't noticed how frequently you wind up talking about _your_ favourite topics around her. It's an honest shock you haven't noticed her using your own tricks on you. It's probably better.::

::. What-.::

::. You're beginning to heal yourself Prime. And it's about time. When was the last time you were so open and forthcoming with another? Human _or_ Auto-bot? When was the last time you ever really _laughed Sir?_.::

Five thousand years flashed past in a second, he remembered the last time he'd actually laughed, the long space of cold, of pain and the time before. When Elita had been alive in all of her haughty, beautiful glory. For the first time in five thousand years, he did not stop that process.

::. It's good to have you back, Optimus.:: Ratchet said gently. ::. So do us all a favour, keep laughing, keep talking with her. She heals us without even thinking, gives herself to others without hesitation. I'd be jealous except for the fact that she's a daughter to me now. She's already taken care of me. Helped me through the last of _my_ pain without even knowing it. It's your turn.::

Stunned, Optimus barely noticed as the femme in question unbuckled herself from her seat and approached him, lightly resting a hand on his fender.

"Optimus?" she asked quietly.

"Mikaela?" he asked gently, onlining his holoform and looking at her worriedly.

"Would you mind if... if I laid down in your sleeper?" she asked hesitantly.

He reached out and gently cupped her cheek.

"Not at all," he rumbled gently, opening his door and helping her up into his cab. In minutes she was asleep on his bunk, tossing fitfully and whimpering. Energon rippled lightly out of her skin. Shocked, Optimus lightly touched it, watching her dreams.

...

"Tinny I'm home!" a young, brightly smiling Mikaela shouted out, "I asked all the questions you told me to today! Teachers think I'm a budding genius, 'course it's you but the point stands, you're a budding freakin' genius Tin!" she opened the door to her room. The place was covered in broken glass.

"Oh god, Tinny? TINNY!?" she shrieked. Mikaela ran down the stairs. "UNCLE! Uncle where's Tinny!?" Mikaela shouted, panicking.

"Up in her room," the small Asian man said in surprise, "she was tired-"

"Tin's not in our room!" Mikaela shrieked. She took off, opening every door in a frantic search. "TINNY!" she shouted, "Tinny you win! You're the best at hiding! Big sister come out! _PLEASE_ come out Tinny! You're scaring me!"

"Mikaela!" the asian man's voice shouted. There was horror and shock in his voice. "Mikaela come quick!"

Mikaela was running again, flying down stairs and to the man's side in seconds.

"I'm sorry," a young man said, he looked close to tears. "She said to bring her here, not to a hospital..."

"Thank you," the asian said curtly, nodding.

"She had this..." the boy said softly, handing the man a CD. He bowed haltingly and fairly fled from the premises with a final "I'm sorry, Master Chen."

"Tinny!" Mikaela said gently, carefully holding a girl who could only be the asian man's daughter. "Come on big sister, wake up!"

"Cricket?" the little girl whimpered. Her eyes opened, enormous and brown. "Little sister don't go after him. I love you all, so much." the light left her eyes as the tiny body began to convulse lightly.

"Tinny no," Mikaela whispered, cradling the tiny, convulsing body and rocking. She began singing in Mandarin, a choked, grieving song. A funeral song.

She looked up and saw the images on the television screen, the tiny girl being beaten. The images were clear, there was no haziness of long memory, even though it had to have been years ago. A man, a stranger beating the tiny girl. She did not fight back. The images burned themselves into her mind, and in that moment, into his as well.

"Tinny why didn't you fight?" Mikaela whimpered, "Big sister why did you let him take you from us?"

"Tinny doesn't fight, Cricket," Master Chen said in icy tones. "My daughter, your sister fought to stay alive as an infant, she used all her fight before she could walk. My tiny baby," he keened softly, kneeling beside Mikaela. "Oh my little Chen Li, go to your next life beloved soul. Do not linger in the middle areas."

...

There was darkness again. Mikaela was softly singing in her cage. She jerked herself awake and forced her breathing to remain slow, calm despite the frantic pounding of her heart. Optimus onlined his holoform and sat down on the bunk beside her.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked softly, gently taking her hand.

"I can't," she whispered. A tear escaped her eye, she brushed it away hurriedly.

"You can trust me, Kae," Optimus murmured gently.

"I know I can, Optimus," she whispered. "But the time isn't right. Someday, someday I hope you're still here so that I can tell you who I am, who they were, but I can't. Not and see them alive again someday. You saw it."

Optimus nodded gravely.

"She was my sister," Mikaela whispered, tears began streaming down her face. "Please Optimus, I beg you, you can't tell anyone."

"May I ask one question, and get the answer without you re-directing me?" Optimus asked softly. "I swear upon my spark I will not betray you. Just one."

Mikaela looked at him for a long time before closing her eyes and nodding.

"The people you are protecting. Why?"

Mikaela laughed softly, opening her eyes to look at him wryly.

"Only you could ask a question that requires so much explaining," she murmured. "On earth we say that you choose your friends, not your family. They lied. We chose each other, a family of love, of loyalty and friendship without a drop of genetics binding us. A unit of seven has been cut to three. I can't lose them too."

Optimus' holoform nodded gravely. He rose and laid down behind the young woman, tentatively wrapping an arm around her ribs and pulling her close.

"To keep the chargefrights away," he murmured. "If it is alright."

She closed her eyes and snuggled closer to the holoform.

"Thank you," she whispered softly, lacing her fingers into his. She was cold, Optimus snaked an arm beneath her neck, hoping the extra warmth near her carotid would ease the chill he could feel in her blood. In moments she was asleep again. If she dreamed he could not tell, but at least her heart had calmed.

::. Bumblebee.:: Optimus murmured.

::. Sir.:: the scout said sadly, having already heard the conversation even if the humans wouldn't have been able to.

::. Your hypothesis is fact.:: Optimus said softly, knowing that the auto-bots could feel the pain tearing at his spark on behalf of the tiny Femme in his holoform's arms.

Bumblebee nodded sadly.


	31. 29 The Everyday Bazar

**Chapter 29 - The everyday Bazar**

**(No, I didn't spell it incorrectly. Pun alert, bizarre bazar.)**

* * *

(MPOV)

I opened my eyes as the plane turned, losing altitude.

"You can sleep another hour," Optimus rumbled softly in my ear.

"I do that and I'll be groggy," I laughed softly. "Don't ask me why, I didn't plan it."

"Something like that makes me glad I'm an auto-bot." Optimus rumbled in my ear.

"What's it like, anyway?" I asked curiously, rolling onto my back and looking at the holoform. "I mean, you've managed to do a fair replication of a human form, and you mentioned that it's capable of processing tactile information. The lot of you can 'smell' or at least you're capable of picking up pheromones and the like. But what's it like to transform? To have a visible spark instead of a carbon based neural system?"

Optimus looked thoughtful.

"The tactile information is... similar," he rumbled musingly. "Or rather, we process it similarly. I do not know how to describe transforming... there is no... precedent. I just simply... _Do._ To have a spark is at times a terrifying, fragile thing. Without it I am a pile of metal, with it I am alive. What is it like to have a soul?" he asked me in an amused tone.

"I didn't know until we tried that experiment with the splinter," I said musingly. "Ever since I touched it really. I can feel..." I trailed off, thinking.

"Kae?"

"It's like I can feel the energon touch every cell in my body, Icy cold and burning hot at the same time, feel and understand each and every single cell's needs. A need for another molecule of nutrients, another piece of dioxide to bind a carbon molecule to for expulsion. A cell's death and subsequent replacement. Billions upon billions of times over. But... but I shouldn't be able to feel it," I looked at Optimus. "At times it's like I've got several billion processes running at the same time without enough memory space to quantify it. Like I'm examining myself from the inside out, then once I understood it, it became an automatic reflex again. But I can still feel it. Hell, sometimes I could swear I could control it." I lifted up a hand and lightly rubbed my fingers together, feeling the swirl of burning coolness ripple beneath.

"You are," Optimus rumbled interestedly. "You are actually controlling the energon in your system. Do that again."

I rubbed my fingers together and felt the swirl grow stronger, a tiny spark jumped between thumb and forefinger as I stopped. I let loose a tiny yelp, shaking my hand.

"My hand's gone numb," I chuckled. Optimus shook his head. "Are you okay?" I asked worriedly, looking at his pensive expression.

"Your hand has gone numb and you're worried about me?" Optimus looked down at me in amusement. "Why do I get the feeling you'd ask the same if I were frowning and you were bleeding to death?" He frowned, "you already did that."

I snorted.

"In fairness you'd had a grappling hook in your shoulder, cannon blast to the chest and fought three 'cons off to protect me." I chuckled. The plane landed with a light thump.

"Ladies and gentlemen let me be the first to welcome you on this glorious October day to Washington D.C." The pilot announced cheerfully. "Those of you who wish to go _shopping_ should disembark first, the rest of us will wait here until you're done."

"Okay so I should probably go sit with the boys until you're finished," I shot at Optimus, smirking lightly at him.

"Nice try," he grinned, I could hear the click of his doors locking.

"Oh that's playing dirty!" I half-shouted, giving his holoform a light shove.

"And claiming I had kidnapped you is playing clean?" Optimus grinned, tackling me and tickling my ribs lightly. I squealed and fought him off, finally managing to wrestle the holoform onto his back and sitting on him.

"Cheater guts," I grinned. He audibly got into gear and drove out of the plane. I stood up and made my way to the passenger seat and noticed something. "Oi! Lemme out! I gotta get my shoes!" I protested.

"We'll get you new ones," Optimus rumbled cheerfully.

"You should be spending your money on good quality fuel, oil, filters and wax. Not on my shoes!" I exclaimed irritably.

Optimus snorted, desperately fighting back a laugh.

"_What!?"_ I demanded.

"Do you realize just how difficult it is to use a holoform to polish your own armour?" Optimus demanded through a grin. "I haven't had a decent waxing in _vorns!_"

"Well then we're getting some decent Carnuba and pads on the way," I stated firmly. I could hear an entirely different sort of hum in Prime's spark, I glanced over to see his holoform wrestling with his expressions. I frowned, memorizing the sound and cross-referencing it with the sounds Bee and Ratchet made. Nothing. I pursed my lips and thought of something.

"What does it feel like to have your armour waxed?" I asked musingly. The hum increased in volume just the tiniest bit. It wasn't irritation, I knew that one already.

"Like a massage," Optimus murmured. "A decent waxing is like having a full body massage, better when we are not in disguise."

We sat in silence for a moment.

"Oh lord I'm embarrassing you!" I said suddenly.

Optimus snorted.

"Not even close," he rumbled, Arcee, Flare and Chromia passing us on the highway. "Although if you do not stop talking about wax I _might_ embarrass my_self_."

I looked at the holoform curiously. He glanced at me.

"Maintaining each other is a form of intimacy," he explained calmly, smiling at me. "Bumblebee considers you to be a big sister, even if he is literally twenty-eight times your size. Every time you took care of him it was like having a sister looking out for him. He spent an entire month _bragging_ about just how awesome his big sister is."

I couldn't help the gentle smile that tugged at my lips.

"He's such a sweet kid," I murmured, "Bumblebee turned out well, even if the war took his childhood."

Optimus' spark began resonating curiosity. I looked at him.

"By human reckoning, Bee's still a teenager right?" I smiled, "he plays about in an unguarded moment, but he spends a lot of time acting the part of a grown bot, he's already shouldered the responsibility of being a scout."

Optimus' holo turned to look at me incredulously. The curiosity almost becoming a full out hum.

"Let me guess," I grinned, "I'm the first human who's figured out that Ratchet and Ironhide are both older than you by a good measure?"

"Fear your ninja skills indeed," Optimus murmured wryly, pulling into an enormous parking lot and into the spots Arcee's holoform was guarding. The femme almost dragged me from the cab.

"About time you guys got here!" she exclaimed cheerfully.

"It is not my fault you are a scrapping daemon for speed," Optimus rumbled good naturedly, locking his doors and throwing his holoform's arm across my shoulders. We trouped into the mall where security promptly stopped me.

"Excuse me, Miss?" the man said politely, "you need to wear shoes in the mall."

"The airport stole my shoes," I lied tiredly, casually affecting an aussi accent. "Lost my luggage, stole my shoes. Welcome to America."

"Baby, don't worry about it," Optimus murmured, leaning down and kissing my temple. "Shoes are the first stop, c'mere." he promptly picked me up and tossed me onto his shoulders as I squealed in surprise, flailing my arms for balance.

"Oh put me down you great _prat_!" I laughed helplessly.

"No walking until we get you shoes," he chuckled. "If we may?" he looked at the amused guard politely.

"Man, you need to tell me how to do that," the guard finally laughed. "If I could get my girl to laugh like that I'd be in heaven."

"Remind her everyday that you love her, if she likes surprises surprise her. Does she save up to get you big things, or does she do the little things that you barely notice?"

"Little things," the guard said with wide eyes.

"Call her on your break today, and bring her home a rose tomorrow." Optimus said with a small smile, his hand lightly squeezed my knee.

"How do you know all this?" the guard asked in shock.

"How do you know you are in love?" Optimus rumbled, looking up at me. I proceeded to blush furiously.

"When all the songs start making sense," I replied softly. I uncoiled my legs and planted my hands on Optimus' shoulders, lowering myself lightly to sit coiled on his back, my arms wrapped lightly over his shoulders and his hands warm on my knees as the guard grinned and gestured for us to carry on.

"You two are just so gods damned cute!" Chromia laughed as Arcee and Flare scurried off toward some goal or another. She gave my arse a light smack.

"If you think you're gonna get away with that you've got another think coming!" I laughed, squirming slightly to try and reach her. Optimus hitched me up slightly on his hips and I quickly grabbed onto his shoulder again. "You wait until I have shoes and _then_ you have another think coming!" I amended. Chromia and Optimus both laughed. The holoforms walked straight past my usual shoe place. Inexpensive.

"Oi! Shoes!" I said indignantly, turning around to watch the receding shoe store.

"There's a better one down here," Chromia grinned.

"What, cheaper than payless?" I asked interestedly.

"No, better," Optimus rumbled with a broad grin, walking into a store that smelled of well oiled leathers rather than rubber.

"Optimus a pair of the shoes in here costs two weeks wages for me!" I whispered in a horrified voice as Chromia spotted a pair and squealed, holding up a pair of absolutely mouthwatering stilettos. Strappy, simple, silver blue gorgeous.

"You need to get these!" she said in a commanding tone.

"Where the hell would I wear them!?" I demanded.

"You can wear them today!" Chromia grinned.

"Incorrigible, the both of you," I sighed, burying my face in Optimus' neck as the sales lady walked toward us.

"Is there anything I can help you with today?" she asked cheerfully.

"Yes!" Chromia said with a grin. "My sister-in-law-to-be just got off the plane. The airport lost her luggage and stole her shoes. We need new stuff stat!"

"Oh you poor dear!" the older lady said with raised eyebrows, "here, I'll get you some nylons and we'll find you something good!" the dear woman puttered off and was back in seconds as Optimus set me down on the chair. I pulled the stockings on with a resigned sigh as Chromia grinningly handed me the shoes. I strapped them on and stood easily, walking around with the strut such a shoe demanded.

"SEE!" Chromia laughed, "perfect shoe!" I sighed and caved.

"Yes, they're a perfect shoe, but that does not negate the fact that they cost..." I stood on one foot and arched my leg around, catching my ankle in my hand and turning my head to look at the price tag. "Okay, five days wages." I said patiently.

"I'm going to buy them just to watch you do that again," Chromia said seriously. I rolled my eyes as she turned to the sales lady. "We'll take those, now, let's see what else ooh!" she snatched up a cute pair of wedges. "Here we go, everyday wear!"

"Chrome I work on _trucks_!" I said in exasperation, "Everyday wear are steel toed _boots!_ If I were a model posing for a calender then they'd be everyday wear, but I actually _do_ the work! Can you imagine getting axle grease off of those!"

"Sis you gotta lighten up!" Chromia giggled. "Go on, try them on!"

"I don't do wedges," I sighed, sitting down, taking off the stilettos and accepting the second pair of shoes. "All the extra material throws me off my balance."

"True," Chromia nodded, she spied a pair of low gladiators instead. She held them up.

"Better," I grinned. She handed them to me then covered my hands.

"Kae don't look at the price," she said firmly, "if you're going to be part of our family you need to learn that _quality_ is what counts."

I closed my eyes and sagged in defeat, slipping the shoes on and walking around in them. They were perfect. I sighed as much and turned to see a hidden pair of shoes practically screaming at me. Terrifyingly high brushed steel stiletto, rich blue straps that would wind up my calves like flames, red soles. I stared.

"Damn girl, you've got some serious taste!" Chromia whispered, standing beside me.

"I couldn't!" I whispered.

"Try them! Try them now!" she demanded.

"We have a clearance sale on today," the sales lady stated brightly, "buy two, get the third pair half off and the fourth for free."

"Sit!" Chromia commanded immediately, pulling down a box and following me back toward where Optimus was waiting with a small smile. "Optimus close your eyes!"

The holoform raised an eyebrow but obeyed.

Chromia glanced at him for a second then grabbed a piece of paper and pen, scribbling a note for me to read.

_'Wearing his colours would be the ultimate compliment to __him__' _she gave me a gentle look and added a final few words._'something he truly needs about now.'_

My eyes widened, I rolled up my jeans quickly and slid the shoes on, standing and walking around in them. They felt so absolutely perfect. Made for me.

"I'll take these, even if I don't get anything else I'll take these," I said firmly. Chromia beamed at me.

"Do I get to look yet?" Optimus asked with a low laugh.

"Yes you do," Chromia grinned.

He looked at me, then at the shoes, he went pale before slowly flushing.

"Are they okay?" I asked in a soft, worried tone.

"They're perfect," he smiled gently, his eyes already a rich cerulean.

"So what all would you like then?" the lady asked cheerfully. Chromia looked at me with a grin.

"So these three, what for a fourth pair?"

"Do you have a second pair of these?" I asked curiously holding out a foot.

"We absolutely do," the lady winked. Out of the corner of my eye, Optimus stood a bit straighter, his shoulders back.

We were rung through in minutes.

"Could I borrow a pair of scissors?" I asked politely. The lady smiled and produced a pair of nail clippers.

"Do it again!" she grinned. I laughed and extended my foot to her, standing firm and solid an extra four inches above the ground. She clipped the tags.

"D'you mind if I get a picture of you doing that backward one? My granddaughters will never believe me if I don't." she smiled.

"Just don't put me on the net please," I laughed, "How about I one up that?" I leaned forward, brought my leg up into an overextended split and caught my calf, bending backwards so that my head just barely brushed my knee. The lady snapped a few quick photos as Chromia bust a gut at Optimus' expression.

"Right! Clothes!" Chromia sang, looping the bag onto her elbow and linking her arm in mine. I laughed and shook my head, glancing at my watch. The entire shoe escapade had taken all of twenty minutes.

The clothes took even less time, jeans, shorts, and a few shirts, Chromia finally caving into my insistence that I'd be wearing tanks and fatigues on base, but I still got the little red dress that Optimus was staring at.

I couldn't help but smile at the young sales girl though, about my size who continually stared at my shirt and worn jeans.

"Oh, My, God where did you get those?" she finally asked enviously at the till. "I need those for the bedrock-zombie concert tonight!"

"These?" I asked with a laugh, "I can't even remember. The T was salvation army a million years ago, I just cut it up. And the jeans started out a dark blue and un-stained. You can have them if you want."

"_Seriously!" _The girl shrieked, she bolted forward and swung me into a hug. "Oh my _god!_ Hey 'Nita! 'Nita can I give her a family discount!?"

"What? So you can trade clothes?" a heavily pierced lady laughed, looking over her shoulder, she glanced at my clothes and grinned. "Yeah go for it. That's an _awesome_ look for our zombie night."

"Right, so everything will be thirty percent off after tax," the girl grinned. "Oh my _god_ you're amazing!"

I laughed and grabbed the outfit I'd intended to wear out.

"If you'll run these through I'll change into them. Or better yet, c'mon, before you spend a family discount on a complete stranger you should try them on."

We scurried into the back, I had to admit, the clothes looked far better on her.

"Hey 'Nita! What do you think!?" the girl shouted, scampering out and striking a pose. I walked out a bit more sedately, enjoying the hug of the practically tailored blue jeans.

"I think, that that demands an employee discount. You are _so_ getting us laid tonight." 'Nita said seriously, she walked to the till and typed in a code. A hundred became fifty.

"You're _kidding!"_ I said in shock.

"Pays to be awesome," 'Nita grinned at me, accepting the card from a laughing Optimus.

"Clothes shoes-" Chromia began, Arcee and Flare waved at us from the door. "Makeup check, to the lingerie!"

"Thank you," I smiled at the ecstatic young woman, collecting my bag. She grinned and waved, on her way to the changing rooms to get her work clothes back on.

I fairly flew through the lingerie shop, picking out my usual bold colours and haunting the sales tables. Silver, blue, black. Three bras and nine pairs of panties.

"Three and nine?" Optimus asked curiously.

"Three bras, and three pairs of matching panties for each," I smiled up at him. "Let's get out of here."

"Why? We have another hour before we need to be back," he rumbled with a grin, the girls followed me, giggling and chatting quietly.

"Because," I shot him a wicked smirk of my own, fully intending on getting my revenge. I set my bags down and strutted toward him, grasping the front of his shirt and pulling him down. "There's an automotive shop on the way back, and I want to pick up some proper... cleaning supplies." I murmured in his ear, dropping my tone to a sultry level.


	32. 30 Roadtrip

**Chapter 30 - Roadtrip!**

* * *

_ "__Because," I shot him a wicked smirk of my own, fully intending on getting my revenge. I set my bags down and strutted toward him, grasping the front of his shirt and pulling him down. "There's an automotive shop on the way back, and I want to pick up some proper... cleaning supplies." I murmured in his ear, dropping my tone to a sultry level._

(MPOV)

His hands flew up to grip my shoulders for a second, pulling back to look me in the eye. I gasped at the hint of fire beneath the calm facade.

"I think we can do that," he rumbled with a slow grin.

"Excellent!" I grinned, picking up my bags again.

"We're going to the sex shop?" Flare asked with a bright laugh.

"Flare!" Optimus rumbled, lightly touching a reproachful tone.

"Oh come on Optimus! Everybody needs a good polishing now and again!" Arcee laughed. I strutted toward the doors, irrevocably falling in love with the shoes and throwing a final 'coming?' over my shoulder.

"Little bit," Arcee said with a laugh, tucking her hand into my back pocket. I gave Chromia's arse a smack before shifting my bags and wrapping an arm around Arcee's waist. "You're driving him crazy, you know that right?" she murmured in my ear.

"Oh I do hope so," I grinned, "Primus knows he's been running me up the wall." I shot a wink back at Optimus' holoform before shoving the doors open in front of us and grinning at _him. _He started up his engine with a deep roar.

"So what're we getting?" Arcee asked curiously, sitting her holoform over her seat.

"Some things I've been sorely missing," I said patiently, crawling back out of Optimus' sleeper and running my hands over his abused bodywork. "Optimus' paint is starting to fade a little, you still look gorgeous but even you need a bit of upkeep," I kissed his fender. "And with the speed the three of you have been running at I have absolutely no doubt in my mind you've got oil sprayed up in your wheel wells."

"You're going to take care of the _lot of us!?_" Chromia squealed, dragging me into a crushing hug.

"You guys have been taking care of me," I retorted gently as Optimus threw a gentle arm across my shoulders. "It's only fair I return the favour." I wrapped my arms around Optimus' holo, squeezing gently before climbing up into his cab.

"Question for you," he rumbled, revving up and following the ecstatic girls onto the highway.

"Shoot," I smiled.

"Not in a public area," he retorted, I laughed and snuggled a bit deeper into his seat.

"You..." Optimus started and trailed off.

"Are you okay Optimus?" I asked worriedly.

"You always seem to know when I need a translation," Optimus rumbled finally. "You always explain something when we are confused, but never when we're not."

"You know," I laughed softly, "Sam thought Bumblebee was named after his colours."

"And why was he named Bee?" Optimus rumbled in amusement.

"Because when he's pissed off he buzzes. It's not even a singular buzz, he sounds like a swarm of pissed off bees." I laughed. "And it's different for all of you, when Ratch is pissed he gets really really quiet, same for Sideswipe."

"Is that how you always know how to deal with us?" Optimus rumbled with a laugh, "you listen for our moods?"

"If Ratchet is being quiet and starts yelling I offer to swap jobs. If he's humming quietly he's good, but if he's staying absolutely silent you'd better stay pretty quiet too, and be prepared to do _precisely _what he tells you, _yesterday_." I chuckled. "It's an absolute blessing to work for a bot who practically announces his mood every second of the day. You however, are a confusing one, a great deal of your moods are run on different variations of the same tone. Sometimes it's ridiculously easy, other times it's _beyond_ difficult to tell if you're irritable, grumpy or mildly pissed."

"What are the other tones?" Optimus asked, his laugh was forced.

"You're uncomfortable right now," I said quietly, "I'm sorry."

"You can hear that even over my engine?" his holoform looked at me in shock.

"No, your laugh was forced," I said apologetically. "I can hear it too, yes, but you're forcing yourself to keep a light tone." Optimus shook his holoform's head. "What were you actually going to ask? If it's okay for me to ask?" I murmured.

"You are not upset by the girls' advances?" Optimus rumbled.

"Not at all," I replied with raised eyebrows. "Should I be?"

"Humans are not particularly comfortable about talking of such things," Optimus rumbled.

"Not all of us, just most of 'em," I snorted. "I can't help but laugh, we're upset by the prospect of our parents having sex, and yet they are very obviously our parents. We aren't exactly to the point of growing fully formed, viable foetuses in test tubes. They think that animals reproducing is disgusting. Even if the bible was correct, they're doing 'god's bidding to go forth and multiply.' Same bidding is sin. Hypocrites."

"Then..."

"There isn't exactly a social precedent to ask you how Auto-bots have sex," I grinned, canting my head toward him as he parked.

"But you still blushed," Optimus shot back at me with a grin.

"Of course I blushed!" I protested, "females blush when an out-of-this-world-gorgeous male up and kisses them before hefting them onto his shoulders with no visible effort!"

"That wasn't when you blushed," Optimus teased me lightly. I bit my lip and forced a mischievous grin.

"So if we're being out and open come show me what you like?" I bounced on the seat for a second before hopping out of the cab. I leaned against the fender, lowering my voice as I added, "Squishy carbon unit or not, I will _proudly_ admit that I do a _damned_ good detail."

I grinned as his air-brakes burped slightly.

The holoform got out of the cab slowly, watching the girls pull up beside him.

"Just remember, it is auto-parts, not a sex shop." Optimus rumbled in amusement behind me, following the enthusiastic femmes.

"Says you," I grinned at him over my shoulder. "I'll come here _long_ before I go to a love boutique. _Any day._" Chromia began laughing brightly, swinging an arm across my shoulders.

I strutted through the first set of doors and grabbed a cart, palming my debit card. A quick mental calculation said I had five hundred dollars mad-money burning in my account.

The girls stopped dead in their tracks, staring at a mid-range polisher on display. I glanced at Optimus with an amused expression and found him staring at it as well.

"_Wow_," I said with a small laugh, "low standards you guys! _Come_ on."

I walked forward and grabbed hold of Arcee's hand, fairly dragging the femme along behind me. I glanced back and laughed at her as she gazed back longingly at the polisher, the rest of the holoforms doing the same.

"Did you even read the stats on it?" I asked mildly.

"2500 RPM," she moaned.

"At top range and it doesn't last long," I said firmly, pulling her down one of the aisles. "See?" I pointed at the polisher in it's box, "it says two, but it's one speed, the top speed on it is for limited bursts. Now _that's _what I'm _talking about!_"

I reached up and pulled down a box, a full fleet kit really, two motors, one small one large, extender bits, the works. Five speeds, top 5000 RPM. Three hundred bucks.

I turned around in the aisle to find four holoforms staring at me in shock.

"What?" I asked curiously, "if you're going to do something, you do it right."

"That's the store motto," a young man laughed, "you've got good taste ma'am, I take it you already tried out the one we have on display?"

"I totally burned the motor out polishing the fleet," I laughed.

"Yeah, it really is more of a hobby polisher," the guy nodded, rubbing the back of his neck. "You're doing a lot of work?"

"Yeah, I'm going to need a hell of a lot of pads," I said ruefully, keeping the man distracted as the holoforms crowded around the box. Flareup looked quite ready to swoon.

"Would you prefer one of the boxes from the back?" he asked, I looked at his tag, Jerry.

"Jerry, that would be wonderful. Do you have any of that orange cleaner? Cuts through tar grease and doesn't touch the paint?" I asked curiously, "And I'm definitely going to need a massive amount of wax."

"That's where the real sale's at," Jerry grinned, gesturing me to follow, "have you seen the new diamond finish? Just came out a month ago, apparently it has a better sealing factor than the regular stuff, and it's scratch resistant."

"I'm leery of trying new waxes," I said with a frown. "How long did they test it before throwing it out on the market?"

"Six months," he grinned, "Damn you're good." he looked at the holoforms following me with dreamy looks in their eyes. "Are they okay?" he asked worriedly.

"They're fine," I laughed, "enthusiasts, but the polisher I caught in their shop is a piece of crap, poor Chrome here thought 2500 was an incredible thing. I can't help but prefer multi-speeds though."

"Amen to that, here's the orange, you want mix or concentrate?"

"Concentrate, it's gonna be a while before I can get back, ooh and the neutral detergent too. Sponges, chamois', I've got a billion rags already."

"Did you want the re-useable pads? I tried them out the other day, fluffed up a treat in the dryer," Jerry grinned.

"Excellent!" I laughed. "So box of those, and the waxes?"

"If you want to stick with the traditional, I've got something awesome," Jerry grinned, he hefted up an enormous tub.

"Tubs," I frowned.

"Get crap in them and the wax goes bad before you're halfway through," Jerry nodded, he opened the tub and pulled out a flat disk on a sheet of plastic, setting it down and pulling out a second.

"_Brilliant!_" I laughed.

"And about friggen time yeah?" he laughed.

"Absolutely, I'll take two of them." I grinned. "Jerry, you're awesome, in and out in ten. Record time."

"If you're gonna do something, do it right," he laughed, lifting the tubs into my cart. "Can I help you find anything else today?"

"That's the lot," I laughed. "You guys still have the survey?"

"Up front," he grinned, "I'll bring the box up. Have a good day miss."

I waved with a you too and glanced at my watch, driving for the checkout.

"I'm buying," Arcee said immediately.

"Mine, a leader takes care of his troops," Optimus rumbled.

"Correction, _I'm_ buying and that's final," I said firmly, smiling at the clerk behind the till as Jerry set down the box on the counter and gave me a last wave before going to help another person. I quickly filled out the survey as the lady ran the stuff through, adding a 'knowledgeable without being obnoxious, give the man a raise!' to the bottom, and lightly knocking Optimus out of the way as he tried to sneak in and pay.

"Mine," I growled at him with a grin. "You've been paying all day." I handed the girl my card and watched with satisfaction as the screen claimed 'approved.'

"We'd better get going," I added calmly, wheeling the cart out the door, "we've been in here for a while."

I quickly opened the sleeper door and was tackled by squealing girls.

"You are the best _ever!_" Chromia shouted gleefully as Optimus quickly loaded everything up and Arcee ran the cart back. "Oh I can't _wait_ until we get back!"

The holoforms scampered to their respective Auto-bot, revving up excitedly and taking off at high speed.

"You have absolutely made their day," Optimus rumbled with a smile as I climbed up into his cab, "be prepared, you may be tackled by holoforms when we get back."

"Duly noted," I laughed. "I do hope it might have made your day a little too, taken a bit of the sting out of escorting a carbon unit shopping and pretending to be my fiancee."

His holoform reached over and lightly gripped my chin.

"There is no sting," he smiled gently. "But I am still going to get you to admit why you blushed," he added, the smile turning to a grin. "It wasn't because I picked you up."

"Oh now you're being a prat!" I laughed.

"But a prat who is hopefully your friend," he smiled.

"Optimus I'm your friend whether you want me to be or not," I smiled, rubbing the seat. "Although by what definition I'm not entirely sure." I added musingly.

"How do you mean?" he asked curiously, pulling onto the highway.

"Well, the girls are dear friends, potentially sisters, Jolt and the twins are like cousins." I looked at him musingly. "I know it sounds like an oversimplification, but knowing that allows me to move comfortably in that dynamic..."

"And I?" Optimus prompted me gently.

"You're the first person to intimate that you love me, even if it was just for the benefit of the guard." I murmured, blushing again. "Mind, you're one of the first people to actually know me for _me, _too." I crossed my arms protectively.

"Ratchet loves you," Optimus murmured gently.

"Ratchet's is the love of a father," I smiled, thinking of the grumbling, gentle bot. "Ironhide an uncle, Sides and Bee my brothers. But I'm still the squishy carbon unit."

"What did you want to be when you matured?" Optimus asked suddenly.

"A pilot," I laughed and clapped a hand to my mouth. "Oh god don't tell Lennox, I don't think I could stand being joshed as the maggot!"

"You wanted to fly," Optimus said gently, I glanced over at him. The look in his eyes was pure kindness.

"I've spent my entire life on the ground," I shrugged, "when I fight I take my stability from the ground, I walk, I run, I ride and I move across the ground..." I looked out the window at the planes taking off and landing. "But sometimes I wonder what it would be like, to nod to one of the defining laws of our species and completely defy it." I grinned. "Because if I could fly, what other impossible things would be possible?"

Optimus parked and reached over with his holoform's hand, lightly squeezing mine. I smiled at him and turned in the seat to face him fully.

"I'm sorry if I make you uncomfortable," I said quietly before beginning to get out. He held my hand and pulled me back slightly.

"We interface," he said gently, "that is the closest parallel to sex, our sparks unite entirely, and in some cases a bot and femme could unite absolutely. Become one unit with dual consciousness. Many of us are capable of such a union anyway, held in battle to make us bigger, stronger. But without the pressure of fighting, uniting with another is an absolute of intimacy. The twins and the femmes are capable of it because they love each other as siblings. But between two spark-bound, it is the ultimate pleasure."

I listened with wide eyes. Sitting in silence for a long moment. Finally, I took a deep breath and looked at him with a small smile.

"I knew I envied you lot for a good reason. A great deal of humans say that that is what sex is like, but it's not, not really. Or rather, it's one in a million that get that."

Optimus looked at me with worry in his holoform's eyes.

"You've never..."

"Had sex? Yes, I have. Made love and had a fraction of that bond? Never. Boys liked me for the popularity, to be seen with the pretty one. Never for the person I am." I shrugged. "Like I said. It's one in a million." I shot him a weak smile and straightened my back with a "Let's get this show on the road," before I got out of his cab and strutted toward the soldiers.

"Where's my big brother at!?" I demanded with a broad grin.

"Kaelie!" Chance laughed, running forward and picking me up in a bear hug for the benefit of passerby. The soldiers around us laughed. "C'mon!" he grinned, "We're goin' on a roadtrip baby sister!"

"KAELIE!" Chromia shrieked, as though we hadn't just spent the past two hours shopping together, she streaked toward me, closely followed by an enormous group of grinning holoforms. Ironhide, Arcee, Flare, Ratchet, Sideswipe and Bee. Chance the traitor, abandoned me to their mercy with a laugh. In seconds I was struggling to keep my balance as everyone crushed in on me.

"Air!" I shouted in a mockingly strangled tone, "squishy carbon units need air!"

"Your breathing is unimpaired," Ratchet told me smugly. "That's what you get for being the best scrapping assistant in a hundred worlds." he planted a firm kiss to my temple.

"And you thought I was kidding when I said this is my favourite place," Bumblebee grinned at me before stealing me for a crushing hug. I looked at him in shock. He laughed. "The holoform talks just fine," he teased me quietly in his light tenor.

"Everybody ready to go?" Chance called out with a broad grin. He grabbed hold of my hand and dragged me to Bumblebee.

Epps and Jacobs took the back seat. I looked at the enormous African incredulously.

"Dude, sit in the front," I laughed, "Tiny people sit in the back."

"You calling me fat?" Jacobs stated in mocking indignation.

"No, I'm calling you a great six foot some muscle bound bastard," I laughed.

"You calling me tiny?" Epps grinned.

"_No!_ I'm calling you all _butt_-_heads_ who just lost viable claim for _shotgun_!" I grinned sliding into the front seat and buckling in. I still shifted the seat forward to give Jacobs some leg room.

"Oh god, you remember that show?" Epps grinned. I groaned.

"Message from Starfleet Captain, Let's get to it," Bumblebee played the soundbytes cheerfully, locking his doors and pulling out behind Optimus.

We ran with the radios on, the banter light and cheerful among all of us. Epps tapped my shoulder.

"Thought you'd want some reading material." he said with a grin. He handed me a book with a handsome man holding a swooning lady wearing a gorgeous gown.

"You did _not_ just buy me girl porn!" I laughed.

"_Whaat?_" Lennox's voice called over the radio. I glanced at the spine.

"Yep, Harlequin, they actually have a standardized format, _anyone_ can send in a story following that format and potentially get published. Just so long as the initial steamy sex scene is ooon," I fanned the book until it opened of it's own accord. "Page 68, ooh, this chick was eager to get laid," I laughed. "Usually it's in the early hundreds."

"You're having us on!" Andrev called out.

"And I _quote_," I laughed, I dropped my voice into a mocking, sultry purr. "'William laid a warm, callused hand on her bare shoulder, her skin as soft as the petals of her namesake. Lillian sighed, leaning into his touch. She burned, her breath coming in short pants. His hand slid slowly, gently up the alabaster pillar of her neck to cradle her head, tilting it just so as he leaned down to lightly touch his lips to hers. She _sagged_ against him, dizzy and _desperately_ wanting more. His tongue brushed her lip, seeking entrance.

"'Lillian _swooned_, collapsing against his powerful frame. William scooped her into his muscular arms, carrying her effortlessly up the stairs to his bedchambers.' – nicely _done_ Lennox! – and let's see, a full page dedicated to undressing her, and now that she's not completely devoid of oxygen thanks to a_blessed_ lack of corset she's watching with _lust glazed_ eyes as he slowly strips out of his five layers of royal naval uniform – ooh! Not a fop! Girl's got taste after all! – aaand, yep, three pages of painless sack dancing despite her current deflowering and his ginormous cock. Finished with the coup-de-grace: 'Gasping, she could feel his essence burning into her womb as it poured into her, William _roared_ as he finished, the muscles standing out in his neck – blue balls! – collapsing on top of her and catching her lips in a _Fierce! Passionate kiss!_ He rolled to the side and held her close as she drifted into an exquisitely sated slumber!'

"No doubt written at a time when..." I looked at the cover, "Sophia Jasper hadn't got laid in two years. Minimum." I finished as the men riding with Bee and over the radios, hell, even Chromia, Flare and Arcee howled with laughter. Bee though, Bee was resonating a tiny bit of loneliness. Not really a part of the conversation.

Just to pound in the point I looked at the dash.

"Bee! Soundbyte me! Admiral Akbar!" I laughed.

"_**Its a trap!**_" Bee played the byte gleefully, renewing the laughter.

Optimus' deep, rumbling laugh joined the next round, my own smile becoming exultant at the sound of his voice.


	33. 31 Mausoleum

**Once again, a billion thanks to my Betas, whom I absolutely adore.**

**Chapter 31 - Mausoleum**

* * *

(OPOV)

"Let's get this show on the road."

Optimus watched Mikaela as she got out of his cab and strutted toward the soldiers, straight backed and showing absolutely none of the sadness he'd seen in her eyes. He watched her rib the soldiers just before Chromia ran toward her, trailing everyone's holoforms behind her. Mikaela was quickly covered in ecstatic auto-bots. Optimus smiled to see her laughter become truly genuine, he waved a few soldiers over and handed the shopping bags down to them to load onto the plane for safe keeping.

"Oh dude!" Will laughed, eyeing the auto-parts bags. "little side trip?"

"At Mikaela's insistence," Optimus rumbled with a small smile, "just don't tell her I re-programmed the strip on her card to read as mine."

"Girl's got priorities," Epps laughed. "I picked up some books, this one looked good," he grinned. Optimus nodded.

"I believe she would be more interested in mechanics manuals," he rumbled mildly.

"She already knows everything," Lennox protested. "Or at least, she knows more than any three of us put together." he gestured around at the soldiers.

"Give her a manual for a plane then, perhaps an F-18," Optimus shrugged.

"Oh shit, can you imagine if she could service one of _those!? _Ain't _nobody_ could mess with her then!" Epps said in awe, he ran and clapped one of the mechanics on the shoulder, making his request. A thick manual was placed in the man's hand with a grin. Epps and Jacobs squeezed themselves into Bee's backseat while Mikaela protested that one should sit in the front. The radios clicked in.

"No, I'm calling you all _butt-heads_ who just lost viable claim to _shotgun_!" Mikaela laughed, Optimus could still see her push her seat forward a bit. Dear little femme.

"Oh god, you remember that show?" Epps grinned, elbowing Jacobs. Mikaela groaned, rolling her eyes.

::. Auto-bots, Roll out!.:: Optimus sent the signal silently as Lennox buckled himself in.

"Message from Starfleet Captain, Let's get to it," Bee played the soundbyte cheerfully, Optimus resisted rolling his optics as he drove out onto the highway. He kept his radio on, listening to the light banter between the soldiers and Auto-bots. He heard Epps' voice offer Mikaela a book.

"You did _not_ just buy me girl porn!" Mikaela laughed.

"Whaat!?" Lennox called out in his cab.

"Yep, Harlequin!" Mikaela said cheerfully, and began to explain the concept of Harlequin romances.

"You're having us on!" Andrev rasped from Sideswipe's position.

Mikaela promptly began reading a few paragraphs aloud in a mockingly sultry tone. Optimus couldn't help but wonder what that voice could do if she were reading the manual aloud. He concealed a shudder at the thought and focused on the road again as the men, bots and femmes howled with laughter, listening to Mikaela's summary of a sex scene.

"And let's see, a full page dedicated to undressing her, and now that she's not completely devoid of oxygen thanks to a_blessed_ lack of corset she's watching with _lust glazed_ eyes as he slowly strips out of his five layers of royal naval uniform – ooh! Not a fop! Girl's got taste after all!" Optimus perked up ever so slightly at that. " – aaand, yep, three pages of painless sack dancing despite her current deflowering and his ginormous cock. Finished with the coup-de-grace: 'Gasping, she could feel his essence burning into her womb as it poured into her, William _roared_ as he finished, the muscles standing out in his neck – blue balls! – collapsing on top of her and catching her lips in a _Fierce! Passionate kiss!_ He rolled to the side and held her close as she drifted into an exquisitely sated slumber!' No doubt written at a time when... Sophia Jasper hadn't got laid in two years. Minimum." Mikaela finished as her gleefully captive audience howled with laughter. At the very edge of the merriment, Optimus could feel Bumblebee feeling ever so slightly left out, being unable to find and cue up a soundbyte quite fast enough to match the rapid fire banter.

Her voice suddenly raised amid the cacophony again.

"Bee! Soundbyte me! Admiral Akbar!" she laughed, Optimus listened in puzzlement for a second. Akbar?

"_**Its a trap!**_" Bee played the byte gleefully over the radios. The men howled with laughter again. Optimus couldn't help but join in the laughter.

::. It's an incredible thing to have the limelight shifted onto you so easily.:: Bee added with private glee to Optimus, he sent a rapid flash of an image, Mikaela laughing. Her expression suddenly morphed from a mocking turn to truly joyful and exultant. ::. When _you _began to laugh, Sir.:: Bee grinned.

"Okay but seriously, looks like the big man was right after-all, here." Epps laughed, anyone could hear the laughing tears in the men's voices.

"A manual?" Mikaela asked with a grin. "F-18 Hornet!? SWEET!" she crowed, "Oh shit look at that engine configuration... ooh! And it's got the modifications on the blue angels too...!" she moaned, there was the sound of pages being rapidly flipped.

"There ain't no way she's reading that fast!" Chance said with a laugh.

"No she totally is! Look at her eyes!" Jacobs called out, "Shut up a bit, and get ready to record what she says!"

Bumblebee sent the image of what she was doing, flipping the pages. The scout's sensors picked up the energon tracing symbols across her skin. Weapons information. Scrap.

Kae slammed the cover shut and sat back, looking out the window.

"Mikaela?" Chance asked worriedly. She held up the manual.

"I fucking _want_ one!" she exclaimed in a bright tone. Optimus burst out laughing again.

"I don't believe it! Lennox! We got ourselves a bloody _maggot_!" Jacobs shouted.

"Oh shut up Jacobs!" Mikaela shouted, laughing in spite of herself. "Here! Look at those specifications and tell me you don't want to go that bloody fast! That engine is a _direct_ derivative of the Blackbird's jets, and he's _still_ the fastest airbreather. Shit, if I can't fly in a blackbird I want one of _these!_"

"She's a speed daemon too!" Arcee crowed as Chromia and Flareup laughed brightly.

Epps gave her a final book.

"Bomb detection and disposal," she said in a wry tone. "Thank you Epps, brilliant, confirmation that I'm going to be playing with explosives. Shit."

"Hey! You made that stump explode!" Jacobs stated with a grin.

"That was sheer force of personality and doesn't count," Kae snorted.

"Said what?" Epps asked curiously.

"See?" Kae grinned, Optimus watched Bee's feed curiously as Kae rubbed her fingers together in front of the curious soldiers and separated them, a little spark of energon snapping between her fingers as she did.

"That is so cool!" Chance howled.

"What'd she do!?" Lennox called out, Optimus snorted.

"Auto-bots, for the soldiers sanity, bring up inter-cab holoforms." he stated with a low chuckle, playing the clip of Kae's fingers snapping with energon.

"Doesn't that hurt?" Lennox demanded as he watched the clip.

"Same as an electric shock, mild, about the same as sticking your tongue on a nine volt," Kae called back with a snort.

"Pass!" Jacobs rumbled with a snort, Bumblebee's passengers began laughing again.

She flipped through the book a bit more slowly, but the symbols danced beneath her skin none-the-less.

Optimus listened to the banter as it started up again, finally pulling into the Smithsonian's extensive parking lot. Soldiers and holoforms got out of the vehicles, continuing the ribbing conversation. Optimus made a beeline for Mikaela, draping a friendly arm across her shoulders.

"Thank you for suggesting the manual," she murmured softly, cuddling into him. He couldn't help the small smile that crossed his face. It just felt so... perfect.

"No problem, thank you for not blurting out all the weapons information," Optimus rumbled just as softly.

"What weapons information?" she asked blandly, looking up at him with a wink. He couldn't help but smile down at her. The dear little femme.

"C'mon sis! You can play with your boyfriend later!" Chance grinned, grabbing her hand and leading her along the planes. They began animatedly discussing aerodynamics, Chance interjecting the occasional 'you should recruit' line as they went. Finally, Mikaela turned to her 'brother' with a final interjection.

"Oh come off it bro, I don't know why you're still trying to get me into the army, you _know_ I'd never pass the eye exam to be a pilot," she said in exasperation.

"Oh come on Kaelie!" Chance laughed. "You haven't worn glasses in years!"

"I don't know if you've heard of this awesome new technology," she said wryly as they walked into the building, "we low little civilians call them _contact lenses!_"

"You know, any minute now she's going to realize that she's not actually wearing them today," Ratchet murmured to Optimus gleefully.

"She actually wore them?" Optimus asked curiously.

"Hard lenses," Ratchet nodded, "A good choice for her, for all that they'd irritate her eyes to no end she could wear them almost constantly with far less damage."

"Isn't she _still_ wearing them then?" Optimus asked in amusement.

"I took them out while she had her eyes open," Ratchet grinned. "The nanites repaired her eyes along with her nerves last night."

Soldiers and Holoforms sat outside the museum, relaxed and chatting for another ten minutes. An alarm began blaring.

"What? That's not supposed to happen for another..." Lennox looked at his watch, "hour." He opened his phone as it began ringing. Optimus watched the Major's face dissolve into shock.

"Genuine bomb threat," the major shouted, "Boys! Vacation's over! Evacuate the building!"

* * *

(CdPOV)

Chance looked at the young woman laughing on his arm. She looked at the planes in an entirely different way than his own siblings had. There was genuine longing there.

"You know, you should join the army with me," he nudged her with a grin, actually meaning it now. "Go in for a pilots licence."

"Oh come off it bro, I don't know why you're still trying to get me into the army, you _know_ I'd never pass the eye exam to be a pilot," she said in exasperation.

"Oh come on Kaelie!" Chance laughed, probing. "You haven't worn glasses in years!"

"I don't know if you've heard of this awesome new technology," she said wryly as they walked into the building, "we low little civilians call them _contact lenses!_"

"You seriously wear contact lenses now!" Chance asked in shock.

"Hard ones, less maintenance," Mikaela shrugged, "and don't you dare start calling me the family's latest maggot, F-22 Pilot needs near perfect eyesight and you know it."

"What about commercial?" Chance asked curiously. The girl beside him seemed to morph into an entirely different person. Far beyond the simple cosmetics that had made her look like a genetic sister, her posture was her own, prowling stride and her eyes had taken on a cast that could only be... ancient... she looked like Mikaela again. Just... older.

"You remember when mum and dad took us to the air show?" she asked softly, "when the blue-angels came to Sydney that year? Perfect sky. I was six, you were running around, cheerfully looking at the guns and just how proudly the men wore their uniforms. But I saw the hornets doing their maneuvers and it was nothing, _nothing _like watching the commercial jets take off and land. It wasn't just being able to hear the roar of the engines, it was _feeling_ it. I didn't say anything because I didn't want to take your thunder, you know me, no glory on the wings of another, had to do it myself. I mean, I know that the blue angels have separate modifications, an inverted fuel pump so that they can stay upside down longer but... I can't see well enough."

"But my baby sister still wants to fly," Chance said kindly, wrapping an arm across the young woman's shoulders. They walked through the planes, space probes and Mikaela stopped at one standing in solitary glory.

"The Lockheed SR-71," she murmured with a small smile.

"Blackbird!" Chance said in surprise, looking at the sign. Retired 13 years ago after being off and on in service.

"Habu," Mikaela smiled, "the pit viper. The faster he went the more efficient he was."

"How do you figure that?" Chance laughed, a few tourists came and stood close by to listen to the pretty girl's theory.

"Well, the RS-71A was developed from the Lockheed A-12 and designed for reconnaissance during the cold war-"

"RS? It says SR!" a woman said indignantly.

"When the RS went public, the airforce chief of staff, General Curtis LeMay lobbied for it to be called the SR, Strategic Reconnaissance instead, and with that command sent down several thousand manuals and blueprints were re-printed." Mikaela laughed. "For a while, people thought that President Lyndon Johnson had made a mistake in his speech, calling the plane something else entirely. Anyway, they were built during the Cold War in response to the rapid technology race, and ironically the majority of the titanium that was used to build them _came_ from the USSR. A new one, before that the vast majority of planes had been constructed of steel. Titanium was expensive, but far lighter.

"The strategy was to be able to run from land to air missiles, rather than being hit. But the problem with running at Mach 3 is the amount of heat that the air pressure around you causes, so..." Mikaela walked around to the wing. "If you look carefully at the skin of his wing, it's corrugated. It gave the plates room to grow and shrink several inches without overly stressing it. But because of that, and the fact that at the time they didn't have a fuel system that would be able to handle that heat and stress, the Blackbird would leak fuel on the runway before taking off. Do a fast sprint to heat everything up and refuel in the air. Because once he was running hot everything expanded, aligned and fit perfectly. The faster he went, the less fuel was used in terms of pounds burned per nautical mile because the engines didn't have to work as hard to get air in. And the titanium skin actually grew stronger as it was used, the heat and cooling cycles of flying actually tempered it."

"How on earth do you know all this?" the nosy lady asked curiously.

"Curiosity," Mikaela laughed, looking at the plane with respect. "You must realize, this plane still holds the record of fastest manned air breathing jet aircraft, and he's held it from nineteen seventy six to today, tomorrow." She smiled. "The only aircraft of his day that came even _remotely_ close was the MiG-25 built by the Soviet Union uhh... that one over there, but at Mach 3.2 at high altitude the engines would burn out all together. All this guy had to do? Accelerate. The only thing that took them down were accidents. Not _one _was ever shot down."

"That's so cool mom!" a little boy squealed brightly. The group of tourists wandered away, cameras flashing as they took pictures of the blackbird and the lovely girl beside the soldier, both of them looking at the plane, one with old respect, one with new.

"So that's him then?" Chance asked quietly.

"That's him," Mikaela nodded, smiling. Sirens began to blare.

"If everyone could please remain calm and use the nearest exit," A man's voice called over the speakers. Mikaela frowned, glancing at her watch and looking at him.

"Early," she said quietly, staying on his right shoulder as he walked quickly toward the office.

"Mate! What's going on?" Chance asked with a frown.

"We just had a bomb threat sir," the young man said in a terrified voice. He was rapidly gathering up paperwork and catalogues. He unplugged his master computer and loaded it all on a cart, hightailing it for the exit. Lennox and Optimus' holoform ran toward them.

"It's a genuine one," Lennox growled softly, Optimus grabbed Mikaela's upper arm.

"Evacuate everyone," Mikaela said in a sharp voice, "Gods, what is it with me and bombs? We need to get Grandfather Blackbird out of here!"

She ran back toward the plane and stopped dead, her head canted to the side, she turned, took ten steps and froze. A minute later she took another three paces to her right.

* * *

(MPOV)

Amidst the sirens I heard a beep. I froze, frowning and listening for it again.

Beep. I spun and began walking, my head canted to the side. Ten steps I stopped.

Beep. Three paces to the right. Stop.

Beep. One pace to the left. I began looking around the area with narrowed eyes. A blinking light, out of place caught my attention, I walked toward it and slid a hatch carefully open.

Beep.

01:00:59

"For _Primus _sake!" I shouted. The payload was hefty. The wiring stupid.

"Kae we gotta go!" Chance shouted, running toward me and stopping dead.

"Hazmat isn't going to get here in time," he whispered, "it took us three hours to get out here, and they're coming farther.

01:00:39

"This is absolutely fucking ridiculous," I snarled. I reached out and touched a few of the wires, carefully tracing them. The Cybertronian symbols began to dance in front of my eyes again, clearly labelling the wires. They seemed to mesh with the symbols. I reached back and snatched the radio from Chance's collar.

"Get your ass out of here," I commanded.

"Not without you!" Chance growled, grabbing my arm.

I stood and turned to face him.

"Lieutenant Chance Daniels!" I barked, "Evacuate all personnel including yourself, clear out a two mile radius! Move!"

Chance looked at me in shock before making an about face and scrambling out of the hangar. A few moments later the doors slid shut. I rolled my eyes and clipped the radio on my collar.

"Can you lot hear me?" I said calmly.

"Yeah, give us a second..." Lennox's voice came back. The sirens shut off.

"Tell me when the area is clear, Major," I said firmly. Kneeling down in front of the bomb again.

"I don't know why I'm asking you this, what's the payload?" Lennox demanded.

"Well, it'll destroy anything in the hangar, but it's right in the middle, so about the only thing that's going to hit the walls is shrapnel," I said calmly.

"Alright sir, the last of the civilians are two miles away now," Jacobs barked.

"Hey you guys?" I said with a small smile, "It's been good knowing you." I pulled a wire and watched the timer clear itself out. The bomb powered down. "Well would you look at that, they aren't my last words after all." I said cheerfully, standing and walking toward blackbird. I stood at the rail and heard the tiny electric whine of Wheelie. He parked beside me and transformed, giving a little puff of fire as he did.

"Aw there he is!" Wheelie said beside me. "This guy's a legend! Like, like the chairman of the board!" I looked down at the tiny bot with a smile. "Yo Warrior Goddess! Do that thing you did for me with the energon." he grinned.

I jumped the rail and ran my hand along the underside, a massive surge of icy fire seemed to jump from me into the titanium, an electric blue surge flared along the exoskeleton.

"Oh shit we got life!" I shouted, backing away and hiding beneath a nearby plane with Wheelie right beside me. There was a loud clanking, the screeching of rust as the blackbird arched and stood up, plates sliding onto his back, coughing, hacking and forcing the cockpit battle mask back up onto his head.

"What sort of, hideous mausoleum is this!? Answer me pawns and knaves! Show yourselves! Or suffer my infinite wrath!" he stood up and began walking on bowed legs. I stood up and cautiously walked toward him.

"You little spinal cord based organisms," he said grumpily, batting a space probe away, it swung back and whacked him on the head. "Aw bugger it!" he staggered for a second before standing straight. "Behold! The eternal glory of Jetfire! Prepare for remote systems override!"

"I tell you, this guy did not age well," Wheelie commented.

"I command these doors to open! Fire!"

"JETFIRE!" I shouted as he staggered toward the door. "Hold up! Let me get that!" I sprinted to the hangar doors and undid the latch, shoving them open. He ducked out, barely noticing me and began walking among the fleet of retired aircraft while I sprinted after him.

"Damn these worthless parts! Itchy wretched rust in my arse!" I fell back, avoiding the parts falling off of him as he ranted to himself.

The auto-bots sped toward us.

"Hold up," I murmured into the radio. "Badly damaged, processors not fully online as yet, code two." The roaring of engines quieted somewhat, bots slowing down to provide a non-hostile approach.

"Right! I'm on a mission!" he declared importantly, banging lightly on one wing before swinging about and accidentally taking off the tail on another.

"JETFIRE!" I shouted again, "WAIT! Hold up a minute!"

"What do you want?" he demanded.

"I just want to talk!" I called up to him.

"I've no time to talk! I'm on a mission! I'm a mercenary doom bringer! What planet am I on?" he finished in a disgruntled voice.

"Earth," I called up calmly.

"Earth? Terrible name for a planet," he said, lowering himself down somewhat. "Might as well call it dirt, Planet dirt." I avoided the used oil that spewed from his mouth. "Tell me, is that robot civil war still going on? Oo's winning?"

"The Decepticons," I said sadly.

"Ach," he spat on the ground. "Well I changed sides to the Auto-bots."

"How do you mean changed sides?" I asked in shock.

"It's a choice, it's an intensely personal decision. So much negativity! 'Oo want's to live a life filled with hate?" he asked with the wisdom of age.

"You mean you don't have to work for those miserable freakin' Decepticons?" Wheelie asked incredulously.

"If Decepticons had their way they'd destroy the whole universe," Jetfire said with disdain, waving his hand in emphasis.

"I'm changing sides, I'm changing sides too warrior goddess!" Wheelie said immediately, he climbed up my leg and held on tightly.

"Aaaww you're cute," I looked down at him with a smile, then gently pushed him off. "But I don't really appreciate having my leg humped Wheels."

He nodded cheerfully and stood beside me.

"I'm sorry, you were saying?" I looked up at Jetfire again.

"I told you my name was Jetfire! So stop judging me!" Jetfire roared.

"Whoa somebody shit the bed this morning, look at this guy!" Wheelie said quietly, moving toward the soldiers running toward us.

"I have issues of my own! And it started with my mother! My ancestors have been here for centuries. Why my father, he was a wheel. The first wheel! Do you know what he transformed into?"

"What?" Epps called out curiously.

"Nothing!" Jetfire roared, "But he did so with honour! Dignity damn it!"

Standing beneath him I could see the look of surprise on his face as his innards rumbled. An almighty fart sounded and a braking parachute exploded out behind him. It caught the wind and pulled him backwards, off his feet.

"Aw bollocks," he grumbled as I ran toward him, "My boosters are fried!" he shouted, pounding the ground with a fist.

"Whoa whoa! Hold on!" I shouted, "Primus damn it stay still!" I demanded, clambering up his arm to stand near his chest. I laid my hands over an exposed piece of neural fibres and felt a slow surge of energon escape my palms into the ancient warrior.

His nanites began repairing him finally, dents, scrapes, scars easing away and parts being rejected in favour of creating new ones.

"Oh you're a healer are you?" he asked calmly, slowly sitting up as the auto-bots transformed around us. Optimus walked toward us and stood straight, his hands on his hips.

Jetfire looked up then looked twice.

"A Prime?" he asked in shock. "A living Prime! I – I don't believe it! You can defeat him! You're the only one who _can_ defeat him!"

"Who?" I asked intently.

"The Fallen! Oh I remember him! The first Decepticon! He's the one who left me here to rust! He was terrible to work for, it was always apocalypse, chaos!" he gestured toward me. "These transcriptions! They were part of my mission in the Fallen's search! I remember now! For the dagger's tip! And the key!"

"Hold on hold on! What do you mean dagger's tip and the key!?" I shouted, "What transcriptions!?"

"The ones in your skin fleshling!" he stated excitedly, "no time to explain now! Hold on! Stay still or you'll die!" his hands wrapped around me as a whirlwind of energon surrounded us. A moment of blinding light and I was flying, then falling. I landed in soft sand.

I stood up and looked around.

No Optimus. No Bumblebee. Nowhere to run, not so much as a gods damned rock to hide behind. Nothing but empty desert, and an 'ex' Decepticon groaning softly as he began standing up.

* * *

**As you can probably tell, I am an aeronautics fanatic. And I got to sit in the cockpit of a WWII B-17 bomber last night. I'm _still_ pumped XD, however I am uncertain if the F-18's engines are in fact a direct derivative of the SR-71, still researching... ~K**


	34. 32 Gone

**Chapter 32 - Gone**

* * *

(WPOV)

Mikaela and the decrepit ex-Decepticon disappeared. They just disappeared. Gone. Vanished. There weren't even any smoke and mirrors. Just a vortex and gone.

"MIKAELA!" Optimus roared beside him. Weapons were popping up from beneath Prime's armour, blades, guns, every movement screaming preparation for battle. That cannon across his back was friggin' huge.

Oohkaay. Will signalled every human out of the enraged Auto-bot's way. The airplane Optimus' hand had been resting on squealed in protest as the mech's fist idly closed. _Now_ he could see why the bot always kept his temper so under control. That. Was just fucking scary.

"Ratchet! Ironhide! Bumblebee! Report!" Optimus roared.

"He opened a space bridge, Prime," Ratchet stated calmly, "now calm down. You're scaring the humans. Jetfire isn't going to hurt her, we _all_ know that Kae is no doubt tearing him a new access port as we speak."

"Unless he wound up on a planet without an atmosphere," Ironhide added. Ratchet hauled off and whacked Ironhide upside the head. "What!? The bot should know why we stopped using unsupported space bridges! They were temperamental! You needed a hell of a lot of energon just to control it, and even if you _did_ sometimes you speared off for no apparent reason. Mostly we didn't care until that idiot Magda Prime bridged himself right into the middle of the _Cardinal_."

"We're trying to remain calm!" Ratchet roared, "not give Optimus even _more_ reasons to want to destroy everything in sight!"

"Oh, right," Ironhide frowned. He turned to Optimus. "If she's alive, she'll call," he shrugged. "Give her an hour or so before you destroy everything. If she's dead she's already dead. If she's alive she'll find a way to contact us."

Bumblebee was wandering around the airplanes.

"Isn't there a single bloody flier in the house!?" he demanded. "I'm a Bee! I should be able to fly!"

"Where would you even start looking?" Ratchet demanded irritably.

"I have to try and find my big sister!" Bumblebee shouted desperately.

Optimus' phone rang.

"Hello?" Optimus answered it furiously.

"Optimus!" Mikaela's voice almost shouted, the relief in her voice was terrifying.

"Mikaela where are you!?" he demanded, leaning heavily on a plane in relief as her voice rang out across the field.

* * *

(MPOV)

"FUCK!" I shouted at the top of my lungs, feeling the sting of nanites repairing a burn on my hand.

"Woah, well that wasn't so bad," Jetfire rumbled several hundred yards away from me. "At least we're on the same planet." he looked around and stood up on far more stable legs, reaching down and picking me up. "Better get out of the way for the next bridge."

"WHAT THE HELL FIRE JUST HAPPENED!?" I shrieked. "Where the hell are we!? What do you mean at least we're on the same planet!? What other Primus damned planet is capable of supporting carbon based spinal cord organisms!?"

"I opened a space bridge, it's the fastest way to get to Egypt, you were duly informed, now where are the others?" he asked irritably.

"Space bridge! You didn't say anything about a space bridge! Why are we in Egypt!?" I shrieked, practically hysterical now. "How the hell am I supposed to contact Optimus! How the hell is he supposed to find us! Or am I a Decepticon captive now!?"

"I told you I changed sides to the auto-bots!" he roared.

"You're going to have to forgive me for not believing you seeing as you've just _separated_ me from my _guardian_!" I bellowed at him.

He looked down at me in surprise.

"Huh," he rumbled patiently, looking around.

"Well now what the hell are we supposed to do?" I demanded.

"We continue our mission!" Jetfire stated proudly. "Your Prime is going to need the matrix if he isn't old enough to open a space bridge! We'd better get them over here then."

I sat down in his palm and sighed.

"I don't suppose you picked up their transmission wavelength?" I asked hopefully.

He looked down at me.

"You should have it," he growled.

"How the hell am I supposed to have it?" I demanded, "Fleshling? Remember? Fine, can you tell where the closest human habitation is with phones? We have to stay quiet, the majority of the human population doesn't know that you guys exist."

"Why the pit did you do that?" he demanded.

"I don't know!" I said irritably, "I'm not exactly in charge of the friggen administrations! I just try to keep the messes as low key as possible!"

"Welp, we'll fly then." Jetfire announced, transforming around me and setting me in the cockpit. He took off, we were thousands of feet above the ground in moments. "I'll set you down a mile outside the town and you can call them. I'll scout around and make sure we don't have company."

"You're going to have to land to set me down!" I said quickly, "Fleshlings can't fly unaided!"

"Oh bollocks. _Still!?_ Fine!" he grumbled, descending again and landing on the backside of the dune. "I'll meet you back here in an hour." he said as I quickly climbed out of the already hot plane. I began trotting up the dune to get an idea of my surroundings. There was a fair sized city down there. I began walking quickly toward it, forming a plan. I had cash in my pocket, American unfortunately.

I stumbled into the shade of the wall gratefully, finally out of the sun I began walking around. A man on top of the wall began yelling down at me.

"English!" I shouted up. "Help! Please! English!"

The man pointed excitedly the opposite way I'd been walking, I turned around and was grateful to find a road, gate and several excited men. One of them offered me a long strip of cloth, indicating for me to cover my head and face. I obliged him quickly, leaving only my eyes showing.

"English?" I asked hopefully.

"Leetle," one man said kindly. "Help?"

"Car," I mimed driving, then hit my hand with a fist. "Escort," I lifted my hand above my head then crossed a finger across my neck. "Telephone?" I held a hand to my ear, looking desperate. The man gestured for me to follow, leading me down a street and pointing proudly to a bright red telephone box.

"Thank you," I said quickly, bowing to him. He nodded his head and held the receiver for me, I pressed 0 and said "English, English please." eventually an operator with a heavy accent came on the line.

"How can I help?" he asked.

"I'd like to make a collect call, please," I said slowly.

"What is number?"

"America," I said slowly, "303-588-6259." the phone rang.

"Jenny's Pizza!" a girl on the other end answered.

"Sorry, wrong number!" I said quickly, hanging up. I closed my eyes and pressed the heels of my hands into my eyes.

"Help," the good samaritan said gently, touching my shoulder. "Number?" he produced a pad of paper and pencil. I quickly wrote it down. He frowned at it.

"Um, here," I said patiently and pointed to the first number, holding up three fingers.

He took the pencil with a grin and wrote it down, a squiggle to me. We quickly signed the number together and he picked up the receiver, pressing zero and talking in rapid-fire arabic. He handed me the receiver.

The phone rang.

"Hello?" Optimus' voice answered furiously.

"Optimus!" I almost shouted in relief, sagging against the box.

"Mikaela where are you!?" he demanded, I could hear the relief in his voice as well.

"Egypt, somewhere, I had to get a wonderful good samaritan to dial the phone for me." I said with a deep sigh. "Grandfather thought you were going to follow us. He's a bit confused, I think."

"Where is he now?"

"Scouting."

"Have you got any idea where you are?" Lennox's voice demanded.

"Egypt, helpful, I know," I sighed. "here, can any of you speak Egyptian? Or Arabic, I don't know what primary language this dear helpful man speaks."

"Put him on," Optimus rumbled. I offered the phone to the man.

"Salome?" the man said curiously, his eyes lit and they began speaking to each other quickly as I watched worriedly. He nodded and handed the phone back to me.

"You're in Ezbet Dush," Lennox told me calmly, "the man there is going to give you a pencil and paper, he'll have written instructions on the paper in arabic for you, I want you to write this down Thirty-two degrees, thirteen minutes and thirty-five point two seconds east, and forty-one degrees, nine minutes and thirty-three point two seconds."

I wrote the co-ordinates down.

"Now, if Jetfire doesn't take you there I want you to go to the embassy and give them that slip of paper. Understand?"

"Understood, thank you Will," I said in a calmer voice. I handed the phone back to the man, who spoke for a few minutes before hanging up.

"We part ways now," he said calmly, "for my family I thank you."

"For my life, I thank you," I replied, bowing to him. He nodded and walked off. I turned and walked out of the gates, spying the man who'd given me the linen and offering it to him. He shook his head, crossing his hands over his chest then gesturing for me to keep it. I bowed to him in thanks and wrapped it around my face again, heading back out into the desert as the sun rode low in the sky. I walked up the dune again, following my footprints. I glanced at my watch. Broken. Brilliant.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus ran a deep, calming sync as the phone went dead. She was safe, Ratchet reached up and gripped his shoulder.

"Sorry," he rumbled softly.

"It's alright to care about her, Optimus." Ratchet rumbled in amusement, "But I call dibs on being the one to fly into a streak of fury next time. You're the better commander, that's why you're in _command_ kiddo."

"Wait! _Kiddo_!?" Lennox demanded incredulously. Ratchet looked down at him in astonishment.

"You really haven't figured it out yet?" the medi-bot asked curiously. "You're younger than Jacobs and in command, Major."

"Well, okay but how old are you guys anyway?" Epps asked curiously.

"Figuratively?" Ratchet grinned. He onlined his holoform. A grizzled, careworn late fifties, in excellent shape none the less. "It doesn't really matter, we are who we are. Optimus is a Prime, a true leader." he explained as the holoforms onlined beside him. They got into formation together, Optimus taking point, Ratchet on the right, leaving a space. Ironhide to the left and all present taking their positions. The soldiers stared at the men and women, all different ages.

* * *

(WPOV)

Will looked up and down the line in shock. Optimus was maybe thirty, but there was a definite look of natural leadership in his stance. Even if he was currently pissed off. Ironhide had to be in his forties, Ratchet his fifties. Bumblebee. Bumblebee was a friggin _kid_. Okay, mid to late teens. The three girls were twenty five probably. But there was one definite similarity.

Every last one of them was in true fighting form, standing lightly, barely a fidget and alert for any trouble.

"I'm shocked at you," Ratchet laughed then, "Mikaela didn't even need the holoforms to know our respective ages."

Will walked forward to the holoform and reached up, gripping Optimus' shoulders in strong hands.

"We'll find her," he said firmly.

Optimus looked down at him, his frown easing slightly but not disappearing. He took a deep breath and nodded.

"Let's roll," he rumbled firmly.

"You heard the bot!" Will shouted to the soldiers scattered among the auto-bots. "Cleanup crew! Rendezvous at base! The rest of you load up!"

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus drove onto the C17 impatiently. The sooner they got to base, the sooner they could scrapping well leave.

::. OPTIMUS!.:: Bumblebee shouted the next second.

He sounded terrified, horrified, so much so that he hadn't even called him Prime. The scout routed a frequency, not simply one, but all of the human's radios, televisions...

"Citizens of the human hive..."

That voice alone had Optimus snarling.

"Your leaders have withheld the truth..." Scrap. "You are not alone in this universe." Scrap. "We have lived among you, hidden, but no more..." **Scrap!**

Optimus looked at the soldiers listening in horror.

"As you've seen, we can destroy your cities at will..."

Slow anger began burning through his spark, systems running full diagnostic checks on weaponry.

"Unless you turn over, this girl." Pictures began circulating throughout every television and networked screen.

Kae.

Optimus froze. It was the only safe move. Only sheer force of will stalled the snarl of rage.

"If you resist us, we will destroy the world as you know it."

::. We can't let him have her!.:: Bumblebee almost shouted over the Primary as Auto-bots and Humans alike exploded around him.

Lennox ran to the phone and listened to it for a second.

"_Let them land goddamn it! Civilian! Civilian who's had an absolutely HELLISH day!... Tell her I give her permission to explain everything about them!... Because the line isn't safe! ...She defused a bomb then got half kidnapped by a sentient bloody airplane! Now for god's sake let them land and watch out for her temper, she'll be one HELL of a pissed off by now! Yes I mean it!... _Good. Thank you._" _Major Lennox shouted into the phone, he finally hung up.

"Major!" Optimus barked.

"Listen up!" Lennox shouted over the din. "Kae's safely at SOCCENT! Jetfire brought her in! Let's get back to base, get packed up and get our asses over there. They're going to adhere to radio silence until Optimus himself shows up to get her."

"We cannot let the Fallen get his hands on her," Ratchet rumbled into the lowering noise levels.

"If he wants her, he will take her over my dead body," Optimus snarled, onlining his holoform.

"And mine!" Bumblebee shouted, following suit.

"And mine!" several others chorused, human and auto-bot together. Optimus looked around at his unit with fierce pride.

"Let's fly!" Lennox barked.

"Landing gear checked, let's take her out boys!" the pilot announced over the speaker.

_Finally_.


	35. 33 Fugitive

**Once again, massive thanks to my Betas who give me the spinal struts to keep updating, couldn't do it without you guys. As always, anything you recognize, and probably a few things you don't I don't own, and reviews are massively appreciated, they keep me going on the right track. **

**Chapter 33 - Fugitive**

* * *

(MPOV)

The sun had moved another two inches in the sky when Jetfire landed. I ran toward him then backed up quickly.

"Been doing Mach three have you?" I shouted.

"How can you tell that?" he demanded.

"Because you're hotter than I can approach without physical damage," I teased him. A surge of energon passed over him.

"There, I hope you're happy, I hate being this cold," he grumbled as the cockpit opened.

"I am _so_ sorry that evolution made me so damned frail," I grumbled back. He barked a coarse laugh and took off again. "I have co-ordinates for us to meet the rest of them at," I informed Jetfire calmly.

"Excellent! Where are we going?" he asked cheerfully. I read out the numbers.

"What? Why that's hardly a trip at all! Let's scout around a bit first. How the _pit_ can you have so much energon running through your system and still be so frail?"

"The energon came after," I said calmly.

"That would explain why you're so free with it," Jetfire rumbled, "here, give us another burst, I could do with an upgrade."

I laid my palms on the instrumentation panel and watched in shock as it modernized itself. The shape remained the same though, barely a modification.

"Thaats better," Jetfire rumbled, "Always wanted to do that. Get rid of that blasted fuel and use a proper cooling system! Right, care to try it out? Promise I'll go straight to SOCCENT if you pass out."

I grabbed the harness and buckled myself in.

"Let's fly!" I shouted through a broad grin.

Jetfire went into a hairpin turn and climbed, I tightened my muscles almost instinctively, initially clinging to consciousness then shouting out a battle cry of exhilaration. We flew an hour then circled north. A voice came on the radio.

"Enemy infiltrator, you are entering controlled US airspace, squawk ident and proceed North out of the area." it commanded.

"US Airspace, hopefully you're SOCCENT," I replied calmly, "identifying as Blackbird under orders and requesting permission to land."

"Blackbirds got decommissioned in '93!" the man exclaimed irritably.

"Yes well, we're flying, and under orders from Major Lennox to land at 32˚13'35.2" and 41˚9' 33.2"." I replied apologetically.

"Do you have enough fuel to circle while we get confirmation on that?" the man demanded.

"I believe so sir," I said calmly.

"Yeah I do!" Jetfire confirmed irritably. The radio cut out. "This is drone shit!" Jetfire announced irritably.

"Yes well, they haven't seen your signature on the radar in years," I said apologetically.

Jetfire grunted and turned east.

"Blackbird you have permission to land," the man stated apologetically about ten minutes later.

"Well it's about bloody time!" Jetfire replied irritably, turning and throwing on a quick burst of speed. In moments the airbase was visible on the screen in front of me. Jetfire leaned back, slowing at an incredible rate before tipping down again, landing and braking hard. A tiny surge of energon rolled over us, cooling the skin as the cockpit opened.

"Please, _please_ try to act like a normal airplane!" I groaned.

"Absolutely not! I have had enough of playing the part of a machine!" Jetfire stated indignantly, "I am an auto-bot and they can bleedin' well get used to it!"

I groaned and leaned my head against him for a second before climbing out of the cockpit, dropping down to the ground with a grunt. Jetfire taxied off to the end of the runway. "Oi! You! Get out of my bloody spot! That's infiltrator territory!" he demanded of one of the planes.

"Jetfire for Primus sake park somewhere else!" I bellowed, "That plane isn't even fucking sentient! And don't you _dare_ destroy it! I'm in _enough_ trouble without you adding fifty-six million dollars onto my tab!"

A tank thundered toward us and lowered the cannon to point directly at me. I stared it down furiously as soldiers with guns surrounded me.

"OH! Oh so now you're going to shoot a motherfucking civilian now!" I bellowed. "You know what? Go right the _fuck _ahead!" I stamped my foot. "Better than trying to survive in a motherfucking paranoid world of secrets and bastards! At least have the _fucking_ decency to offer me a cigarette and a blindfold!" I crossed my arms and glared at the tank. "So if you're a scrapping Decepticon punk I hope you've said your gods damned prayers to Primus!" I added in a low growl that only a sensitive microphone or Cybertronian would be able to hear.

"_Stand down!" _a man on a megaphone bellowed in a panic, driving at top speed toward us. "For gods sake stand down! _Civilian! Civilian caught in a messy and hellish day!_"

Guns immediately pointed to the ground. The tank shut it's engines down. I closed my eyes and focused on breathing deeply.

"Miss? Miss you have my sincerest apologies," the man said in a horrified tone. I took another deep breath and looked at him.

"It's okay," I said quietly. "Decommissioned aircraft flies in, civilian jumps out, aircraft parks itself. I'd be a bit tense too after what happened last time. Who do I need to beg for coffee or preferably something stronger at this point?" I glanced at his collar, "Colonel."

The Colonel looked around.

"Anyone carrying a flask who can offer a swig to a civilian female who got half-kidnapped by a sentient aircraft after defusing a bomb in the Smithsonian back home won't be disciplined!" he called out.

"Holy fuck keep it!" a man sitting on top of the tank shouted, tossing a flask.

I snagged it out of the air and unscrewed the top, a quick sniff said whiskey, I downed a hefty swallow and let my rigid stance sag. "Did Lennox tell you how much I'm allowed to tell you?" I asked in an exhausted voice. I took another shot and screwed the cap back on, tossing it up to the man in the tank with a look of gratitude. He nodded and pocketed it.

"He said that you can tell us whatever the hell you want about the aliens." the Colonel said in a grim tone. "In fact, I think most of us would prefer it."

"What. The fuck." I stated.

"Oh! righ'!" Jetfire called out, "the Fallen activated about an hour ago while we were flyin'! Secret's out now, he's got the entire world out for your blood."

No.

"Hang on," I started in a quiet, patient voice. "You got a transmission an hour ago stating that _I'm now a wanted fugitive and you forgot to tell me!?_" I finished in a shriek. "HOW THE FUCK DO YOU FORGET TO INFORM SOMEONE ABOUT SOMETHING LIKE THAT!?"

"MISS BANES!" the Colonel bellowed.

"Just kill me _now_ Colonel!" I exclaimed, borderline hysterical and catching hold of his uniform. "Bullet to the brain! Something merciful! That brown nosing little NSA prick Galloway will turn me over to the Decepticons faster than clothes _dry_ out here. _I am dead either way!_"

The circle of men stared at me, dead silent.

"Options report." the Colonel stated blackly. "Opposing parties."

"Decepticons vs. Auto-bot's." I stated in an automatic, neutral tone, backing up and standing to attention. "Choice between a faction whose leader kindly offered my _possible_ survival to be a _pet_, vs the faction that ordered me to destroy the only thing that could save _their_ home planet in the interest of preserving _ours_, which would kill him in the process. I chose Auto-bot."

"You are not getting turned in!" The Colonel stated blackly. "We will be maintaining radio silence for the next two days until your leader picks you up personally. YOU are going to tell us everything we need to know to put up a good fight."

"Well then why the hell did you give me alcohol!?" I stated in a calmer tone.

"Because girl? You fuckin' needed it," one of the soldiers stated in an incredulous tone. I took another deep breath and shook myself.

"Alright," I stated in a businesslike tone, "first off, regular munitions don't do a damn thing against these guys. If they aren't already, you're going to want to retrofit your gunships for high heat sabot rounds and stronger. Jetfire, can you transform without alerting every Decepticon in the area of our location?"

In answer, Jetfire snorted, taxiing out and flexing into his bipedal form.

"You want to tell them how to fight?" I called up to him, "In about five minutes I'm going to be nonsensical."

"Aye sir," he nodded down to me. "Alright you little spinal cord based organisms, you remember this well! The bigger we are, the harder we fall! But the bigger we are, the harder it is to make us fall! Weak points! Headshot! Destroy the optics!" he pointed to his eyes, "Destroy our spark!" he pried his chest plates open to show his spark chamber, glowing a vivid blue in the fading sun. "Don't bother trying to disable! Shoot to kill. Chest and head, chest just below the plates! And remember! We may be few! And they may take our lives! But they will never again take our Freedom!"

"So our weapons-"

"Have finally reached the point where you can hurt us," Jetfire nodded to the soldier.

"Finally?" the colonel asked curiously.

"Hah! When I got here your lot were shootin' each other with bits o' _wood_... what're they called again... longbows." Jetfire snorted.

"So you've never-" another soldier asked warily.

"Killed one o' you? Sure I have," Jetfire snorted. "Min' it were one o' yer own pressin' me buttons tae' _do_ it..."

I held back the snort at the Braveheart quote and looked around tiredly as Jetfire began a detailed analysis of the different shapes of Decepticons and where to hit them, even going so far as to online holoform examples.

"Bunks are this way," the soldier who'd tossed me the liquor said kindly.

"You are the best person ever," I smiled at him tiredly.

"You're that drunk already?" he asked with a small laugh.

"I wish." I groaned. He showed me to an empty tent and let me be. I sat on the cot and leaned forward, cradling my head in my hands. I took my shoes off and in minutes I was asleep.

* * *

**At the moment, I feel a need to apologize for the sheer number of times Mikaela has dropped the F bomb. However, when staring down a tank, in the middle of a circle of soldiers pointing various instruments of messy death, I think an F bomb or two is appropriate. No?**

**Oh, also, when it comes to co-ordinates, 32˚13'35.2" and 41˚9' 33.2", is read as thirty-two degrees, thirteen minutes and thirty-five point two seconds, and 41 degrees, nine minutes and thirty-three point two seconds. Just in case you were wondering. **


	36. 34 Separation

**Chapter 34 - Separation**

* * *

(MPOV)

I woke up on high alert, there were vibrations in the ground, trouble. Out of the tent and running in seconds, I came to a screeching halt beside Jetfire.

We stood in absolute silence, on guard.

"Five miles out," he rumbled softly.

"Can you loan me some of your neural fibres?" I murmured just as softly. "I can't build weapons out of my flesh."

Jetfire's spark rumbled for a second before a long string of fibrous wire hung beside me. I took it gently and it fell limply into my hands.

"Thanks," I murmured, quickly pressing it to the base of my neck. A few moments later, it sat coiled around my forearms, glowing faintly in the light of the quarter moon. My senses sharpened. I could feel the night.

"Two miles," Jetfire murmured softly.

"Can you tell how many?" I asked quietly.

"One, a scout. Sounds like it's tracing the energy signals coming from the farm."

I nodded grimly.

We stood silent, my bare feet dug into the sand, feeling the unnatural vibration of something moving in the ground.

Soldiers began shouting as sand erupted in waves thirty feet in front of me.

A metal scorpion burst out at twenty. My arm swung up as I looked it in the optics.

It wanted nothing but murder. A shot of plasma erupted from my hand, catching it in the spark. A bright explosion and it flew backwards, laying still and dead on the sand.

"Good shot!" Jetfire enthused blackly. I dug my feet a bit deeper into the sand.

"Can you feel any more of them?" I asked quietly.

We stood in silence amid the cacophony of tanks roaring to life and orders being shouted. I walked over and looked into the gaping hole of a former spark chamber, nodding.

"Nay," Jetfire finally murmured softly.

"_What the hell is that!?" _Colonel Baldwin shouted.

"Burrowing scout," Jetfire rumbled calmly, giving the deactivated pile of metal a kick. "It were running quiet, Mikaela deactivated it before it could send out a target signal. You can stand down, there aren' any more in the area. Look at the pitting in it's armour. This one has been here for a while, and fired upon by your weapons."

"Did a deactivation signal go out?" I asked in a wary tone.

"Blocked it," Jetfire stated calmly.

"Nice one," I nodded.

"_What the hell is going on!?" _Baldwin shouted. I looked at him and coiled the neural fibres around my forearms, walking toward him slowly.

"Everything is alright," I said in a calm voice. "That scout wanted to take out the tower. We stopped it. You can stand down, there aren't any more scouts in the area."

"Bogie didn't even pick up on our radars!" Baldwin exclaimed in an upset tone.

"It were running quiet, did'na even pick up on me sensors," Jetfire shrugged.

"Then how the hell..."

"Did'na pick up on me _sensors_," Jetfire repeated himself calmly, "tha's no' the only thing I use tae hunt with. Be a pile o' scrap 'fi did _tha'._"

"Then how..."

"Infiltrator, remember? _Seeker. _It's m' _job_ t' find things," Jetfire rumbled with a laugh. He looked down at me. "This one though, this one seems ta be growing intae a _Prime_, if tha's even bloody possible." he scowled and shrugged. "Strange times," he murmured, looking into the distance, "strange times indeed."

"Aw crap," I muttered.

"Hmn?" Jetfire looked down at me.

"What's wrong!?" Baldwin almost shouted again.

"Prime's gonna be pissed if he knew a scout got anywhere near me," I grumbled. "Damn, that'll take a bit of explaining." I walked over to a barrel laying on it's side and sat down, burrowing my feet into the sand and idly playing with the neural fibres. I glanced down at them. "You want these back?" I asked Jetfire calmly, looking up at him.

"Neh, kip 'em."

I nodded and closed my eyes, listening with the rest of my senses for any movement.

"You good if I recharge for a few hours?" Jetfire asked quietly.

I nodded in silence. He transformed and taxied to his newly emptied spot, his spark lowering in volume as he rested.

"Wait, he's sleeping, what happens if-!" Baldwin asked worriedly.

"He's on alert," I said quietly, "I'll be keeping watch for the next few hours while he recharges. Get some rest Colonel. It's been a long day."

The sounds of soldiers walking away and muted conversations reached my ears.

"Friggen weird man," one of the soldiers whispered, "I mean, you see those wires wrapped around her arms? It's like they're alive!"

"They are alive," I said calmly.

"_Shit! _She can hear us all the way over there!?"

"High alert, gentlemen," I chuckled, lifting my arm. "They are alive in a sense, they've become an extension of my nervous system. Sound is vibration, so is light, I don't need any sort of fancy sensor to pay attention. I can _feel_ the movement, hear the sounds two miles out while I'm hooked up."

"Can I have one?" one of the soldiers asked in fascination. I opened my eyes and gestured him over. A group circled me.

"In theory, yes," I said calmly, activating the neural fibre again, making it glow. "However, when you realize that these are, in fact, running on an alien energy that I began producing several months ago for some bizarre reason none of us have figured out yet, and function by connecting _directly_ to my nerves, I think you'd agree that you'd prefer a sonar." I flashed him a half smile. They looked in shock at the tracery of glowing red beneath my skin, and the bright blue of the metal emerging from my wrists.

"Holy shit, yeah, I'll definitely pass," the soldier shuddered.

"It does take some getting used to," I said gently. "I promise that these won't become a fad, our Medical Officer is constantly frowning about the damage they do."

"Yeah, definitely pass, but thanks for the heads up," the soldier grimaced.

"Get some sleep," I smiled, closing my eyes again. "If anything big starts coming our way I'll wake Jetfire, and the amount of noise _he_ makes waking up will no doubt raise the entire farm from the dead."

"Right," the man nodded. Another sat down beside me.

"So just how sensitive is this thing? And why are your eyes closed?" he asked curiously.

"Well, my eyes are closed because it increases my other senses. I'm listening for errant movement." I murmured, "As for sensitivity, there's a large hare three hundred and ten feet two o'clock."

"Holy shit!_" _the man whispered. "Would you be offended if I bagged him for stew?"

"What's your calibre?" I asked quietly.

".22 silenced for game," he murmured.

"May I?" I grinned, opening my eyes and automatically tracking the hare.

"You a good shot?" he whispered, handing over the gun.

I weighed it for a second and tracked the hare's movements, not looking directly at it. It thought it was camouflaged perfectly. No fear.

I fired and it fell down, one kick and still.

"Holy _shit!"_ he exclaimed, I handed him his gun and he ran to the hare, picking it up by the feet. "Fucking head shot!"

"Fresh meat?" another soldier called out with a broad grin.

"Rabbit stew boys!" the first laughed, "compliments of the girl! No seriously! Look at that, one shot!"

"No shit, look at that," a third said in a quiet tone, gesturing to the scorpion now covered in a sand coloured tarp. "One shot."

I closed my eyes with a small smile.

"I _am_ still human," I said calmly.

"You're sure about that?" the third asked skeptically.

"You have a knife on you?" I asked patiently, opening my eyes again.

He handed me a military utility knife. I pulled a lighter from my pocket and heated the blade for a moment before lightly slitting the back of my hand. The soldier quickly collected the small amount of blood before the nanites began sealing up the cut, retrieving his knife.

"How-!"

"You know how on a bunch of sci-fi movies they talk about nanites that'll heal stuff?" I chuckled, keeping my hand in plain view of the dim light, "that's how these guys heal, nanites fed on energon seal and repair any damages. Ratchet re-programmed the ones I play host to to repair the damage that connecting to the neural fibres causes. As a bonus? I heal quickly," I held up the hand where a reddened line denoted where the cut had been. "And once we figure out how to controllably use them on you guys, that is _definitely_ going to be shared around." I smiled and closed my eyes.

"So when I look at your blood..."

"You might see some microscopic robots that will disintegrate once the energon leaves the blood sample. I very much doubt they've changed my genetic makeup, otherwise Ratchet would have removed them."

"Fair enough." the first soldier laughed. "C'mon guys, let's leave her be, I don't know about you, but _I _sure as hell wouldn't want to listen to people speculating if I were a freak of nature or not."

"Oh but I am," I retorted with a laugh, "We all are in a sense, what gives a squishy compilation of water, carbon, calcium and proteins the ability to walk, communicate and alter it's surroundings? Either nature loves to play with the primordial ooze, or the gods love to create. If you're not going to use it I call the hide on that thing."

"You got it!" the first said with a low laugh, "anything else?"

"It's brains?" I asked with a small grin.

"Awesome," the first chuckled.

"Wait, what?"

"Every animal has just enough brains to tan it's own hide," I stated in a serious tone. I could feel the man nodding.

"I _like_ her," the third voice said brightly, "anyone who takes out a threat, bags some dinner and makes a joke about shit like that is okay in my books."

"Where you going?"

"I wanna see the tiny robots before they disintegrate."

"Sea monkeys all over again," I murmured with a laugh as a half dozen sets of footsteps raced after the third voice.

In an hour the night was quiet, I listened to the vibrations of night creatures, the steady pacing of soldiers on watch. The hum of Jetfire recharging.

The two of us opened our eyes as dawn stained the sky.

"Get a bit o' rest," Jetfire murmured calmly. I nodded and rose, walking to the guest's tent and laying on my cot. I closed my eyes and dipped into an hour's sleep.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus stood at communications central.

Frozen.

The only thing keeping Ratchet from demanding if he'd glitched: he was still scowling. Lennox was rubbing his face tiredly, and Optimus could not blame the man. Across the world, governments were rising, organizations searching, and the politics?

They were all searching for Kae.

_"What we're hearing from the German Government is that the world-wide broadcast was a satellite hacking, the Military has just told us they have assumed condition delta which is the highest level we have been at since 9-11, President Obama is being flown to a bunker somewhere in the middle of the United States in the face of the worst simultaneous attacks ever around the globe. The aircraft carrier USS Roosevelt goes down off the east-coast, all hands lost. World-wide casualties are in the neighbourhood of seven thousand but that number could climb. It's still too early to tell what we need to ask now, is who and why."_

On other frequencies, the broadcasts of the FBI, CIA, Interpol... Every agency calling the humans to arms, to look for the femme.

_"As yet, there has been no confirmed sighting of Miss Banes-"_

"Of course not," Simmons snorted. "She's Quantico trained, they ain't gonna find her 'till she wants to be. Which means we gotta move fast. If we take too long-"

"Then even the seekers won't find her again," Wheelie broke in with a frown.

"What gives you that impression?" Optimus rumbled through his scowl.

"They didn't find her before," Wheelie shrugged.

"She did not have an energonic _signature_ _before!_" Ratchet growled, not bothering to look up from the servo he was repairing.

Not repairing, more he was sitting and staring at it.

"Ratchet?" Optimus rumbled as gently as he could manage.

The old medic finally looked up.

"I want my assistant back," Ratchet stated quietly. Arcee rolled over to him and laid a gentle hand on his shoulder. Ratchet nodded to her, and relaxed somewhat as the femme crawled onto his legs, leaning against his chest.

"We all do," Will stated quietly.

* * *

(MPOV

I opened my eyes as fingernails scratched lightly on my tent.

Baldwin and a native american stood outside as I walked out calmly. His footsteps indicated it was the soldier who had sat beside me.

"Brought you the skin," the native said with a grin, handing me a small bundle of fur.

"I wanted to make sure you're alright," Baldwin added quietly.

"Thank you, both of you," I smiled. "I don't suppose you have any spare fatigues in stock? This really isn't desert wear," I held out my arms to showcase the now badly torn shirt.

"On it, I'm Bear by the way," the native grinned, I shook his hand firmly before he jogged off.

"Right, unfortunately, seeing as you're a civilian I'm going to need to limit your movements to the tarmac when you're talking to Jetfire and this ring of tents. I can see that you've been well trained at some point, but right now I'm frankly terrified of having you crushed by a tank or something. By the sound of it, your leader is already pissed way the hell off, and will be more so if you aren't actually safe here. But I'd appreciate it if you and Bear could keep the watch when your Jetfire is resting."

"Yes sir," I nodded firmly. The colonel relaxed enormously.

"I was terrified that you'd protest," he said in an easier tone, "I have no idea how to argue with a civilian female who's best friends with..." he trailed off and glanced in the direction that Jetfire was parked.

"Autonomous Robotic Organisms," I supplied with a small smile. "Auto-bots for short.

"Thank you, where was I... best friends with a load of auto-bots, has been half-kidnapped, dragged around the world and threatened by a damned tank not twelve hours ago."

"Well, rather than arguing with me, you could point out where I would find coffee," I smiled, "and if at _all_ possible, I'd like to get kitted out again, I feel frankly _naked_ without a knife at the moment."

The colonel stared at me for a second before bursting out into a hearty laugh.

"You, are making this far too easy, is there anything else? An instruction manual?"

"I'm so sorry," I said with a mocking frown, "I left my instruction manual at home, I guess the main one would be if I start pacing about just let me be, I don't have any of my tools, so if I start going stir crazy I'll probably be pacing around the tents. When that happens I'll be no use to anyone save for keeping the watch."

Baldwin grinned.

"That, makes babysitting you an absolute breeze," he chuckled. "Welcome to SOCCENT, the coffee is in that tent over there. Now what the hell are you going to do with that thing?" he asked as I set the rolled skin in my tent.

"If the cook has any stale tea I'll borrow a bucket and soak it once it's been scraped. Crap, are there any tent pegs or spikes I could borrow for the day?" I asked curiously.

"Yeah, Bear'll help you out, he's taken a shine to you, anyone who asks for a part of the beast he takes down that he can't use he adores." Baldwin chuckled, waving the native over as he searched for us.

Bear jogged forward and threw a friendly arm across my shoulders then flinched back, apologizing.

"They don't hurt." I shrugged, playing with the filaments around my wrists. I looked up at the soldiers in the mess tent staring at the wire emerging from my arms and couldn't hold back a laugh.

"Two ways to look at them," I announced with a grin. "Number one they're an extension of _me_, not sentient by themselves. I control them absolutely." I stated calmly, causing the wires to twist themselves in intricate, frankly pretty designs before they wound themselves delicately around my arms again. "And if that bothers you just think of them as a new-age style of jewelry. Fashion meets function."

Bear stared at me and burst out laughing.

"So what do they run on anyway?" He asked with a broad grin, poking the neural fibre wound delicately around my forearm.

"For some reason my ATP breaks down into energon, the same thing that these guys run on, but here's the thing, energon alone doesn't make 'em. The energon is an extension of the mind and soul. So these are a part of _me_." To pound in the point I extended the neural fibres to collect a cup of coffee.

"That is actually cool," Bear grinned as I took a sip, I felt my stomach begin to recoil slightly as I surveyed the food.

"Thank you," I grinned none the less, "Now I'm told you're the man I need to see about a knife."

"Oh what, you got those and you still want a knife?" a black man grinned at me from the nearest table.

"Hey, can't help habit." I snorted, nodding to the server with a small smile as he plopped a couple of slices of mystery meat on my tray. "Thank you," I smiled, pulling my tray back slightly.

"This is the desert girl!" the server growled at me. "Your body-"

"Loses a great deal of salt along with it's water reserves," I stated calmly, lightly picking up a water bottle. "Eating too much food in the desert increases your need for water for the purpose of digesting." I smiled up at the man and set my tray down, leaning against Bear with a bright grin. He stood easily head and shoulders above me. "I'm not gonna fight you man, but face it, tiny person, tiny portions."

The soldiers stared at us in silence until Bear burst out laughing.

"Fair enough, that's all you're gonna eat anyway, ain't it?" the man stated in a deadpan tone.

"Yes sir, unfortunately it's all I can _manage,_" I nodded with a half smile and nodding my thanks as he waved me away. I turned and surveyed the tables, a young man grinned and waved at me, indicating the free space beside himself. I walked over and breathed a quiet sigh of relief as Bear cheerfully followed me.

"Hey," the young man smiled at me, I returned it, the smile of a friend. "Corporal Jackson Taylor, at your service marm." He offered me a hand.

"Texan," I smiled at him immediately.

"The accent?" He asked with a shy grin, starting the flirt. I released an inward sigh and decided to play a bit, drawing on Paddy's lessons in reading people.

"The handshake, haven't once yet met a texan who don't offer you his hand," I grinned at him, plopping down between him and Bear. "No matter what amount of dirt, grease or wires I had on my hands."

Jackson grinned and bowed his head.

"Northerner," I added, cocking my head at him.

"Accent?" Jackson asked hopefully, looking at me.

"Cowboy," I winked at him, nudging his shoulder playfully. "Somewhere around the Amarillo area am I right?"

"Family ranch in Channing," Jackson grinned at me. "You from there marm?"

"Nah, well, got an uncle out there somewhere," I shrugged with a small smile. "Never been out there myself though."

"Alright, you got Jax, now try me," Bear grinned in challenge, I turned to him with narrowed eyes, remembering his footsteps.

"Hopi on one side," I muttered, the slight glint of shock in his eyes. "Father, no mother's side. Father is..." I muttered, reading his body language.

"Dude, is she reading his mind?" one of the soldiers whispered.

"Father isn't Navaho, Havasupai?" I asked curiously.

"Holy shit," Bear muttered. There was silence in the tent.

"Now try to guess what I am," I grinned at him. He stared at me incredulously for a long moment before the tent burst out laughing.

"Okay," Bear grinned, narrowing his eyes at me.

"I got this one," one of the men smirked. "Dutch."

"No, look at her eyes man, Chinese," another added indignantly.

"American, come on, listen to her talk," another snorted.

"Native American," Bear protested immediately, "Look, that's a Lakota nose!"

I began laughing at the debating soldiers.

"NO! POOL!" The server shouted, grinning broadly and flourishing a piece of paper. I began laughing fully.

"And supposing I'm gone tomorrow, how do you intend to get any fun out of the pool?" I demanded of the man. I crooked a finger and he handed me a piece of paper and pen. I began drawing a family tree as several people leaned in closer.

"Oh come off it you cheating sots!" I stated indignantly, playfully shoving the men away, "Soldiers don't do inside betting!"

There were laughing groans as soldiers turned their backs. I covered my writing and quickly sketched out the tree, tightly folding the paper into a lotus flower. I handed it to the server with a grin.

"Yo, twenty Lakota," Bear grinned, tapping the pad as the swarm began.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus paced, his arms crossed irritably as delay after delay passed through the lines of communication.

Kae,_ his _Kae was stuck in a military base, sleeping in a _tent _with _no_ EM field and over half of her planet having already declared her a wanted fugitive.

And Director Galloway was running toward him again. Smelling of anger and fear.

Again.

Optimus wanted his Kae back, she was a brilliant ambassador, _she_ knew how to deal with the... he stopped that process ruefully, thinking of what she'd say about name calling.

He wanted his Kae back.

"Before you even _think_ of declaring some other thing that will hold us up from getting to my reliant, recognize I am very, _very_ seriously thinking of ignoring my own rule of not harming humans." Optimus growled at the man before he even opened his mouth.

"Like I said, Director," Lennox stated in a weary tone, "we're leaving tomorrow come hell or high water. These guys are very, _very_ serious about protecting the people who depend on them. Whatever you have to say, say it now and get the hell back to your bunker."

"Um... hell or high water," Director Galloway squeaked softly.

Optimus scowled at the man.

"I, um, that is... the President wants your word that..."

"That your cities will not be destroyed," Optimus growled, "we have discovered what the Fallen is after, he wishes to destroy your sun to harvest energon and we will do our best to ensure that that will not happen. If you intend to do anything _useful,_ pray."

* * *

(MPOV)

I grinned at Bear as he kitted me out, handing over a nicely utilitarian knife and some decent clothing. As usual, there weren't any boots small enough for me. We walked back to my tent, chatting cheerfully.

"So you've been assigned as my babysitter?" I asked with a wry grin.

"Volunteered. Easy bloody task if you ask me," Bear laughed, carrying the large pail of stale tea for me. I laughed and caught the feel of an animal pacing. I held up a hand and walked on silent feet, Bear setting down the pail and following just as silently.

We caught sight of a dog of some sort, glazed eyes and frothing at the mouth.

I crouched down and sent the neural fibres into the sand. I took a deep breath, caught the scent of illness and sighed.

"Rabid," I murmured sadly, rising carefully and holding my hand out toward Bear.

He carefully pulled out his .22 and handed it to me. I sighted carefully as the coyote made to go into my tent and dropped it.

"What a waste," I sighed sadly, handing Bear his gun and walking toward the dead beast. I knelt down beside it. "Forgive me brother," I murmured, "may your suffering be at an end, and your spirit freely walk the lands of your ancestors."

"We'd best burn him," Bear stated quietly after a moment, waving a rawboned soldier over. He walked like the third soldier from the night before.

"Rabid." Bear stated with a frown.

"Aye, lemme get some blood 'fore you burn 'im," the soldier growled.

"He was tagged," I stated quietly, pointing at the collar on the beast.

"Good, make it easier to figure out what areas he might have infected." Bear growled. He grabbed the desert wolf's hind leg and dragged it well away from the tents.

I shrugged and brought out my rabbit skin, noting with amusement that Bear had wrapped it's feet in with the bundle of fur, evidently the brain had not survived. I grabbed my knife and carefully trimmed the feet, burying them shallowly in the hot sand to let them dry. I staked out the hide and calmly began scraping it. There was a pall of greasy black smoke as the wolf was burned. Bear walked back toward me and sat down in the semi-shade, watching in silence

"Whatcha making?" he asked finally.

"Leather," I grinned up at him, ceaselessly scraping the hide until it was perfectly clean, both the inside and the fur. I picked up a large stone and weighed it down in the tea. I dug out the rabbit's feet and checked them carefully before burying them again in the hot sand.

"Is that all you do to them?" Bear asked interestedly.

"Hot sand dries them out," I smiled, "It's a good way to mummify something, I'd tan them properly but there's only enough tea for the hide."

We sat in comfortable silence for a long minute.

"Thanks, by the way," Bear stated suddenly.

"What on earth for?" I asked curiously.

"For sending the desert wolf's spirit on with dignity, it's always better when the hunter does it, rather than an onlooker," Bear stated calmly.

I smiled at him. He looked at me curiously.

"You do that with all your kills, don't you." he said quietly.

"I try to," I murmured, "but then I don't really make that many kills."

"Good girl," he murmured. We sat and watched the desert in comfortable silence for several hours, talking in the hunters' silence.

Eventually I checked the skin and noted the brown stain of the tea having made it all the way through. I pulled it out and began calmly working and stretching it over a stone. It slowly became soft. I cut it into a long spiral, stretching it more or less straight and cutting it in half as Bear grinned. I threaded the leather across my forehead to keep my hair out of my eyes as Bear did the same.

"I haven't had one of these in _months,_" Bear groaned appreciatively.

"Gotta love the little things," I chuckled. We lapsed back into silence again, I dug my feet into the sand with a small smile and listened to the world go by. The rawboned soldier walked over and sat down on my other side.

"Did you get to see the nanites?" I asked with a small smile.

"Fascinating little piece of construction," the man snorted.

"Which is 'Bones' for 'they were friggen cool." Bear laughed.

"Bones?" I smiled at the rawboned man. "As in Lenard McCoy?"

"Only a Trekkie would get that," the man laughed, "Medic David MacAllister, at your service." he held out a hand, which I automatically shook.

"Biggest grump in a twenty mile radius," Bear added with a grin.

"Never trust a medic who isn't a bit grumpy," I smiled. "It's when he's being quiet that you need to worry."

Bones snorted beside me, crossing his arms just as Ratchet did anytime we tossed our usual backhanded compliments at each other.

I sighed and watched the desert. Missing my mentor.

"That sounds like you've got experience with medics," Bones grunted.

"My mentor, Ratchet, is 42 times my size," I said with a small smile, I glanced at Bones' crossed arms. "But he crosses his arms _exactly _the same way you do."

Bones snorted back a laugh.

"So when he gets quiet?" he asked with a grin.

"Then I keep doing my job as quietly as I possibly can and I stay alert for the second he tells me to do something. Because when he's quiet you need to get what he tells you to do done yesterday. Lives depend on it."

"Keep that in mind," Bones smirked at Bear.

"Duly noted," Bear snorted. I felt a vibration in the sand and frowned, digging my feet in and listening to the passing tank for a tense second before relaxing. Bear had a hand on the gun slung across his chest.

"Tank," I said quietly, leaning back again and closing my eyes.

"I thought Jetfire was on the watch?" Bear rumbled with a frown.

"This is the first time in over a month that I haven't had the steady hum of either Optimus, Ratch or Bee's spark close by." I murmured, heaving a deep breath. "You never really realize how comforting a simple sound is until it's gone."


	37. 35 Like Sparks

**Chapter 35 - Like Sparks**

* * *

(RPOV)

The next two days were a whirlwind of organization.

Optimus just wanted to get on the Primus damned plane. It was almost painful to watch the way he prowled the hangar doors. Waiting.

Finally, finally, he was the first one on. Parked and waiting as the soldiers ran, and every auto-bot loaded onto the two C17's.

::. She's alright Optimus.:: Ratchet sent in amusement, backing up to park just in front of his leader. ::. Mikaela is a surviver and safe at SOCCENT, I hope you used the two days to cool down, Jetfire is an ally, he was simply behind the time.::

::. She is supposed to be under my protection as her guardian, not halfway around the world among strangers.:: Optimus rumbled irritably. Two hours into the flight he snarled in irritation and onlined his holoform, pacing the length of the plane with a thundercloud expression on his face. Auto-bots and humans both wisely staying out of his way.

"What's with him?" Lennox finally dared ask in a barely audible whisper two hours into the pacing, leaning against Ratchet.

"He can still hear you," Ratchet stated in a normal voice, onlining his own holoform. "He's _still_ pissed that Mikaela isn't within a mile of him."

Optimus' holoform finally roared in impotent fury, kicking and punching his own truck form. Ratchet nodded to Ironhide sharply, and two holoforms ganged up on the angry one, pinning him in place and struggling to hold him there.

"Optimus," Ratchet stated in a calm tone. "If you don't stop that you're going to dent your fender. I'll have to pull it out, which will scratch your paint. And then Mikaela will be pissed off at you."

"She should be pissed off at me already!" Optimus roared.

"Droneshit," Ironhide rumbled in amusement. "If you really want to have it out, do us a favour and quit making such a racket against your armour. C'mere boy." Ironhide practically took Optimus' holo by the scruff of the neck and dragged him into the centre of the plane before hauling off and giving the holoform a fist to the belly. "You're distracted, Optimus," Ironhide rumbled in a cheerful tone. "How the hell did you not see _that_ coming?" he gave Optimus a shove. The holoform stumbled for a second before straightening, his eyes an icy, glacier blue and just as warm.

"Round two," Optimus growled, charging forward. The two holoforms proceeded to duke it out until both were lying on the ground, occasionally throwing a weak whack at each other and breathing heavily.

"Just admit that you're helmet over heelstruts for the femme and be done with it," Ironhide rumbled, throwing another whack at Optimus.

"Humans are not open to such things," Optimus growled, whacking Ironhide back.

"Mikaela is not one to be lumped in with a group, none of them are," Ratchet stated mildly. Ironhide whacked Optimus.

"Um, how does that work?" Epps asked quietly.

"At this point? Ratchet does the talking, Ironhide does the hitting. Between the two of them they get Optimus back on track. It's about time he did it too, that bot hasn't off-railed since... anyway." Sideswipe explained calmly, watching the interlude with a grin.

"But..." Lennox frowned.

"Haven't you lot ever gotten so pissed off at something that the only way to get yourself back on track is to just duke it out?" Sideswipe asked in amusement. "Optimus doesn't really have that option most of the time, he's an elite fighter. He can kick _my_ ass. Most of the time he doesn't even _try_. Doesn't want to hurt others. Pacifist." Sideswipe chuckled.

"She trusted me to keep her safe!" Optimus thundered, whacking Ironhide again.

"Indeed, and then she used the voice of command, ordered everyone to get the hell out of the area and defused a bomb herself. And _then_ revived Jetfire, brought him up to speed and wound up in Egypt. Admit it, even _you_ had the pit of a time defying that command." Ratchet stated amicably. Ironhide whacked Optimus and sat up.

"That's one of the main reasons isn't it?" Ironhide grinned down at the Prime, "She's never actually called you Prime, has she? She hasn't even called you _sir _properly, has she!?" Ironhide roared with laughter, laying back down again. "_All these vorn I wondered!_" the holoform howled. "You scrapping _honey!_"

In silence, Optimus punched him in the side. Ironhide just kept laughing.

"Alright kids," Ratchet chuckled, walking over and hauling them both upright by their shirt fronts. "Either go round three or sod off."

Optimus snorted and caught the older holoform in a headlock, messing his hair for a second before pulling him into a proper, one armed hug.

"Only you two, and now her," Optimus finally sighed.

"Yeah well, we all learn in time," Ironhide murmured gently, clapping the younger holo on the shoulder. He turned and walked back to his truck form, lightly running a hand down Chromia's form as he went. She onlined her own and followed him, winding an arm around his waist.

"Eventually," she said with a smug smile. Ironhide smirked and kissed the tip of her nose before they both blinked out.

Optimus went back to pacing, but now his stance was more impatient than infuriated. Even the agitation in his steps decreasing with every minute that ticked by.

At least they were getting closer. Ratchet glanced over at the soldiers, there was confusion in their eyes.

"Uh..." Epps started quietly. Optimus' holoform looked up at him. "Can I uh..."

"Just ask, Epps," Ratchet snorted quietly.

"What's Ironhide been wondering?" the man asked curiously.

"What turns his head!" Ironhide snorted. "Figures it'd be a femme strong enough to boss him around."

"Ironhide!" Ratchet protested immediately, shooting a glare at his old friend.

"What?"

"Tact, Ironhide, tact," Chromia piped up with a low laugh, onlining her holoform and lightly stroking his paintwork. "It is far more _tactful_ to state that she is a femme who does not demand him to maintain the mantle of leadership in her presence. She lets him be _Optimus!"_

The plane was silent but for the roar of the atmosphere and engines. Will was nodding thoughtfully, but then the Major was a happily bonded man. Epps still looked confused.

"So..."

"She is the third individual within several of your millennia," Optimus rumbled quietly. "Who has ever treated me as an equal."

* * *

(MPOV)

They were coming today. I paced.

The soldiers watched me warily, I was making no attempt to hide the predator's stalking grace that haunted my steps. In reality, I prowled around the outside of my cage of tents. The boundary of where I was allowed to go for my own Primus damned safety.

They were coming today. I paced.

Jetfire transformed and strode toward me, looking like he was ready to start up a conversation. Instead, he stopped, watching me with sudden wariness. The soldiers had watched in shock as he'd taken a step back, turned around and transformed again. Parking in his spot and sitting there very, _very _quietly.

They were coming today. I paced.

Two enormous planes touched down. I paced. They said 'don't go to the plane'. I didn't go to the plane. I paced back and forth now, watching auto-bots driving down ramps. Where _was_ he?

Finally, _finally_ the familiar blue and red flames emerged from a plane and drove slowly down the ramp, driving forward. They said 'don't go to the vehicles until they were certain of their identities.'

Fuck them, I'd know those revs and spark resonation anywhere.

I took off running, ignoring the warning shouts and climbing onto Optimus' hood in three steps, sitting on him and leaning against the window, holding on for a second as he transformed and gathered me in his hand.

"Mikaela, you are supposed to make sure I am not a Decepticon in disguise," Optimus rumbled in irritation, looking down at me with narrowed optics.

"Horse-shit," I retorted snappishly. "_You_ are the only bot that_ idles_ at twenty-seven hundred RPM and has a five level hertz resonation that still pulls through as a pure tone."

We glared at each other for a long moment, before we both relented. Optimus delicately raised me to his shoulder and I squirmed into my spot, the one where I could touch his cheek, but he could still see me.

Twenty some feet below, Colonel Baldwin saluted Lennox before exclaiming.

"It's about bloody time you got here! She's been scaring the _hell_ out of the men! Since when do _women_ stalk around camp in fatigues and four inch heels looking like a caged friggen_ tiger!? _Even that _Blackbird_ is leery of her, and his _gun_ is triple her size!"

Ironhide and Ratchet glanced at each other for some reason and crashed against each other, roaring with laughter.

"I am so sorry I lost you," Optimus rumbled softly.

"Bull," I said in a far calmer tone, "you didn't lose me, I got space bridged. There _is_ a difference. Element of surprise gets all of us, but you _are_ going to give me your transmission wavelength, the phones here are all in bloody _Arabic_! _Next_ time I vote we get me lost in China, where I'll have a fighting bloody chance of knowing where I am. And it's not a _desert_."

Optimus snorted back a bark of laughter, he reached up and ran a gentle finger down my arm.

"It is good to have you back on my shoulder, Kae," he rumbled gently.

"Did you leave my polisher at base?" I asked curiously.

"We did," Optimus rumbled, "but we _did_ bring your toolkit along."

"Excellent!" I sighed in a relieved tone, "you wouldn't _believe_ how rough that jeep over there is running! I swear they drove it _through_ a dune instead of over it!"

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus looked at the Femme sitting comfortably on his shoulder and couldn't help the rumble of laughter that burst from him.

"We're going to be going out a bit further into the desert and setting up our own base camp away from the antenna farm," Lennox called up to her apologetically.

"Did you bring your own jeeps?" Mikaela called down.

"Um, no, we brought fuel though," Lennox called up.

"How about some spare parts?" she asked curiously.

"Lots of those," Ratchet rumbled beside Optimus.

"Good," Mikaela nodded, "half of those poor things have taken a right shit kicking." she stood on his shoulder and took a running leap, fairly flying through the air to land lightly on Ratchet's shoulder as everyone stared at her.

"It's the great flying fleshbag!" Skids called out suddenly. Mikaela barked out a laugh and looked Ratchet in the face.

"You made sure he didn't fly off the handle right?" she said calmly, turning to look at Optimus with a mischievous grin. "We weren't supposed to destroy stuff."

"There are a few handprints dented into some planes," Ratchet shrugged.

Mikaela snorted, shaking her head.

"Where are my tools?" she demanded, "half those jeeps aren't going to make it very far, and I think I found the guy who keeps burning out all those clutches I've been replacing."

Ratchet laughed and walked toward the plane, picking up and carrying an enormous case of tools, looking for all the world like he was carrying a lunchbox.

"Let's get to work then," he rumbled cheerfully.

* * *

(MPOV)

"Bloody sand gets everywhere," I muttered several hours later, dismantling the carburetters on my sixth jeep of the day.

"Mikaela!" Ratchet called out, startling me just enough that I hit my head on the hood.

"Ow! Ratchet, what's up?" I asked, rubbing my head as I walked toward him.

"Prime needs to talk to you," he grinned down at me, "you don't have a concussion."

"Okay, where is he?" I asked, wiping my hands off.

"Right here," Optimus rumbled, striding carefully over a dune toward me before transforming into his truck form. The passenger door clicked gently open. I automatically stripped off my oily coveralls and climbed in, thankful that I was at least wearing shorts and a tank-top beneath.

"Where are we headed?" I asked calmly, snapping the seatbelt into place.

"West."

"Sunset?" I smiled at the dashboard. Optimus chuckled softly, the vibrations once again shooting directly to my abdomen. I idly caressed the butter-soft leather of his seats as we climbed higher into the dunes, not even realizing I did until a small shudder rippled through the cab.

"Optimus, are you alright?" I asked worriedly, sitting forward and listening to the familiar, smooth revs of his engine.

"Your hands are gentle," he murmured.

"So this feels good?" I asked with a small smile, sitting back and running my hands over the seats again. A low moan rattled through the cab.

"You behave," Optimus rumbled gently.

"Sorry," I murmured, folding my hands in my lap.

"You know that was cruel an orn ago," Optimus chuckled suddenly, slowing down and turning toward the sun.

"Beg pardon?" I sat somewhat forward in confusion.

"Teasing everyone on that motorcycle of yours, I think Ironhide intends to thank you somehow, he and Chromia were interfaced all night last night."

"Wait, wait," I said incredulously as his air-brakes hissed, "Slow down for those of us with inferior processors, the lot of you got hot and bothered by _me_ on a motorcycle?" I hopped out of the cab and watched him transform.

"Two separate units working in perfect synchronicity? You forget that Ratchet isn't the only one who can smell your pheromones." Optimus crouched down carefully and sat on the edge of the cliff, offering a hand toward me. I blushed and lightly sat in his palm, allowing him to delicately deposit me on his leg.

I squirmed slightly to rest against his abdomen, one leg dangling along the inside of his thigh. "So what did you want to talk about?" I asked curiously, craning my neck to look up at his face, "it's been a long time since we last _ran off_ to talk."

An enormous, gentle silver finger wrapped lightly around my waist.

"I am so sorry I lost you," he said again.

"Do I seriously have to kick your ass-plates to get you to quit that?" I grumbled, delicately folding my arms around his finger. Optimus chuckled darkly, his spark resonating with a private memory.

We sat in comfortable silence for a time, watching the desert slowly dim into glorious reds, oranges and golds.

"Have you discovered how to trigger the All-Spark's knowledge from your mind?" he asked suddenly.

"Sort of?" I said uncertainly, "It eases off when I'm doing something familiar, it's when I'm learning something new that the symbols go crazy. It's not like it actually shuts off."

"You still see them?" Optimus looked down at me with concern in his optics.

"Ever since I touched the cube splinter," I looked up at him calmly. "It's... actually it's fascinating now that I know what it is, anytime I'm working on an engine or helping Ratchet patch one of you lot up they start labelling parts." I leaned back against him and grinned. "I'm learning anatomy in Cybertronian, double education. It's the dreams that are crazy though."

"Dreams?" Optimus asked in amusement.

"I've started dreaming in Cybertronian," I laughed, "it's the weirdest thing, I wake up and listen to Ratchet speaking english and it throws me for a loop."

_How much do you understand?∂_

_Enough that it gives me hope, I was never very good at languages.∂_ I chuckled at his amused expression.

"It still doesn't feel right though," I mused, "It's like I'm learning this in preparation to speak a language I should already know... if that makes sense." I frowned. "The symbols and the language don't jive, like writing english words in the Cyrillic alphabet."

"There are a thousand variations, what do you think your's should sound like?" Optimus chuckled. I sat silently, frowning at the sunset. "Kae?" Optimus asked gently.

_**ΩIt should sound like a language spoken in truth,Ω**_ I said finally. Optimus flinched. "Optimus?" I looked up at him worriedly.

"You... that..." he murmured, "Impossible..." his eyes looked as though they were a million years away.

"I'm sorry if I've offended you," I murmured contritely. He shook his head minutely and looked down at me.

"It has been a long, long time since I last heard that language spoken aloud." Optimus rumbled softly. "So long that I might have forgotten it." He gave a low cough, as though clearing his throat. "How have you been sleeping?"

"Not too badly, I guess," I shrugged.

"But?"

"How do you figure there's a but in there?" I looked up at him with a lopsided grin as the sun dipped below a dark horizon, the sky a fading, brilliant red.

"You are tired."

"I'll live," I said gently, running my hand gently along his finger.

"We should get back," he murmured, I nodded and hugged his hand for a second before sliding down to the ground. I climbed into his truck form and buckled myself in, listening to the soft music playing over his radio. I drifted to sleep, feeling secure in the warmth of Optimus' cab.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus drove smoothly down the dunes, enjoying the feeling of having his Kae sleeping in his cab again. He rumbled to a halt and stared at the sight before him.

A deactivated Decepticon scout.

"Prime, keep it low," Ratchet said warningly.

"How did it find this place?" Optimus rumbled in a dangerous tone, onlining his holoform. He walked forward to look at the metal scorpion.

"Scout," Jetfire answered immediately, "bin in the deserts a while by the look of it."

"Look at it's tail!" Epps shouted suddenly.

"I'll be damned that's the same one that attacked us!" Lennox bellowed. He jogged over and drew his gun, shooting it a couple of times. "That's for Fig, and that's for Donnelly."

Epps crossed his arms and nodded satisfaction.

Optimus walked to Scorponok's spark chamber and stared. It was cold.

"You should be proud o' that girl," Jetfire rumbled with a nod, "felt it coming in her recharge, took it out clean in one shot."

Ironhide crossed his arms and nodded approval.

_"__MIKAELA TOOK IT DOWN!?_" Optimus roared, the girl in question jerked awake in his cab and got out, walking toward the group of holoforms and soldiers.

"Yes, I did," she said calmly, she glanced up at Ironhide before locking her gaze with his. "I looked it in the optics at twenty feet and saw nothing but the intent to kill."

"_What in Primus' name were you doing twenty feet from it!?" _Optimus bellowed at the femme. He strode toward her until they were standing toe to toe, enraged beyond even his own belief. His Kae, his _reliant_ had been twenty feet away from a Decepticon _Symbiont!?_

"Standing my ground," she snarled back at him, looking up and refusing to back away so much as an inch.

"_Jetfire should have gotten you out of the area, not given you neural fibres for you to stand and fight!" _he bellowed, he turned to go shout at the bot in question. He jerked back in shock as Mikaela's hand flashed out and caught the front of his shirt, hauling him right back.

"_And if that thing had reached where it was aiming and taken out Jetfire's spark!?" _Mikaela shouted right back at him, _"Then what!? Do I run to the tower that was it's first target!?"_ She swung him around with force, her free hand flying up to point at the antenna farm._ "And once that's been destroyed where do I go!? If you even think for one __**nanosecond**__ that I will __**ever**__ back down and hide behind another like a common __**coward**__ YOU ARE SORELY MISTAKEN!"_ she finished in a full bellow.

Optimus almost collapsed in shock as she bellowed at him. Energon flickered over her skin, crackling in her hair and sparking between her fingers. The nanites went into hyperactivity, growing and darkening her hair again until it reached her waist; the only damages they could ascertain.

Her eyes snapped with anger, glowing their rich, mesmerizing blue-green colour.

"We made a deal to never lie to each other, do you want me to lie now Optimus?_" _she snarled, "_Do you want me to tell you that I'll run and HIDE!? I WILL __**NEVER**__ RUN FROM DUTY!" _she finished in a bellow again.

They stood in silence, toe to toe and surrounded by shocked auto-bots and humans. A goodly few were sitting wide eyed, sprawled in the sand.

Mikaela continued to glare up at him in a true fury, apparently not even noticing that her hand had remained fisted in the front of his shirt.

That's what she hid away from the world!? Optimus thought in awe. He stared at the first Femme to have ever, _ever_ shouted him down.

And she was absolutely correct, too.

Damn it.

Of their own volition, his arms snapped up to ensnare her, crushing her to his chest. He bent down and buried his face in her hair, smelling the vivid, sweet scents that were purely Mikaela. She stood rigidly for a long, spark pounding second before she sagged into his arms, her own lightly winding around his waist as she buried her face into his shoulder.

"Whoa," Ironhide finally rumbled.

There was silence for a long moment, until it was shattered by Ratchet bursting out into a rich peal of laughter, Ironhide quickly joining him.

"I'm sorry," Mikaela whispered into his shoulder, he could feel her shoulders drooping. The bitter tones of guilt and remorse began to touch her scent.

"Don't be," he murmured into her hair, holding her even tighter. "Don't you _ever_ be sorry for being yourself Kae."

"Pitfire," Ironhide gasped out between guffaws.

"Did she just..." Will asked in a shocked, quiet tone.

"Yes she did," Ratchet laughed harder. "Damn, but I thought I was doing well. Mikaela's been letting me win, _bugger_ she's good."

"Look at that, didn't even raise her hand," Sideswipe added with a grin. "Little Sister's one _hell_ of a force to be reckoned with if she managed to hold _that_ back."

Optimus tightened his arms around the femme, and was shocked once more when she did the same, burrowing herself into him.

"They're going to be ribbing me for days," she mumbled into his chest with a low groan. Optimus fought desperately to hold back the bark of laughter, and failed miserably.

"What do you expect?" he demanded, pulling back to look into her eyes with a broad grin. "You out-shoot Ironhide, out-race most of us, heal with barely any effort, shout _me_ down and _still_ claim to be the least of us?"

"I _am_ the least of you!" she protested immediately, "Look at me! I don't even reach the shoulder of your damned _holoform!"_

Optimus couldn't help himself, he reached down and scooped her into his arms as she squeaked in surprise.

"My Kae," he said softly, looking up into her eyes. His chin touched the bared skin of her stomach. "you will _never_ be the least of us."

Mikaela smirked and leaned down.

"Well then if you're so keen on trampling our laws of physics you can lift that engine for me while I get that damned clutch in place," she said with a low laugh.

"You should be getting some rest," Ratchet piped up.

"Rest is for the dead," Mikaela stated patiently, "I've got one more jeep to finish before we can roll out. Let me _down_ you great bully!" she laughed, squirming in the holoform's arms.

"We only needed three!" Lennox exclaimed suddenly, "you've got five already finished!"

"You're taking the best of their jeeps," Mikaela said calmly, "Can't very well leave them with nothing but crap!"

"No, you've resurrected five jeeps from the deadpool," Bear laughed as he walked over. "But they _will_ get used and trashed, I promise." he added.

"Philistines!" Mikaela grumbled as Optimus laughed, tossing her in the air for a second so that he could hold her cradled against his holoform's chest. His spark thrilled when she curled tiredly into him.

Optimus gently carried her into his sleeper, laying her gently in the bunk and holding her pinned in his holoform's arms until she was sound asleep.

She woke again when Optimus began driving after the soldiers.

"We're only going a couple of miles out," Optimus murmured to her. She rose and sat in the passenger seat regardless.

"I can't believe Chance forgot my boots!" she said suddenly. "I'm going to be wearing four inch stilettos for Primus only knows how long!"

"In fairness, they look incredible on you," Optimus rumbled quietly.

Mikaela ran gentle hands over his seat again, an idly soothing, openhearted touch. Optimus couldn't help the quiet hum that escaped him. Her hands slowed and stilled, her breathing slow and steady once more.

Optimus parked carefully, doing his best to keep his Kae asleep.

She woke regardless, the second his air-brakes hissed.

"Sleep, Kae," he rumbled softly.

"When the work is finished," she murmured gently, she gave his seat a gentle stroke as she got out of the cab, walking toward the soldiers and catching hold of a rope as it swung toward her.

"Kae! Pull!" Lennox shouted. She set her feet and hauled back, pulling an enormous pole into the air as three others stabilized it. Ratchet transformed and casually leaned on the pole, sinking it down into the sand with a grin.

Optimus transformed behind his medical officer, leaning down and delicately picking up one of the poles.

Kae grinned up at him and caught the bottom, delicately placing the end of the pole in it's proper place before backing away slightly. Optimus pressed the pole into the sand and watched in amusement as his Kae shimmied up the pole, carrying a rope.

"Kae what the hell!" Epps shouted up at her with a grin, "you got monkey blood in you or something?"

"All yours Ratch!" Kae shouted with a laugh, locking herself onto the pole and tying it off, she slid back down and walked to the next pole

"Mikaela has the same 23 chromosome makeup of a human being, Apes have 24," Ratchet began patiently. "You _all_ have a similar makeup."

"You hear that? The medi-bot's calling us monkeys!" Epps grinned.

"I'll take monkey over insect!" Mikaela stated with a grin, grabbing the rope Chance handed her and scurrying up the pole.

Optimus walked carefully toward her and gently held the dew sheet in place as she tied it off. She smiled at him and slid down the pole again, rapidly puttering around the base camp and doing whatever task the soldiers called over to her.

"How is her energon signal stronger?" Optimus rumbled to his medical officer.

"She still has neural-fibres along her nerves, feeding off the energon," Ratchet grumbled. "Kae!" he called out.

"Ratchet!" she called back, glancing up at the medi-bot as she worked her way through putting up one of the tents.

"How long have you had those neural-fibres stuck in you?" Ratchet growled.

"Um, how many days have I been in the desert. Three now I guess."

"Out, Mikaela, Now." Ratchet stated firmly. She sighed and cupped her hand over her wrist. The fibres withdrew smoothly, delicately wrapping themselves around her wrist. She took the heavy bracelet off and tossed it to the medi-bot.

"Thanks Ratch, now I feel bloody deaf!" she grumbled, she reached up and rubbed an ear irritably, digging her feet into the sand.

"You don't need the extra input, you need sleep, you can have them back in the morning." Ratchet snorted.

Mikaela sighed and stretched as the soldiers bunked down, Chance trotted toward her with a broad grin, holding a large handful of netting.

"You brought my hammock!" Mikaela laughed brightly, throwing her arms around the soldier. He laughed and ducked into her tent, emerging a minute later with a grin.

"NOW sleep," Chance stated with a smirk.

"I dunno what it is with the lot of you and sleep," Mikaela grumbled, rolling her eyes. She glanced up at Optimus with a small smile. "Good recharge," she murmured softly.

"Sweet dreams," Optimus rumbled gently, transforming and parking beside her tent. She reached up and ran a gentle hand down his fender, she turned and did the same for Bumblebee before walking into her tent.

All but the men taking first watch bunked down immediately, and the sounds of soft snores filled the area.


	38. 36 Sand

**Yeah, Mikaela's character is becoming somewhat over-developed, I know, no way a normal teenager can do all this stuff. Keep reading, it'll make sense in time! Promise! :) As always, a billion thanks to my betas FireRose and Bee4ever, anything you recognize, and potentially some of the things you may not I don't own, and neither do I profit from this. It's just for fun. Anyway:**

**Chapter 36 - Sand**

* * *

(MPOV)

My eyes flashed open, the moon was almost full, there should be more light. I rolled out of my hammock quickly, listening for whatever had roused me so immediately.

Bumblebee's spark was humming discordantly. That wasn't like my little brother. I walked quickly out of my tent and listened to the sound carefully. He was still recharging, but there was a wrongness. Pain, terror, hurt the hum whispered to my ears. The Auto-bots were recharging beside my tent, Ironhide snoring lightly beside Chromia. I walked to Bumblebee and stroked his hood gently.

"Bee," I whispered gently, "Bumblebee, wake up little brother."

His spark hummed to life, powering up his processors. He onlined his holoform beside me, the whites of his eyes showing. I held my arms out to him and the holoform all but fell into an embrace. I read his tension in an instant and drew the holoform gently so that I was leaning against him properly.

"Bad dream Bee?" I murmured.

"You were dead! Big sister you were dead," Bee sobbed into my shoulder.

I felt my heart give an enormous wrench.

"Aw Bee," I whispered, cradling his holoform and rocking. "I'm here, Bee, I'm right here. I'm not dying tonight, I promise."

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus roused himself the second he heard a discordance in the sparks around him. Bumblebee had separated himself from the energon collective, his spark humming with a chargefright. Mikaela was out of her tent the next moment, walking over to Bumblebee and gently stroking his hood. Optimus brought himself fully online and watched as his scout roused, onlining his holoform and falling into Kae's arms, she drew the holoform back toward Bumblebee proper and leaned against him gently.

"Bad dream Bee?" she murmured gently.

"You were dead!" Bee sobbed, "Big sister you were dead."

"Aw Bee," Mikaela whispered, closing her eyes as she cradled the holoform. "I'm here, Bee, I'm right here. I'm not dying tonight, I promise."

"What about tomorrow?" Bee asked, the eyes of his holoform were enormous. The eyes of a young boy.

"We will protect her," Optimus rumbled softly, onlining his holoform. "All of us."

"I'm sorry I woke you, Sir," Bumblebee stated immediately. Optimus walked his holoform to his scout's, pulling both into an embrace. Mikaela wrapped her arms around them both, the smallest of the three and yet she stood firm, a pillar of strength.

"Hush, if I did not wish to be awakened, I would offline my auditory receptors," Optimus rumbled softly.

Bumblebee's shudders slowly calmed to a thin vibration as he cuddled his sister, taking comfort from her silent strength.

"Go back to your recharge little brother," Mikaela murmured softly, reaching up and cupping the holoform's cheek. "I'll be here in the morning.

Bumblebee nodded and leaned down to hug his sister again before his holoform offlined. Mikaela stretched out on his hood.

"Good recharge little brother," she murmured gently, "sleep and dream of beautiful things." she stayed until Bee's spark quieted again, resonating gently among the others.

She slid off lightly and stayed a moment longer, listening as Bee's spark continued to hum in deep recharge.

"You get some recharge as well," Mikaela stated softly, straightening and running a gentle hand down Optimus' fender.

"You as well," he murmured through his holoform, hesitantly leaning down to press a gentle kiss to her temple. She kissed his jaw and stepped back with a small smile, walking to her tent as he smiled at her.

The second she had disappeared from sight, he reached up and touched his jaw where it still tingled with the lingering warmth.

* * *

(RPOV)

Ratchet brought himself online and surveyed the camp with a small amount of dismay.

Sand. He absolutely _detested_ sand. No doubt the twins would throw each other against a dune at some point; and he of course would have to spend an hour or more cleaning their airways out from the strangling, _dreadful _powder.

Kae walked out of her tent that moment, looking up at him wryly.

"On the plus side, there's no water," she snorted.

"How is that a plus?" Ratchet grumbled, thoughts immediately switching to the added needs of their human comrades.

"No water to stick the sand to you guys," Kae shrugged. "and if you would _please_ give me my pack, I have absolutely no doubt I'm going to need a vacuum in..." she glanced at her watch and frowned, looking up at the sun. "Two hours."

"Two hours?" Ratchet asked curiously, in spite of himself.

"The longest amount of time the twins can manage to not fight," Kae snorted. "That's the outside time of course."

"You said what?" Skids demanded indignantly, transforming and walking over to Kae.

"Two hours," Kae stated calmly. "I have yet to see you two last more than two hours without fighting. Which by the way, I'd appreciate it if you went north approximately seven hundred feet."

"Oh yeah?" Mudflap frowned. "Why?"

"Less sand, more ground," Kae stated cheerfully, stomping the ground a couple of times in counterpart. "It'll save me a _bit_ of the time I'm _obviously_ going to need to spend cleaning the sand out of your joints, if you can manage to keep _some_ of it out anyway. I'll see you in two hours." she promptly turned around and walked to the makeshift workspace, calmly beginning to disassemble the scout Ironhide had carried to their camp.

Ratchet surreptitiously eyed the twins as they drew together, watching Kae dismantle the scout.

"Show _her_," Mudflap whispered.

"Show her what?" Skids muttered.

"Truce 'till tomorrow," Mudflap muttered. "We can _totally _last more than two hours. Dunno about _you, I_ don't want sand in my hands."

"Agreed," Skids murmured, grimacing at the ground for a moment as he kicked at the powder. He looked back up and they shook hands, still eyeing Kae.

Ratchet barely managed to bite back his snort of laughter. Optimus chose that moment to online, out of the corner of his eye, he could see Kae watching the Prime as he transformed and stretched, shrugging his armour properly in place. Her pupils were dilated. Ratchet promptly onlined an extra processor and began scanning Kae. The spike in her heartbeat was perfectly paralleled by the pulse of her spark. As though sensing it in herself, Kae's eyes quickly flicked down to her work again. But it didn't take long for her eyes to wander back to Optimus again.

That gave him an idea, actually.

Ratchet put on his best dour, irritable expression and hacked her iPod.

::. Optimus.:: he sent irritably.

::. I know, Ratchet, sand.:: Prime sent back in amusement.

::. No, Kae.:: Ratchet sent irritably ::. Neural fibres or not, her energonic signature is stronger again.::

::. I _know_ that, Ratchet.:: Optimus sent back in a worried tone ::. What am I supposed to _do_ about it?.::

::. You know damn well what to do about it.:: Ratchet sent irritably, noting with private amusement that Kae was looking around at the bots and soldiers, her eyes flicking back and forth at Optimus and himself even as her hands continued moving. There was confusion in her eyes. ::. You need to safely lower the levels in her tissues, and you'd better get on it before she starts being affected even worse!.::

::. Humans are not open to such things.:: Optimus growled softly ::. Am I supposed to just drag her out into the dunes and-.::

::. Primus sake Optimus, have you even _asked_?.:: Ratchet sent, genuinely irritable now, every now and again, Optimus was guaranteed to be an absolute glitch. ::. Maybe you _should_ have gone round three, let Ironhide knock some sense into you.::

Optimus turned and glared at him properly.

::. Or do I have to tell her to chase after _you_?.:: Ratchet smirked at him ::. I never took you for the shy type _before_, Optimus.::

Optimus stared at him for a long moment before rolling his optics and glancing at Kae. Ratchet flicked a glance at her himself, to find her well along in dismantling that servo. At least she still had her iPod in one ear.

"Kae!" Ratchet called out in his best grumpy tone. "Food!"

She glanced up at him somewhat irritably before visibly composing herself.

"I don't honestly think I can stomach the idea of food," she murmured. "Not today. Water, salt tablet, alright. Food feels like a bad idea."

Ratchet scanned her again worriedly, her body was well into it's cycle of burning it's adipose reserves, and she didn't have enough of that to begin with.

"Try?" he murmured. "Please?"

Kae looked up at him and seemed to hold back a sigh, nodding.

Ratchet threw Optimus a significant look as she rose and walked to the mess tent. The larger Mech watched his reliant worriedly, optics never seeming to stray far from her form.

* * *

(IPOV)

Ironhide onlined and gently disconnected from Chromia, she was awake in seconds, transforming, stretching and throwing him another of those wicked, hidden glances that always had him watching for another one. Ironhide looked around at the sand for a moment, scowled and transformed, doing his level best to not touch that ghastly excuse for ground.

Sure enough, a bit got into his shoulder. Regardless. Of course.

His processors promptly got down to some serious frequency translations, trying to find precisely the right string of expletives.

Done silently of course, Primus help him if Ratchet caught wind of it, he'd be out a shoulder for _hours. That _was absolutely _no_ good in unfamiliar territory.

Ironhide stood up and stretched somewhat, refusing to groan of course. Slagging shoulder felt scrapping broken.

Worthless scrapping shit-_useless_ Pitspawned _sand._

::. Get Kae to fix it.:: Bumblebee sent innocently, standing up and stretching. ::. She can probably get the sand out without even taking your shoulder apart.::

That was an idea. That human had tiny fingers after all. He'd _seen_ her at work doing the tiny things that annoyed Ratchet to no end. Ironhide grinned and reached over, giving the little scout a light whack on the shoulder, adding a zap of energon along with it in thanks.

Bee grinned at him, and that was good for a smile, he did like it when the younglings could smile with him.

He strode over to the servo Kae was working on and sat down close by.

"Make you a deal," he rumbled quietly, eying the femme apprehensively and hoping she was game for a bit of innocent blackmail.

"And that is?" she asked, looking up at him somewhat warily.

"You get this blasted sand out of my shoulder without being annoying, and I won't rib you about shouting Optimus down," he announced flatly.

She eyed him warily for a long moment before the best words that could possibly come out of the femme's mouth, did.

"Why I do believe we have a deal," she stated, nodding with a small smile. So she _was_ game, excellent. Never trust a bot that wasn't game for a bit of mild blackmail. She turned and looked at Ratchet with a remarkably stern expression.

"Alright fine," the medi-bot sighed, the pack already in his hand. Ironhide couldn't help but mimic the little femme as they both looked at the old medic with raised brow ridges. "Two things." he stated with a snort, looking at them. "One, if I didn't give her this pack I have no doubt she'd just use neural fibres from that scout-"

"True..." Mikaela murmured softly in counterpart, drawing a snort from the two mechs.

"Two, if those expressions were any more similar I'd swear you were related." Ratchet added with a smirk.

The femme laughed softly, not a mocking laugh by any stretch of the imagination, just gentle amusement. Ironhide settled a bit more comfortably, sitting easily on the ground now that his hip and leg joints had finished sealing themselves up.

"You mind?" Kae asked calmly before gently laying a bare foot on one of his leg struts.

Ironhide made to wave a hand in a gesture of 'go ahead,' except that blasted sand just ground a bit more in his shoulder. He scowled irritably before watching in amusement as the femme practically scampered up his leg and chest, always careful about leaning too much weight on the wrong spots. Although she was so light it wasn't really that much of a stretch for her to balance her weight properly. He wondered how she'd get along in battle with such a thin covering of armour over her protofor-

Ironhide looked down at Kae and felt a bit of a surge as his processors made a rather startling connection. He watched patiently as she directed the thin neural fibres to reach gently into his shoulder while mulling that thought over.

He was already thinking of her as a bot. And in those terms her wiring was straight, that was for sure, and by the bastard pet of the un-maker she was damned good with her cannons. She'd be a niece to be proud of. A healing warrior, damned good at the healing, he added to himself as the sand was rapidly cleared away from his joint. He idly ran a diagnostic. The sand was already _gone_, that _had_ to be a record.

Kae was looking his shoulder over now, carefully examining the worn joint. Ratchet was constantly on him to let him replace it. But that meant going without his arm for one, and then breaking in a new bloody joint. He liked this one.

Even if it _was_ getting pretty damned worn out.

"Hold still a minute," Kae commanded quietly. "If it's annoying, fine, rib me, but hold still a minute anyway."

Ironhide sat, watching her in amusement as she fairly jumped down from his shoulder and walked to the burrower she'd taken down. She pried off a piece of the living metals and suspended it on the neural fibres lightly waving from her wrist. The little femme promptly climbed back up to his shoulder and clung there for a second, watching the metals as energon flashed through them, neutralizing and shifting it around.

"Don't want a new joint," Ironhide rumbled irritably.

"I know," Kae muttered, "but adding a bit more metal to the thinnest bits won't hurt, particularly if you're kind enough to dial back the pain settings in your shoulder. Dunno about you, but _I _sure as hell don't want to try to get the sand out of your shoulder when you're transforming in the middle of battle."

Yes, she _absolutely _had her wiring straight, Ironhide thought approvingly.

"Go ahead, don't need to worry about my pain settin's darlin'," Ironhide rumbled contentedly. Kae shot a half smile up at him as she reached forward with the living metals, they were practically liquid now, flowing with the energon throughout his shoulder and binding to the spots that were beginning to annoy him with their weakened integrity.

Energon flowed throughout the area, his nanites gleefully putting the deposited metals right were they needed to be.

Perfect joint.

"My uncle used to call me darlin'," Kae murmured with a fond smile of memory as she directed the last of the metals into their proper place and made sure they were bonded properly. She pulled back and watched as the last of the energon put a good shine back into his metals. The joint felt good, mint actually. _His_ joint, just newer. And good to transform fully sealed. Perfect.

"May I call you niece?" Ironhide asked softly, looking at the tiny femme as she carefully inspected her work. Her face flashed up to look at his in surprise, he read those expressive optics of hers. Good optics they were, showing first her surprise, then melting into a look of humble pride.

"I would be honoured, uncle," she murmured, holding his optics properly.

Ironhide couldn't help but grin, he'd always liked that name, it meant there were younglings nearby to play with.

"Good, now while we're at it, my niece," he began with a grin. "I tol' you did a good job wi' them cannons, but you _do_ gotta watch your power use, no sense using all yer power up in three shots when there's five more to take down..."

Kae nodded firmly.

"While you're teachin'" she stated calmly, "did you want me to shore up any more of your joints while we're at it?"

That was a good question, Ironhide thought musingly, he ran a diagnostic through his system and noted the wear patterns, the worst good for another vorn at any rate.

"Thank you, no," Ironhide rumbled contentedly. "It's just the old shoulder gets knocked about with the cannons." he smiled at his new niece as she nodded acceptance. "Now, as to _your_ cannons..."

Had to give the femme credit, she jumped down from his chest and sat on her workbench, curling up slightly and giving him her full attention. Them were some sharp optics. Ironhide leaned in a bit more closely and cheerfully continued on.

::. Ironhide.:: Optimus sent in a mildly exasperated tone.

"Say it aloud, Optimus," Ironhide rumbled with a snort, turning to look at the Prime. "I'm not gonna leave my niece defenceless."

Optimus rolled his optics. Which meant he'd won that argument before it even started. Once again giving Optimus a point. Ironhide added it to his mental tallyboard.

"So where am I going wrong?" Kae asked intently, she lifted her hand and the gauntlet on her hand transformed into a nicely worked cannon.

"You don't have a trigger system," Ironhide rumbled sternly, scanning her cannon.

Kae frowned deeply and glared somewhat at the gauntlet, it shifted over her hand a few times before returning to her original system.

"I can't seem to fit a trigger," she stated with a deep frown, looking up at him. "I know I can fire with it, switch back and forth between energon and plasma, but there's no formal trigger."

"Ratchet!" Ironhide called out, "Lemme borrow your scanners?"

The Medic looked at him and nodded, scanning the Femme.

"She doesn't have room for a trigger," Ratchet stated calmly as Ironhide read the medic's more inclusive data. That explained it absolutely, the _neurals_ were cluttering up her system already, a trigger would be stupid.

"Well, for what you _do_ have room for that's an excellent cannon," Ironhide nodded approvingly down to his niece. "Power conversions are solid, just watch that you don't get excited and use up all your energy on one shot."

"Yes sir," the femme nodded firmly. Good femme.

"Good, I know I can trust you to watch his back, then," Ironhide grinned, looking over at Optimus. Mikaela turned with him, and Ironhide set aside an extra processor to observe her.

Her eyes narrowed slightly, her thoughts staying to herself.

"Say it aloud," Ironhide commanded quietly.

"...Battle situation, I don't have my bike, loss of speed," Kae began muttering a quiet commentary, almost to herself. "Which means that if I'm staying with Optimus I should probably stay tucked in as deeply as I can into the crook of his shoulder, out of his neck struts, he'll need his head... Facing backwards, _gods_ it's been a long time since I've-" she cut herself off almost immediately, her eyes narrowed, shuttered. Ironhide onlined his holoform and leaned against the table beside her.

"Long time since?" he rumbled softly, a single look into her optics and he knew the right words. "Silent, upon my honour as Weapons Master."

"Since I've gone into battle with my tail in the wind," Kae muttered, frowning. The cannon on her hand shifted restlessly for a moment, to fire energon, then plasma and back again. Ironhide nodded to himself. The femme had her wiring straight alright, good bot.

"Gladly do I let you have our backs, my niece," he rumbled contentedly, his holoform patting her back lightly as she shook herself. She smiled at him somewhat wanly and returned to her work stripping down the burrower for parts.


	39. 37 A Guardian and his Reliant

**Chapter 37 - A Guardian and his Reliant**

* * *

(MPOV)

The hammock strung up between two posts and swathed with mosquito netting was positively luxurious, and the soft vibrations from the resting Auto-bots twenty feet away was comforting. Bee was sleeping soundly, the light of the moon crept dimly through the tent entrance, shining off the pale sand and lighting up the desert in stark greys.

I couldn't sleep. I sighed quietly then shrugged, allowing myself a small smile. Two of the jeeps needed an oil change, and that de-activated Decepticon needed to be stripped for parts. Quiet work. I rose and padded quietly to my work area.

The golden light of the lanterns reached into the starkness with a soft caress as I turned them up carefully and turned my music on low, tucking the MP3 player into a pocket and keeping the wires out of the way.

Oil poured into the pans quickly as the filters came off, funnelled into barrels automatically. Clean filters in, bolts back, and clean oil to the top. I logged the serial numbers and mileage, then checked for anything else that needed to be done. The hoods closed with soft clicks. I wiped my hands off carefully and turned to the servo. Hundreds of tiny bolts, carefully sorted. Wiring, piping, long cords of neural fibres, plates of living metal. All carefully removed and bagged for Ratchet's inspection. Memory chips for Optimus to work on.

A guitar began playing in my ears, a familiar song.

'This time, this place, misused, mistakes, too long too late who was I to make you wait? Just one chance, just one breath, just in case there's just one left. 'Cause you know, you know you know. I love you, I loved you all along, and I miss you, been far away for far too long. I keep dreaming, you'll be with me and you never know, stop breathing if I don't see you anymore..."

"Kae, what are you doing awake?" Optimus' voice murmured softly as I set aside another carefully wrapped memory chip.

"Cold," I murmured quietly, turning to look at the holoform with a shrug. "It never seems to matter how many blankets I wrap around myself, I can't seem to stay warm at night. I'm sorry, I didn't wake you did I?"

"Not really, no," the holo smiled gently, touching my shoulder. He began idly rubbing warmth into my arms. I sighed and relaxed into the familiar touch. His arms wrapped lightly around me, and I instinctively leaned into the incredible warmth of the holoform.

'On my knees, I'll ask, last chance for one last dance. 'Cause with you, I'd withstand, all of hell to hold your hand. I'd give it all, I'd give for us, give anything but I won't give up 'cause you know...'

"Come for a drive with me?" he asked gently.

"Of course," I said softly, walking toward the quietly rumbling truck. The music on my headphones quietly picked up on his speakers, making me smile.

'I love you, I loved you all along,'

"I did wake you," I said quietly.

"I woke and heard your music," Optimus corrected.

"Sorry," I murmured contritely.

"Hush, I had to link to your iPod just to hear the words," he chuckled, driving out into the dunes again. I sighed contentedly and curled into the seat, leaning tiredly against his window. The cliffs looked entirely different in the moonlight. So secret and hidden.

"When was the last time you slept?" Optimus asked softly as the passenger door shut behind me, he transformed and sat carefully.

"Slept or rested?" I asked in a weary tone, sitting carefully on his proffered hand. "I sleep a few hours every night."

"When did you last sleep and wake rested?" he asked calmly, depositing me on his leg.

"The first two nights I spent on base," I murmured, leaning against him tiredly. "I don't know what happened, I felt so safe, alert those first two days, and then it just slowly faded, as if it had been the most beautiful dream."

"What did you dream?"

"That I was completely surrounded by light, love and warmth that seemed to touch my soul." I sighed, scooting down slightly to lay down on his thigh. "And your presence, somehow, as though the light was you, bringing me back. Keeping me safe."

"It was," Optimus sighed, "I am sorry."

"For what?" I murmured, tilting my head back slightly to look at him.

"I placed you in my spark chamber, I... interfaced with you without your consent."

"It was you," I murmured, pressing closer to him. "You were the light holding me away from the darkness," I looked up at him with a small smile. "But then I suppose you still are."

Tentatively, a giant hand reached up and lightly caressed my cheek. I leaned into his touch, running my hands along the chinks in his armour. A delicate shudder ran through his frame. I looked up worriedly.

"I'm sorry, am I hurting you?" I asked in quiet concern.

"Your hands are so gentle," he rumbled softly, "it feels so good..."

"It's not distasteful for you?" I asked carefully, turning around to look at him properly.

"I welcome it," he looked down at me gently, still tentatively caressing my cheek and waist. I rose and reached up, lightly running my hands beneath the plates of his abdomen, feeling the warmth of the living metal beneath. A rough patch caused Optimus to wince, I looked up at him worriedly, recognizing the badly healed scar by touch.

"That came from the same blast that killed Elita," He stated, his gaze a million miles away. Looking into a past more distant than the rise and fall of the old Earth civilizations.

"You love her," I said gently.

"My spark-bound," he sighed, returning to the present, "some wounds never heal."

"All wounds heal in time," I protested softly, "if we let them." I could feel the hesitation in the rate his air out-takes blew softly, in the very vibrations of his cooling fans. I pulled my shoes off and climbed barefoot up his chest, coming to sit lightly on his shoulder in a companion's silence. Waiting.

"How do humans fit so much into a tiny frame?" Optimus finally murmured.

"Many of us lie," I said quietly, leaning against his cheek. "We tell ourselves that there is only so much space in our hearts to love. Or the imperialists will say that our emotions are nothing more than a wash of hormones, triggered by instinct and synapses." I looked at him with a small smile. "But do _you_ store all of your love and compassion in your radiator pump?"

Optimus snorted in spite of himself.

"Point," he rumbled, chuckling.

"Your love is held in your spark," I smiled at him gently, turning slightly to look up at the stars, extraordinarily bright in such a dry atmosphere. "You can scan it, gauge the amount of Energon that runs through you, but emotions can't be measured. They're eternal, ethereal, surpassing even death."

I heard the low whoosh of a rapid intake of air. But louder, the hum of his spark.

"Optimus," I said quietly, turning to look at him seriously. "Love is meant to make us strong. If Elita was a Femme truly worthy of your spark, she would not want you to continue bearing such scars to weaken you. Letting go of the pain of loss doesn't mean you'd be letting go of her. Anymore than you'll love another the same way you love her." I reached up hesitantly and caressed his cheek as he had mine.

"How do you know?" he murmured, carefully turning to look at me fully.

My breath hitched slightly, but we were honest with each other.

"I share the feeling with her," I murmured softly, "I know you'll live far longer than I ever will, I want you to. To live, to love, to never lose the incredible compassion and soul that define who you are. Beyond being Prime. You're so much more than that, and when I go, I want you to take my love with you."

"What am I beyond being a Prime?" he asked, a barely recognizable tone of bitterness, of desperation beneath the eternally calm voice.

"You're Optimus," I said calmly, my eyes never flinching from his optics. "You are a Prime, yes, perhaps the last Prime, but that will never define who you _are. _You are first and foremost Optimus. Power means nothing without love. And you are _loved_ Optimus, loved as a father, a friend, a leader. You command loyalty with love and trust, something that Megatron will never be capable of." I finished firmly, then looked back at the stars.

We sat in silence, watching the stars for a long time.

"How do you make that definition?" Optimus finally asked.

"Gladly do I respect and give deference to Prime," I said quietly, feeling as though I were quoting something, "but _Optimus_ is the one I laugh with, argue with even though I know you're probably right. Not always," I added quickly, shooting a teasing grin at him. "But most of the time. Prime is my commander, Optimus is the bot I love, mystical leader of a race of autonomous robotic organisms or not." I leaned in and kissed his faceplate lightly, about as close to his lips as I could reach before sliding down his chest to land somewhat more heavily than I'd intended on the ground.

"Come back here, I am not done with you yet," Optimus growled, I could hear his smile before I even turned around.

"Is that an order Optimus?" I grinned up at him, lightly ducking away from his reaching hand. He snorted and cupped his hands, boxing me in.

"No," he rumbled, a low chuckle betraying the serious tone.

A couple of quick running steps and I was sitting delicately beside his upraised thumb, wrapping an arm around the digit for support.

"So what did you actually want to talk about?" I asked, leaning a trusting cheek against the pad of his thumb.

"Ratchet has been on my bumper non-stop..." Optimus trailed off with a small frown.

"Asking you when you're going to safely lower the levels of energon floating around in my system?" I looked at him in amusement.

He stared at me in silence.

"You know, I thought I was going insane all over again when I heard the two of you talking and no one else was paying attention. Took me forever to figure out that Ratchet had linked my iPod. It's not polite to talk in Cybertronian at sub-audio levels." I gave him a mockingly stern look then laughed. "You know how much Ratchet loves meddling."

Optimus reached up and rubbed his brow in mild irritation.

"Sorry," I added contritely, hugging his thumb a bit more tightly.

"Eventually that bot is going to meet his match, I just hope I am around to laugh at _his _frustration at dealing with himself." Optimus grumbled. I stared at him and began laughing helplessly.

"So is there any particular reason that Ratchet is constantly shoving the two of us together?" I asked with a smile, and admittedly, a touch of hope. "Primus sake you _must_ realize just how difficult it is to properly offend me." I added quietly.

"Mikaela you are a riddle wrapped in an enigma," Optimus said chidingly, "It is as though you enjoy being difficult to understand."

"I knew you were intelligent," I teased him gently, smiling.

"You do?" he looked down at me incredulously.

"It's the thrill of the game," I grinned, "if men understood women, they'd take them for granted. But a male ego is such a fragile thing, sometimes you need to chase them for a while before you let them catch you."

"If you don't want to be understood, why explain?" Optimus teased me lightly.

I lapsed into silence.

"Kae?"

"I don't know why," I murmured, "Sometimes... sometimes I find myself wanting to be caught for once. To have an understanding with someone." I snorted, "it's proper etiquette to quietly learn if said male is available for the chasing of course." I glanced at Optimus for a second before shyly returning my gaze to the stars.

"I am," Optimus rumbled softly, "and I would appreciate it if you would allow me to catch you."

I looked at him in shock for a long second before reaching for him. He carefully held me against his chest plates. I clung to him.

"Would you touch my spark?" he asked, voice barely above a whisper, "I want you to rest again." I smiled up at him and climbed into his chest plates; running my fingers lightly along his spark chamber and drawing a keening moan from him.

"Tell me what you like," I crooned softly, tracing the engravings over the warm, pulsing crystal and steel. My fingers passed over a rough patch on his frame, an un-tended crack. Symbols began to dance lazily in front of my eyes as a cool flush of energon swirled through me. Light flickered in my fingers, shining a fiery red through the flesh. Instinct guided my hands as I lightly passed over the wound, watching it seal itself flawlessly as Optimus moaned.

"Primus that feels good," he whispered.

"Down," I murmured quietly.

"Is that an order?" Optimus murmured with a low snort.

"Does it have to be?" I laughed softly, gently kissing his chamber. He groaned and obediently laid back, the chinks in his armour loosening somewhat. I began making my way along his frame, smoothing welding scars, sealing tears until I reached the one in his abdomen. I touched the uppermost edge and froze.

"Optimus?" I asked softly. His holo flickered in front of me, face indecisive. "I won't heal it if you aren't ready," I whispered gently.

We stared at each other in silence for a long, pregnant moment. Finally, his holoform reached out and lightly took my hand.

"All wounds heal in time," he murmured, pressing my palm against the scar.

The energon flowing through my system began to dance, seeping into the depths of the gash and sealing it, as though it had never been there. Optimus' holoform groaned simultaneously with his metal body, dragging me close and pressing his forehead to mine.

"Don't stop, please don't stop," he moaned softly as I began lightly stroking the now rapidly healing gash. A final flash of blinding light and a well-healed, smooth scar lay beneath my hand.

"Mikaela," he whispered softly, the hands of his holoform delicately running through my hair as he held my forehead to his.

I pulled back slightly, reaching up to cup his cheek as I looked up into his earnest blue eyes. He carefully began to draw me toward his spark chamber, the tentative touch of his hands speaking louder than words. 'Only if you want to.'

"You're so soft," he whispered, a hand straying to stroke the skin around my stomach.

"Your holoform is generated by your optics isn't it?" I murmured, pressing the length of my body against the avatar for a moment. I pinned his hands to my waist

"It is," he looked down at me with amused curiosity.

"So with _that_ being the case," I purred, slowly sliding his hands up to my ribcage, his hands pushing my shirt higher. "You've just redefined undressing me with your eyes."

Optimus froze and stared at me before breaking down into a deep throated chuckle. A powerful arm wound around my waist, drawing me close against the heat and pressing a bruisingly powerful kiss to my lips. I melted into him as he slid my shorts off my hips, once again drawing me toward his spark. He pulled back and looked down at me with an unspoken question.

I gave him a gentle smile and leaned backward, propped bare-arsed against the chamber as gentle hands pushed my shirt over my head. I reached behind myself and flicked the clasp open on my bra, letting it slip off easily. The next second I felt a tingling warmth flash across my skin, as though I'd rolled in snow before jumping into warm water. I gasped, arching into that touch as it pulled me first against Optimus' spark, then directly into it.

My eyes opened to the dream again, blinding, blue-white light surrounded me, touched my skin, passed gently through me.

::. Mikaela.:: Optimus' voice sounded in my mind.

"Optimus," I whispered back, arching slowly and reaching out to run my hands along the fibres of light.

::. Oh Primus.:: he groaned ::. You feel so good.::

More of the tendrils of light reached toward me, tickling, stroking, caressing, burning, leaving no part untouched. I gasped as it pressed into my skin, seeking the energon in my system, seeking my spark. It raced across my nerves, sending thrills of pleasure to every sensitive place. Heat began building in my chest, shooting down into a powerful awareness of the centre of creation.

"Don't stop, oh gods Optimus, please don't stop," I begged, my voice hardly more than a whimper.

He chuckled, the vibrations shooting through my senses, teasing them to an even higher sensitivity.

::. You are beautiful when you beg.:: he rumbled silently, the tendrils reaching deeper into my body until they just barely caressed my very soul.

"Only when I beg?" I murmured teasingly. Instantly I felt Optimus' chagrin. His spark coalesced into his avatar in front of me... mostly... his form and shape, if not his colour.

"I..." Optimus started, speaking aloud. The look on his face was priceless.

I couldn't help it, I began giggling softly.

"You really can't help but think that you've offended me," I murmured, reaching out and running my hands gently along the light. The hum of his spark spoke of confusion now. "I'll tell you what," I murmured, pressing myself against his spark. "You promise to tell me when you're uncomfortable with something, if you don't like it, I'll stop. And I'll make the same promise to you."

Optimus had been kind enough to provide me with a rather excellent human form, I began exploring his spark's 'body'; seeking and exploring every sensitive point on the human form.

::. Oh Primus lower.:: he rumbled a second later, pressing tightly against me. His hands slid up to begin kneading my muscles, I moaned softly, obeying his desire and began working my way across his body, finding the places that made him _really_ hum.

::. Is this how you play, my Kae?.:: he rumbled softly, I could hear his smirk.

"I prefer to think of it as a learned skill," I murmured into his spark. "Something that I absolutely adore practicing and improving at every available chance."

"I am so glad to hear that," Optimus growled, I could feel the vicious grin on his face, the heat and passion in his voice beyond measure as he dove into my soul.

I couldn't hold back my own reflexes, writhing under his touch, beyond words. Crying out softly at the sensation of being filled absolutely. My senses came fully online, images of Cybertron before the war flashed through my mind, the smell of energon, heat and electricity, pure and sweet, untainted by anger. I could feel Optimus' struggle to hold back.

"Come on, Optimus, don't hold back overload on me," I whispered, undulating in the warmth and emotion. The light became intense, a brilliant flash of white, time slowed to nothing as we merged. I could feel my... spark, my soul reach for him. Tentatively touch his. I could feel his loss, more than simply a spark-bonded, every spark he had lost he remembered, every life he had had to take endlessly clawing at him. I reached for him, the movement instantly becoming conscious as I pressed against him, supporting him, wanting to caress away the hurt.

~Mikaela~ his voice whispered in my very soul.

~Optimus~ I whispered back, opening my eyes. He stood before me, a head taller, I reached toward him with delicate, silvery hands and caressed his face. He bent down and kissed me lightly, the metal plates clicking gently. He pulled me tightly to his chest, we rocked slowly, each offering comfort to the other. Supporting each other. I breathed in his warm scent and closed my eyes, relaxing into him completely and revelling in his presence until sleep finally claimed me for her own.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus felt the tiny, enormous spark drift into a recharge cycle. Loathe to part with her now... or ever... he onlined his optics and transformed into his truck form, his spark chamber integrating itself into his sleeper, the hyper-sensitive neural fibres weaving themselves into an enveloping hammock.

He glanced around himself and noted with a small smile her shoes laying in the sand. He picked them up and quietly deposited them in his cab.

Mikaela shifted slightly in her sleep, the hammock rocking gently as he drove, sending a pleasant thrill through his processors.

It was a fairly short drive, and within minutes he was safely parked beside Ratchet. A soft hum and light snores indicated that Ironhide and Chromia had drifted into their recharge cycles with their sparks completely interwoven again. Optimus couldn't help a small smile. No doubt if they came under attack Ironhide would be the first one awake, shielding Chromia as she protected everyone else. He murmured a response to Ratchet's half-alert inquiry and drifted into his own cycle.

* * *

(RPOV)

Ratchet onlined the second he heard his assistant padding through the sand to her workstation. An instant's calculation stated she had slept for two point one hours, and a scan showed that she'd received no rest from it. A worrisome level of adrenaline seemed to be powering the little carbon unit at this point.

::. Prime.:: he sent the communication silently so as to not disturb the others.

::. Ratchet?.:: the worried transmission came back.

::. It's your turn to take care of her, I'm recharging.:: Ratchet stated smugly, he shut down communication, looking for all intents and purposes as though he'd gone back to sleep. He kept his sensors active, listening to the communication between Optimus and Mikaela. The music she was listening to was a nice touch, Ratchet thought. Optimus was a smooth player when he wanted to be. In minutes Mikaela was walking toward the enormous Peterbuilt and climbing up into the Prime's cab. They drove off as quietly as Optimus could manage, surprisingly low considering his size.

"About time," was Ratchet's last thought before he slipped into a proper recharge cycle.

He roused himself again when he heard Optimus rolling in quietly.

::. How'd it go?.:: Ratchet asked, sounding perfectly sleepy. His scans already showed that Mikaela had next to no Energon in her system now.

::. Just fine, she is sleeping.:: Optimus replied before slipping into his own recharge cycle. Ratchet smirked to himself, that response had been positively smug.


	40. 38 Convoy

**Chapter 38 - Convoy**

* * *

(RPOV)

"Hey Ratchet?" a mildly worried voice called out in the pre-dawn light.

Ratchet onlined his optics quickly.

"Have you seen Mikaela?" Epps asked as he walked over, frowning.

"She is asleep," Optimus rumbled softly, driving forward a foot or so.

"But she's not in her tent!" Epps protested.

"She was cold last night," Ratchet replied mildly, transforming and moving toward the work area, "Prime noticed and convinced her to sleep in his bunk."

"Hammock now, it is a lot easier to move about without waking her when she's suspended like that." Prime interjected mildly.

"I'm awake!" her voice called out groggily. Mikaela climbed down from Optimus' cab, he transformed a moment later as she walked toward Ratchet, yawning. "Hey Bobby, is the coffee on?" she asked curiously.

"Yeah, we were hoping you'd let us use your tent as a mess out the sun," Epps grinned, throwing a teasing arm across her shoulders.

"Go for it, lemme get my clothes," Mikaela grinned, ducking into the canvas tent.

* * *

(MPOV)

I quickly untied my hammock and rolled it up with the mosquito netting, making plenty of room for my sleeping quarters to become the Mess Tent. I threw back the coffee Epps handed me and ducked out of the tent again, carrying my clothes over an arm. Destination: the mildly concealed spot near my workbench to change. The twins chose that moment to throw each other against it, collapsing the shade sheet and promptly getting tangled in it.

"You scrapping _glitches_!" I shouted indignantly, dropping my clothes and moving to untangle their servos before they managed to damage them, again. "You made it all the way though yesterday without fighting, fine, but I swear to Primus if you damage those arms again I'm going to re-attach them someplace else entirely!"

"Where?" Mudflap asked curiously, holding his hand toward me to let me disentangle him from the last of the netting.

"Either your forehead or your arse, I haven't decided yet," I grumbled, fighting a grin.

Ratchet burst out laughing, garnering a silent glare from Skids. The twins, once freed, drove off quickly to avoid the usual Ratchet scolding.

I stood with my hands on my hips.

"Well, there goes my screen for getting changed, dammit." I grumbled, and picked up my clothes again.

Optimus chuckled and cupped his hands around me. I shot him a grateful smile and changed into the fresh clothing, I glanced upward and caught Optimus' speculative gaze.

Denims zipped and tank top on I bundled up the rest of my clothes and stuffed them into a bag, leaving it on the ground for a moment. I climbed quickly up Optimus' hand and scampered barefoot up his arm to his shoulder.

"What?" I murmured softly.

∂Just as I suspected∂ Optimus stated calmly in common.

∂What?∂ I repeated myself with a small smile.

∂Your armour does not do you justice, you are beautiful, my Kae,∂ Optimus rumbled gently, reaching up and running a gentle finger down my arm. I blushed and smiled at him.

∂Flatterer∂ I said with gentle reproach, running my hand up his finger to indicate I didn't really mean it, before settling into his hand. He set me gently down on the sand beside the bag while Ratchet watched us with a broad smirk.

"Oi you, go eat something!" Ratchet commanded me as I made my way toward the partially dismantled servo on my workbench.

"What?" I looked up at him in consternation.

"Food, eat, I don't care if you're... currently chock full of energon, you still need food." Ratchet frowned down at me. I didn't have to look to feel Optimus' eyes fall on me, I knew he'd be scanning as well.

"You're a bully Ratch," I rolled my eyes and made my way toward the mess tent, one earbud already quietly playing music in my ear. I waved at the few soldiers already in the tent and quickly packed my clothes into the duffle Chance had brought me, shoving it into the corner.

::. Ratchet, she was fully drained last night!.:: Optimus' voice growled in my ear suddenly, making me jump.

::. I know, I scanned her when you returned.:: Ratchet replied in a worried tone. ::. She slept soundly, it's almost like she entered a full recharge cycle...::

On sudden inspiration I touched my iPod and felt a tiny surge of energon escape my fingertips into the machine.

::. You know I can still hear you both right?.:: I thought silently, reaching for Optimus.

Outside the tent, Ironhide burst out laughing.

"Hah! Hoisted by your own petard Ratch!" he guffawed, I picked up one of the nutrient supplement packs and a bottle of water, winking at Epps as I ducked out of the tent again. I walked toward the group of mechs with an apologetic look on my face. Optimus immediately offered me a hand, depositing me easily on his shoulder. I felt my soul, carried on a current of energon, reach toward him. His spark touched mine gently in greeting.

_You two interfaced? About scrapping time!∂ _Chromia stated with a grin.

_And bonded by the look of that flare∂ _Arcee added, looking up at me with a broad smile as I blushed. ∂_Welcome to the family, Kae.∂_

_My little sister is all grown up and... and bonded to a _Prime!Sideswipe gave a huge, fake sniffle and burst out into a hearty laugh.

∂_If you can find it in your sparks to stop ribbing my spark-mate we do have work to do∂_ Optimus chided the group gently.

_That, is so cute∂_ Ironhide murmured the quiet aside to Chromia, who giggled. The group of soldiers walked toward us.

"Right you guys, we just got the call, the Dagger's tip is the old name for the gulf of Agaba," Lennox called out. "Once we get there, we set up for the dawn and try to figure out who or what the three kings are."

Most of the squad scattered to hide the base camp, Optimus set me down to transform as Ratchet's holo handed me the pack.

"Don't turn it on unless absolutely necessary," he ordered me sternly, helping me tighten the various straps.

"Okay Doc," I smiled, fitting the glove to my hand and adjusting the connections.

"So what does this lot chat about anyway?" Graham piped up, clapping a hand on my shoulder with a grin.

"Hmn?" I looked up at him curiously, tightening a last couple of straps on my arm as Ratchet's holo winked out.

"You speak Cybertronian now don't you?" Epps grinned, "you were sitting on the big guy's shoulder, what does this lot talk about while we're doing the morning pep-talk?"

"Same thing, sort of," I laughed, glancing at Optimus as he revved up a bit.

"Like what?" Chance bugged me.

Bumblebee rolled past us, his speakers turning on to blare the Barenaked Ladies' "Lovers in a dangerous time!"

"Bee!" I laughed, fighting to sound indignant and lightly thwacking his fender.

"=Optimus-and-Kae-sitting-in-a-tree, i-n-t-e-r-f-a-c-i-n-g=," Bee added gleefully.

"=Oh! Now-I'm-gonna-get-you!=" I replied in scout, taking a couple of quick steps toward him.

"=Gotta-catch-me-first!=" Bee sang as he roared off, another love song blaring over his speakers.

"Whoa what?" Epps looked at me with raised eyebrows.

"He's bugging me about spending so much time with Optimus," I laughed, fighting the temptation to switch on the pack and flick a little ball of energon at him.

"But you two go off to talk about All-Spark stuff don't you?"

"For the most part," I nodded, "But seeing as this lot doesn't need any more pep, it's more of a morning ribbing," I chuckled, walking toward Optimus as he crept a couple of feet toward me.

"C'mon! You gotta at least give us _something!_" Epps called after me, already headed toward his jeep.

"Doesn't really translate!" I shouted from the top step of the cab, ducking in easily.

"This lot does pretty good translating for us," Epps' voice called over the radio, I could hear him grinning.

"Yeah, but I'm not as smart as they are," I retorted, "Think of a language, Vietnamese maybe, but a thousand times more complex, where not only tone, but the speed saying it completely changes the meaning. The same word for friend, could mean comrade in arms, sibling, lover. I honestly wish you lot could hear it," I sat back in Optimus' seat as he shot forward, "It's truly one of those incredible 'you had to have been there' things. Three words could vary from a declaration of eternal love to an oath of hatred."

"Well damn," Graham interjected, "There's no blackmail material in that!"

"Nope," I laughed, stroking the smooth leather of the seat.

"Right, radio silence boys and girls," Lennox piped up,

"Kae, you should probably drive," Optimus murmured, "It would look strange to have you in the passenger seat like that."

"Alright," I smiled, sliding from passenger to driver's seat. "You want me to sit and look like I'm driving or actually drive?"

"If you drive I can keep an eye on the sky."

I promptly set my foot on the gas, one hand lightly resting on the stick shift. The gas pedal increased it's resistance, indicating he'd handed over control. I continued to follow the jeep driving in front of us.

"Kae," Optimus murmured.

"Optimus?" I asked softly.

"If we come under attack..." he trailed off.

"I'll be fighting with you," I said gently, running my hand lightly over the insignia stamped in the middle of the steering wheel. Optimus sighed.

"Please keep yourself safe," he rumbled quietly, "if you can, stay with me, or ride with Arcee. I cannot lose you now."

"My love is with you, in life and death," I whispered, caressing the seat delicately. "I will not sit idly by to lose you, you know that right? Don't let yourself be distracted by me in the field, I have no need for my life without my soul."

The jeep ahead of us slowed slightly, with precision I revved up and took Optimus down a couple of gears.

"Optimus, I thought you were letting Mikaela drive," Ironhide's voice came over the speakers quietly.

"She is," Optimus rumbled.

I didn't see anyone watching, my left thigh came up to steady the steering wheel as I tied my hair back quickly.

"Now you are just showing off, my Kae," Optimus murmured with a low chuckle. I began laughing as the window rolled down. We drove in comfortable silence for a few hours, I listened to the occasional comment and report as they filtered over to Optimus. We finally stopped to rest during the mid-day sun.

"Deserts, I hate friggin deserts!" Epps complained, jumping out of the jeep in front of us and making a beeline for the watering station. A whiff of a breeze touched my face. Something smelled off. Familiar.

"Epps!" I shouted, scrambling out of the cab.

"What?" he froze, his hand halfway to the water spigot.

"Doesn't anyone else smell that?" I asked in a deathly quiet tone, turning my head back and forth to catch the scent again.

"Smell what?" Lennox asked quietly, coming to stand beside me with a gun cradled carefully across his chest.

"Death," I murmured softly, "death and something chemical."

"I don't smell anything," Lennox looked around. I walked around the well and caught an all-too familiar smell. I walked toward it, zigzagging for a second to follow the breeze then ran, following the faint scent. A hundred feet and I found it. Symbols danced in front of my eyes for a second before I looked away.

"Will," I called, looking at the soldiers as they jogged toward me. "Human male, he's pretty badly chewed up." I cautioned them.

"Right, get the pictures and then build a cairn over him," Will commanded quickly. Graham held up a camera and gestured me to stay still, he took a picture of my position before nodding. I walked back to the well and grabbed a dipper, leaving the professionals to their duty. I took a sample of the water and brought it to Ratchet, shaking my head at the reddened, rusty colour of it. Will followed, close to my shoulder.

"This water has been poisoned," the Medi-bot rumbled, creeping forward a couple of feet. His holo flickered and got out of his vehicle form.

"Damn it! We need water," Lennox growled softly.

"Kae, turn that pack on and see if you can make a filtration unit." Ratchet commanded calmly, still scanning the water.

"Alright," I nodded, pressing the button at my wrist.

"Wow that's freaky," Epps walked over, looking at my back.

"What?" I looked at him curiously, feeling the creeping feeling across my back again. I relaxed my muscles as the mosquito bite feeling came back.

"You can actually see where it's goin' under your skin," Epps shook his head.

"Mikaela, you will want to configure it to only allow Di-hydrogen oxide through a net," Ratchet coaxed me, his holoform touched my shoulder gently.

I frowned in concentration, visualizing the molecular makeup as the glove on my hand expanded, curling my fingers in. A micro-screen of energon extended through my cupped fingers. I offered it up for Ratchet's inspection. He nodded approval.

"We got water?" Lennox looked at me with raised eyebrows. I nodded, no longer trusting myself to speak as memories flashed past my eyes.

"You okay Mikaela?" Epps looked at me worriedly. Startled, I looked up quickly, clearing my throat.

"Sorry, yeah, bad memories, let's get some canteens filled," I said quietly.

"You wanna talk?" Epps asked calmly, grabbing a load of containers and following me.

"Maybe later, but thanks Bobby," I looked up at him with a weak smile, holding my hand beneath the spigot. "Ready?" I asked, powering up the filter.

"Set I guess," Epps shrugged, holding a canteen under my hand. I opened the tap and watched with a small smile as clear water poured out from beneath my hand.

"Damn that's cool!" Graham commented, coming up with another load of canteens.

"And cold," I added, shutting the spigot off as the fifth canteen reached the top. I deposited the collected debris into a metal tin and shook my hand, flexing my fingers for a second before powering up the filter again.

"I'm a bit worried you're not freaking out," Lennox stated calmly.

"I'll freak out later, in private," I shrugged as Epps handed him a canteen. A better memory touched me, I laughed. "Uncle Sho always called it my delayed girly response."

"What?" Lennox laughed.

"It's a long story," I gave him a weak smile, "Needless to say there isn't time for hysterics when you're hotwiring a car to escape the people with guns after you." I looked down and shut off the spigot again. "How many more should we fill up?" I asked calmly, shaking my hand idly to warm it again.

"Five more will do it," Chance called out, "We can do without 'em if..."

"Nah, it's good," I interrupted him with a small smile, powering up again.

"What the hell is in that water? That guy was damn near melted," Jacobs called out, walking away from the new cairn.

"Sulphuric acid," I replied noncommittally. "Basically old-school battery acid."

"That is correct," Ratchet nodded a second later, scanning the debris I'd put in the tin.

"Okay _now_ you need to tell the story," Epps frowned at me.

"You guys were around when Sam had Sector Seven clear my record?" I looked up at Lennox, he nodded.

"They put me in Juvie for six months, I got out in four for good behaviour. Mostly because I wound up fixing the van that was taking us to the hall on the way there," I snorted.

"Then how..."

"There were two murders when I was in there," I said quietly, straightening and looking into the distance to keep my eyes dry. "One kid got stabbed by gang order, one was poisoned in the cell next to mine. I could hear her gasping for air, choking on her own blood. She couldn't scream because the acid had eaten away her vocal chords almost immediately. I could smell the acid, the blood as she burned." I shuddered and viciously composed myself. "It's not a smell you forget, no matter how faint," I stated coldly, watching the last canteen fill with sparkling, clean water.

"What happened after that?" Epps looked at me with a frown.

"I screamed the house down," I shrugged, turning off the spigot and powering down the pack. "It's the wrong thing to do in prison, you're supposed to keep to yourself. Her name was Jennifer. She'd been in for three years already, manslaughter. She was a good person though, killed the man trying to beat her gran, never got to say goodbye to her grandparents." I took a quick swig of the water, shook my head and walked back toward Optimus.

"Mikaela, what happened to you?" Epps called out, catching up to me. I turned around and faced him, pulling up the hem of my tank top; showing a long-healed scar across my ribs.

"They caught the girl who killed her, when she tried to kill me for interfering," I shrugged, tucking the shirt back down again. "They let me out not long after that."

"Jesus Mary and Joseph," Chance whispered, looking at me in horror.

"We've all got our stories," I shrugged again, forcing myself to give them a small smile. "Sometimes you just have to make sure that they don't define you." I ran my hand lightly over Optimus' fender as he revved up slightly, climbing up into the cab and buckling in.

"Are you alright?" Optimus rumbled as I adjusted the seat slightly.

"I'm okay," I replied in a calmer tone. "That was a long time ago."

"I meant the dead body you found," Optimus chided me gently as I depressed the clutch, getting into gear to follow the jeep.

"I'll set aside some time to go into shock and have a fit of hysteria later," I grinned in spite of myself, "Right now I'm surrounded by friends and colleagues, I hate crying in public."

I got back into neutral again as I watched Chance feverishly digging in the packs. He grinned as he held something up for Lennox to see before jogging toward Optimus, he climbed up to look at me through the open window, offering me the bag. I looked at the assortment of hard-candies and began laughing.

"Chance you're a dear, dear soul, you know that right?" I smiled at him, accepting a small handful of sugar.

"You can have the whole bag if you want," he looked at me earnestly.

"And deny the rest of you your sugar fix?" I grinned at him, reaching out to squeeze his shoulder in thanks. "No, I'm alright Chance, you know me, perpetually cheerful no matter what. But thank you."

"No worries," he finally grinned at me, jumping down to trot back to the jeep, he received a few high fives as the convoy rolled out.

"Lumps of sugar?" Optimus asked curiously.

"It's impossible to cry when sucking on a hard candy," I chuckled, tossing the candies into a small bag and setting them in the cup holder.

We took off again, driving carefully along the deserted roads until we came to a checkstop.

"Passport!"

I stayed behind the wheel in Optimus' cab, idling in neutral until Will waved me over.

"What do I do about the pack?" I murmured.

"Lie if you have to, but keep it on." Optimus rumbled softly as I got out of the cab.

"What is?" the official asked angrily, gesturing toward me. I thought for a second then groaned, diving back into Optimus' cab.

"Can't think of a lie?" Optimus murmured with a soft laugh.

"They're Jordanians, I'm supposed to be covering my head," I murmured, fishing out the long strip of linen that would serve as a headscarf. I carefully covered my hair and climbed out of the truck. The guards looked a bit more at ease, one of them gesturing apologetically to cover my face as well, I obeyed with a small nod.

The head guard gestured me forward again.

"I apologize for giving offence," I said quietly, looking at him with the apology in my eyes. He nodded with a small smile, hesitantly patting my shoulder.

"You are quick," he said slowly. "What brings?"

I glanced over my shoulder to Lennox, he walked toward us with a respectful nod.

"She is with us, I apologize that I forgot to warn her to cover herself," Lennox said immediately.

"No harm," the man waved his hand airily, obviously still more comfortable talking to Will, I stepped back slightly as Will made his reports.

"Kae?" Will looked back at me.

"Sir?" I looked at him calmly.

"Do you still have the solids from the water?"

"And a liquid sample," I nodded.

"Could you get them?"

"Yes sir," I nodded and hurried toward Ratchet, collecting the samples and bringing them back to the grouped men.

One of the guards spoke in rapid Arabic, looking at the water with a deep frown. He accepted the jar and unscrewed it, making to take a drink. My hand flashed out to cover the mouth of the jar.

"Poison," I said urgently, pointing at the jar and crossing a finger across my neck. I gently took the jar from the stunned guard and carefully poured a drop onto my hand, holding it out for the men to see. In moments the skin began to redden then blister as the acid burned it's way into my skin.

The man took one look at the acid burn and ran into the hut, returning with a box and sprinkling the powder over my hand. Baking soda fizzed over the blisters, neutralizing the acid. I nodded my thanks.

"We will take care of," the head guard nodded firmly, looking at Lennox.

"Thank you," the Major nodded, handing the guard a memory chip from the camera as I climbed back up into Optimus' cab.

The gate opened and I got into gear, following the lead jeep.

"Mikaela?" Will's voice came over the radio.

"Major Lennox?" I asked curiously.

"Remind me to throw a commendation for fast thinking," Will stated, I could hear his grin. "How's the hand doing?"

"Feels like I got stung by a bee, that'll go away," I replied with a small laugh. "At least it's not friggen shrapnel." I shifted gears and winced as it pulled at the abused skin. I shifted my hand slightly on the gearshift and felt the slight vibration of Optimus repressing a shudder.

I bit back a smile and tried to minimize my movements.

"Now who's the tease?" he rumbled softly.

"I _am_ trying to not distract you," I murmured, fighting back the threatening grin.

"You are failing admirably," Optimus rumbled, I could hear the grin he was fighting.

"So long as it's admirably," I finally laughed, relaxing into the seat.

"If you do not stop that, I will be having my way with you tonight," Optimus rumbled threateningly.

"Promise?" I murmured, giving the gear shift a gentle squeeze.

Optimus chuckled darkly, the seat giving my rear a gentle caress before his attention moved back to scanning the area.

I plugged my iPod into one ear and tucked it into the strap around my chest.

Four hours of driving and a small village materialized in front of us. The pyramids loomed on the horizon behind them. I gripped the steering wheel as a memory insinuated itself into my mind. Rig.

"Mikaela?" Optimus rumbled worriedly.

"I'm okay," I murmured, taking a few deep, calming breaths and forcing myself to concentrate on driving as the sun set quickly behind us.

"You are becoming upset."

"Just... just memories," I murmured, running light fingers over the steering wheel.

We drove in silence for several minutes.

"That's not going to work, you know," Optimus rumbled idly.

"What's not going to work?" I asked curiously.

"Distracting me from asking," Optimus teased me gently.

"I'm still not allowed to tell you," I murmured with a small smile.

"What's on the chips?" he asked suddenly.

"Salt and vinegar?" I replied automatically, raising my eyebrows. Optimus' holoform flickered to life beside me with a frown.

"You've been hiding them for a long time," he said calmly. "That response was completely automatic."

I sighed and looked at him sadly.

"You've come across the phrase 'that's just the tip of the iceberg?'" I asked calmly. Optimus nodded thoughtfully. "I'm not a criminal," I said softly, looking back at the road, "not really, but loyalty sometimes means making sacrifices to keep people alive. Safe." my hands gripped the steering wheel before I forced them to relax again. "The hardest ones to make are the ones that mean keeping that sacrifice a complete secret, even from the ones you trust the most." I looked at him again, "I know it makes me look like a cold, unfeeling criminal. I hate that part, sometimes."

"Sometimes?" Optimus asked curiously.

"There are times when being a 'bad-ass criminal' comes in handy," I grinned, the brake lights on the jeep in front of me lit up in the dark, I geared down quickly and came to a smooth halt, my hand hovering over the activation of my pack; just in case.

"Alright people, let's set up camp!" Lennox called out, walking along the convoy. I climbed out of Optimus' cab immediately, his holoform following suit.

"Hey Mikaela?" Chance called out curiously.

"What's up Chance?" I called back.

"I don't suppose there's _any_ chance you know how to cook?" he shot me a pleading look, puppy dog eyes straight out of a movie.

I glared at him for a second before rolling my eyes.

"Fine but I'm not doing the dishes!" I called back. He whooped and left me in charge of the little camp kitchen. I frowned at the ingredients available and shrugged. Stew then.

"Mikaela, how'd you learn that?" Will asked curiously as I set a pot of water on to boil.

"Boil water? Water pot heat," I shrugged, looking up at him with a grin.

He snorted and crossed his arms, "No, I mean how did you figure out how to turn that bloody stove on." he grinned.

"It is _just_ new enough that it is not only similar to the stove I grew up with, but the instructions are still on a sticker on the panel underneath." I grinned, throwing the chunks of mystery red meat Chance said needed to be used into a hot dry pot with a bit of oil. I sniffed at the immediate steam.

"What do you think Major, goat?" I asked calmly.

"Yep," Lennox gave me a long look before sitting down on the tailgate. Optimus' holo winked into being beside him. "How old are you again?"

"Lennox!" I stated mildly, "it's impolite to ask a lady her age," I shot a wink at him before I began to toss the frying meat with some seasonings.

"Sorry, how old are you again?" Lennox laughed this time.

"Eighteen, or... hang on, what day is it today?" I asked curiously.

"Um, November first, we missed Halloween," Will frowned.

"Huh, I'm nineteen now," I pursed my lips then shrugged.


	41. 39 Grandfather's Story

**Chapter 39 - Grandfather's story**

* * *

_"__Lennox!" I stated mildly, "it's impolite to ask a lady her age," I shot a wink at him before I began to toss the frying meat with some seasonings.  
__"Sorry, how old are you again?" Lennox laughed this time.  
"Eighteen, or... hang on, what day is it today?" I asked curiously.  
"Um, November first, we missed Halloween," Will frowned.  
"Huh, I'm nineteen now," I pursed my lips then shrugged._

* * *

(MPOV)

"You just spent your nineteenth birthday driving through the desert and finding dead bodies." Will stated flatly.

"No, my birthday was yesterday, Halloween." I shrugged, tipping the boiling water into the meat with the dehydrated vegetables. The pot filled with water again and began making coffee. "And it could be worse," I added, glancing over my shoulder.

"How?"

"I spent my birthday in an Egyptian desert, eating and sleeping with people I gladly consider my friends." I smiled, "How is that different from the costume sleepover parties my dad would throw for us? I. Am in Egypt. Look! Pyramids!"

Will just shook his head with a wry expression.

"Optimism Will, optimism," I grinned at him, taking a quick taste of the stew. "Life is too short to spend it with regrets." my own words caught me, I looked quietly into the distance.

"Like being considered a criminal?" Optimus rumbled quietly.

"There _are_ cool points to being a badass criminal," I retorted with a grin.

"Like what?" Will laughed.

"Well, stealing that tow truck in Mission City isn't a bad start," I laughed. "I've got skill sets that come in handy in weird situations."

"If I didn't know any better I'd say you'd been raised by the military," Will chuckled.

"Nah, just a man who loved to learn," I smiled. "Especially if it was something a common person wasn't meant to know. What's your family like?"

Will immediately began to expound on weekends spent fishing with his father, his baby girl and her development, and his wife who was evidently the most beautiful woman in the world. I smiled and asked the questions that brought forth more information, serving up the stew and chatting easily with the small group of soldiers. I flicked my eyes to the sky as the sound of aircraft slowing down reached my ears.

Jetfire stalled and landed gracefully, striding toward camp the next second.

"Use your holoform!" Ironhide called out brusquely. The seeker nodded with a snort and transformed, onlining a holoform the next moment. The soldiers stared at him.

"Wha?" he rumbled with a snort, looking down at the form.

"That's an interesting shape," Ironhide snorted.

"Ach, now _'e_ was a damned good pilot," Jetfire growled, looking at the form. "Trusted me, he did, only human I e'er tol', o' 'course _tha'_ was an accident..."

"Story!" Jacobs demanded with a broad grin, scooching over and whacking his hand on the spot beside himself. I looked at the holoform with a small frown. He looked incredibly familiar.

Jetfire laughed and plunked down.

"Righ', so it was the three of us up there, middle of a dogfight when the co-pilot took out his gun an' shot me! Righ' in the instrumentation panellin! Tryin' tae crash us for th' other side to get a good look a' us. Spy. Well ol' Tully, he started shoutin' said 'Boyo! If there's ever a time tae have a mind o' yer own now's the time!" Jetfire stated with a snort. "I liked Tully, 'e were always making sure my lubricants were in good shape, sae I did a triple roll and pulled a few dives. Co-pilot fainted, wern' used to that kinda force, but Tully, Ol _Tully_ he stuck wi' me the entire ride. I transformed and landed wi' the two of 'em in me hands."

"What'd they do?" Ironhide asked with a laugh.

"Well, the co-pilot just kinda took a long look at me, and passed righ' back out again, Tully, 'e just sat in me hand for a minute, starin' righ' back at me. Then 'e burst out laughin' an' said 'Holy tossin' mother o' Mary, why din't you do that _before_ you impressive fukkin' _bastard_!?"

The soldiers proceeded to roar with laughter, right beside Jetfire.

"Aye, I miss ol' Tully, good man, good flier, 'e were another what run on energon." Jetfire nodded placidly. The entire camp froze.

"He what?" Ratchet asked in shock.

"Tully, 'e used tae create energon, started shortly after we became cohort, 's how I managed to stay alive pas' the rest 'o 'em deactivatin.' Run on jetfuel, 'e did, Fatback an' whiskey. Cept 'e never did use it. 'E'd sleep in me cabin mos' nights, rest 'o them groundpounders never did get 'ow 'e managed. Seemed tae them anytime we flew t'gether, 'e'd come back in better health than when we left."

"He'd produce energon," Ratchet stated in a shocked tone, "Flying with you would have caused him to release it, which you would use, freeing his system from the toxins. But flying with _you_ was an almost guarantee he'd be safe. A perfect symbiotic relationship..."

"Aye, ol' Tully stayed wi' me to th' end," Jetfire stated with a nod, looking into the distance. "Nigh on a century 'e lived, kipin' me strong, kipin' each other strong til' them big wigs cottoned on. When 'e knew I'd be grounded, 'e'd give me the specs fer a new form. S' how we stayed hidden."

"What happened?" Jacobs asked quietly.

"Well, them big wigs sent the orders down, an' foun' out tha' Tully were survivin' on fat an alcohol. Said 'e weren't healthy doin' that. Said 'Grandpa' you should go, retire, made it an order. Last I remember," Jetfire said heavily. "Them mechanics were raisin' their glasses to 'im, tae Tully, th' only one who'd flown wi' me and made me sing in' th' air. Spark went out after tha'... no' even me logs show wha' happened. Although by the feel o' it they stripped me fer parts," Jetfire finished with a grumble, looking back at his form. The nex' thing I remember, is wakin' up in tha' mausoleum, wi' Tully's grandchild restartin' me spark," Jetfire looked at me with narrowed eyes, scrutinizing me. I looked at him curiously before two and two clicked. I began laughing softly.

* * *

(RPOV)

Mikaela began laughing softly, looking at Jetfire's holoform, Ratchet looked a bit more closely at the seeker's form. He was military build, red optics, but the holoform had Mikaela's eyes...

"You're _the_ blackbird. You know, everyone thought your inputs were from his co-pilot, Danny." Mikaela said in amusement. The soldiers stared at them.

"Elaborate," Lennox stated with a broad grin.

"My paternal grandfather, Theodore 'Tully' David Banes, he came to the hospital the day I was born, sat down in a chair and cradled me for an hour, talking about flying." Kae said with a sad smile. "Dad always said gran'da gave me my marching orders, he said 'never set down, never gi'e up, kip goin' till you find the truth ma wee Kae, there are greater things in this universe than are covered by our philosophy.' Those were his last words, he died with me in his arms, went peacefully." Kae stared off into the distance for a long moment then looked at Jetfire, rising and catching his holoform in a strong hug. "It's nice to have you back, Gran'da." Jetfire's holoform's arms wound tightly around her.

"Nice to have you back, grand-daughter," Jetfire rumbled quietly. "Now where the pit are the neurals I gie' ya?"

"Wait, wait wait wait, your grandpa was airforce?" Jacobs asked with a broad grin.

"Cavalry first," I smiled, "You _can _find _his_ history. They buried him under one of the little white crosses in Arlington. So next time you try to josh me as the Maggot, Jacobs," she grinned. "Bear in mind that flying is in my _blood_, _this_ maggot was born with wings."

"So you _are_ a military brat," Chance grinned.

"No," Kae snorted immediately, "My father was, and Gran'da taught him a good few things." Ratchet concealed a small frown as she cut herself off, looking at him.

"Where are her neurals?" Jetfire asked sternly.

"Her signature is stronger when the neurals are integrated into her system," Ratchet stated firmly.

"Aye, they're runnin' the same program Tully's were, preservation," Jetfire growled, "smooth out th' production o' energon, govern it a wee bit sae she can use it hersel'!"

Ratchet stared at the seeker and offered back the heavy bracelet. Kae grinned and integrated it back into her system, already looking more alert.

"Jus' remember to disconnect mos' o' em 'fore you sleep," Jetfire snorted, grinning at her. "Else wise you're gonna start usin' th' Cybertronian day cycle."

"Which is?" she asked with a grin.

"About two of your weeks long," Ironhide snorted.

"How you guys manage to get so much done when you're sleeping all the time is beyond me," Sideswipe snorted. "Of course Optimus switched his sleep cycle so _you'd _get some proper sleep." He grinned unrepentantly at her. Optimus was glaring.

"It never occurred to you that I could function on your sleep cycle?" Kae asked with a snort, looking at Optimus.

"It's not good for you to be awake for ten days, and asleep for three," Ratchet snorted. "You're an earth femme."

"And that differs from me running on three hours sleep every twenty four hours how?" she asked with a small smile, looking at the medic.

"It's still bad for you," Ratchet grumbled, "and I _know_ you, you'll_ then_ start trying to convince me that you did your three day sleep two days ago, when it was ten."

"Okay true," Kae snorted.

"So wait, Kae's grandfather knew you to be a bot," Jacobs grinned.

"Yeh? So?" Jetfire asked curiously.

"So why were you lot claiming first contact?" Chance grinned at Ratchet.

"Because as far as we knew, we _were_ the first," Optimus rumbled patiently, looking at Kae. "Which explains one, and leaves a thousand questions more."

Kae looked at him for a long moment and laughed softly.

"Oh come on Kae!" Will shouted with a broad grin. "You've listened _all_ night to us talking about our families! Your turn!"

"You realize I'm _not _supposed to offer _anything _about my family?" she snorted. "I have _way_ too much history for an agent to memorize, let alone know who knows what about which piece of history."

"But..." Chance started, shooting puppy dog eyes at her.

"Pleeeaaaassseeeee," Bumblebee's holoform wheedled his big sister. "You're my sister, I wanna know our family history!"

Kae frowned for a long moment.

"Alright fine, on one condition," she stated firmly.

"What is it?" Will asked warily.

"If, some time well into the future, a woman approaches you, claiming to be me, but she doesn't know everything that I've told you. You behave as though she is me, because I swore to give my identity to another agent. If she approaches you, it means she'll need your help, and you make damn sure you treat her as you would me," Mikaela stated sternly.

"On our honour as soldiers," Jacobs stated firmly.

"Good enough for me," Kae smiled somewhat.

"History!" Chance grinned.

"Theodore David Banes was born in Scotland, the third son and fifth child to retired Admiral Jacob 'Ironhand' Lewis Banes. But once we're in, we stay with our chosen path, Great Grandfather spent the rest of his life as a steelworker at one of the shipbuilding factories." Kae began quietly. She began drawing in the sand, idly sketching her lineage.

"Admiral!?" Will choked in shock.

"Admiral Ironhand Banes," Jacobs murmured respectfully.

"Background," Lennox grinned.

"One of the most feared Admiral's in his time," Jacobs grinned. "Took out _hundreds_ of enemy ships. There are _textbooks_ detailing his exploits. Unofficially, he _began_ the phrase 'no one left behind'."

"His son, Theodore was a cavalry man first, " Kae took up the story again. "At fourteen, he took his older brother's birth certificate, went to war rather than his brother, who had a wife and children already, and didn't want to leave. He began flying after that, with his own name once he was the right age. That caused a bit of shit stirring." Kae laughed. "He flew during the second world war, and met his wife on base, an Italian refugee serving as a nurse for the allied forces. They moved to America and fought like devils, but nana loved gran'da to distraction, and presented him with three sons, remaining faithful to him for the sixty years they were married. Even though they saw each other for the sum total of twenty."

"They were a career military family," Jacobs murmured. Kae nodded.

"Good boys, they were," Jetfire stated musingly. "I remember those three boys, back when I were still disguised as a spitfire-"

"That was _you!?_" Kae demanded incredulously.

"Aye, Tully and his three boys, settin' on me wing and grinnin' like madmen," Jetfire grinned. "You'll be that third boy's child."

"How do you figure that?" Kae snorted.

"You got their temper, _'Specially _that third's." Jetfire grinned at her. Kae began laughing.

"Yeah, yeah I do." she grinned.

"Wow, the unconscious Seeker knows more about her than we do," Jacobs interjected with a snort.

"I will follow Tully's line to the end of days," Jetfire announced sternly. "He were a true leader, a Prime of his kind, as were his sons. Leaders, the lot of them. Never left a man behind, I were _glad_ to be under his command."

"Tully Banes!" Chance shouted suddenly, staring at Kae.

"Yeah?" Kae shrugged.

"He's your grandfather!" Chance shouted. He jumped to his feet and caught Kae's hand with an almost reverent gleam in his eyes.

"What's that for?" Will asked curiously.

"Tully Banes! as in 'Pullin' a Banes' Tully _Banes_!" Chance shouted excitedly.

"You're _shittin'_ me!" Graham bellowed.

"What?" Will asked curiously.

"Firsthand, what happened Jetfire!?" Chance asked with a broad grin. "There's an old story, ghost story, that Tully Banes defied-"

"Oh _tha'_ night!" Jetfire howled, laughing uproariously and whacking his thigh.

"TELL!" Jacobs howled.

"Right, well, we were fighting some war or another... which was it...?" Jetfire murmured, looking up at the sky for a moment. "Nam, stationed in Laos, I were a spitfire for most o' the time," he nodded firmly. "Tully got me the specs for a starfighter for a little while after tha'. Anyway. They tried tha' old trick, dropping a dozen or so men behind enemy lines so that they could break through from the back. Nobody told Tully o' course, but they were _his_ boys, not his sons, his boys. Well them boys got trapped you know? Pinned down by tanks and the like. The higher ups o' course said 'leave 'em, a dozen boys ain't important. Well... Banes! Cardinal Rule!" Jetfire roared suddenly.

"NEVER leave a man behind SIR!" Kae bellowed.

"AYE!" Jetfire bellowed back at her with a broad grin as soldiers and Auto-bot's stared. "So of course they tol' ol' Tully that on pain of _death_ he were _not_ to fly into that space, he were _not_ to go retrieve those soldiers, he were _not_ to so much as _look _at a plane."

"That ain't right," Jacobs growled.

"Tha's what Tully said," Jetfire grinned. "Between he and I, we broke..." he trailed off with a frown and began counting on his fingers. "Sixteen...? NO! Seventeen! Seventeen laws and orders," he grinned unrepentantly. "I always forget that las' one."

"What's the last one?" Jacobs chortled.

"No going supersonic too close tae ground," Jetfire smirked.

"You didn't!" Chance howled.

"Well I didn't have any _missiles!_ Wha' were I _supposed_ to do? Transform and use me _battleaxe?_ We'd collected the men already, three dead, six wounded and the other three so damned tired it were all they could do to stand. They were all layin' in me belly as we took off, tanks roarin' t'ward us, so I shoved fire and force down the throats of those bastards tryin' tae shoot us down! Scared the_ shit_ out of 'em." Jetfire growled proudly. "Blood and vinegar, we leave no one behind!"

"How does the ghost come in?" Chance asked gleefully.

"Ach, simple, there were twenty o' em settin' around, tryin' tae behave." Jetfire snorted, rising and blinking his holoform. An ancient, nordic warrior walked blindly through camp, through Jacobs and straight to his form, he stopped, and Ratchet couldn't help but admire the bot's theatricality as he stopped beneath his own wing, staring Chance down. He gave a curt gesture, a direction, a command bypassing time and worlds. Come. He flickered out as his lights blinked to life, his engines slowly beginning to bring themselves online, with absolutely no one around. Ratchet thought for a moment and realized just how eerie it would be for the humans to see a plane start itself.

Chance was up and running the next second.

"Ach not taenight sonny!" Jetfire snorted gleefully, catching him with Tully's form. His engines and lights cut out again. "But I'll tell you _wha_'! I pulled _tha'_ with two dozen sober pilots an' mechanics shocked whiter than their linens. Tully stood an' says, 'Can't argue with a ghost, or those men _will_ be' and run after me, jus' as you did there sonny."

Ratchet couldn't help himself, he clapped his hands with a broad grin right beside Ironhide. The soldiers cheered gleefully.

"So it was true," Chance stated with a broad grin. "The defining story of my life for the past five years was absolutely true."

"Aaww, I defined ya an' yeh din' even come visit me," Jetfire snorted, messing with Chance's hair as the man laughed.

"So boys," Will stated with a broad grin, catching Kae in a headlock. "It seems we have ourselves a military celebrity."

"Bullshit, those are my ancestor's actions," Kae snorted, lightly jabbing Will in the side.

"But you're a Banes!" Chance called out with wide eyes.

"Yeah, a nineteen year old Banes, I've yet to build up the glory that comes with the name," Kae snorted.

"Nineteen year old girl, saved the world once and this is your second campaign," Will grinned. "Yeah, just so you know, we're all laying claim to your autograph when we get home. I've got a daughter to send to college after all. Pretty sure that program's screwed now, everyone knows what you look like, and your name is now irrevocably tied to the 'Bots."

"For which I am grateful," Optimus rumbled quietly, looking at Kae earnestly.

"Quit that, you guys are gonna make me blush," Kae grinned as the soldiers howled with laughter again.

"Granddaughter," Jetfire rumbled finally. "I'll pull a charge from yeh if yeh don' mind, get some scoutin' done while you lot are sleepin.'"

"Have you gotten any rest?" Optimus rumbled worriedly, Jetfire looked at him speculatively and stood his holoform, walking to kneel in front of Optimus.

"Gladly do I respect and give my deference to Optimus Prime," he rumbled sternly. Optimus straightened and laid a gentle hand on Jetfire's head.

"Gladly do I hear and respect Seeker Jetfire," Optimus rumbled. "But you did not answer my question, have you received enough rest?"

"Aye Sir," Jetfire nodded firmly. "Bit o' energon an' I'm good as new."

Mikaela stood up and walked over to the Blackbird, laying her hands on his skin. Ratchet watched in fascination as she commanded the neural fibres to lightly connect to Jetfire, and grinned as a massive surge of energon flashed over his frame, the holoform became even more solid, his human countenance getting a bit more colour.

"Right oh, got your transmission," Jetfire grinned. "If we get any company you'll know before _they_ know they've been spotted." he leaned down and pecked a kiss to Kae's forehead. "Sleep tight granddaughter."

"Fly safe grandfather," Mikaela replied, standing on her toes to peck a kiss to his throat. Ratchet grinned. Even in human form they were honouring Cybertronian tradition.


	42. 40 Kisses

**Chapter 40 - Kisses**

* * *

_"__Fly safe grandfather," Mikaela replied, standing on her toes to peck a kiss to his throat. Ratchet grinned. Even in human form they were honouring Cybertronian tradition._

(OPOV)

"What's that grin?" Chance asked curiously, looking at Ratchet. The medic jumped, looking at the soldier in consternation.

"Oh come on," Jacobs grinned, "We know those expressions, grumpy Ratchet we let Kae deal with. Grinning Ratchet needs to tell."

"Oh go on," Ironhide smirked at the medic. "Don't make me twist your arm."

The old medic glared at the grinning weapons master, just as they had always done for as long as he had known them. Optimus couldn't hold back the snort of laughter. The two of them promptly turned to stare at him incredulously.

Kae walked back and plopped down between Will and Bumblebee again, looked at the circle for a moment and burst out laughing. She grinned at Optimus and announced.

"Ten Rell says Ironhide's next words are going to be: 'It's nice to have you back, Optimus.' which Ratchet will agree with, even if it's silently."

Optimus looked at her in shock for a second and burst out laughing along with his senior officers.

"And how am I supposed to give you Ten Rell?" he rumbled with a snort. "Ratchet would tear me apart, we're supposed to keep your levels _down._"

"We'll sort something out," Kae smiled at him, Primus but he loved that smile. "But I'll give him this, Ironhide is absolutely correct, it _is_ nice to see you laughing."

"I'll agree with that, and on the topic of laughing," Will stated cheerfully, "C'mon Ratch, we never get to hear your ghost stories, what's got you smiling?"

"It's just nice to see the old traditions alive again," Ratchet stated with a gentle smile. Anyone could see the past in the medic's eyes, memories of a happier time.

"Which one?" Jacobs nudged him.

"The placing of kisses," Ratchet shrugged. "Jetfire is a seeker, claiming grand-fatherhood to Kae. As a grandfather, his voice is a voice of wisdom to be revered, and so a grandparent receives a kiss to their vocal processors." Ratchet pointed to his throat. "One who is cherished – Kae – gets her temples and forehead kissed by most of us, except Bumblebee, Sides and the Femmes, who lay claim to her cheeks as well, as siblings."

"So you guys have rules about kissing?" Jacobs asked in a stunned tone.

"Not so much rules as... tradition," Ratchet shrugged. "A..." he frowned and looked at Optimus. "how do I explain it?"

"Kae?" Optimus grinned, privately wondering if she actually knew.

"An informal re-affirmation of a relationship," Kae smiled. "So that rather than going through the mouthful of: _∂Gladly do I greet you Bumblebee, brother of my spark,∂_ you do this," she caught Bumblebee's holoform and pecked a kiss to his cheek as he giggled, pulling his sister close and kissing her back. Yes, she definitely knew.

He wondered if she knew just how much her kissing his jaw had meant to him.

"What'd she say?" Will asked curiously.

"Gladly do I greet you Bumblebee, brother of my spark," Ratchet translated with a low laugh. "Or if I were to greet you, Will, in our capacities as Major and Medic, I would either say: _∂Gladly do I greet you, Major William Lennox, compatriot of my Prime.∂_ He repeated himself patiently in english. "Or, I could simply offer you _this_ salute." he held up his left arm, canted across his chest and his hand in a fist.

"How do I answer that?" Will asked wide eyed.

"Like this," Optimus rumbled with a grin, lightly knocking his forearm against Ratchet's. "During an introduction a greeting is spoken, informally we use a wordless salute._ Ceremonially_, we use both."

"Oh _now _I gotta ask what a formal greeting looks like," Jacobs grinned. Ratchet and Ironhide smirked as Optimus stood his holoform and went to kneel in front of Kae.

"During a formal greeting, our full names and titles are spoken," Ratchet stated calmly, gesturing to Optimus as he offered Kae his left arm. She delicately threaded her own through it, matching the strength that Optimus used to pull back.

∂_Gladly do I greet thee All-spark Healer, Mikaela Banes, cherished Guardian-reliant of my spark.∂_ He rose slightly to press a gentle kiss to her left temple. Out of the corner of his eye, Ratchet opened his mouth to coach Kae and found he didn't need to. It was a brand new shock to hear her voice speaking the full titles. She sang the words, seeming to caress his name.

_∂Gladly do I greet thee Beloved Guardian Prime, Optimus,∂_ Kae replied with a gentle smile. _∂Cherished guardian of my spark∂._

Optimus watched in shock as she knelt slightly to press a gentle kiss to the holoform's jaw. The bots' holoforms around them beamed at her as his eyes deepened to a rich cerulean blue, pride resonating softly from his spark.

"Translation," Jacobs grinned, nudging Ratchet's holoform.

"Optimus said 'gladly do I greet you, All-spark healer Mikaela Banes, cherished guardian-reliant of my spark," Ratchet stated with a small smile. "She responded perfectly with 'gladly do I greet you beloved guardian Prime, Optimus, cherished guardian of my spark'. Kissing his jaw is the semi-submissive respect of a reliant to their guardian."

"Backwards name?" Will frowned.

"No, title first," Optimus snorted. "Formally, a title is used first, which is why-"

"You were calling me Will Captain," Will snorted. "That makes so much more sense now." His eyes widened. "That's why you're always calling me Major Lennox!"

"You were always calling me Optimus Prime, or simply Prime," Optimus shrugged, "It is merely courteous to address you with the same, if somewhat constrained."

"So wait, that means that informally..."

"You call me Optimus," Optimus rumbled, laughing softly. "It is my name, or rather, it is the translation of my name."

"How do you say it in Cybertronian?" Chance asked with a broad grin.

"Oh don't go _there,_" Ironhide chortled, Mikaela looked at Optimus for a long second before snorting back a laugh. He looked at her irritably.

"I'm sorry, I'm not going to slow your name down," she stated with a low laugh. "That was your nickname though, wasn't it? There _are_ far worse." she stated consolingly, kissing his jaw again.

"Am I allowed to ask?" Chance asked warily.

"You share and I will," Kae murmured, looking up at Optimus with mischief in her eyes.

"Oh alright," Optimus snorted. Bumblebee grinned at him and scooted over, making room. Optimus promptly settled down between his Kae and his scout. "When you slow down the vocalization of my name it means nitpicker, perfectionist."

"There are worse things to be called," Mikaela snorted.

"Like what?" Optimus nudged her with a smirk.

"_Grub_, among other things," Kae stated in an irritated tone.

"What were the other names?" Bumblebee asked with a broad grin. Kae glared at him until he shot puppy dog eyes at her. Optimus couldn't resist mimicking his scout, just to see what happened.

"Oh fine," she sighed, glaring at the both of them. "Now you've got Optimus making puppy dog eyes. I hope you're happy." she told Bee.

"Immensely," Bee grinned, Optimus laughed and wound an arm around the scout's shoulders.

"I've been called Mikaela, Kae, Kaelie, Kaela, Grub, Legs, Cricket, Banes, Alainn... I think that's about it."

"Angel," Bumblebee piped up. Optimus watched in shock as her hand twitched before she quickly fisted it.

"Am not," she shot back with a snort.

"Oh! Recycled nickname!" Chance called out with a laugh.

"Oh please no!" Kae frowned, Optimus lightly caught her hand in his own.

"The name upsets you," he rumbled with a frown of his own, Kae's eyes widened, and she quickly looked at the ground.

"Why?" Will asked curiously.

"It's... um... new topic?" Mikaela choked.

"Please Kae?" Optimus murmured softly. She looked up at him and sighed.

"Angel... Angel was the code-name dad had for me." she whispered. "It was the emergency word. Anytime he called me angel, it meant that the shit was going to hit the fan, and I needed to get into the panic room, get my gun and train it on the door, safety off until either the safe word was sung out in a recognizable voice, or ten days had passed."

She looked up at the circle of stunned bots and soldiers with a smile that vainly tried to reach her eyes, or at least be wry. "Now aren't you sorry you asked?" she added, looking up at Optimus.

"No," he rumbled calmly, catching and holding her eyes. "when did they call you Cricket?" Mikaela promptly began laughing.

"You're all about the getting me to talk tonight, aren't you?" she snorted, glaring at him.

"Yeah we are," Epps grinned. "you're the newcomer here, don't matter if you've been at base a month, the campfire is where we get to know each other proper. Size of campfire may vary." he added cheerfully, pointing at the stove.

"Cricket was uncle's name for me," Kae said with a sad smile of remembrance. "Paddy called me alainn, but everyone else called me either Cricket or Kae."

"You said they called you grub too?" Chance asked curiously.

"Right up until the summer Brick taught me the five minute shower," Kae grinned.

"The what?"

"The five minute shower," Kae laughed. "When I was working in the shop with dad, I'd always have grease on my hands, or if I was getting pissed off, grease on my face. Children are idiots, so they called me grub. Up to the day that Brick taught me how to get cleaned up in a hurry. Then for some reason, the school populace decided getting on my bad side was a _terrible_ idea." she snorted.

"Whose ass did you kick?" Bee grinned at his sister.

"Not one," Kae snorted, winding herself around Optimus to give her brother a little shove. Optimus was hard pressed to not simply ensnare her there.

"You shoulda," Bee pouted, "give Sam and me the satisfaction of Trent gettin' beat."

"I _did_ that and you got it on _film_," Kae snorted. "Moral of the story, by the way, watch your P's and Q's around Bee, he friggen films _everything." _

"Play it!" Chance howled. Bumblebee smirked and onlined the holo outside of the circle, pointing. Faces whipped around with broad grins.

_"__Yo Wi ki ki!" Trent shouted. _

_"__Wit. Wickey," Sam stated patiently. _

_"__Spring _break_ Kee kee," Trent stated cheerfully. "You're a small fry here, just how small are you gonna be in _college_ Kee kee?" he shoved Sam to the side and walked toward Mikaela. "No ring Mikaela?" he smirked. "You can always wear mine, you know, hop in the back seat like a good little bunny."_

Optimus bristled.

"How can you-" he started.

"Shh!" Bee's holoform grinned beside his. "This is the best part! You missed it! Look! Look at her shoulder!"

"For _Primus_ sake _Bumblebee_!" Mikaela protested indignantly as the holo backed up slightly.

"What?" Bee grinned at her.

"It's bad enough you're showing _that,_ now you're gonna broadcast my _tells!?" _Kae demanded.

"_Play it!"_ Ironhide commanded with a broad grin.

"Primus sake," Mikaela grumbled, rolling her eyes.

Bumblebee promptly made puppy eyes at his sister.

Kae glared at him for a second before crossing her arms with a small pout.

Which was absolutely adorable. It was something of a strain for Optimus to not simply lean over the mere inches and kiss that pout.

_"__Spring _break_ Kee kee," Trent stated cheerfully... again. "You're a small fry here, just how small are you gonna be in _college_ Kee kee?" He shoved Sam to the side again and walked toward holographic Mikaela. "No ring Mikaela?" he smirked. "You can always wear mine, you know, hop in the back seat like a good little bunny."_

Optimus bristled again, even as holo-Mikaela's shoulder twitched slightly. Then, of all things, she smiled at Bumblebee and winked.

_"__Trent," Mikaela stated sweetly, turning to look at him with a smile, the boy grinned at her, thinking he'd won. "I can see that ignoring your imbecilic and frankly unwanted advances isn't going to work this time, so let's get one thing straight. As you have no doubt noticed, judging by your inability to keep your hand off your crotch, steroids _shrink_ your already undersized dick. Which frankly was the only interesting thing that you even potentially had to begin with."_

_"_You Fucking Bi-_" Trent started bellowing as people began laughing at him. _

_It was so fast, his hand was reaching forward to slap her, hers came up and casually knocked the blow away, her right flicked up, catching him on the point of the chin. He stood for a long second as Kae turned and walked to Bumblebee. Winking at him as the offending boy fell over. _

Optimus promptly turned and cupped Kae's face, pressing a firm kiss to her forehead.

"That's my femme," he rumbled proudly.

"Fighting isn't supposed to be the answer," Kae stated, blushing furiously.

"Hey! If one of us isn't around to punch assholes like that for you, you gotta do it yourself!" Jacobs rumbled indignantly. "_Nobody_ calls our little sisters bitches!"

"Agreed," Bumblebee nodded firmly, he turned to grin at Kae. "Although it's probably better that _you_ hit him. _I _sure as hell wouldn't have bothered onlining my _holoform_ to hit him."

"And then we'd be picking bits of him up across state lines, that's a felony little brother." Kae stated with a snort as Ironhide began hooting with laughter. "And I didn't punch him." she added offhandedly.

"Well you knocked him out, that's good enough for me," Bee stated cheerfully.

"What's the difference?" Ratchet asked curiously.

"Open hand isn't a punch. Heel of the hand to the chin? That's a hit, and _far_ more humiliating. Fists you can see coming," She lifted her hand, rigidly back and close to her chest. "This is a lot harder to see, but while we're at it, you missed a rather crucial point, Bee."

"What?" Bee asked wide eyed.

"Death by dissection, Level one little-brother," Mikaela stated sweetly, looking at the bots with wide-eyed innocence.

"Explain," Ironhide demanded with a broad grin.

"A hit? That's nothing, showmanship. _I _killed his _sex life_ until he reached _graduation_." she smirked. "Top. _That._"

Bumblebee dove across Optimus and tackled Kae.

"That's _my_ big sister!" he shouted, laughing gleefully as she halfheartedly batted him away. Not even trying, the dear femme.

"You're teaching my daughter that," Will stated with a grin.

"If I survive that long," Kae snorted.

"You will," Optimus rumbled sternly. "I swear upon my spark, Kae, you will survive."

Mikaela looked up at him with mild astonishment in her eyes.

"I'd take his word for it," Ratchet grinned at her. "He's a dreadful liar without his battle-mask." Optimus turned to shoot a glare at his Medical Officer.

"Oh don't bother with that," Ironhide rumbled cheerfully. "That's a point in your favour, Optimus. You know damn well how much I enjoy serving liars."

Optimus gave into the temptation and rolled his eyes at his senior officers as they laughed at him.

* * *

(MPOV)

I could feel Optimus' eyes on me throughout the entire evening. His holoform finally touched my shoulder.

"Stay with me?" he murmured gently.

I smiled and let the holoform lead me to the sleeper, climbing up through the hatch and closing it as as the holoform winked out.

Powerful arms wrapped around me from behind.

"I did promise," Optimus purred, a warm hand sliding up my stomach to rest just below my ribs. I leaned back against him, closing my eyes with a contented moan and tilting my head to give him better access to my neck.

"How do I get to your spark chamber in this form?" I murmured, running my hands along the paneling.

"You're already in it," Optimus growled softly in my ear, pressing me firmly, if gently down to rest in the now softly glowing hammock.

"You devil," I murmured with a small smile, running my fingers over the finely meshed light. It was his turn to moan. Of it's own accord, the netting wrapped itself around me, ensnaring me as effortlessly as a fly in a spider's web.

I gasped as the light passed through my skin, reaching urgently for my spark. The breath deepened as I arched into it, my soul reaching for his with an almost desperate abandon. Light flashed in front of my eyes.

He stood in front of me again, a knight resplendent in his armour. A gentle hand caressed my cheek as I stepped closer to him, coiled myself around him. He bent down to press a gentle, teasing kiss to my lips. I responded in kind, pressing tightly against him as I feathered kisses along his jaw and down his neck, I gently nipped one of his struts, eliciting a low moan to rattle through his frame.

Then, then his spark began humming discordantly, the tones I heard as fear, fear and desperation.

Lightning fast he gripped my shoulders, pulling back to look down at me. His optics had taken on tones of amber, mixed but still distinct from the blue.

"Run," he whispered desperately.

"No," I said calmly.

"If I take you I won't let you go," he moaned. "I can't, I can't trap you to me."

"Optimus," I murmured softly, reaching up to cup his cheek, "I won't live long, if you don't want me I'll understand. But how do you tell a bot that he's threatening you with precisely what you want?"

He pulled me in tightly against his spark, enveloping me in a gentle, steely embrace.

"Do you have any idea, just how badly I've wanted you all day?" he groaned softly, his face nestled into the crook of my neck.

"Then take me, I don't mind," I murmured into his neck with a smile.

Binder cables snaked from his limbs, hesitantly twining around me, searching for couplings. I pulled back slightly to look up at him, smiling as I guided him with gentle fingers. The first slid home, attaching to the base of my spine. A flood of information was followed by a surge of pleasure. I gasped, my optics dimming for a moment. It felt as though we were floating, flying, gravity was meaningless.

"You feel so good," I whispered, pressing myself tightly against him as he connected further, more cables finding ports normally hidden beneath armour. He moaned into my shoulder, gripping me tightly as energon flowed between us.

"The last," he whispered desperately, his frame was vibrating against me.

"Optimus?" I looked up at him worriedly through a haze of pleasure.

"One last coupling," he moaned, "Primus, please..."

"Where?" I whispered, delicately running my hands over his frame. Searching.

An enormous cable snaked out to reach for my fingertips, I ran my hand along it, teasing, tickling, sensitizing the thick bundle of neural fibres before guiding him between my legs. He froze, staring down at me in shock as the cables teased and investigated me, finding a final coupling.

"The second I am free to tell you the secrets I must keep, when my family is safe you will know them," I whispered, reaching up to cup his face. "Until then, all I can give you is my body, my heart and my soul. I give them to you freely. To Optimus. To my beloved."

His eyes flashed to the most beautiful of cobalt blues, one hand reaching up to tenderly cup my face as the other reached down, lightly skimming my side.

"I will love you for eternity," he whispered, the words ringing with a truth two connected souls could not hide. In an instant I was caught in a vice grip as every cable dove into the connectors, drawing the energon excesses out of my tissues as I screamed my pleasure.

"Tight," he whispered in my mind, "Kae, oh my Kae you're so tight, so hot. Oh Primus Mikaela." I came down from the initial burst and wound myself around him, pulling him closer and stroking everything I could reach.

"Optimus," I whispered, "you feel so good, don't stop, please don't stop, don't hold back your overload for my sake. Let me feel you take your pleasure."

Optimus let out a heartfelt moan, his optics flickered to a shocked, icy blue before warming to a glowing umber.

"Mikaela," he husked, looking down at me as he teetered on the edge, "we do not divorce, a Guardian's bond is a life bond."

The warmth of certainty settled around my heart, he was already an integral part of me, I reached up and cupped his face in my hands.

"Where you go, I will go with you," I whispered, looking up at him. "Life is meaningless without my love, worthless without my soul. I cannot be without you now."

Optimus gripped me hard, his frame shuddering over and around me.

"I don't want to release it," he whispered, "I want it to last, I don't want to lose this feeling. Not now. Not yet."

"I'm not going anywhere tonight," I murmured, wrapping my arms around his chest, holding him as tightly as I could without hurting him. Arching back I craned my neck and caught his lips with mine in a featherlight kiss.

He began to move, to writhe and thrust as I whimpered beneath him.

"I'm hurting you," he gasped.

"Don't stop, don't you dare stop, I'd tell you if you were hurting me," I moaned, arching into him. "If you were we'd find another position now for Primus sake Optimus don't stop I'm so close don't stop."

Optimus increased his pace, gripping me hard.

"Look at me," he moaned, my optics onlined to watch him. I reached up to gently cup his cheek again.

His frame began to vibrate, hard. Light flickered around us, every spectrum intertwining into a pure, sweet, intense white.

I could feel him teetering on the edge of overload.

"Optimus," I whispered softly, gently, filling each syllable with every ounce of love and trust that could be contained within one spark for another.

He gasped, roaring as energon flooded our systems. He began thrusting savagely, remorse beginning to flicker behind the lust in his optics.

I pulled his face down to mine and kissed him as savagely as he thrust. The light flared again, stronger, powerful, rushing around us in a torrent. I could hear gasping, pleasured moans of the other auto-bots as the energon we produced passed to them. Charging, repairing, strengthening them.

In a moment of pure ecstasy I felt their approval, Sideswipe, my brother strengthened the EM field around us as he onlined an extra processor to take up the watch as everyone slipped into recharge cycles, utilizing the Energon pouring from our joined consciousness.

Optimus gave one last hard, deep thrust and froze, a low, sparkfelt moan vibrating our frames as a final, slow burst of light flickered around us.

Gravity seemed to return, he rolled to the side and gathered me close.

"Sleep beloved," he murmured, his face pressed into the crook of my neck.

I closed my eyes and drifted to sleep with a relaxed, sated smile on my face.


	43. 41 Marked

**As always, anything that you recognize, I do not in fact, own. A billion thanks to my betas, who give me the struts to keep going, and a billion more to my reviewers, your kindness and critiques are both greatly welcomed and appreciated, so without further ado:**

**Chapter 41 - Marked**

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus roused himself an hour before the first light of dawn would stain the sky. Mikaela woke with him, caressing him gently as he withdrew the neural fibres from her skin.

He onlined his holoform, laying beside her in the hammock. She smiled at him, a warm, loving smile that he knew was for him, and him alone. She stretched, and he could feel the pleasant tingle of her muscles preparing themselves for the day.

"Morning," she whispered softly.

Optimus smiled and ducked down to press a gentle kiss to her lips.

A loud bang startled the both of them.

_∂Rise and shine lovebirds!∂ _Ironhide's voice rumbled gleefully, banging lightly on Optimus' roof with his knuckles.

Mikaela's face sank into what Optimus thought was quite possibly the most adorable pout he'd ever seen. A pout that said they'd been interrupted in something that she well and truly wanted, made all the better because now, _now_ he could lean down and kiss that adorable pout.

* * *

(MPOV)

I jumped about a foot as Ironhide banged on Optimus' roof, interrupting the kiss he certainly seemed to have been intending. In the safety of his cab, I let my initial reaction show for once. I knew I looked ridiculous when I pouted. But the point stood.

Optimus looked down at me and smiled, leaning down and kissing me regardless.

The dear, sweet-sparked bot.

"I'm going to get him for that," I stated calmly, pointing toward where Ironhide would be.

Optimus looked down at me with an amused expression.

"Just make sure I am around to laugh," he rumbled with a low chuckle.

"Deal," I grinned, "now where did you put my clothes?" The holoform stared at me for a second before bursting into a full, rumbling laugh. He reached up and pulled open a small panel, pulling out a pair of jeans and shirt I'd never seen before.

Bluejeans, silver tank and bright red lingerie.

He looked down at me with hopeful, questioning eyes. I reached up and cupped his cheek.

"I'd be honoured to wear your colours," I smiled, kissing him lightly before rolling out of the hammock. I pulled the clothes on while his holoform stared.

"What?" I asked curiously.

"My mark," he murmured softly.

"Hmn?" I raised my eyebrows. The holoform rose and turned me around to look in a reflective piece of chrome, lightly tugging my shirt down. Low on my chest, just below the small necklace holding the cube splinter, a cobalt blue symbol lay beneath my skin, glimmering with an almost silvery sheen.

"It's..." he started softly.

"It's beautiful," I murmured, reaching up to lightly caress the mark. Optimus grasped my wrist and spun me around, pressing a bruisingly powerful kiss to my lips.

"My love," he whispered, pulling me tightly to his chest, "Oh my beautiful Kae."

"I love you too," I whispered back, holding the holoform just as tightly. We pulled away from each other finally, and the holoform gently re-arranged my clothing, he gave me an impish smile and tugged the hem of the shirt down so that the neckline just brushed the tops of my breasts – and showed off his mark clearly. He reached up and cupped my face in his hands, his eyes glowing the richest blue I'd seen yet before the holoform flickered out.

I looked down at my now rather low shirt and shrugged, climbing out of the sleeper hatch and stretching my muscles out.

"Morning," I yawned, walking toward the group of grinning, energetic Auto-bots and yawning soldiers.

Bumblebee looked toward me with a smile, waving. He turned back toward Ironhide then whipped around again. The look on his face was nothing short of shocked.

_∂No way!∂_ he almost shouted. The rest of the 'bots turned to stare at me. Chromia, Arcee and Flareup onlined their holos a second later, running toward me and squealing. In moments I was surrounded by excited females.

∂_I knew it!∂_ Arcee shrieked, hugging me tightly. Optimus transformed and strode toward us. Every male Auto-bot looked at him and burst out laughing.

_∂About _scrapping_ time!∂_ Ironhide bellowed, walking forward and clapping a hand on Optimus' shoulder with a resounding crash.

_∂Figures he'd have to go to another planet to find a femme strong enough to take his mark,∂_ Chromia murmured in my ear, I turned to see her holoform grinning broadly.

_∂There isn't a Decepticon in the universe who can stand up to him now!∂_ Flareup added with a joyful laugh.

"What's happening?" Lennox asked curiously, walking toward us, "hey, I didn't know you had a tattoo."

I couldn't help the blush that crept up my cheeks as I glanced at Optimus. My eyes widened, he looked bigger this morning, his armour polished to a gleaming shine and somehow more imposing.

"That, is no ordinary tattoo," Chromia giggled, wrapping her arms around me.

"So what's it mean?" Jacobs asked, wandering over and handing me a cup of coffee.

"It's a guardian's mark," Ratchet grinned, "or at least, that's about as close of a translation as I can manage for it. There are plenty of parallels in earth cultures, but they don't quite fit."

"Well, what's the closest?" Lennox asked curiously. Ratchet looked at Optimus.

Optimus stayed silent for a long moment, looking down at me. I gave him a tiny smile and shrug, he nodded, knowing I meant for him to say whatever he wished.

"It is my own mark," Optimus rumbled gently, kneeling down rather than bothering with the holoform. An infinitely careful finger touched my cheek. "A mark that I had despaired of seeing upon another until I woke this morning. And when Mikaela has chosen her own mark I shall wear it proudly, if she will allow me."

"Heh?" Chance piped up, the confusion on his face almost comical.

"It means he's become her guardian, absolutely, think of it as a territorial mark." Chromia supplied blandly, the master of understatement. "It announces to any Cybertronian that she has accepted his service and that if _anything_ happens to her, Optimus will tear apart the universe to find her, protect her or wreak vengeance on the one who hurt her."

"It's a mark of whole spark trust, that she has absolutely no doubt in him," Arcee finished calmly. "It is an honour to have your mark accepted, an honour which is not offered nor accepted lightly." she cast a quick glance at me as I stood lightly stroking the slightly raised pattern. "And should be worn proudly, not covered," she added, looking at me pointedly.

"I'm sorry," I said, quickly dropping my hand. The girls gave me an amused look. "It's raised," I laughed softly, reaching up to touch it again, "I like the feel of it, it feels warmer against the rest of my skin." I closed my eyes and let the girls see the smile that I was struggling to hold back.

"That is so cute," Chromia murmured.

"What is?" Will asked with a broad grin.

"That mark is a part of him, etched into her skin, which should hurt," Arcee stated placidly. "But she still likes the feeling of it."

"It doesn't hurt, it's warmer than the surrounding skin," I repeated softly. "Like a star in..." I trailed off as memories clicked.

I looked at the pyramids and looked at the stars.

"A star... The three kings," I said softly, Optimus and Ratchet followed my gaze to look at Orion's belt. "So named, because the three kings of egypt, built the pyramids to mirror those stars. They point like an arrow. Due east to the mountains of Petra."

"We go that way," Optimus rumbled firmly, we broke apart to look at the soldiers. There was a rumble across the sky. Jetfire transformed just before landing, but the second he was on his feet, he was running toward us.

"We've go' company!" he announced loudly. "A lot o' fight coming our way!"

In the distance I could hear the roar of vehicles coming in from the northwest.

Optimus looked down at me grimly, one glance and I knew what his orders were going to be.

"Bumblebee-" he started.

"No," I said sharply. I turned to Jetfire.

"Grandfather you're the fastest of us. We need the matrix, take me due east!" I commanded, running toward the rapidly transforming 'bot. Optimus onlined his holoform in front of me, glaring as he caught and held me firmly.

"I want you out of here my Kae! Get to safety!" he growled, just touching the voice of command.

"I will _not_ be sent away from you!" I snarled back, reaching up and cupping his face as we stared each other down. "My life is worthless without my soul, I will _not_ be made useless, and I will _never_ leave you behind!"

He cupped my face gently for a long moment, looking into my eyes as though searching my mind.

"Do not use your pack unless it is absolutely necessary," he commanded firmly, "do not take any undue risks on your life. My life is worthless without my soul." he leaned down and pressed a fast, powerful kiss to my forehead. I stood on my toes and kissed his jaw before I ran to the waiting Blackbird. Green fire shot from his twin jets as I scrambled up onto his wing, I turned and stood facing the soldiers for a long moment, snapping a fast salute before scrambling into the cockpit. The canopy closed around me and Jetfire roared into the sky.

"Due east," I said firmly. "We're looking for the doorway."

"Aye," he growled, a rapid burst of speed and we were coasting above the mountains.

I looked up and saw a horrifying spectacle. A dozen comets, Decepticons entering the atmosphere. Directly toward us.

"Evasive manoeuvres!" I shouted, Jetfire accelerated to mach three in a heartbeat. I fought the tunnel vision, flexing and trying to get the blood back into my brain. A barrel roll and a turn and the darkness won.

...

I opened my eyes in a strange place, looking around and noting landmarks that could not exist on earth. There was movement, my hand flashed to the activation on my pack. It was gone. I scanned about for a place to hide. The landscape was twisted, surreal.

The second presence beside my own though, she found it familiar.

"We have been watching you, child," a voice whispered gently.

Immediately, I was looking for the source of the voices.

"You accepted her anger."

"Stood ready to die. To pay for a crime you were forced to commit."

"You have lived and fought with bravery, and sacrifice."

"Have given yourself to others without hesitation. The marks of a true leader."

I stood straight and faced the towering forms in front of me.

"I learned from the greatest of your number," I said in a strong voice, waiting to die. The mark on my chest flared. Searing pain. I touched it and worried about him.

"You are bonded to Optimus, our last great descendant." The first said gently, reaching forward and touching my chin. "Born a leader but willingly you follow him, defer to his wisdom. You do not desire our power for yourself but for him. Take the Matrix, spark daughter of earth, present it to your guardian as you wished."

"Where do I find it?" I asked worriedly.

The Primes smiled down at me, surrounding me with blinding light.

"The Matrix is not found, it is earned - **Prime!**" I opened my eyes with a gasp, clutching a hot, sharp object in my hand.

"About time you woke up!" Jetfire rumbled irritably. "Maybe you can explain how the key managed to bridge into your _hands without crashing us!?_"

"Later!" I bellowed, "we need to get back! He's hurt!"

Jetfire let out a bloodcurdling war cry, dipping almost vertical to the side and circling sharply back.

"Have you got a parachute?" I demanded.

"You're strapped to it," Jetfire rumbled, I felt the harness pull a bit tighter to my chest.

"Good, if you're making a dramatic entrance eject me and let me chute down," I commanded, carefully tucking the matrix into my shirt and onlining the pack. We shot over a dune and dodged a falling fighter. Explosions. Fire.

"Time to go!" Jetfire shouted gleefully, he transformed around me, tossing me forward lightly. I flattened myself into the wind and narrowed my eyes, streaking toward the group of brightly coloured Auto-bots. Two miles south from where I'd left them.

Last possible second I pulled the chute, coming to a screeching halt mid-air. That'd leave bruises later. The filament pack on my back dug a bit deeper into my flesh, the glove on my hand transforming into an almost-gauntlet. I began firing shots before the vision of nightmares finally registered.

"KAE!" Ratchet bellowed, hovering over a badly damaged Optimus. I touched down and began running. The chute snagged on something. I tore the straps off and kept running.

"What happened?" I bellowed back, running along the inside of his leg, I jumped and kept running up his thigh, scrambling across the overheated metal to Optimus' chest. I fairly dove at his guttering spark, the matrix in my hand and merged with it the next second.

His spark chamber sealed itself quickly. The noise around us softened, a lull.

"Kae, Kae you're back," Optimus murmured softly.

"I'll always come back," I whispered, I began feeding his nanites a slow burst of energon. There was a crack of thunder, of air rushing out of a suddenly filled space.

"My matrix!" the Fallen hissed gleefully, gillspikes rattling. The matrix flew past me as a forcewave pushed everyone else down and away. A downed F-22 rocked on it's fuselage. A crack of thunder and he was gone.

I knelt frozen for a second, listening to the deafening silence amid the roar of battle. Missiles whistled, fire sent searing heat around us. The muted sound of men shouting, bots yelling for their leader to fight back.

"PRIME! _GET UP PRIME!"_ Lennox bellowed. I snapped back into focus, running to the plane with symbols dancing madly in front of my eyes, becoming a part of my memories. At speed I understood them, they were instructions. Secondhand memories, brand new instinct.

An almost dead Decepticon aimed for me. A rapid shot of plasma imploded his spark chamber a second later, I reached toward him with my free hand and made a violent tugging motion. A massive amount of neural fibre exploded from him, blackening for a second before glowing a brilliant white and flying in an orbit around me before shooting toward the Hornet. The barest piece of concentration and I was running easily up the incline of the plane's wing, scrambling through the half-open canopy.

Men were yelling at me, commanding me to return to Optimus. But my guardian was down, injured.

There were creatures that needed to _pay_ for that.

"It's destroyed!" Jacobs bellowed at me.

"GET BACK!" I bellowed back. Men ran, turning to stare a safe distance out.

Neural fibres flashed around me, neutralized, integrating into the titanium and steel of the structure. Instruments came online, engines righted themselves and my wings adjusted themselves as I called a few loose missiles back into their settings.

"WHAT THE FUCK!" Epps bellowed two hundred yards away.

"NOBODY THREATENS MY FAMILY!" I snarled, my voice amplified as my pack fully integrated with the newly upgraded and transformed flier. I glanced up and felt myself lift off. Straight up.

Fuel lines righted themselves. A low whine, a loud, exploding roar and the engines came fully online. A flash and I was speeding toward the pyramids, an enormous dinosaur looking thing was tearing one apart. The radio came alive.

"_Mikaela how in Primus name did you do that!?_" Ratchet demanded.

"You know how there's a basecode in every species for when you come across something new or dangerous that tells you to avoid it or proceed with caution?" I asked with a grim smirk.

"_Yeah,_" Lennox called out.

"Advancements in technology occur when you tell that base-code to _**fuck off**_," I thundered, dropping several bombs onto the enormous conglomeration of mechs. I circled around. A separate missile streaked in from the water, I caught Simmon's form scrambling down the Pyramid, cheering as what appeared in my vision as 'Devastator' broke apart above him. I swooped away, dodging flying rocks and plasma bursts. I caught sight of a familiar silhouette.

"Hey Starscream!" I shrieked, streaking after him, "You wanna dance bitch?"

I sent a surge of energon into the plane, gathering up a spare bit of metal. It formed into a grappling hook and heavy chain. I fired it and caught the spying bastard excuse of a bot on the wing, throwing on the brakes he lost control of his vector, careening around uncontrollably for a second before I released the grapple. He spun into the damaged devastator in a rather impressive crash, I circled back and joined a formation of fighter jets as they circled in for another strike.

"Vector vector these are the hellhounds reporting for duty. Unmarked aircraft squawk ident." a familiar voice called over the radio.

"Hey Bear," I called out over the radio with a grin, "Whatever my handle is I'm reporting for duty! How's it hanging man?"

"Where in the hell did you get a plane!?" the pilot demanded.

"This one crashed, I 'jacked it!" I laughed.

"Well then mark the targets," the man commanded, I shot ahead of them and fired smoke bombs, a number of Decepticons began firing up at me. I rolled and fired back before darting away as the airstrike took them down.

"You are the angel," Optimus' voice stated as I careened toward the Auto-bots. I let out a whoop to see him standing firm, returning fire beside Ironhide and Ratchet.

"Good to see you back Optimus," I called out, knowing he could hear the fierce grin on my face as I buzzed high over top of them.

"Mayday mayday mayday! I can't get my canopy open!" a nearby jet reported in a near panic. Without even thinking about it I threw on a burst of speed, got beneath him and rolled.

"Don't drop your load on me!" I commanded, flying dirty and catching him on my landing gear. We shook violently for a second before I stabilized us. "How high do we need to be for a safe ejection boys?" I demanded.

"If you can get us up another hundred feet we'll be balmy!" the man announced, I could hear his grin as I frowned in concentration and slowly brought us up. In moments he shouted, "Canopy is free! Eject eject!" I heard the minor blasts as two men shot free of the disabled jet.

As an afterthought, I pulled most of the fuel and munitions from the plane before directing it to crash against a wall being used as cover by a couple of Decepticons.

I looked up and saw the Fallen bridge in on top of the pyramid beside Megatron. My vision zeroed in on the matrix.

"That don't jive," I growled, arrowing back toward them. "He's turning on the machine!" I shouted into the radio, reading the symbology flying before my eyes as Mico courteously scanned the area for me.

"All units, target is the top of the pyramid!" Epps' voice shouted back. Tanks began firing, a massive ring of rocks began to circle the area, deflecting the shots.

"Mikaela! Get back!" Optimus roared.

"What's coming?" I shouted, pulling up hard into the sky, dodging rocks easily.

"We got nothing! Air strike in five!" Epps shouted.

"That thing's going to be at firing strength in three," I shouted, "If it fires up we're all dead anyway!" I pulled back and looped over, skimming low to the earth for a second before pulling up to buzz the side of the pyramid. "Time to thread the needle." I growled. Hyperfocus returned, I could feel the matrix's presence, I called it to me as several heavy bombs dropped into the gaping hole beneath me.

The Fallen followed the matrix, grabbing hold of my wings as I rocketed upward, propelled in part by the explosion beneath us. I snarled as his claws dug into my fuselage, the matrix making it's way into my hands, laying pressed to my stomach.

The Fallen clung to me, trying to dig himself in against the massive G-forces we were battling against.

"Come on Banes!" Jetfire's voice roared suddenly over the radio, "Come on tiny Angel Prime _give him what for! BLOOD AND VINEGAR!_"

"Burn in hell nameless one!" I bellowed as several missiles loosed themselves from my underbelly and directly into the Fallen's chest. A jolt of power and the Fallen was blasted backwards and off of me. I rolled and followed him, my last missile blasting him into the ground. Megatron took flight, following me. I let my engines continue to smoke for a second, slowing and playing crippled. He reached toward me. I blasted my engines to full power and watched with satisfaction as it caught him in the face. He fell back toward the ground.

"Mikaela! Get back here!" Optimus commanded. I turned and flew back, stalling mid-air before coming down slow, like grandfather had taught me. I landed and concentrated, drawing a tiny amount of power from the matrix as I transformed the plane around me into a flight deck. I looked up and around myself, frowning as I struggled to disconnect. Neural fibres receded into the deck and the pack on my back.

Something felt wrong. I had two gloves now, there was silence around us as the injured were brought to the central area. I fought to reach the button on the original glove, the right one struggling against me.

"That's enough," I snarled, a flush of energon neutralized the neural fibres, which was strange, I thought I'd done that already. I reached over and pressed the button.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus watched in horror as the ancient Prime latched onto his beloved's borrowed flight frame.

"Oh god, oh gods we've got to do something!" Lennox bellowed beside him.

"They're too close! We hit him we'd hit her!" Epps shouted back.

"Come on Banes!" Jetfire bellowed suddenly, "Come on tiny Angel Prime _give him what for! BLOOD AND VINEGAR!_"

"Burn in hell nameless one!" her voice bellowed back. Humans and Auto-bots alike froze in shock as the Fallen was blasted away from her, she rolled and followed his descent, firing her last missile at him, blasting him into the ground.

"_Nobody_ survives that," Sideswipe whispered in shock. Optimus watched his spark-mate with fear and amazement. Terror that she was damaged, awe that that tiny, powerful creature had chosen and accepted him.

"Oh god! No!" Epps bellowed as Megatron flew after her, her engines smoked, there was a definite lean in her flight, as though she were fighting to control her vector, there were no missiles on her wings, no munitions. Time slowed to nothing. Megatron transformed and reached for Optimus' beloved. Every man and bot stood frozen, watching her doubtless death in horror.

Mikaela's engines fired full blast.

"YEAHHHH! THAT'S MY BIG SISTER!" Bumblebee roared out, punching a fist in the air as Megatron flew backwards and Kae shot forward into the sky. She buzzed over top of them at high speed.

"Mikaela! Get back here!" Optimus commanded, she turned neatly in the air and pulled back, stalling and landing in a classic Blackbird move. The plane screeched to a sudden halt and shattered, transforming around her until a nicely formed flight deck stood framing the tiny Femme. Afterburners sat in good repair, and dozens of slots sat empty and waiting for weapons.

She struggled to control her right hand as she disconnected from the new flight deck.

"That's enough!" she snarled, a flash of light and the neural fibres lay neutralized. She reached over, pressed the button on her glove and squirmed, grimacing as the pack disconnected from her nervous system. She set it down on the deck and walked toward Optimus, bearing the Matrix of Leadership in her hands. She stopped, looked up at him and bent gracefully to her knees.

_**ΩGladly do I respect and give my deference to Optimus PrimeΩ **_she stated proudly, offering the Matrix up to him, it floated kinetically from her hands to the level of Optimus' spark. He looked down at her to see his mark burning bright on her chest beneath the all-spark sliver. His spark flared with pride.

_**ΩGladly do I respect and give deference to my SparkmateΩ**_ Optimus replied, standing straight and tall as he spoke the language of his caste. He took the matrix from the air and knelt down, offering her a hand. He wanted her on his shoulder.

Mikaela smiled, that beautiful, loving smile that was just for him as she stood. She took a step toward him before her eyes rolled back.

She collapsed.


	44. 42 As the Dust Settled

**To all of my reviewers, from the bottom of my heart I ****thank you.**

**Chapter 42 - As the Dust Settled**

* * *

(RPOV)

"MIKAELA!" Optimus roared as the men and Auto-bots exploded around them.

"Oh no..." Jetfire murmured beside him.

Ratchet scrambled to scan her, desperately praying to Primus.

His prayers were unanswered.

There was nothing left of her; nervous system shot, heart torn and lungs full of blood from the massive gravitational forces she'd endured, the last of her spark guttered. He sank to his knees, head bowed, rocking in silent grief as it too flickered out. On his other side, Sideswipe stood in shock, holding a sobbing Flare and Arcee wrapped around him. Chromia clung to a hunched and tired Ironhide, whimpering softly, but still trying to comfort the weapons master. The twins stood stock still, staring in shock.

"Big Sister wake up!" Bumblebee bellowed desperately, onlining his holoform beside the soldiers and running to her side as Optimus did the same, laying the Matrix on her chest. "Kae_lie!_ Wake up Big Sister! _Don't leave me behind! KAE!"_ he began sobbing uncontrollably.

He didn't know what to do, there was nothing left of his daughter... his _daughter._ Ratchet couldn't hold back the keen of returned pain, once again, he had failed to save a daughter. All of his training, all of his researching... made useless by yet another manner of death.

"You sent me back!" Prime shouted, mech and holoform at the same time. "Bring her back! Give her back to us! Take me if you want, don't you _dare_ take her!"

She laid deathly still in his holoform's arms. Ratchet felt every last one of his vorns settle onto his shoulders, his assistant, his daughter was beyond repair. Optimus' holoform cradled her, rocking, sobbing beside his scout, pleading as no man or bot had seen him do. Not even for Elita.

Men and bots stood in a silent circle in the still, deathly silence after a battle. A rooster crowed.

"It's not right," Epps whispered, "It's not... she can't... she's just a kid, pulled our asses out of the frying pan... she can't be dead..."

"She has fought well," a stranger's voice spoke behind Ratchet. The bot whipped around to look at the towering form, clad in the ancient styles of armour and wavering in the red of the setting sun.

"But has she paid for killing?" a second voice asked calmly.

"Each kill has seared her conscience, her spark is pure. She grieved."

"Rise then Mikaela, rise Archangel Prime, Sparkchild of earth," a gentle faced illusion whispered. "As the sun sets so to the flash of the dead does light."

Illusions faded, the sun dipped below the horizon, flashing green across the sky.*

Ratchet watched in shock as the nanites that his assistant played host to multiplied at an unprecedented rate, travelling on energon currents to rest on the injured soldiers around her. Energon pulsed from her, injuries around her mended, the hose in Ratchet's leg that he intended to repair later sealed itself perfectly.

"Oh shit she's healing everyone but herself!" Lennox bellowed. "Damn it Kae! We're good! Take care of yourself!"

"But I've killed," she whispered, opening her eyes, her voice was ethereal, as though it didn't come from her body.

"To protect others!" Ironhide bellowed, "and we will gladly kill to protect you!"

"Where you go, I will follow," Optimus murmured in her ear.

"That is _my _prerogative," she growled, sitting up and falling backward again with a gasp of pain. Ratchet scrambled to scan her again. The all-spark splinter had flown to rest in the centre of her spark, integrating with it. Her heart though...

"Optimus! Get her in your spark! Get her in your spark NOW!" Ratchet bellowed. "Her spark burns, but her body is too badly damaged to hold it! She needs help to stay alive until she's repaired! Spark emergency one! Anchor her!"

Optimus flew at the command, the Prime's holoform scooping her up immediately and running to tuck her into his chest as his body leaned down. In moments, Optimus' spark chamber closed around her. He stood with one hand covering his spark and chest plates protectively and looked to Ratchet for instructions.

"Keep her awake until her heart starts beating again," Ratchet said in a deathly calm voice. "Once her heart is beating..." he trailed off and cocked his head, listening. The most beautiful sound reached him, the beat of a heart, weak, but growing stronger, a gasping breath. "Let her sleep," Ratchet said kindly. "With the Major's permission, we should find a safe place to bunk down for the night and lick our wounds."

"What wounds?" Chance asked incredulously, staring at his leg. "She grew me a new damned leg! How the FUCK do I have a new LEG!?"

Ratchet rolled his optics.

"Very well, we should find a place to bunker down, rest and let the healing _stick_."

A load of vehicles roared over the side of a dune.

"THE CAVALRY!" a man bellowed from the lead jeep. He hopped out and stared around himself. "Well. Shit."

"You're late Colonel, but just in time to help with cleanup," Lennox stated with a grin.

"Well, we got the med-bags..." he stared around at men standing up, taking off bloodied bandages with the occasional burst of laughter.

"Grew me a new goddamned _leg!_" Chance bellowed cheerfully, then winced.

"Dude, don't shout!" Jacobs called back, albeit quietly.

"Clean what up?" Colonel Baldwin asked curiously.

"Prime, with your permission?" Jetfire rumbled in an increasingly younger bot's brogue. Optimus nodded while Ratchet looked on with approval, the Prime's first priority now was to Kae. Jetfire turned to the men. "Righ'! Pull everyone back three miles into the desert, set up a temp'ry camp and get these soldiers tae bed, they've been repaired but need to rest to keep the repairs from bein' rejected." Jetfire commanded briskly.

"But..." Chance started.

"Unless you want that new leg o' yers tae _fall off_ again sonny, go sleep," Jetfire rumbled sternly. Soldier's eyes widened in surprise, and a few of the wounded obediently laid down on the stretchers again. "In the meantime, the rest of us will make sure everything has been deactivated." Jetfire finished before he stomped off, scanning the area and tossing servos into a pile.

Optimus turned and walked up a towering dune, sitting vigil and watching the stars.

* * *

***Yes, I know the green flash doesn't show in the middle of the desert, I've ****_seen_**** the thing! She's coming back to life, people, the flash of the dead, a soul returns, but I'm ****_not _****bridging a bunch of autonomous robotic organisms into the middle of the ocean to do it. Think about it, metallic, mechanized creatures in a liquid salt pit? That's just mean. That's all for now folks, see you tomorrow! :)**


	45. 43 Healing

**Right, so minor update as to formatting, normally when I'm representing different languages I used different fonts, which I can't do with this program. So, in clarification:**  
_∂Common∂  
__ƒFemmespeakƒ  
**ΩSpeaktruthΩ(the language of the primes)**_**  
**_=scout=  
__~Spoken between sparks~  
_::. Commlink.::

**Just felt like writing that down, because in all honesty, I've started mixing my own brain up, and I wrote the darn thing! Anyway, back to our regularly scheduled programme :) **

**Chapter 43 - Healing**

* * *

(MPOV)

I took a deep breath and opened my eyes. I was surrounded by light, I could feel Optimus' presence beside me.

"Oh god, Optimus no, you didn't follow me in death!" I whimpered. "You should be alive. I don't want you to be dead!"

"You don't want me to be with you?"

"You're twisting my words, I said I don't want you dead!" I stated irritably.

"You don't want me to follow you in death?" Optimus asked sadly.

"Oh for _Primus_ sake Optimus. I follow you, not the other way around! I'm human! We die easily! I didn't want you to limit your lifespan to another eighty years at absolute best! I wanted you to live! I want you to continue to be the 'bot I fell in love with in life!" I ranted.

"Yep, that's the Kae we know and love," Ratchet's voice said from somewhere.

"Oh Primus, you didn't die too!" I moaned.

"Nope," Ratchet said cheerfully. "But Optimus is going to keep you captive in his spark chamber until you've healed properly."

"Until I what?" I growled.

"You destroyed your cardiac, respiratory and nervous systems, and you're not allowed to use that flight deck anymore," Ratchet stated cheerfully. "Now if you'll excuse me, there are carburetters to clean, this blasted sand gets everywhere."

"I am not going to sit idle while there's work to be done!" I ranted, squirming slightly and running my hands along the inside of the chamber, looking for the opening. Optimus groaned, I froze.

"Just stay still for a few minutes," Optimus rumbled in a strained voice.

"Oh Primus I'm hurting you!" I whimpered.

"You will be if you leave me like this," he groaned. I got the sense that he was walking. "Do you have _any_ idea how incredible you feel? Your hands are so gentle."

"So where are we going?" I asked in a soft, teasing voice, running gentle fingertips along the etchings on the walls of his spark chamber. His spark coalesced beside me, his human avatar catching my hands and bringing them to his lips.

"Somewhere I promise that you will not be sitting idle," he rumbled, the vibrations of his voice shooting straight into my abdomen.

I closed my eyes with a low moan as the tendrils of light slid into my skin, following the path the vibrations took.

* * *

§Carbon child§

I knew that voice. The presence beside my own felt amused.

But it wasn't Optimus. It was dark. I was... _fairly_ certain I was asleep.

§Carbon child you need not open your eyes to pay attention§ Mico murmured in my mind.

I couldn't help but smirk slightly at that, _good_, I _really_ didn't want to open my eyes. Or move really, I felt weightless, my body numb in a way I couldn't really remember. Not numb, I just didn't hurt. Which was weird, there really wasn't a day that went past where I didn't have sore muscles, or when my shoulder didn't twinge and ache.

§Carbon child your body is too fragile, you must change soon§

That was confusing.

"What do you mean, mother?" I asked softly. The presence laughed softly.

§Rest§

The presence within my mind was gone, not gone, simply receded back where she usually remained.

Hers was a command I couldn't refuse, so I didn't bother trying.

* * *

I woke up again.

"Kae, you've fully regenerated," Ratchet's voice stated calmly. "You can come out now."

"Okay," I groaned, opening my eyes. I looked down, then around. "Just how many humans can hear me right about now?" I asked in a remarkably calm tone.

"Not one," Ironhide called out calmly, "they're off sleeping at the moment."

"Good," I said patiently. "Optimus, where the _hell_ did you put my _clothes_?"

Optimus coughed. The resonation of embarrassment was almost deafening in here.

"Ratchet?" I called out.

"Mikaela?" Ratchet called back, I could hear him suppressing laughter.

"Optimus is either looking sheepish or smirking, which is it?" I asked curiously.

"Sheepish," Ironhide chortled.

"You vaporized my clothes, didn't you?" I accused, fighting back my own laugh.

"A little," Optimus rumbled.

"How do you vaporize clothing just a little? Are there scraps floating in the ionosphere somewhere?" I asked, breaking down into a full laugh.

"No, but I'm pretty sure that _somewhere_, a primitive species is examining your bra and possibly worshiping it!" Ironhide bellowed, I could hear the crash of him falling over as he roared with laughter.

"Oh smooth move Hide!" I shouted, "Now the whole camp probably knows! Is the coast still clear enough for me to find something?"

"We're far enough out that they won't hear," Chromia's voice called up consolingly. "I've got some clothes down here for you anyway."

"Thank Primus for Femmes!" I murmured. Optimus' spark chamber opened, I could feel a tinge of sadness as I left, an almost silent resonation. I stroked his chamber and pressed a gentle kiss to it. A promise to return.

Arcee, Flareup and Chromia's holoforms supported me as I stepped weakly out of Optimus' hand, his holoform onlining a moment later beside us.

I looked down at my skin. Absolute alabaster, microfine lines denoting where the scars had been.

"I did _not_ do that much damage to myself!" I said in shock.

"We almost had to completely re-build you," Ratchet stated gently, his holoform joining Ironhide's in the group.

"Just please don't do that again," Ironhide added quietly. He reached out and touched my shoulder. "Officially, we brought you out here for a full reprimand."

"But we're not going to do it," Chromia continued quietly, gently helping me dress, "You did not actually disobey orders, you made a difference out there, and the only damage you did was to yourself."

"Mikaela," Optimus said firmly, I turned to face his holoform fully, he reached up and cupped my face. "You are one of our family now, among us it is a physical pain to lose one of our number." he lowered a hand to lightly caress his mark still burning on my chest, the glow faded into a normal tattoo.

"So don't kill yourself again," Ratchet said gently, "I don't want to try to attempt the impossible and find another assistant of your calibre. I've lost one daughter already, I don't want to lose you as well."

Physical pain stabbed into my heart at his tone, I turned and pulled his holoform into a crushing hug. Tears streamed down my face as I pulled back.

"You guys shouldn't have gotten attached to me," I whispered. "You said it yourself Ratch, I'm not built to last more than eighty years more at absolute best. _You need to stop caring about me._"

"No," Ironhide rumbled softly. "We're gonna love and care about you every second that we have you, and remember you with tenderness if the day ever comes when we don't."

I couldn't suppress the harsh sob that wracked through my body as the six holoforms grouped tightly around me.

"Kae," Ironhide rumbled softly, gently touching my face. I looked at him with grief in my eyes. "Your brother needs you."

"Bee," I whimpered, instantly turning to where I somehow knew my brother's spark was. Optimus gently took my elbow and led me to his truck form, I climbed into his cab quickly and settled into the passenger's seat.

Optimus must have felt my sudden need to reassure my little-brother, driving quickly back toward the camp. Soldiers stared at us in silence as I scrambled out of the cab, making a beeline for my brother as he transformed.

"Kae," he whispered, crouching down to my level.

"Bee," I whimpered. "Oh Bee, =I'm-so-sorry-little-brother.="

His hands reached forward the next second, picking me up and cradling me against his chest as I wound my arms as far as I could reach around his neck as we both sobbed.

"Don't do it again," he sobbed, rocking me. "Don't leave me behind big-sister."

"Never again, little-brother, never again." I whimpered.

* * *

(WPOV)

Will stood in shocked silence as Kae scrambled out of Optimus' cab, running toward the rapidly transforming scout. She looked like a ghost, a dark haired ghost.

They stared at each other for a long moment.

"Kae," Bumblebee whispered, crouching down to her level.

"Bee," she whimpered. "Oh Bee," her voice morphed into a trilling string of clicks, it sounded like one word.

Bee reached forward the next second, picking her up and cradling his sister against his chest as Kae wound her arms as far as she could reach around his neck. The both of them were crying, clinging to each other.

"Don't do it again," Bee sobbed, his tone wrenching the heart of even the most seasoned soldier. It was the tone of a young boy. "Don't leave me behind big-sister."

"Never again, little-brother, never again." Kae whimpered.

"Ratchet?" Will choked, watching her. She looked like a ghost, there was next to no colour in her.

"We had to almost completely rebuild her," Ratchet's holoform murmured the next moment. He seemed to watch the girl for a long moment before heaving a deep sigh.

"What?" Will murmured worriedly.

"As a medic, I am worried about her," Ratchet stated heavily. "As a father, terrified. She works and fights without concern for herself. Would that she were a bot, and I could run a diagnostic on her preservation circuits." Will turned to look at the medic fully.

"I didn't know you were a father," he murmured in a surprised tone. Ratchet turned to him, and Will felt his heart practically break at the grief in those eyes.

"In eighteen of your millennia," he said heavily. "I have lost more than I could save, buried more friends than I have retained. But my Alia... the loss of my daughter has always been the most bitter pill to swallow."

"Ratch?" Ironhide's holoform murmured gently, onlining beside the medic's and laying a strong hand on his shoulder.

"Old wounds," Ratchet murmured.

"Can..." Will started and broke himself off.

"The how," Ironhide murmured, looking at him with the eyes of an old warrior. Medic glanced at Weapons Master, they seemed to communicate for a half second. Not silently, but the way old friends knew what the other was thinking.

Ratchet remained silent, turning and watching Kae again.

Ironhide caught Will's eyes absolutely. "A group of Decepticons, in translation we refer to them as the Wolfpack. Fliers. Their... specialty, I suppose... is to round up a group and execute them. Anyone with even the remotest connection to a Prime."

Ironhide didn't need to say anymore, Will was able to put two and two together on his own. He reached out and laid a hand on the Medic's shoulder in silence.

Will already felt a sense of loyalty to these bots, God only knew Ratchet spent as much time trying to keep his men as healthy as his mech charges. That the medic had been a father, had lost his child, his daughter... it didn't matter that he was an enormous robot anymore. The bot had been a father.

"And yet gladly," Ratchet husked, seeming to continue Will's thoughts. "Gladly will I avoid further violence. To break the cycle."

"But with our last dying spark-flare, if I ever see those murderers again-" Ironhide rumbled sternly.

"We will destroy every last part of them that remains," Will growled softly. "With my dying breath will I fight against a being that would murder a child."

Optimus' holoform winked into being beside them, standing silently.

"Point," Ironhide rumbled quietly, glancing at him.

"Hmn?" Will murmured, looking at the weapons master.

"Ironhide has a mental tally, he's been keeping it since before Optimus was even online," Ratchet snorted quietly. "Anytime we score a point, he lets us know it."

"That's just cool," Will snorted quietly. "Do we ever get to know how many points we've scored?"

"That is easy," Optimus rumbled in a tone of wry amusement. "The more points you have in your favour, the less likely Ironhide is to beat the tar out of you."

"How many points have you lost that Ironhide _still_ beat the crap out of you?" Will snorted, looking at Optimus' holoform.

"Oh, no that's different," Ironhide rumbled amiably. "_Sometimes_ you have to beat the sense back _into_ someone."

"If he were beating the tar out of me, my holoform would not have even had the _chance_ to fight_ back_," Optimus snorted, laying an arm across the older holoform's shoulders.

"Point," Ironhide rumbled quietly. "Right, let's get the younglings to bed." he blinked his holoform out and transformed.

"Alright my niece, nephew, go recharge," he rumbled quietly, gently touching Bee's shoulder and looking at Kae.

Will watched, entirely impressed as not even Kae offered a single argument, staying awake only to remain with her brother until she deemed him to be asleep.

...

Will bolted awake, listening intently.

"You were dead," Bumblebee's voice was sobbing.

"Shh... Bee, I'm here, I'm right here," Mikaela murmured gently. Will stayed put in his tent, certain that he wouldn't be welcome.

That was the downside of having his hearing fixed. He could hear _everything _now.

And then, a female voice, an angel's voice...

"Roses whisper good night 'neath silv'ry light, asleep in the dew they hide from our view. When the dawn peepeth through God will wake them and you, when the dawn peepeth through God will wake them and you..." the voice sang sweetly, Will felt drowsy just listening to that voice.

"Slumber sweetly my dear for the angels are near, to watch over you the silent night through and to bear you above to the dreamland of love and to bear you above to the dreamland of love."

Will took a deep breath and dropped back to sleep.

* * *

(OPOV)

Mikaela was pacing near her makeshift workstation, rubbing her temple and evidently trying to scan the weather with her human senses. Bumblebee was sound asleep again, he'd taken residence beside his big sister's tent, and not a night had gone by that she hadn't sung him to sleep with the promise of being there in the morning.

"Optimus," she murmured softly, crouching beside him. "What's the weather doing?"

"There is a storm coming," Optimus rumbled softly, he onlined his holoform and began walking toward the grouping of tents.

"Thought so," Mikaela murmured, rising and walking beside his holoform. "It's going to hit fast, we'd best batten everything down. Get as much covered as we can." She immediately began tying loose ropes to their moorings and gathering a few tarps. Sideswipe onlined immediately and started his engine quietly, idling until his front was almost wedged between Ironhide and Ratchet. Mikaela began gently moving the Femmes to stand between the medical officer and Weapons specialist. Optimus watched with a small smile as she repeated the action every time; gently running her hand down one's body, murmuring softly before gently wheeling them into place.

They barely woke, slipping immediately back into their recharge cycles, trusting her absolutely as she moved them to a safer harbour.

She stretched an enormous canvas tarp over all of them, Ratchet rousing himself somewhat to send out a few hooks along his side for Kae to tie to. Jolt took up the head, letting Kae cover him along with the group.

Moments before the wind hit, soldiers were stumbling out of their tents, Mikaela grabbed a strip of linen, wrapped it around her face and got back to work, covering everyone's air intakes to keep the sand out.

Optimus kept his holoform beside her at all times and watched with shock as she tore down her own tent and used it to cover him, struggling against the blowing sand.

"Take cover!" Lennox was bellowing, "headcount!"

Bumblebee was online in seconds, roaring toward his sister. Optimus snarled as the wind picked up further and onlined a forcefield. Soldiers scrambled into the solid tent created by Ironhide, Ratchet, Sideswipe and Jolt, huddling alongside the girls.

"Bumblebee! To me!" he roared, struggling with his holoform as the sand battered it, and extending the tent to cover his scout's intakes. Mikaela was immediately tying them in before she raced off to take care of the twins, guiding them to park hood to hood beside Ratchet and covering them. Optimus struggled to keep his Kae located with his sensors, venting a sigh of relief as she made her way directly to him.

"Kae! Where's Kae!?" Lennox was bellowing.

"With us!" Optimus bellowed back over the howling wind, Kae delicately wedging herself underneath his chassis.

"Auto-bots report!" she shouted beneath him. "Are everyone's intakes covered?"

"Everyone is covered," Optimus rumbled above her, passing on the affirmations his unit sent over the primary.

::. Unless you want your paint stripped remember your fields!.:: Ratchet grumbled.

Optimus noted Mikaela squirming forward somewhat, reaching out to gently touch Bee's bumper. The scout calmed immediately as his sister dropped into a half-cycle. Meditating, her only movement an occasional stroke across his bumper.

Three hours later her eyes opened again. She squirmed out and looked up at the stars in the sky, shaking sand out of her clothes and hair.

"Hate. Friggen. Deserts." she grumbled softly before squirming back beneath Optimus. "Wake me up when you guys want to be untied," she murmured before falling asleep.


	46. 44 A Bit More Understanding

**Chapter 44 - A Bit More Understanding**

* * *

(OPOV)

Morning hit, Optimus onlined to find Mikaela already puttering around in the pre-dawn light, digging the built up sand out from beneath tires and shaking the irritating, powdered rock off of the tarps.

"Optimus, check your systems," she murmured softly, walking over and running a gentle hand down his fender. No sense in denying that order, he obediently did a systems diagnostic. Hmn.

"Everything is clear," he rumbled after a moment, "thank you."

She smiled and gently untied the tarp from him, he backed away slightly and transformed, surreptitiously blowing a bit of sand out of his nose. Okay, _now_ he was clear of any sand.

Mikaela snorted and shot a wry glare up at him, brushing away the sand that had rained down on her.

"Sorry," he rumbled quietly.

She laughed softly and waved a hand at him, puttering off to continue her self-appointed tasks straightening up the camp. Bee onlined a few minutes later with a start, transforming with the tarp over his head. Mikaela shot around and began laughing as Optimus steadied his scout.

"No, you are supposed to let us get this thing off _before_ you transform," he teased Bumblebee lightly, lifting the tent to look at his scout's face. "Systems check, any of this Primus damned sand get into your joints or air systems?"

"No sir," Bee grinned, wrestling with the tent. Mikaela ducked around and climbed onto Bee's foot, rapidly scaling his leg to his chest and delicately untying her knots. The light breeze caught the tent and swept her off of her brother's shoulder.

She squeaked and caught the tent cords before Optimus could move. Parachuting down to the ground and landing easily.

"Where'd you learn a proper landing by the way?" Lennox asked in surprise, staring at Kae as she stood lightly beside him, bundling up her tent.

"Um, skydiving with friends," Mikaela stated quietly.

"How'd they pull that off?" Epps asked with a grin. Mikaela snorted.

"We were neutral, but we had a biker gang that gave us a lot of business. Good men, a couple of them were enthusiasts for danger sports. Dad always sent us off with the warning 'you kill my girls and I'm not building you anymore bikes.'"

"Your dad sounds awesome," Epps grinned.

"That he is," Mikaela chuckled, "what was your family like?"

"Gone most of the time," Epps shrugged, "more or less raised by the bloods from six."

"That's harsh, I'm sorry," Mikaela stated gently.

"Eh, there were good times," Epps shrugged, following her as she moved toward her next task, lightly waving for him to follow. "I remember Marta always being there, took care of a lot of us..."

::. She slipped again.:: Bee stated musingly. ::. we're going to have to watch my sister, she might realize how comfortable she is with us and start pulling away...::

::. Why would she leave a comfortable place?.:: Ratchet asked curiously. Optimus looked back at his Kae.

"Yeah, it was a tough way to live," Epps shrugged as Kae followed him to the next of the tasks they'd begun sharing amidst the rest of the soldiers.

"You learn quickly to not get comfortable in any one place," Mikaela agreed with him. "It's easier to get out and away if you aren't leaving anything important behind."

"Amen to that," Epps nodded, "bad habit though."

"I dunno," Kae laughed, "it's a good way to not become materialistic."

"Hah! True," Epps laughed. "Just don't pull back on _us_ hey? We sure as hell aren't gonna let you run off on us!"

"Who says it's _you_ lot that would be making me run? I mean-" Mikaela clapped a hand over her mouth.

::. That's terror in them optics!.:: Ironhide announced in shock.

"Don't worry about it," Epps grinned down at her, "you're family now, when it comes down to it you got my vote for you to stay, and I'd imagine the intently listening big guy over there will probably insist on going with you if you have to pull a runner."

"True," Optimus rumbled, onlining his holoform beside his Kae. "Although I would more likely ask that you stay, so that whomever decides to come after you faces _us_ down, on _our_ terms."

"Fuck yeah," Lennox added with a grim smile.

Mikaela looked around at the soldiers and holoforms grouped casually around her with wide eyes.

"Why the hell would you risk your lives and careers to come to my aid," she asked with a frown. "Especially since I can't even _tell_ you the who or why?"

"Eh, I figure you'll tell us twenty minutes before they show up," Jacobs rumbled easily. "and we'll do it because you just gave us the bloody option, now didn't you?"

"Although," Lennox stated musingly, he turned to Optimus. "With all the information locked up in her mind, we could technically classify her as a potential weapons threat that should never be allowed to get into the wrong hands, couldn't we?"

"Moreshower would definitely add her protection to our assignment, that's like, two signatures, nothing," Jacobs grinned.

"That will look good on the paperwork," Optimus rumbled with a broad smirk. "Although we should leave it as a backup plan."

"Either way you're stuck with us big sister," Bee's holoform grinned.

Mikaela walked toward Optimus' holoform and buried herself into his chest.

"Thank you," she whispered softly. Optimus wrapped his holoform's arms around his Kae, pulling her in tight and burying his face in her hair. She pulled back after a few moments and smiled up at him.

"I'd best make sure the jeeps made it through the storm alright," she stated calmly.

"That's my girl," Ratchet grinned. She wandered toward the jeeps, leaving the group of humans and holoforms intently watching her.

"Good call, Epps," Jacobs rumbled quietly. "She's close to it."

"Mmn," Epps hummed softly. "S'not the streets she's running from though."

"No, definitely bigger than a petty street gang, she mentioned our careers..." Chance murmured with a frown.

"I'm in," Jacobs announced with a grin.

"Agreed," Chance stated firmly, "anyone with a brain can tell her moral compass points due north. If it hurts my career to help her, I don't even want to _think_ what the boss men have against her."

"That, is an _excellent_ friggen point," Lennox growled softly.

"You know I can still hear you guys, right?" Mikaela called out calmly, not even looking up from maintaining the jeeps.

"Well, are you going to be offended if we put together a pool on how this all turns out?" Jacobs rumbled at her with a grin.

She straightened for a moment with a frown.

"I suppose not," she shrugged after a moment, bending back to her task. "Just, keep it among the immediate family? Please?"

"Done!" Jacobs grinned. "Now why the hell are you fixing those jeeps? We're getting on the plane in two hours."

"Well, unless you want to _walk_ to the plane, this jeep needs to run," Mikaela laughed. She pulled out an air filter and promptly banged it against the side of the jeep, dislodging a great deal of sand.

"Here's one for you Kae," Lennox stated suddenly, frowning. "What the _hell_ were you doing last night? When the wind blows you get under cover!"

Optimus stayed silent, she had been caring for he and his unit.

"I was covering the bots," Mikaela stated calmly, she scooped up a small handful of sand and walked to Lennox. She took his hand gently and rubbed her finger over the back. "The auto-bots have a similar sensory setup as humans do, they process tactile information in much the same way." She stated calmly, soldiers gathered around her in fascination of the new lesson. Kae lightly sprinkled the sand onto the back of Lennox's hand, and pressed the back of her own hand against it. Lennox's hand was trapped in hers now, he stared at her in shock.

"They are made of steel, but sand is stone," she stated in a firm tone, rubbing her hand against Lennox's, grinding the sand into his skin and her own. Optimus winced in sympathy. Powdered stone was truly dreadful.

"Our skin is soft, more giving than theirs," Mikaela continued, never ceasing to grind the sand into Lennox's hand. "but if a single grain of sand can cause this much irritation after a few passes, think of every grain of sand that could get into a joint. Into a piston, every pass, thirty five thousand rubs every minute. They take care of us, watch our backs. I will _gladly_ risk my own life to make sure that my brothers, my sisters, my friends don't have to deal with the mechanical equivalent of gout."

She gently released Lennox's hand as the soldiers stared up at Optimus in shock once more, lightly brushing the sand from her hands and returning to the maintenance of the jeep.

"Why the _hell_ didn't you say something before?" Lennox demanded.

"Kae's been taking care of us," Ratchet shrugged genially.

"Kae's only been _around_ for a month!" the major growled.

"This is the first time we have been fighting in sand," Optimus rumbled patiently.

Will clapped a hand to his face, he looked frustrated.

"Major?" Optimus rumbled curiously.

"So you guys know all of our weaknesses, but you don't see fit to share yours?" The major asked in a tired voice.

Optimus stood, confused.

::. It's an indicative of mistrust, to not share weaknesses among soldiers.:: Mikaela's voice murmured gently on the primary ::. When soldiers fight, they rely on each other's strengths to carry each other's weaknesses.::

"I apologize, Major, that show of trust did not occur to me," Optimus rumbled immediately, crouching down. "Forgive a faux pas?"

The major snorted and grinned at him.

"Aw hell, why not, you've forgiven me a few, anything I should know?" Will chuckled.

"I hate sand, and I hate going under water," Ratchet immediately grumbled.

"Anything else?" Will grinned at the medic.

"High heat rounds, plasma, extreme cold, encoded virals-"

"-Chihuahuas-" Ironhide interjected.

The camp froze, the proverbial pin could not have been heard, it would be landing in sand and lost. Mikaela snorted over the jeep she was tending to, looked up at Ironhide and burst out laughing.


	47. 45 Disquietude

**Chapter 45 - Disquietude**

* * *

(MPOV)

The soldiers were ribbing each other, the bots tied into their places on the plane.

My head hurt, I was doing my damnedest to not let it show, but it was a class A migraine starting to force it's way into my senses. The plane was loud, the soldiers jubilant, we hadn't lost anyone this mission, several soldiers going so far as to clap me on the back, or shake me somewhat with glee.

Chance had gotten into the habit of skipping around on his new leg, his heavy boots thunking on the metal. Normally I would have been laughing at him, but at the moment? I just felt like purging... throwing up. The new terms bleeding into my vocabulary were beginning to irritate me now.

"_Kae!_" Ratchet shouted the next second, his holoform onlining twenty feet away.

I flinched, I couldn't help it, but that didn't stop me from immediately kicking myself for flinching.

"Ratch?" I asked as calmly as I could, battling down a wince at the loudness of my own voice.

"Go take a nap before that cranial swelling gets any worse or I'll sedate you!" Ratchet growled at me.

"Bloody friggen psychic auto-bot," I grumbled softly.

"Cranial swelling!? What, like a hemorrhage?" Will was immediately demanding of me. The soldiers had also gotten into that habit as well, apparently I'd healed them instead of myself.

I didn't remember that, but they were being almost unbearable now - making sure I was taking care of myself, and Ratchet wasn't helping. At all.

"No, like migraine," I groaned softly. I gave up and buried my face in my hands. "Ratchet you're a gods damned bully sometimes, you know that right?"

"You're the one that damaged herself to the point of needing a new neural network," Ratchet stated flatly. "Now go rest and let it take the proper amount of time to get used to new stimuli!"

Great.

The choice between a massive headache or nightmares. How does one explain that to a medic? No doubt he'd offer to sedate me again.

That didn't stop nightmares, it just made sure I couldn't wake up out of them.

"What time is it in Diego Garcia?" I asked calmly. Maybe deflection would work.

"It's uh... sixteen hundred hours," Will stated, looking at his watch.

"So you're mixing up a recipe for me to have massive jet lag Ratch," I informed my mentor calmly. "Sleeping during the day messes up internal clocks."

Ratchet glared at me.

I glared back.

It turned rather quickly into a staring contest. Which sucked, his body and holoform both had no reason to blink. Ever. But I was still going to put up a good fight.

"I will rest when I am tired," I growled at him.

"Which is now, your body is exhausted," Ratchet growled back at me.

Bloody psychic auto-bot.

"Optimus!" I called out in exasperation. He winked his holoform beside me, his face obviously struggling to not look amused.

"I refuse to take sides between my reliant and my medic, you know that my Kae," Optimus informed me patiently. I shot a pleading look at him, the holoform chuckled and lightly picked me up. "But simply because you are laying in my sleeper, does not necessarily mean you must sleep," he rumbled softly in my ear.

My saviour.

"I heard that!" Ratchet called out irritably. Optimus calmly carried me into his cab, lightly setting me down in the hammock and tucking himself in beside me.

"I'm right here," he murmured in my ear.

"Luring me to sleep knowing that I'm safer than I've ever been is cheating," I murmured softly. Optimus hummed an amused affirmative, tucking me a bit more tightly into the holoform's chest.

I laid in silence for a little while, then felt my sense of humour swell in my chest at the simplest, sweetest sound. Resting in his alt-form, his holoform wound around me, my guardian was snoring softly. Impressive, especially considering how much he hated flying.

But tucked into the warmth, listening to the soft, sweet hum surrounding me I could feel my heart beginning to break, the uncertainty of the future weighing my soul. I squirmed slightly and felt my shoulder twinge; the constant reminder of what needed to be done... I tucked my face into the hollow of the holoform's throat and did my best to suppress the sobs that wanted to tear themselves from my throat. He was becoming a crucial part of my being, and I didn't know which was going to hurt more: knowing that leaving would hurt _him,_ or how much the leaving itself would hurt.

'Take each day as it comes' my uncle would tell me. I was tucked against a firm chest, enveloped by strong arms in a hammock created by a being whose first thought had been to keep me safe from my nightmares. I closed my eyes and did my absolute best to memorize the feeling of being in his presence.

The soft, comforting hum of his spark surrounded me, and with that sound soothing my fears, I drifted off to meet the darkness.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus roused himself as Ironhide gently nudged him with a holoformatic hand.

::. We're landing.:: the Weapons master informed him quietly. Optimus passed his thanks and brought himself fully online, checking on the femme sleeping tucked tightly near his spark. It felt good to have her there. She began to stir slightly in his holoform's arms.

"Sleep Kae," he whispered, gently stroking the silk that crowned her helm. "We're almost home."

Gentle, sleepy blue-green eyes looked up at him for a moment before she nodded, tucking herself a bit more snugly into his chest. He noted that at some point in their recharges, tiny fingers had wound into the holoform's shirt. He memorized that image, storing it in his permanent memories.

::. You wanna proximity me?.:: his scout sent mischievously.

Optimus jumped, immediately looking around himself and starting his engines up, the bots were waiting for him to disembark.

"Big man tired or something?" Epps asked curiously.

"Not quite fully online," Ratchet snorted. Optimus smirked slightly, a true, tight-knit unit always made each other's excuses. He thought for a moment and nodded to himself, he definitely needed to see to some form of rest and relaxation for his unit, or at least see to their freedom enough that _he_ could make some excuses for them.

He could probably get Kae's help for that, come to think of it. He wondered how much she would demand for in payment if he pleaded with her to tend the unit.

"Not a dime," she murmured, half asleep.

Optimus jumped again, looking down at her drowsy blue eyes.

"Kae?" he murmured quietly.

"You're looking around at everyone, and scheming," Mikaela snorted softly, squirming in his arms. "And your arms tightened slightly but there's absolutely no resonation of jealousy about you my guardian."

Optimus chuckled softly, nuzzling his holoform's face into the femme's helm.

"Now the main question, what are you scheming?" she murmured with a low laugh.

Optimus smirked. Come to think of it, he wanted to spoil his reliant as well.

"Nothing," he rumbled innocently, knowing full well she could see though his lie more efficiently than her optics saw through his windshield.

"Tell me." she stated flatly.

"On second thought, I find myself wishing to surprise you equally," Optimus grinned down at her.

"However I already know your intention of a surprise, thereby nullifying it, so why not allow me into the scheme, seeing as you were contemplating how best to bribe me into something." Kae stated placidly, propping her chin onto his chest.

"How the scrap-" Optimus began with a small frown. He was _very_ certain he had not said that aloud.

Mikaela smirked at him.

Optimus shot a half-sparked glare at her.

"Tell me," she grinned at him.

"I don't know yet," he grumbled, turning his attention to driving again. Mikaela snorted and rose from the hammock, settling into the passenger seat.

"So you're scheming on scheming?" Mikaela asked him innocently. Optimus snorted softly, he began driving toward the hangar and thought better of it, turning and driving up to the lookout.

::. Prime?.::

He sent the wordless sense of his intentions, feeling his Weapons master's laughter.

::. You know the humans are gonna get suspicious if you keep doin' that.::

::. So tell them that Kae and I are going to discuss what the All-spark is placing in her mind now that the Matrix has been found.:: he shrugged.

::. You're _still_ an awful liar Prime.::

::. Why do you think he's getting _you_ to do it?.:: Ratchet interjected with a snort.

::. Riiight...:: Ironhide snorted.

Optimus turned his attention back to Kae, the femme looking at him with a wry expression.

"You're doing it again," she informed him cheerfully.

"What?" he rumbled.

"Talking over whatever silent communication you lot have," she snorted.

"The Primary," he rumbled calmly. It was her turn to look at him curiously.

"I got into the habit of keeping an open frequency for the unit," Optimus shrugged. "We use it for group discussions, or to call each other outside of the personal frequencies."

"Primary because you run it?" Mikaela laughed at him.

"And Bumblebee in particular tends to use it as his primary communications line," Optimus rumbled a bit defensively. Mikaela chuckled and stroked his seat, a sensation that had him onlining an extra processor to maintain the concentration to continue driving.

Optimus calmly parked and made to transform.

"Is there a spot that makes it easier for you to transform around me?" Kae asked curiously. Optimus froze and smiled.

"Tuck yourself somewhat more tightly together, my Kae," he rumbled in amusement, and felt a surge of honoured pride as the femme brought her knees to her chest, folding in on herself and allowing him to transform without opening his armour so far. He lightly gathered her into his hand and brought her to his shoulder, smiling as she squirmed into her spot, wrapping a gentle arm around his frame as he began striding toward the cliffs. Mikaela glanced at her watch and snorted in irritation, opting instead to look up at the stars.

"Kae?"

"I still haven't gotten my watch fixed," Mikaela snorted. "Telling time by the sun is one thing, trying to sort it out by the position of the stars after flying half-way around the world? Entirely another."

Optimus snorted and lightly settled down on the cliff, dangling his legs over the edge as the lights of the universe twinkled above them, and the illuminated base winked below.

They sat in silence for some time, the comfortable silence of companions.

"Are you alright?" Mikaela finally asked softly, she reached out and lightly touched his cheek.

Optimus remained silent, as he usually did, trying to decide how to answer.

"Really? Well I think you should fake a sneeze and blast him accidentally," she informed him cheerfully, as she had always done. He didn't need to answer, she simply knew. "Or just blow him off the catwalk, Ratchet and I will both happily start fussing over your apparent cold."

Optimus immediately clapped a hand to his vocal processors, muffling the snort of laughter. Such a thing was not dignified.

"Okay you realize that seeing as you never allow me the dignity of suffering in silence you're not allowed to either, right?" Mikaela smirked at him. Optimus rolled his optics, he couldn't help it.

"I might note it was _Ratchet_ whom announced your ailing state," he rumbled placidly.

"Shuffling things off to the medic is highly un-Primely of you," Mikaela shot back at him.

Optimus glared at the femme. She was absolutely correct, of course, he wasn't glaring for that.

He was glaring because he did not know an adequate and equal misbehaviour to 'reprimand' _her_ with.

"You say that ladies aren't supposed to snort with laughter," she informed him cheerfully.

"Next time," he rumbled threateningly.

"Good, gives me plenty of time to polish my already existing retort to that." she informed him benignly.

"Femmes!" Optimus rumbled in exasperation. Mikaela snorted.

"Do you _really _want me to act differently?" she asked fondly.

"No," Optimus chuckled softly. "Just _please_ stop making me laugh in front of the director? I am afraid that he will see my fondness for you, and thereby endeavour to have you removed from this place."

"Or worse yet, think that you're laughing at him," Mikaela murmured with a snort. Optimus groaned in agreement.

"_Humans,"_ he rumbled in exasperation.

"_Cybertronians,_" Mikaela sighed in exasperation.

Optimus snorted, shooting a wry glance at her. She was smirking at him again. Optimus shook his head and laid back slowly enough for his Kae to maintain her balance, in moments she was sprawled across his chest plates, looking up at the stars with him.

"Has the light from Cybertron's sun reached the earth yet?" she asked quietly. Optimus hummed for a second, scanning the stars, registering their distances and cross-referencing them with the star charts.

Finally, he raised a hand and pointed.

"She is that way," he rumbled softly.


	48. 46 Father Mentor

**Chapter 46 - Father Mentor**

* * *

(RPOV)

"_Goddamn it!"_ Kae shouted, Ratchet looked up toward her quickly, catching the scent of blood, Kae was bent over, grasping at her arm and glaring at the carbon cutter.

"Kae?" he asked worriedly, immediately onlining his holoform.

"Not too serious," Kae groaned, pressing a rag to the gash in her arm. "The cutter bit me. My fault."

"Why in Pitfire did you do that?" he muttered irritably, it wasn't like his assistant to make such a mistake.

"Because I'm an idiot," she groaned, slumping into her tall chair at the same time that Ratchet made to gruffly plunk her into it.

"Well, let go of the scrapping rags and let me take a look," Ratchet grumbled, putting on his best irritated tone without even thinking about it. Kae looked at him for a long second and seemed to relax slightly, obediently holding her arm out to him.

"Well you've done a number on yourself," Ratchet stated irritably, the holoform already reaching for the glue and tape that would hold his assistant's skin together while the nanites repaired the damage. Mikaela was quiet, and that in itself was strange; she normally chatted with him anytime he was patching her up. Something felt off.

"What's actually wrong?" he murmured, looking up to catch her eyes.

"Nothing," she stated immediately, her eyes flicking away.

"Kae," Ratchet sighed, looking at her patiently. She looked back up at him, struggling with her expressions._≈It's not like you to let the carbon cutter bite you, you're distracted. What's wrong?≈_ he switched to healer's frequency in the hopes of drawing her out, if only to get a _reaction_ out of her.

She stayed silent, Ratchet could almost see her thought processes. She was debating herself, a debate that obviously had caught hold in her mind and refused to be shunted to the back processors.

"I've broken a personal rule," she murmured finally.

"You know, you and I haven't had the chance to drive together," he mused. Kae looked at him with a sweet mixture of confusion and gratitude. Ratchet quickly walked out of the makeshift med-bay.

::. I'm taking Kae for a drive, see if I can get her to talk.:: he sent over the primary patiently as he transformed, opening the passenger door for Kae. She sat in his cab quietly, staring out the window for a long time. He chose the cove and transformed, cradling his assistant as he walked to a good looking spot for a good sit.

"What's eating you?" he asked softly.

"I don't even know how to adequately explain it," Kae whispered, reaching up and touching her chest. "You know the chips exist, they're a mission. I'm caught between a rock and a hard place. I'm trying to see the simple solution. There's _always_ a simple solution, until..."

"Until your spark gets involved?" Ratchet asked placidly. Kae whipped around to stare at him.

"That's succinct," she snorted, still idly rubbing the spot on her chest where Optimus' mark lay. "You know me too well for me to use any hypothetical scenarios."

"Well, you can put it forward as hypothetical, and know that I won't speak of it," Ratchet snorted.

"This coming from the emperor of gossip and meddling?" she shot back at him.

"Name one instance that my meddling has gone awry," Ratchet grinned at his assistant, the grin faded as she turned to look him in the optics. The bared sadness in her eyes would be enough to trip the protective circuits in _any_ bot.

"When I accepted this mission, I had to accept a set of rules designed for both my own safety, and the safety of others," she whispered, holding her wrist up.

"So?" Ratchet asked curiously, Kae looked ready to clam up again. "C'mon Kae, on my honour as a medic, I'll delete this conversation if I really have to. What's _eating you?_"

"What do I _do_?" Kae burst out suddenly, jumping to her feet and beginning to pace agitatedly. "I have a _mission,_ Ratchet, a Primus damned mission that I swore on my honour, my family's honour to _complete_. I'm not _allowed_ to have a mate! I'm not supposed to get personally involved in _anything!_ Let alone... let alone fall in love with an auto-bot! I'm supposed to be acting normal, staying off the radar. Instead my face has been splashed across every single piece of media available!"

"You took his mark," Ratchet stated softly, indecision hammering his circuits.

"I don't want it to go away," Kae whimpered, looking up at him. Ratchet instantly relaxed, his suspicions laid to rest. "What happens when the time comes and I have to run? What happens when I have to choose between staying and finishing this? I swore to _finish_ it Ratchet!"

"Then he will go with you, as will I." Ratchet stated firmly, automatically. He leaned down and delicately brushed the hair from her face with a gentle finger. "If_ we_ have to go, we _will_ find a way to take you with us."

"That's impossible," Kae whispered, she looked up at him again with the strength coming back into her eyes. "I wouldn't survive, but I don't have to, do I."

"I will find a way for you to survive if it's the last thing that I do." Ratchet growled down at her, "But if I did, would you take it?"

"I don't know," she whispered, sitting down and leaning against his hip. "Ratch, I need to ask you something horrible."

"Let me decide if it's horrible or not," Ratchet murmured.

"If the shit hits the fan, and I'm taken down," she said quietly. "I need you to get the implants to my father somehow. If he's dead, then get them to Bartholomew Matteer, or General Moreshower."

"The director of the CIA?" Ratchet asked in an astonished tone.

Kae nodded silently. "Those three, and those three alone. They'd have to leave your hands, directly into theirs," she stated seriously. Ratchet nodded and straightened slightly.

"All told," he murmured, laying a gentle hand around her back, "I have had to do far worse than that."

She took a deep, shuddering breath and Ratchet caught a whiff of her pheromones. She glanced up at him wryly.

"I don't suppose you have any salt peter in the meantime?" she murmured with a snort.

"Your libido has started itself up again has it?" Ratchet looked down at her in amusement. "Why not simply let Optimus... aah, that's your quandary, isn't it? Come here Kae." he chuckled, delicately lifting his assistant and holding her close to his spark. "First off, Optimus doesn't mind taking care of you, you do realize that when he's taking care of you he's got a purpose in his own processors again right? He's taking care of himself again, wants to live again. You don't actually want to do without him, do you?"

"No," Kae whispered, cuddling against him and watching the waves rolling into the cove. "and that's the most terrifying thing. I had enough to lose, waiting for my father, now..."

"Aw Kae," Ratchet murmured, rocking her, he listened with half a processor as Optimus, Ironhide, Bumblebee and the femmes drove toward them.

"So what's on the chips, anyway?" Bumblebee asked cheerfully, plonking down beside him.

"I'm still not allowed to tell you, Bee," Kae sighed.

"Which is the sole reason that I haven't just scanned the information in." Ratchet stated blandly. Mikaela snorted.

"That and the chance that scanning them would erase them?" she murmured.

"That too."

"Well, we're appointing ourselves as your bodyguards," Bumblebee chirped brightly. "So I get twenty questions."

"You're a brat, little brother," Mikaela shot back at him with a wry smile.

"Yep, question one, without telling me exactly what's on the chips, is it good or bad?"

"Both," Kae sighed. "Information that depends entirely on the hands that hold it."

"Question two," Optimus rumbled, sitting carefully on Ratchet's other side. Kae looked at him. "Is there any way for you to complete the mission implied with the chips early?"

"God I hope not," Kae groaned. "It..." she looked around at them carefully and promptly slammed her head against Ratchet's hand. "Before you ask," she whispered. "Yes, I want to tell you, I want to tell you everything, tell you who I'm supposed to be, who I want to be instead, I want to tell you what's on the chips, give you the reports, get your angles. I can't, and it's eating me away."

"You don't have to tell us," Ironhide rumbled comfortably. "We all understand missions outside the unit. It happens. Primus only knows how much information I've delete-encrypted from my memories so that I don't have to talk about them."

"What do I do then, uncle?" Kae whispered.

"Welp, you help us stall leaving this planet 'til you've got that thing finished up, and then when we go, we go together." Ironhide drawled patiently. "Either that or the lot of us are going to have to fake leaving, which'll suck. Also, in the _present_ you're going to quit leaving yourself frustrated like that, 'cause it's making _me_ frustrated."

Kae looked at him curiously.

"We're keeping this among the family," 'Hide snorted, grinning at her. "and right now you smell like you ain't gettin' laid enough, which is _your_ fault." he added, lightly flicking Optimus' helm.

"And how is that not my own fault?" Kae shot back at him instantly.

"Because you're still a youngling, even for your own damned species," Ironhide snorted. "You don't fool me, niece, as much as you're tryin' to keep up with the learnin' everything, you can't learn it if nobody's _teachin.'_ Now, get the hope back in your spark, we got your back, Kae."

Ratchet watched with pride for his unit as Kae unwound herself somewhat, looking around herself in awe.

"Fine, if we're playing twenty questions, why the hell are you being so supportive Hide?" she asked with a grin.

"Hah! 'Cause you got your wiring straight!" Ironhide laughed.

"Anyone who calls his bluff he likes," Ratchet snorted. "You looked him in the cannons and didn't so much as blink."

The group sat in silence for a moment, watching the sun begin to touch the water.

"Where do females keep their brass?" Optimus rumbled suddenly.

"Hmn?" Kae looked at him curiously.

"I meant to ask you what it meant," Optimus stated placidly. Mikaela began laughing.

"Who said it?" she giggled.

"Epps," Optimus shrugged.

"Alright, you know how men are incredibly protective of their reproductive system, most specifically their genitals?" Kae began with a laugh.

"Are they?" Ironhide laughed. "I suppose they'd have to be, wouldn't they?"

"Brass in a bravery stance is brass balls – testicles. No fear if the most vulnerable part is indestructible," Kae giggled. "Of course I don't _have_ testicles so rather than brass, I have steel in my spine."

"There is no-" Ratchet began.

"Figuratively," Mikaela grinned at him. "Like my saying that _you_ have a big heart, when the closest parallel is your radiator pump."

"Okay, but you do have titanium in your spine," Ratchet continued.

"I do?" Kae asked in shock.

"And silver, so that when you're hooked up to your pack it doesn't cause as much damage," Ratchet explained soothingly.

"That is both awesome and terrifying," Kae stated quietly. "What happens if I get hurt? I'm gonna get stuck in the middle of the MRI."

"Bull, you're staying with _me_," Ratchet snorted, "MRI nothing, admit it, you wouldn't even show up for an X-ray."

"Okay true," Kae snorted.

"Problem resolved?" he murmured down to her.

"As much as it _can_ be," Kae stated wryly, looking up at him as the sun set over the water.

"It's easier just to talk about it," Ratchet murmured.

"Only because you lot are too damned easy to talk to," Mikaela snorted.

"I'll take that as a compliment," Ironhide chuckled as Bee nodded cheerfully. Optimus reached over and gently accepted Kae from Ratchet's hands.

"Always," he rumbled softly, a binder cable reaching hesitantly toward her. Mikaela smiled and reached for it, allowing it to slip into her wrist. Ratchet extended his own, Optimus delicately accepting it into a coupling as Ironhide, Bumblebee and the femmes all joined into the collective.

::. So what's the excuse this time?.:: Kae asked quietly, Ratchet glanced at her spark-mind and jumped.

She hovered in the space easily, her form undefined but...

::. Beautiful, isn't she?.:: Optimus rumbled in amusement as the bots stared at their newest sister spark.

::. You can scrapping well say that again.:: Bumblebee whispered in awe, moving hesitantly toward his big sister. She held her arms out to him with a beautiful smile. ::. Are you sure?.:: he asked in a shocked tone.

::. What?.:: Kae laughed ::. You think I'm going to pass up the chance to properly hug my little-brother?.:: Bumblebee chirped excitedly in scout and caught her in a hug.

::. I knew it!.:: he called out with a broad grin, planting a solid kiss to his sister's cheek.

::. Knew what?.:: she asked with a low laugh.

really are bigger than me, look!.:: He coalesced his spark and stood beside her with a grin as she did the same. They looked like a set of true online twins, Kae the more powerful of the two. Ratchet began laughing softly, walking over and pulling her into a hug.

::. Your mind is bizarrely organized.:: Ironhide commented idly, squeezing his niece's shoulder lightly.

::. Well it has to be, doesn't it?.:: Kae laughed softly ::. I only have one processor, remember?.::

::. Which is a good reason for not entering her mind-space.:: Ratchet added quietly ::. She won't have enough room for us.::

::. Really?.:: Kae murmured.

::. We already are.:: Optimus rumbled in amusement. ::. You are connected to me to buffer the information streams.:: Kae grinned and the space around them expanded.

::. While we're at it, what's this place?.:: she asked cheerfully, images of Cybertron flickered through the mind-space until they were surrounded by the guardian's falls. ::. I keep dreaming of this spot, standing right here and watching time go by.::

::. The guardian's falls, just outside of Iacon.:: Ironhide rumbled softly. ::. the way they were before the war, if ever there was a beautiful place, a place of hope and peace, it was here.::

::. There was a time when the cube used to rest there.:: Ratchet added, pointing to Kae's feet. ::. Thats your point of view, Kae, you're standing where the cube did.::

::. That explains that one, but what about this?.:: she asked curiously, the scenery morphed. ::. I'm always dreaming of this place, but... but I've never been there, I don't think Mico was either...::

::. That's the bonding circle.:: Ironhide supplied cheerfully, going to stand in the middle. ::. Swore I'd get the chance to stand right here someday.::

Ratchet grinned as Kae flicked through her secondhand memories, obviously enjoying herself as she learned.

::. Ooh! That's my med-bay!.:: Ratchet declared at one, looking around himself. ::. This is where _I_ apprenticed!.::

::. It's starting to blow.:: Bumblebee stated suddenly ::.'Mon, let's head back and continue on!.::

It was a cheerful bunch that drew back into their own bodies and transformed. Ratchet followed his Prime, smiling as Kae got into Optimus' cab on the passenger's side and Bumblebee raced off ahead.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus onlined his holoform to smile as his Kae as she gracefully got into his cab. She shot him a guilty look.

"What?" he rumbled with a snort. Kae sighed.

"Again, you lot know me too well for me to get away with hypotheticals." she murmured.

"Say it, Kae," Optimus rumbled. She sighed.

"I don't want to run," Kae whispered. "I'm torn between duty and loyalty."

"When duty calls, you will go," Optimus rumbled calmly, "and I will go with you or follow behind you as quickly as I can."

Kae just shot him that guilty look again.

"What?" he rumbled curiously, grinning at her. "I _can_ fly if I absolutely have to."

"I can't just drag you into this mess," she whispered.

"You are not, I am butting into your business," Optimus chuckled, turning onto the road. "I should have warned you before you took my mark. As your guardian it is my right to be nosy about you, my Kae."

Mikaela began laughing, reaching out and lightly whacking his holoform's knee.

"Thank you for being nosy," she murmured, smiling at him. Her face turned serious again. "But that doesn't mean that I'm going to be entirely forthcoming, you know that, right?"

"We are honest with each other," Optimus rumbled patiently. "If you do not say it, it means you do not need to lie."

The relief in his Kae's eyes was palpable as they drove into the deserted hangar, the bots were already lined up, parked and humming excitedly.

"We've got news!" Will called down to him, Optimus transformed and lightly deposited his Kae on his shoulder. She smiled and squirmed into her spot. "There's supposed to be a press conference for you guys, secret seems to have got out a bit more rabidly than they figured." Will stated quickly.

Mikaela snorted on his shoulder.

"So what's the poop?" she grinned, "are you guys going to switch location and do a lockdown on movements or are they going to wise up and declassify?"

"Wise up, maybe," Lennox snorted. "Declassify, potentially. Galloway is lobbying against it for all he's worth."

"Oh good. Man has absolutely no subtlety," Kae laughed. "If he's trying to get Optimus off planet he should be working on getting that conference as open as possible so he can get the public afraid and put forward his vote to revoke amnesty."

Optimus turned his head carefully to look at her.

"God I didn't even think of that," Will groaned.

"What should we do then?" Optimus rumbled worriedly, looking at his Kae.

"Use your holoforms," she shrugged. "Get to the conference, transform, and wink your holoforms online directly in front of yourselves wearing your colours. Make it stupidly obvious that they're your avatars and use human body language."

"I want you with me," Optimus stated quietly.

"We're supposed to be keeping Kae hidden," Will stated apologetically. "Although god only knows they should be putting her onstage and apologizing for the mess they've made of her life now."

"Don't be ridiculous," Kae snorted. "That was a hiccough, I'm still under orders to disappear, remember?"

"You are what?" Optimus rumbled with a deep frown.

"Standing order to get and stay off the radar," Will groaned. "I can't believe they haven't revoked that. Beyond stupid."

"We'll figure something out," Mikaela smiled at him. Optimus vented a deep breath, quickly syncing his processors. "If worse comes to worst, I'll get Jerry to bring up a live feed video from you, Optimus."

Optimus nodded slowly, thinking hard.

"I could keep you in my spark chamber," he mused quietly.

"Mmmn, maybe, but there's a bit too much potential of the Wizard of Oz, and distractions." she stated blandly. Optimus quickly scanned for the Wizard of Oz and snorted.

"Wizard of Oz?" Will frowned.

"Pay no attention to the lovely young woman behind the curtain," Optimus rumbled with a snort, shooting a wry glance at Kae as she laughed. Will stared at him for a long second before snorting back his own laughter. He looked over at Kae again.

"Alright, control issues aside," he grinned at her. "I'm not going to ask, officially, but can you give me a half decent excuse as to why the CIA is so interested in keeping you hidden?"

Optimus watched as his Kae froze on his shoulder. She looked at Will for a long time.

"Kae? You don't have-" Will started.

"Sorry, no," Kae began. "I'm trying to work out how much I can safely tell you, Will, Ratchet has figured a great deal out already. You guys are already in danger, I don't want to increase that..."

"Okay, danger of not knowing?" Will asked patiently.

"Is safety, deniability," Kae stated patiently.

"That bad?" Will asked in a shocked tone.

"Kinda, yeah, I really wish I could brief you Will."

"If it makes you feel any better," Optimus rumbled quietly, "she hasn't told _us_ either."

"Oddly enough? It does sort of," Will snorted. "Just shake your head if you can't answer whatever question I ask, right?" he grinned at Kae. She nodded hesitantly.

"Is it that program Drew told us about?" Will started.

"No, that got nullified the second you knew my surname, Will," Kae shrugged.

"You're protecting something? Someone?"

Kae nodded silently, froze, nodded a second time then shook her head.

"Well, shit." Will stated quietly. "Covert guardian?"

Kae nodded, then shook her head.

"Thats all I needed to know," Will murmured, he snapped to attention and saluted her.

"I'm still a civilian, Will," Kae snorted.

"CG is always inducted into the military at some level!" Will protested immediately.

"Never formally inducted," Kae shrugged. "I guard against the hunters."

Will stared at her for a long minute.

"This conversation never happened," they echoed each other the next second. Kae burst out laughing.

"It has been a _long _time since I've done that," she giggled. "So when's the press conference? I'm going to need to get everyone cleaned up and looking nice."

"Three days," Will snorted. "Unless of course Galloway has his way."

"Three days it is," Kae grinned, stretching on Optimus' shoulder. He could see her biting back a yawn.

"Stay with me?" he rumbled softly. She smiled and cuddled against his cheek.

"Right, good recharge, sweet dreams, stuff," Will grinned, sliding down the deserted catwalk.

"Sleep well, Major," Optimus rumbled placidly.

"Hey, when you guys aren't pissed off at me? Sleep like a baby," Will snorted, not even turning around.

Optimus laughed softly, and Will turned around curiously.

"I gotta ask this one though," he grinned. "Two years and I've never heard you laugh, Kae shows up and you're an entirely different person."

"Nah," Ironhide grinned, onlining his holoform beside the Major and throwing an arm across his shoulders. "Kae showed up and we got to see _Optimus_ again."

"Oh do tell," Will grinned.

"Above all else?" Ironhide smirked as Optimus narrowed his optics at his weapons master. "_Optimus_ is a true sucker for a pretty spark."

"Oh be nice," Chromia piped up cheerfully. "The bot has _incredible_ taste in femmes."

"This is true," Ratchet grinned.

"I never took you for the fleshy type," Will laughed, looking up at Optimus. "It stands to reason, I suppose, you _did_ make the rule no harming the humans..."

"No that's just good manners," Ironhide snorted. Optimus resisted rolling his optics.

"Which says more about you than you'd think," Mikaela trilled from his shoulder.

"Elaborate," Optimus rumbled curiously.

"Ironhide, has _terrible_ manners," Mikaela stated blandly. Optimus gave into the temptation and snorted.

"_Everybody_ knows _that,_" Ratchet laughed.

"I most certainly do not!" Ironhide rumbled indignantly.

"Says the bot who showed us his cannons not five minutes after first contact," Mikaela shot back at him with a broad grin.

"This coming from _you_?" Ironhide shot back at Kae with a broad grin.

"I am a perfect fallen angel," Kae trilled cheerfully.

_Who's mind rests cheerfully in the gutter,∂_ Hide threw back at her.

_If there wasn't a gutter, where would our minds sleep Uncle?∂_ she asked with a perfect inflection of pure innocence. Ironhide's holoform promptly sat down hard, howling with laughter.

"What'd I miss?" Will asked with a snort.

"The fact that Ironhide and Mikaela are _definitely _related," Ratchet snorted. "Completely righteous despite a perfectly filthy mind."

"Don't stay up too late," Will laughed, walking toward the hangar doors again. He hauled on the doors to begin them closing.

"Now where were we?" Optimus rumbled with a smirk, looking at his Kae.

"I don't know," she stated seriously. "I tend to rely on my beloved guardian for that one."

Optimus immediately knew his optics were flushing deep blue, his spark humming with pride of her statement. Ironhide howled cheerfully.

"Get down here so I can hug you!" he demanded with a broad grin.

Kae laughed and lightly jumped to his hand again. Optimus couldn't resist simply laying down, gesturing his unit to join him. Kae giggled, hauling Ironhide's holoform into a crushing hug before climbing back onto his chest plates again, squirming lightly and laying on him. He slid a binder cable lightly toward her. She looked at it for a second and rather cheekily guided him to connect to the base of her spine.

That in itself spurred a flash flood of memories, and the look in her eyes said she knew precisely what those memories were.

::. Spike tease.:: he rumbled to her with a low laugh.

::. Flatterer.:: she shot back at him with a smirk.

::. How is _that_ a flattering comment?.:: Arcee asked with a laugh.

::. It's quite simple.:: Kae grinned ::. If he thinks I look good enough to even _tease_ his spike I'm doing pretty damned good.::

::. So cute.:: Ratchet snorted.

Optimus snorted and pulled the spark of his Kae close, cuddling her as they began again, laughing, learning and remembering their home.


	49. 47 Of Age

**To my dear readers, and my wonderful betas, a billion heartfelt thanks for your support and critiques. The writers know this, the readers less so: we thrive on your reviews, it is our creative bread and butter. Keep 'em coming folks! Ten more and I'm at 200! which has me quite frankly shocked to be honest... Anyway, without further ado:**

**Chapter 47 - Of Age**

* * *

(MPOV)

I stood glaring at the pressure washer.

"It's not broken, Kae," Ratchet said mildly.

"It's cold water," I growled softly.

"You take an icy cold shower every morning," The medic snorted.

"That doesn't mean I _like_ them," I grumbled. "They wake me up, and then hot coffee tempers my mood until I've reinforced my eternal cheerfulness."

Ratchet looked down at me and let go of the rumbling laughter he'd been holding back, onlining his holoform and rummaging amidst a couple of bags before presenting me with a bikini. I looked at it for a second before laughing myself. I glanced around and stripped my shirt off, flying into the bikini in seconds and leaving the jean cutoffs in place.

"Sunscreen," Ratchet stated calmly, "You don't have enough melanin built up in your skin anymore, I just finished rebuilding your body, now quit courting illnesses."

I snorted and accepted the tube, working a healthy amount into my arms, shoulders, legs and front while Ratchet helpfully did my back. He reached down and picked up the washer, carrying it outside and setting it in the newly established 'wash bay'.

I walked out and hooked up the generator and hoses. I stood and stretched in the sunshine, preparing for a long day of detailing. Bumblebee roared up to me and came to a screeching halt, transforming in front of me.

He was filthy.

"Bumblebee!" I shouted, "Where in the hell did you find _mud_!?"

The auto-bot grinned down at me unrepentantly as a half dozen filthy auto-bots and two dozen mud-blackened soldiers rolled in. I stared at them in shock.

"I win!" Bee shouted gleefully, raising his arms and dancing about as he played 'We are the champions!' loudly over the speakers.

"Fine!" Jacobs shouted with a laugh, "Auto-bots are faster than human drivers!"

I crossed my arms with a frown.

"They made a bet that they could win an all terrain race against us," Optimus rumbled gleefully, driving a foot closer to me.

"And so you lot decided to go mudding on the day that I needed to get you cleaned up and polished for the presentation parade in Washington?" I asked in a mild tone.

"Yep!" Bee chirped gleefully.

Ratchet took another step behind me.

"Oh, now you're in trouble," he rumbled with a low laugh, the generator kicked on behind me.

"You right prats!" I shouted, snatching up the wand and proceeding to douse both auto-bots and soldiers in icy water. Bee transformed and burnt rubber, getting away from the spray and throwing a load of mud at me in the process as shouts of surprise rose in the air.

"I'm sorry Kae," Optimus' holoform said with a worried frown as he onlined beside me.

"I don't know what should upset me more, that you've tripled my workload or that you didn't damn well invite me!" I shot at him with a pout. He stared at me for a second before bursting out in a full laugh.

"Next time. You ride with me," he rumbled, pulling me in tightly to his chest.

"Good," I said with a laugh, "Now go convince Ratchet that he should give me my energon pack so that this water isn't so damned cold."

"Yes Ma'am," Optimus chuckled, squeezing me a bit more tightly before looking at the medi-bot's holoform.

"That's not going to work," Ratchet stated calmly. "I might remind you that Mikaela takes an icy shower every single morning. Now take your cold water bath like a mech!"

"Oh come on Ratch!" I called out, shutting the generator off. "Cold water doesn't get the soap off right, do _you_ want a cold water cleaning? You're going too!"

Ratchet stared down at me with a frown.

"Fine." he rumbled, and proceeded to help me with the pack.

"Kae," Chromia said gently, wrapping her arms around my waist. I looked at her curiously. "You _know_ you don't have to do all of it, right?"

"Heh?" I looked up at her with a frown, she smirked and leaned down.

"You take care of Optimus," she murmured wickedly, "Ironhide and I are going to take care of each other, and the rest of them are already paired up to do the same. _Your_ job is to make sure we pass inspection. Why did you think there are eight washers in there?"

I snorted back a laugh and looked up at her incredulously.

"You, are an evil and wonderful Femme. You know that right?"

"Hey!" she grinned, "what are girlfriends for?"

I hugged her and turned to the generators Ratchet was placing around the area, connecting myself to them one by one and causing it to transform. High efficiency heaters joined the setup, along with temperature gauges and water pressure controls.

Auto-bot cars, trucks and motorcycles lined up as holoforms onlined. Ratchet gleefully took my pack back and sat back to watch. I looked at him curiously as I walked toward Optimus.

"Wash day is now officially my day off," he grinned.

"He won the bet," Optimus murmured with a low laugh.

"Which is?" I asked with a laugh as I began powering the mud off of his body.

"That you would win the first argument of the day." he laughed.

"But I was arguing with _him!_" I protested with a grin.

"Your point?" Optimus laughed, his holoform dragged me close and dropped his voice, whispering in my ear, "Arcee has been looking for the excuse to polish him for _vorns_."

"So cute," I murmured back. Optimus laughed again and offlined the holoform.

After a few minutes I filled a few buckets with soapy water, climbing up to the roof of Optimus' cab and beginning to wash him down with a soft sponge. I could already hear a couple of polishers revving up. I glanced over and laughed to see Ironhide and Chromia shooting frankly wicked glances at each other as Flare and Arcee buffed each other's armour.

I turned back to my work, moving in wide, soothing circles as I slowly washed my way down his front. Then the doors, panels, tanks, tires, hubs, chassis, even going so far as to squirm about beneath him. A little over an hour and Optimus was sitting contentedly covered from grill to mudflaps in mild bubbles. I turned the pressure to low and made sure the water was warm as I rinsed him off. Chamois over every piece of paintwork and chrome. I left the rest of him to dry in the warm sunshine as I wiped down every inch of his interior, smiling as he hummed while I massaged conditioning oils into the leathers.

Back out I collected pads and one of the discs of wax, climbed to his roof and began again. Two more hours and he sat gleaming dully in the sunshine.

Arcee shot me a pleading look as she finished waxing Ratchet. I winked at her and turned to Optimus.

"Alright you," I said in a gentle, half commanding tone. "You, Ratchet and Ironhide are supposed to transform at the White House. Let's get you three done up properly."

Chromia and Arcee shot wicked grins at me as the three male 'bots jumped.

"Seriously?" Optimus onlined his holoform, staring at me in a positively adorable combination of shock and glee.

"You heard me," I grinned at him. He transformed and was quickly followed by Medical officer and weapons specialist. Ironhide immediately laid down on his front as Chromia gleefully went after his back with the polisher. He groaned, splayed out and showing every intention of thoroughly enjoying Chromia's attentions.

I quickly wiped down any unwanted grime from Optimus' back, applied a few dabs of wax here and there and started up the polisher.

"Tell me what you like," I murmured with a small smile, slowly working my way up his leg from foot to torso. Optimus merely sighed, his spark resonating the deep tones of pleasure that I simply adored.

"Just like that," he murmured quietly. His optics dimmed, staying online only to idly watch the goings-on around him. I began singing softly as I worked, a habit so old I didn't notice until Chromia picked up the second verse beside me as she followed my motions. Arcee joined us quickly as our respective males moaned in pleasure.

I walked to his opposite foot and began again, continuing once I reached his hip to slowly zig-zag across his back, down his arm, back up, down and back the other one until I was carefully polishing the back of his neck, then helm. He rolled over as I jumped down.

"Paradise," Optimus rumbled softly, laying splayed out on the ground.

"Amen," Ratchet mumbled, Ironhide groaned his agreement.

I laughed quietly and began singing again, working my way in the same pattern on his legs until I reached his side again, working up and down his arms, and moving in slow, concentric circles toward his spark.

Optimus was practically inarticulate by the time I finally squirmed through his chest plates, buffing the inside of them quickly before slowing the polisher and gently touching his spark chamber with it for a brief second.

Energon surged through his entire frame as he overloaded beneath my hands, his frame vibrating with minute convulsions, and the cooling fans roaring to bring his temperature down. I frowned in concentration and sent the polisher to rest beside my supplies before calling a cooling surge of energon into my palms and caressed his spark chamber with a firm touch, soothing without tickling.

He calmed beneath my hands, the fans gradually slowing. I climbed gently from his chest and grabbed a soft, slightly damp chamois and walked to his face. His optics offlined as I delicately washed his face, following an ancient pattern of care; caressing from nose to temple. His optics onlined dimly as his face turned lazily to look at me.

"Go to your recharge cycle my soul," I murmured in a gentle voice. His air intakes gave a low whoosh as he rolled to his side, running a gentle finger down my arm before he transformed and idled slowly to his parking spot in the hangar. I heard his spark resonation quiet as he drifted to sleep, an echo of sweet contentment remaining.

* * *

(WPOV)

Will occasionally watched with amusement as Mikaela spent hours doting on Optimus, cleaning, waxing and polishing him from head to toe and singing all the while. He grinned to see a gently smirking Chromia stroke Ironhide's bodywork as he drove into the hangar. Will listened as the quiet hum of his spark lowered to the point that he could barely hear it.

It was amazing what he could hear after those nanites had repaired the damage listening to bombs exploding tended to cause. Will decided to thank Mikaela for that again, he hadn't even _noticed_ that he could hear the Auto-bot's heartbeats before. It was wicked.

He snapped out of his reverie to see Arcee sending a very content sounding Ratchet to go recharge, the girls' bodies already parked and humming quietly beside their companions.

Mikaela was slowly polishing her way around Optimus' front now. It was frankly amazing how long she could keep going without taking a break. Will was certain that no matter how good of shape she was in, her muscles had to be killing her.

"Is she!?" Arcee asked Flare in a shocked, hopeful tone.

"Oh she totally is," Flareup's holoform grinned, "listen to the bot, he's loving every astrosecond of it."

"And rightfully so," Chromia giggled.

"What's going on?" Will asked curiously, walking over to lean against the hangar wall beside the girls and watching as Mikaela slowly worked her way closer to his chest.

"She's, um..." Chromia gave Will a speculative look. In fact, the three girls all turned to look at him with expressions that clearly stated they were weighing their words.

"Before we answer that," Arcee began slowly.

"What do you think of the relationship the two of them share?" Flare asked calmly.

"What? That they love each other to death? And knowing Optimus probably well beyond that?" Will asked calmly, turning to watch as the woman worked her way across his chest plates. "Good for them. Hell, that kind of devotion is a star crossed love. Probably literally in this case. The light that shone when he onlined probably reached the earth when she was born."

The girls stared at him with gleeful shock in their eyes.

"What, you thought I was a prude or something?" Will chuckled at their expressions. "So would somebody tell me what the tattoo on her chest means? Your guys' reaction to it suggested it being far more important than a territorial marker."

"Think of a marriage, tied together with a wedding band," Chromia began thoughtfully. "Except we don't wed, we bond. Our spark is more than a heartbeat, it is a literal manifestation of our soul, it can never be destroyed-"

"-merely returned to the Well of All-Sparks." Flare finished for her.

"When our sparks bond, we return to each other, dancing from one life to the next." Chromia continued with a small smile, looking into the hangar toward Ironhide.

"Then..." Will frowned, he watched in shock as a massive surge of Energon flared over Optimus. The girls watched with gentle smiles as the bot calmed and cooled down under Mikaela's ministrations.

"Ratchet's spark-bonded was killed, along with his daughter," Arcee stated in a soft, lamenting tone, "the only way to break the bond is for one to die, and refuse the other's calls to join them in the afterlife. She refused him. So did Elita to Optimus," She looked at Chromia.

"We need to tell Mikaela that," Chromia nodded, "She almost broke Optimus when she woke up the first time."

"I don't..." Will frowned, watching as the girl carefully climbed from Optimus' chest and fetched a chamois. His heart gave a powerful wrench as he watched the loving way she gently wiped his face. Her voice wafted on the light breeze.

"Go to your recharge cycle, my soul," she said in the same tone his own wife used to send him to sleep. A voice that contained every mystery that was female and good. The voice that kept nightmares at bay.

Maiden, mother and beldame.

Optimus rolled carefully to his side and lightly stroked her arm before transforming and rolling into the hangar.

"Definitely need to tell her," Chromia nodded with a smile.

"Excuse us, Major?" Arcee asked with the same smile.

"Could you tell me what the tattoo means first?" Will asked hopefully.

"It's Optimus' mark," Flareup said with a gentle laugh, "it's a piece of _him, _worn proudly over her own spark. If she were an auto-bot it would be etched in her spark chamber. It's more than a ring, or a territorial mark. It means that she belongs to _him, _and when she has a mark of her own Optimus will etch it in his own chamber if she allows him, and that mark will state to anyone who sees it that he belongs to her, and _her alone_. It's not uncommon for a guardian to fall in love with their marked reliant, and it's certainly not uncommon for them to become spark-bonded. It's encouraged, really."

"But..." Will frowned, "what happens when they're reassigned?"

"They aren't," Chromia laughed softly, "A guardian is not a guardian for an orn, Will, they are guardians for _life._ When two trust each other enough to take each other's marks. They are together for life. Where one goes, they both go."

"We prevented wars that way, the equivalent of your Romeo and Juliet. When two can take each other's marks, it is proof that they belong together, no matter what their families. They aren't fully bonded yet, more... betrothed at the moment," Flare added gently.

"When the bonding happens, it means that they cannot be separated," Arcee continued. "A bonded mate is an extension of yourself, while still retaining your individuality. Oh you could tear their bodies away from each other, cast them to the opposite sides of the universe and they will _always_ know when the other is happy, hurt. When one dies, the other will join them in the Well, and we accept that because it would be the _worst_ of cruelties to force them to stay online."

"I hurt him when I said I didn't want him to follow me in death," Mikaela said in a soft, grieved tone. Oh, right, she could hear at _insanely_ long distances.

Will looked over in shock, she was tidying up the mess of wax wrappers, used polishing pads and soap buckets. Except she was standing with her back rigidly straight now, agony was in that stance as she stared at nothing.

"Come here dear," Arcee called out quietly. Mikaela obeyed mechanically, coming to stand in front of the three female holoforms. Will stayed frozen, unsure what to do.

"You didn't know dear spark," Chromia stated gently, cupping Mikaela's cheek.

"We've watched him try to deal with losing Elita, he loved her much as he loves you, and she refused him in death, the only way to break that bond," Arcee finished calmly.

"When a wife dies on earth, on her deathbed she often tells her husband to take his time following her," Mikaela whispered, there were tears streaming down her face as she stared into the middle distance. That was a look of memory, not fiction. "The belief is that when we return to the well, our soul can wait at the gates for our mate." she looked up in determination far too strong for a girl. "I would wait for him at the gates."

Will stared at the young woman. The intensity that radiated from her meant only one thing.

"Go tell him that." Will stated firmly. Mikaela stared at him, as though just noticing him. "Yes I know the two of you love each other to and beyond death, go tell _him_ that. Men can't divine these things by ourselves." Will grinned at her as she smiled weakly. "_Now_, If the girls are finished with you. I'll clear this up, it's almost finished anyway."

"Thanks Will," Mikaela whispered, she looked at the holoforms, who smirked.

"Go get cleaned up first, I don't think you're going to be going back to the shop for the next _several_ hours," Flare grinned.

Kae nodded, her smile growing somewhat stronger. She turned and sprinted back to her tent.

"How the _hell_ does she do that?" Will muttered, "I'd be _dead_ if I'd spent that much time controlling that polisher for so long, and I'm not even in bad shape!"

The girls looked at him in shock.

"You didn't notice that she never once let up while she was taking care of him?" Will chuckled, "she kept on without a single break or even a drink of water. If that's not devotion I don't know _what_ is. Her muscles have _got_ to be killing her."

"It can't be," Arcee whispered.

"It can, and it totally is," Flareup grinned. "I watched the entire damn thing, now, if we're going to enjoy the rest of it we'd better hurry."

"What!?" Will asked with a broad grin.

"She's gonna take her mark!" Chromia squealed, offlining her holoform the next second.

"Take her mark?" Will asked quickly, looking at Arcee.

"A mark is revealed when one works a demanding task without rest for the benefit of another. Her mark is her identity, she has it already, but when it is etched it means she has come of age. Might want to shut down early tonight Will, give the boys time to pack for the parade," Arcee giggled. "And tell them to close the door behind them."

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus roused himself from his recharge cycle to find an exhausted Mikaela laying down in his sleeper.

"Optimus," she whispered, "I never wanted to imply breaking my bond to you. Neither do I want to take you away from the bots who love you in this life. Take your time my beloved, if I cannot get back to you I will be waiting at the gates."

His mark was glowing on her chest, another mark shining around his. He looked at in shock.

"Your mark has been chosen," he whispered.

"I can't read it, what does it mean?" she whispered curiously.

"Archangel," Optimus murmured proudly, onlining his holoform to delicately trace the symbol over her spark. She reached up to cup his holoform's face.

_**ΩWhen we can, will you wear my mark?Ω **_she asked softly.

Optimus felt pride surge through his entire frame. Tears tracked slowly down her face as he dragged her close to his holoform's chest.

_**ΩI will wear your mark to the end of days and beyond,Ω **_he choked, crushing her close to his holoform and pressing her down into the brightly glowing hammock. She reached up and dragged his face to hers, kissing him with all the passion he'd watched her vainly try to hide from the world. He pulled the holoform back and dragged the clothes from her body before wrapping her in the neural fibres.

She stood fully formed before him now, delicate and powerful in her armour. Silvery hands reached for him, caressed him with a gentle touch as he saw for the true first time, the auto-bot she would be. He looked at the Femme in awe as she pressed herself tightly to his frame, wrapping gentle arms around him that belied her powerful strength. He pulled her closer, gently caressing her before pulling back and spinning her around, burying his hand in her chest and just barely grazing her spark chamber.

"You took care of me," he rumbled softly, "Let me take care of you tonight."

"Optimus!" she moaned in shock, arching into his hand.

"Do you know how beautiful you are?" he murmured into her shoulder, clamping her tightly to his frame with one arm as he teased her senses. "Do you know how absolutely exquisite you are? You are burned into my memory, so much a part of my processes I cannot survive without you. You are _mine." _She sang beneath his hands, the resonations of her spark chamber a sirens song.

"Overload for me," he whispered, "give me your trust, your love your mark your soul. Let me cherish you for the exquisite creature that you are."

She whimpered, arching, melting, writhing against him as his binder cables ensnared her, invaded her perfection. She bucked against him, driving him deeper into the couplings. It was his turn to moan as energon flashed between them.

"Beloved guardian you will tell me if I hurt you," she commanded softly, reaching back and wrapping a gentle hand around the back of his head.

She split apart against him, slowly integrating herself into his own body.

Optimus was dead, he was certain of it, the mark etching itself into his spark chamber should hurt. It didn't, it felt warm and cool at the same time. Adding. Completing.

We straightened, and almost collapsed at the incredible feeling of being 'we.' Standing almost double his size now. A warrior, a healer, if death took us we would go together, there was no other way. We would protect.

We began to tease each other. A dual consciousness in a single body, tweaking each other's nerves. Playing.

Mikaela sent a cool burst of energon across his sensors, driving him absolutely wild, he warmed it and sent it back, eliciting an impassioned gasp as the energon began building within her at an extraordinary rate. Optimus chuckled, his voice vibrating across their frame and teasing her neural fibres, a sensation he hadn't known she'd felt. It made him laugh more. The energon built just that much faster and he realized why.

"My voice makes you hot," he rumbled gleefully as she began losing control of her reactions. He reached for her spark with his own, chuckling as she overloaded again before he realized too late that it was going to flash back on him.

Too much, too fast, in a nanosecond he was overloading. The energon continued to keep pouring into and through their joined systems. It flashed out, and every auto-bot in the area joined the consciousness, gasping in pleasured shock as their recharge cycles were stepped-up.

Mikaela began to function again, caressing every mind as mother, sister, daughter. She drew threads of energon from herself and twisted them, weaving a fabric, a blanket of cherishing love and protection and draping it gently around each spark. Optimus reached for her spark again, holding her, caressing her as she gave without hesitation or remorse.

"Rest," she whispered, "sleep and dream of beautiful things."

Optimus pulled her closer and slipped back into his recharge cycle as she took a deep breath, revelling in the tingling feel of her muscles stretching and relaxing into sleep.


	50. 48 Parade Day

**Chapter 48 - Parade Day**

* * *

(MPOV)

I opened my eyes to the soft light of morning pouring through the open hangar doors.

"Morning," Optimus whispered, the threads of the hammock drawing tightly around me for a moment before carefully releasing me.

I smiled and ran my hands over the neural fibres before looking at my clothing laying on the floor.

Shredded.

"Okay, NOW I see why you insisted on buying my clothing if you're constantly shredding them for me." I murmured with a low laugh.

"I did?" Optimus chuckled, sending the familiar thrill through my nerves.

"Yes you did," I laughed softly. Optimus onlined his holoform and pulled me into a tight hug, burying his face in the crook of my neck.

"Why does your kind bother with them," he rumbled with a deep, amused sigh, running a gentle hand over our combined mark on my chest.

I hummed a low sigh of contentment before shaking myself lightly.

"Right, I've got cars to service," I murmured. "Is the coast clear?"

"Kae, you are coming with us today," Optimus rumbled. I turned to look at him incredulously. His holoform was frowning at the middle distance. "The order just came in, Will is coming to wake you up."

I looked at my shredded clothes again. Optimus laughed and handed me his shirt.

I grinned at him and pulled it on.

"How'd you manage cotton?" I asked with a low laugh as the holoform quickly helped me out of the cab. I made a mad dash to my tent and the holoform offlined, taking his shirt with him as I pulled out my usual day wear.

"Mikaela! You decent?" Will called out.

"Almost! I can't say about my personality though!" I called back with a laugh, pulling on an oversized T for efficiency sake and walking out of the tent.

* * *

(WPOV)

Will peeked carefully into the hangar and jogged to Kae's tent.

"Mikaela? You decent?" he called out.

"Almost! I can't say about my personality though!" Kae called back with a laugh. She walked out of the tent a moment later, smiling at him. There was a look about her now, different from yesterday. A deep seated serenity that rather reminded him of his Sarah.

"Right, well, anyway, do you have a dress or anything?" Will asked worriedly, jogging himself back to the task at hand.

"Um, sort of?" Mikaela frowned.

"Thank god," Will sighed, "I need you to get dressed to the nines, we've had a change in marching orders, you're supposed to show up so that a bunch of stuffed shirts can apologize for trying to hunt you down to give you to the Decepticons. Although on the plus side, the two pilots you stabilized while they struggled with their canopy want to come shake your hand too. They'll be there."

Mikaela opened her mouth and closed it. Will thought of their conversation, the one that hadn't happened and couldn't help but guess her thoughts.

"My movements have been plotted already?" Kae whispered.

"Uh, yeah," Will stated quietly, watching her with a worried frown.

"Fuck?" Kae whispered. "Can I wear Kevlar? Doesn't matter, doesn't do much," she babbled in a very, _very _soft tone. The next second, Optimus' holoform was standing close in front of her, gripping her wrist and holding her palm to his chest. His free hand reached out and laid flat on hers, right over where his mark was.

"Nothing." Optimus rumbled in a cold tone.

Will watched, absolutely fascinated as Kae calmed instantly, visibly pulling steel into her spine and standing straight, her free hand reaching up to cover his.

"If they decide to play with Sabots I will kill them myself," she growled in an icy tone.

Pure intense.

* * *

(MPOV)

We stared at each other grimly for a second before Optimus purposely shot an impish grin at me.

"Parade day," he grinned. "Who knows, perhaps I can convince them to respect my human – auto-bot ambassador today."

"Oh now you _are _asking for trouble," I laughed, turning and dragging his holoform into my tent. I dug out the red dress and blue-strapped heels, turning to Lennox.

"What do you think?" I asked with a half smile, "too whorish?"

"Where's it land?" Lennox asked curiously, staring at the dress.

"Just above my knees." I laughed, holding it to my chest.

"Then it's perfect," Lennox grinned, he turned and looked at the parked Auto-bots. "Hay Chromia! What would you demand for in payment if I begged you to make Mikaela look like a fifty million dollar woman?"

"Hold her down!" Chromia's holoform grinned the next second, striding into my tent with Arcee and Flareup close behind.

"Don't even have to," I laughed, digging out the multitude of cosmetics Arcee and Flare had picked out for me. I looked at them and frowned. "Crap, I'm ivory now. Wait!" I shot up straight and looked at Chromia. "I need to look like an ambassador, not a whore, Military doesn't wear makeup. Make it subtle, like I just happened to look extra gorgeous today."

Chromia immediately swooped in on me with a broad grin. I looked at Will.

"Might want to turn around," I laughed, touching the hem of my shirt.

"Take your word for it." Will laughed, closing the canvas behind him.

I pulled my shirt off and let the girls have their way with me, standing patiently still and starkers at their command and occasionally directing the nanites to their bidding.

"Down," Arcee murmured, lightly pressing my shoulders. "I need to tend to your helm."

I looked up at her curiously, even as I sat on the cot.

"If you are to be Ambassador," Arcee stated calmly, lightly facing me forward and beginning to brush my hair. "Then we allow you our custom. Your face must be visible."

I smiled, closing my eyes and relaxing. I loved having my hair brushed, the gentle tugs of it being braided. I could hear the smile in her voice, feel Optimus' smile as she gently told me the positions and duties of a Cybertronian Ambassador.

"Time check!" Flare called out.

"Ten minutes, so you have fifteen before you absolutely need to come out!" Epps shouted back, I could hear him grinning.

Arcee promptly helped me into my dress and Optimus' holoform winked out with a broad grin.

"Told you so," Chromia sang with a grin, handing me the gorgeous overcoat she'd insisted on.

"You did, you were right, and you are awesome," I laughed. "I'll wear it there though, it's too warm here." Chromia nodded gleefully and draped it over her arm.

I wound the straps of my shoes up my calves and strutted out with the girls nodding enthusiastically.

"Major!" I called out, and struck an intimidating pose, radiating pride. "Pass inspection?"

Will looked up along with most of the other soldiers and stared.

"That." he said in a shocked tone.

"Is _exactly_ the sort of thing that men and women would gladly go to war to protect." Jacobs stated firmly.

I laughed and looked at Optimus as his holoform climbed back out of his alt form again. Several people watched curiously as he approached me with a formal step, every auto-bot's holoform flashing online to form a phalanx behind him.

"A Cybertronian ambassador traditionally wears a piece of the leader they are representing," he stated formally, he held up a beautifully intricate chain with a small glowing gem set in the same metal.

Instinctively, I lowered my head and crossed my ankles lightly, dropping gracefully into a low curtsey, almost sitting on my heels with my hands resting on my thighs.

"Rise," he commanded in a quiet tone, I stood and turned my back to him with a small smile. The orb entered my vision again and settled at the hollow of my throat. A gentle, comforting weight. "This star diamond, one of the last formed by the Centurion belongs by right to Mikaela Archangel Banes, Ambassador to Earth's people on behalf of Optimus Prime." Optimus barked out in the voice of Command.

I straightened and turned on my heel proudly, threading my left arm through Prime's, pulling back strongly as the Auto-bots each offered their left arm in salute. As I took one, I took all, the strength of my arm increased slightly, pulling back harder.

"We attend together, you will remain on my right at all times." Optimus ordered firmly, turning and offering me his right arm. I laid my palm on his forearm delicately and turned to see a line of soldiers standing at attention, saluting Prime.

"The director and General have not yet arrived," Optimus murmured.

"They're saluting you," I murmured back, my expression not changing. "If you wish to respond in kind, bring your right foot up slightly and stomp it down perfectly parallel with your left foot while snapping your right arm into a salute, left arm rigidly down shoulders back. Hold for four seconds, drop your hand, look at Lennox and say 'at ease Major,' with a smile if you want."

I lightly took my hand from his arm as he shifted his balance slightly, executing a perfect salute.

"At ease, Major," Optimus turned to the man with a grin, "Seriously, we have fought side by side for over two years, what are you saluting me for?"

Lennox let loose a quick bark of laughter.

"What, only the Auto-bots get to play formal?" Lennox grinned as the soldiers around him relaxed with wolfish grins. "Where'd you find out how to salute?"

Optimus turned to look at me with a smirk.

"You coached him how to respond that fast!?" Lennox stared at me in shock. "Why didn't you just take Galloway's job in the first place!? Whope, Present Arms!"

"At ease, Galloway will be here in ten," General Moreshower stated comfortably before anyone could get an arm up, walking forward and offering Optimus his hand. Optimus shook it with every appearance of it being automatic this time. "Please, this sounded like an interesting conversation."

"I'm nineteen Major, General," I replied calmly, smiling at the General with a nod and shaking his hand. "I was seventeen in Mission City."

"She's got a point," Chance mused. "Seventeen is a bit young to begin as an ambassador to an alien race. Nineteen is squeaking it still."

"But she's saved the world twice now," Epps frowned.

"I helped, I didn't do it alone," I stated calmly.

"She's got my vote," Moreshower grinned.

"You get a vote?" Will asked with a grin.

"I get to put her forward as a candidate, that's a vote I'd think," Moreshower chuckled, he turned to look at me with raised eyebrows. "She even _looks_ better than Galloway. We need to work out a protection detail for you asap."

"She will be standing at my right as my ambassador at all times," Optimus rumbled calmly. "Ironhide will be at my left and Ratchet on her right."

"That's pretty damned safe, how far can you walk in those things?" the General asked sternly, looking at my four inch heels, Will glanced down at them and grinned.

"Hey, aren't those the same shoes you were wearing when you wound up in Egypt?" he laughed.

"And fought in, Chance brought my clothes, but he forgot my boots." I chuckled, standing on one foot and looking at them fondly. "I have to admit, these things have some _serious_ milage capabilities. They didn't even _scuff_!"

Moreshower snorted his amusement as Galloway scuttled toward the group with an officious looking man jogging behind him.

"Miss Banes?" the officious man said immediately, looking at me hopefully.

"Yes," I said calmly.

"Oh thank god," the man sighed, "Director Galloway had me worried that we'd find you in coveralls and covered in grease. I'm Colter Westfield."

"It's nice to meet you, Mr. Westfield," I said calmly, shaking his hand and finding a fairly decent man.

"Cole here is the protocol man, writes the President's speeches and coaches people who are about to meet him and all of that stuff," Will added offhandedly.

"I took the liberty of writing you an acceptance speech," Cole said earnestly, "Director Galloway here gave me a few pointers for what you should probably be saying."

"Thank you, Cole," I said in a deathly calm voice. I turned to General Moreshower. "Thanks for the heads up on the speech," I added wryly.

"This is the first you've heard of it!?" Cole said desperately, "please, _please_ tell me you're okay with public speaking!"

"I don't stutter," I stated wryly, "I'd imagine they want to load us on the planes right away, is there any chance you're going to ride with us so we can go over it?"

Cole sagged in relief again, reaching out and grasping my hand firmly.

"You, I can definitely work with," he sighed happily, he looked at the Auto-bots driving themselves slowly out of the hangar toward the planes as Galloway skittered off to interfere with things. "Um, I think I need to talk to the leader as well, Optimus Prime?"

"He's the Peterbilt over there," I supplied gently, then gestured to Optimus' holoform as he continued to stand casually at my side. "This is his holoform. An avatar, if you will."

Cole began nervously reaching up to shake Optimus' hand then pulled back as though afraid to give offence. I took pity on the man and took a step forward.

"The traditional greeting is to offer your left arm vertically, palm toward your face with the knuckles of your fingers bent like this." I told him calmly, demonstrating it. He quickly copied me. "Your opposite will then thread their own left arm like this, the amount of strength that you use to pull their arm toward yourself is indicative of the amount of trust you have that they will not straighten their arm to fire upon you. The holoforms don't have weapons." I added quickly as the man jumped. "And if you forget yourself and offer one of the holoforms a handshake I promise they won't take offence."

I didn't have to look to know that Optimus was standing with his arms crossed, smiling as he watched me play ambassador.

"I really, _really_ wish I'd met you three hours ago," Cole fretted, pulling my arm strongly toward himself.

"You're doing just fine," I soothed him automatically. "Colter Westfield may I present you to Optimus Prime." Cole nodded shakily and held his arm up to Optimus.

The holoform gave the man a gentle smile and threaded his arm slowly, so as to not startle the man.

"We don't bite," Optimus rumbled with a wry grin.

Cole stared at him for a second before bursting out into a full laugh.

"I'm sorry... um..."

"Optimus is familiar, calling him Prime is like calling Moreshower over there 'General'," I murmured in the man's ear. He shot me another grateful look.

"Let's load up boys bots and Femmes!" Will shouted from the hangar doors.

"'Mon Mr. Westfield," I grinned, "we can continue chit chatting on the plane, it's a good few hours ride."

Optimus offered me his right arm, and I laid my hand lightly over his forearm again, letting him lead me to the plane as Cole walked on my right.

"Alright, so _yes!_ Galloway is taking the chopper," Cole murmured, he dug out an iPad and turned the screen on, pulling up a rather long text document.

"Okay, so you're going to be meeting President Obama, President Hu Jintao, Prime Minister Steven Harper, Ban Ki Moon-"

"General Secretary of the United Nations," I murmured.

"Navanathem Pillay and António Guterres." Cole finished with a grin, sitting down as Optimus settled me into a seat. He backed off a couple of paces and leaned against his truck form.

"UNHCHR and UNHCR," I said calmly, "an impressive lineup you've got going there."

"One does one's best," Cole said with a lightly mocking tone. "I however, have absolutely no idea how to write a speech for an auto-bot. Or a human – auto-bot ambassador. I thought that was Galloway's job."

"Galloway was assigned to us," Optimus rumbled in an irritated tone. "Mikaela is my own choice of an ambassador."

Cole grinned and handed me his iPad. I began quickly running through the speeches as Optimus loaded them.

"I can't read this," I looked up with a frown. "Your language is good, but your _wording_ makes it sound as though I'm speaking about the auto-bots under protest, and wish for them to be denied further asylum. Galloway wrote that part, didn't he?"

Cole promptly took the pad and called up a keyboard, looking at me.

"Galloway going to allow that?" I asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Galloway isn't the ambassador," Cole said loftily, "He is the President's liaison. _I_ am the protocol officer."

"Okay but I'm still going to want a hardcopy of that," I smiled. "I don't do teleprompters, and my dad _never_ said anything of the sort..."

-0-

"Coat!" Chromia trilled with a bright smile, handing me my jacket. I grinned at her and lightly wrapped it around my shoulders, straightening the lines and grinning as everyone walked or rolled out of the plane.

"Climb in," Optimus rumbled with a small smile, opening his door for me, Cole ran toward me and touched my shoulder, we both looked at him.

He offered me a cellphone and earpiece.

"I know you're in the parade, but I figure you're the best one to talk to for protocol questions, d'you mind?"

"Not at all," I smiled at him, lightly clipping the microphone over my ear as Cole beamed at me. He glanced over his shoulder.

"If I get vetoed," Cole said in a low voice, glancing at Galloway as the man walked toward us. "Don't be afraid to do the same speech we worked on together, you've got good instincts, and speak directly to me from the podium if you want. Break a leg. I might come walk with you guys if it's okay, you're a damn good ambassador. It was an honour to meet you, Prime." he added, looking at Optimus' truck form.

He patted my shoulder and jogged over to Galloway, getting into the car alongside the man. They took off for the white house.

I climbed up into Optimus' cab and sat straight, assuming a posture of calm, patient pride, Epps climbed into the sleeper and Lennox sat in the driver's seat, sitting back comfortably and grinning.

"Alright, we get to the start of the parade and everybody lines up," Lennox called out with a grin. "Kae you're either going to ride with Optimus or walk beside him," the man grinned at me. "The rest of us are walking formation. Optimus, you lot can decide whether or not you want to bother with the holoforms."

"Just for the speeches," Optimus rumbled calmly, accelerating slowly behind the lead car. "We will decide what you are to do later Kae." he added with a low chuckle.

I lightly stroked his seat and relaxed, crossing my ankles delicately and listening to the lighthearted banter over the radios, idly going over the speech in my head. Will answered his phone and listened to it for a long second.

"We've got your back, Kae," Will said suddenly, looking at me with a grim expression. "Moreshower's asked us to keep watch over you now, too. There's been radio chatter that you might be a target for someone else as well."

"Thanks Will," I said in a quiet tone.

"You're not surprised," Epps stated calmly.

"Nope," I murmured.

"Um, why aren't you surprised?" Will asked curiously.

"You know that niggling little feeling you get between the shoulder blades?" I murmured quietly, narrowing my eyes and scanning the rooftops as we entered the city. "Rule forty. If it seems someone is out to get you, they are. Sniper on the skyline five hundred block."

Epps crept forward and held a radio to his lips, eyeing the figure on the skyline.

"Boys, confirm visual, we have a potential sniper, roof in the five hundred."

"One of ours," the radio confirmed quietly.

"Nice spotting Kae," Lennox said wryly, looking at me curiously.

"mmn," I nodded still scanning rooftops.

"Kae?" Optimus rumbled worriedly.

"Optimus," I murmured, still watching the skies with a wary eye. I took a deep breath and forced myself to relax into my seat, fighting to not watch the skylines.

"You know who's after you," Will said in a forcedly cheerful tone.

"The number of mechanics for hire? I've got the best job in the world." I stated in a bright tone, "absolutely no idea."

"Then why you so bloody jumpy?" Epps grinned.

"Because I -" I began before my phone buzzed, I answered it patiently.

"Hey, Mikaela," Cole began. Optimus lightly nudged my leg.

"Kae," I stated calmly, "On speaker, what's the poop Cole?"

"I don't know what to do about the speeches!" he stated in a horrified tone. "My seating arrangement is _completely_-"

"Is there enough space to the side of the seating area for the bots to park?" I asked patiently.

"Yeah, but what about the group shots! All of the dignitaries are supposed to be seen together!" he stated in an upset tone.

"Optimus, are you worried about being represented by your holoform at the human level shots?" I asked calmly.

"No, but I would appreciate having four seats together, for you, Ratchet, Ironhide and myself." Optimus rumbled calmly.

"Kae, lifesaver, that's what you are," Cole sighed. "You got it, see you in a bit." the line clicked out as I smiled.

"Jeeze, five minutes and you're putting out fires," Lennox snorted, giving me a light shove as I laughed.

"Okay, jumpy, why," Epps picked up again.

"Because I don't have my knife," I laughed as we pulled into the parade grounds. "I absolutely _hate _not having my knife. Radio chatter probably picked up some religious fanatics who hate the fact that Optimus is definitively older than they can bring themselves to believe the earth is."

"Hey that's true isn't it!" Epps laughed.

"I was a widower for a thousand of your years before your supposed Adam and Eve were created," Optimus rumbled musingly, turning into a parking space at a flagman's directions.

"And _that_ is a conversation for when we get back to base," Lennox announced, "You don't get to drop a bomb like _that_ and not expect us to ask a million questions after."

"Out you three get," Optimus rumbled in amusement.

I laughed and hopped out of his cab, lightly running my hand along his fender as I followed Epps to the group of soldiers lounging around and waiting for orders.

"People! We have a problem!" Cole shouted, running toward us.

"Cole what's happening?" Lennox asked worriedly.

"We've got a potential riot on our hands!" the man stated, fidgeting agitatedly. "Mikaela, you're dressed to impress, I need you really _really _visible."

"That, is a _really _bad idea," Lennox stated with a deep frown, "we have radio chatter saying she's been targeted for some reason."

_∂It's the chips, isn't it?∂ _Optimus murmured very softly in my ear.

∂_I really, _really_ hope not. I have to behave as though it is though,∂_ I murmured back, surreptitiously scanning the skyline. I caught sight of a scope, came to a snap decision and straightened my shoulders. _∂We're being watched.∂_ What's the order of the parade?" I asked firmly.

"A front escort of police officers, the Femmes, myself, Ironhide, Ratchet-" Optimus started.

"I'll ride on your hood," I interrupted him calmly.

"Way too open!" Lennox shouted.

"Perfect!" Cole said at the same time.

"Major," I said firmly, "If I were walking in front of Optimus, how much less open is it? Or to his side? He doesn't have bullet proof glass either. I will ride on his hood. We _all_ know that there will be nothing stopping a headshot." I shut my mouth and narrowed my eyes. "Not that they'd aim for my head." I muttered, rubbing my left shoulder as though it were an idle movement. An old injury, an old ache.

Optimus onlined his holoform with a frown, reaching out and cupping a warm hand over my shoulder, I purposely winced.

"Mikaela?" Optimus asked worriedly.

"Don't worry about it," I said aloud in a patient voice. I twitched my left hand and caught his eye, signalling him in silent. 'let me take the shot.' "What time do we start?" I asked in a purposefully cheerful voice, rubbing my shoulder and flexing my left hand as Optimus read my signals.

"I want you in Kevlar at least," Will stated in a sharp tone.

"Aw Will," I said in a gentle voice, "Kevlar won't do anything more than invoke a panic. We're showing peacefulness, not battle readiness." I walked to him and pulled him into a gentle hug, burying my face in his neck. "Don't show surprise, hug me back for a moment, we're being watched. If they are who I think they are they'll hit my left shoulder. For Primus sake stay out of the line of fire." I muttered almost sub-vocally into his neck.

Will rubbed my back for a second before I pulled away with a bright smile.

"C'mon you guys! Parade day! You get to walk around conquering heros!" I bubbled cheerfully.

"Rolling out in five!" one of the men shouted from the corner. Optimus' holoform led me back to him and helped me up onto his hood. I squirmed back to rest against his windshield, arranging myself to sit on my hip straight backed, proud and smiling. General Moreshower pelted toward me.

"What the hell are you doing up there!?" he whispered furiously.

"Riding in a parade and keeping the peace, you don't bring women and children into a prospective battle ground." I shrugged, smiling down at him.

"Do you have a death wish or something?" he demanded.

"Oh who's going to shoot me in the middle of a parade!?" I demanded in a bright, cheerful tone. Moreshower finally took the hint, glaring at me before shaking his head and going to stand beside Lennox.

"Are you alright Kae?" Optimus asked again, slowly accelerating after the girls.

"Just fine," I smiled, lightly twining my fingers into a crevice in his armour. Three blocks and we began to encounter crowds, some pulling back, some pressing forward a bit more. I smiled and waved at a few excited, squealing children. "How many miles are we going?" I asked with a bright smile.

"Seven to the White House," Optimus rumbled calmly.

"Oh that's not too bad. Hi!" I grinned at a little boy who stared at us from his mother's arms. His mum caught his hand and waved back at me.

"What's with all this paper stuff?" Ironhide drawled quietly behind Optimus.

"You have a signal?" I asked with a smile, waving at people.

"We do," Optimus rumbled curiously.

"Look up ticker tape parade," I smiled, shifting to sit a bit more delicately. I kept my left arm somewhat awkward as I waved. As though the movement were slightly obstructed.

Ironhide rumbled a low laugh a few minutes later.

"Bizarrely appropriate," he snorted. "However, we are _not_ in New York."

"Bumblebee says to say 'Look Kae, I'm on TV." Optimus snorted.

"Getting vain aren't you little brothe-" I laughed before I felt it, a force throwing my left against the windshield.

It burned.

In moments the world darkened around me.

"EVERYBODY DOWN! RATCHET!" Optimus roared.

I clutched at my shoulder and found blood. My other giving the familiar twinge that said everything was in place.

* * *

(WPOV)

"Oh who's going to shoot me in the middle of a parade!?" Mikaela demanded in a bright, cheerful tone, settling herself comfortably on Optimus' hood. Will couldn't help but stare at her, he surreptitiously scanned the skyline and saw an almost perfectly hidden scope.

Fuck.

She knew exactly who.

The girl was setting herself up to be a target. Lennox gritted his teeth as Optimus' voice came over the midge in his ear.

::. Let her take the shot.:: Optimus rumbled in a worried tone. ::. Say nothing aloud. There is an eye on us, and a heavy microphone. She is insisting that we let whatever happens, happen.::

"She could be killed," Lennox growled softly, for good measure he added a: "what happens if you make a sudden stop and she slides off the front of your hood?"

::. I will be watching.::

General Moreshower shook his head irritably at the girl and marched to stand beside Will, standing to attention and frowning before falling into step beside him.

"I don't like it, what the hell is she thinking sitting in the open like that?" the General growled at Lennox, "did _nobody_ tell her about the radio-chatter?"

"She says it's probably some religious nuts who are having issues with precisely how long lived the auto-bots are," Lennox shrugged. "And the word is the crowds are restless, they want her visibly showing trust."

"God I hope this is a false alarm," Moreshower growled. Ratchet let off a piercing shriek of his siren, flashing his lights.

Will marched with his men. Seven miles wasn't bad, they'd done far worse.

The White House finally came into view. Two more miles then. Will began to breathe a sigh of relief.

People began throwing confetti onto the parade route. Will watched with amusement as Ironhide occasionally flexed a bit, trying to get the dangling paper off of his exhaust pipe. A little child ran toward him and climbed up his step as he screeched to a rapid stop.

"Mistah you got stuff on you!" the child stated gleefully, tugging the confetti from his pipe. The child's mother ran toward Ironhide, scooping up her child and apologizing profusely. Ironhide rumbled a low laugh.

There was a crack. An un-silenced rifle.

Optimus transformed in seconds, spinning around in a crouch with his hands cradled against his chest. His stance was unmistakeable, the entirety of his torso was in the way of any more bullets. Ironhide was transformed and behind mother and child, cupping his hands and covering them. Ratchet was the only bot facing forward, arms spread and providing cover for the soldiers clustered behind him.

"EVERYBODY DOWN! RATCHET!" Optimus roared as a bullet tinged off of his shoulder.

Will clutched at a gun that wasn't there and snarled.

"Take it down a notch, Major," Mikaela grunted in his ear, five hundred feet away he could see her pulling herself to look through Optimus' fingers.

Cradling her left arm.


	51. 49 Sit stand sit,,,

**Chapter 49 - Sit, stand, sit and pretend to be interested**

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus onlined an extra processor, listening to the television broadcast of the parade his scout was routing onto the primary.

"_And coming up here, right on time, I might add, Mary - They're Military, Jason"_ a female laughed in counterpart. "_God bless our men in uniform - Amen. Accompanying the soldiers are the much rumoured 'Auto-bots' seen and recognized in public for the first time, the topic of today's press conference. First are the three motorcycles, designated Arcee, Chromia and Flareup, and next is - check out that paint job! - Optimus Prime, Leader of the Auto-bots. There is a young woman sitting on his hood... We're being told that..._ _**That**__ is __**Mikaela Banes!**__ The young woman for whom the world was searching last week. She is apparently now the acting Ambassador to Optimus Prime! - Look Jason! She's wearing a__** very**__ stylish outfit today, greatcoat and dress, and the __**shoes**__..!"_

Behind him, Optimus could hear the footsteps of first a child, then a grown human.

"Mistah you got stuff on you!" the child announced cheerfully. The adult female was apologizing to Ironhide as the weapons master laughed.

::. Tell Kae I said 'Look Kae, I'm on TV!.:: Bumblebee sent to him gleefully. Optimus snorted and conveyed the message to his scout's sister.

"Getting vain aren't you little brothe-" Mikaela laughed.

There was a crack. An un-silenced rifle. He felt his Kae thrown back into his windshield.

"_Behind him is - __**Oh my god the Ambassador has been shot!**__"_

Optimus transformed in seconds, spinning around into a crouch with his hands cradled against his chest. His first thought to protect his marked reliant. Kae squirmed in his hands for a moment.

_"__Ladies and gentlemen the Auto-bot Ambassador has been shot! Three Auto-bots have transformed in the street, two miles away from the White-house..."_

"EVERYBODY DOWN! RATCHET!" Optimus roared as a bullet tinged off of his shoulder. Better his than hers, he thought irritably. He looked up somewhat, noting his unit's stances with grim satisfaction.

"_Auto-bot Ironhide seems to have taken a... no, no he seems to be __**covering **__the mother and child that ran up to him! The First Medical Officer Ratchet is facing forward and seems to be providing cover for the soldiers-"_. The commentary continued.

Behind the medical officer, Major Lennox clutched at a gun that wasn't there and snarled.

"Take it down a notch, Major," Mikaela grunted, knowing her voice was being carried by the primary. She began squirming again, pulling herself to the edge of his hand, and Optimus vented a low sigh of relief. His Kae would be alright.

"_If you're just tuning in now, Ladies and Gentlemen, the Ambassador to the alien Auto-bot race has just been shot, two miles from the White-house..."_

"I want vectors of where that bullet came from! Get men into that building and seal it off!" General Moreshower shouted. Arcee was transformed the next second, projecting a beam directly from Optimus' shoulder and spanning to a window in one of the buildings.

"_Another bot has transformed, Auto-bot Arcee seems to be aiming for- Holy __**Crap**__! A man has just appeared out of thin air! Please tell me the cameras caught that! They did! A man just appeared out of thin air... Ladies and gentlemen we're being told that that is in fact the projected, holoform avatar of Auto-bot Ratchet, he is..."_

Optimus straightened slightly and opened his hands more, letting Ratchet's holoform in to look at his Kae. Major Lennox ran toward them, standing beside him the next second. He was staring at her shoulder as Kae sat up, wordlessly accepting Ratchet's ministrations.

"_We have a visual! Mikaela Banes, the acting Auto-bot ambassador seems to be alive, and is sitting under her own power, Auto-bot Medic Ratchet..."_

"White phosphorus," Ratchet growled, "It's going to take the nanites a while to repair that." two fingers reached into the hole as Mikaela reached up and grabbed the medi-bot's shoulder. Ratchet's holoform pulled back and offered a fragment of a bullet to one of the soldiers, who trotted forward, holding a small glass jar.

The bleeding eased off and the holoform carefully cleaned her skin, holding a wad of gauze against it one moment and dressing it the next.

* * *

(MPOV)

"Why it's always _you_ getting injured is beyond me," Ratchet stated flatly, carefully numbing my shoulder with a local before dressing the wound.

I smiled as Ratchet grumbled, patching me up with the ease of long comfort.

"Thanks Ratch," I said gently.

"Don't even _think_ of using that arm for the rest of the day," he grumbled, carefully wrapping me in my jacket again. I looked at it in shock, the hole was there with next to no blood, he smirked at me. I laughed softly and pulled him into a one-armed hug.

"Only thing we found was the gun," Moreshower growled, marching toward us with his arms crossed as the people behind the barriers calmed.

"Let's roll then," I said calmly, stepping down from Optimus' hand, he transformed back into his truck form.

"You've been shot!" Lennox shouted.

"What are the ramifications if we stop?" I stated in an icy tone. "We're at the camera point right now, what are the commentators saying?" I looked at Optimus. He put the commentary on his speakers.

"_Ladies and Gentlemen, the Ambassador is standing, holding her shoulder as the world waits with bated breath to see if this is now war..."_

Moreshower buried his face into one hand.

"We keep going," I stated sternly.

General Moreshower sighed irritably.

"We keep going," he said with a deep frown.

"Are you alright?" Ironhide rumbled down to a woman holding her child as a man ran toward them, looking terrified.

"I... I am, thank you..." the woman stated, looking up at Ironhide in shock. The weapons master nodded and smiled at her slightly. "Boys! Let's load up and get there on time! Even _I_ know better than to show up late to a peace conference," he rumbled at the soldiers, transforming the next moment. Soldiers quickly flocked to the vehicles.

I nodded and climbed up into Optimus' cab, reaching up and pulling my hair down somewhat to cover my shoulder.

"I want to know who," Optimus rumbled irritably.

"That's for another time," I murmured calmly, forcing my face to relax into a more neutral poise.

We drove somewhat more quickly, I still smiled and waved at the people as we reached the end of the parade and climbed up the slope to the front lawn where a stage surrounded by people and cameras stood waiting.

I got out and walked a couple of paces to Optimus' right as he transformed along with Ratchet and Ironhide. Their holoforms onlined quickly, and I struggled to take the arm that Optimus offered.

"I said _stop_ using that arm!" Ratchet growled irritably.

The stern, forbidding look on Optimus' face melted as he carefully led me to the stage and helped me up the steps.

"Miss Banes!" Cole called out, running toward me. "Mikaela I am _so _sorry!"

"Worse things have happened, Mr. Westfield," I replied with a smile. "We shan't let it stand in the way."

Cole shook his head wonderingly.

"We've stepped up security around here at any rate," he sighed, "gods this is a nightmare. I can see the front page now! Alien ambassador shot during parade!"

"Let's make sure that the story is more interesting than the title," I stated calmly. "We will _not_ allow this to start a fire. Unity and freedom is far more important."

"Your ambassador is incredible, Prime," Cole stated respectfully.

"Thank you, Mr. Westfield," Optimus smiled, nodding.

"If you guys would follow me, please, we'll get started," Cole said immediately. He ushered us to an airy tent filled with dignitaries.

Optimus kept a gentle hand on my lower back at all times, General Moreshower walked toward us with a grim expression. Will close behind him.

"Major, General," Optimus rumbled.

"I can't believe we have to go through with all of this still," Moreshower grumbled, he looked at me. "I'm so sorry Mikaela."

"We all have to take one for the team at times," I laughed softly.

"You took a hell of a lot more than one in Egypt," Lennox grumbled, "_now_ we're going to traipse you about with a _bullet wound._"

"I believe my chances of survival are fair to excellent," I shot back at him with a half grin. "Better, seeing as Ratchet hasn't let up on scanning my vital signs yet." I shot the holoform a fondly exasperated look.

He glared back at me before smirking.

"You are still alive," he grumbled, "and giving me guff is _not_ going to keep me from making sure you _stay_ that way."

"Right well let's get going then," Lennox grinned, he lowered his voice. "Time to go sit, stand, sit and pretend to be interested."

I bit down a snort and followed Optimus' lead, he settled me into a chair before sitting his holoform down beside me. I bit my lip and folded my hands delicately in my lap.

"You will tell me if you need to go," Optimus rumbled with a small frown, looking down at me with worried eyes.

"I'm just fine," I murmured gently, reaching over and touching his forearm lightly, biting back a wince as my shoulder protested.

"Never the less," Optimus rumbled firmly.

"And stop using that arm," Ratchet added in a murmur.

"Okay Ratchet," I smiled gently, folding my hands carefully again.

As one, soldiers, holoforms and General rose. I stood with them, sitting again once the dignitaries had taken their seats.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, the President of the United States," a man's voice said over the speakers. We rose again as the man walked toward the podium.

"At ease," he said immediately, we sat. "First, let me begin by greeting each and every one of you today, during what is possibly one of the most important occasions of our time. However today is less a day of announcement, and more of acceptance. We are not alone in this universe, and it is our sincerest hope that with such a discovery we can find a way not only to exist peacefully with the Auto-bot citizens, but among ourselves as well." He looked up into the mass of cameras.

"Today we acknowledge that the path ahead of us is a rocky one. The ground untrod. But today it was also proven what true determination and bravery can achieve. Miss Mikaela Banes, the acting human-Auto-bot ambassador was shot during the parade earlier, and yet she still sits here with us today. So with respect to the Auto-bot leader and attending dignitaries, I would propose that we perhaps avoid standing every time one of us makes it to the podium." Obama said with a small smile, turning to look at the dignitaries behind him. There was some scattered, quiet laughter and murmurs of approval among the group of people around us. Optimus grinned and nodded his thanks beside me as I blushed lightly.

"With that being said," the President continued. "I would like to conclude by extending my personal welcome to the auto-bots, to the United States of America, and to the earth, and put forth my heartfelt entreaty for peace. Thank you." The man nodded and walked toward us, offering his left arm to Optimus.

His holoform rose and threaded his arm with the President's with a respectful nod. The President turned and offered me his arm for a second before breaking out into a sheepish sort of grin and offering me his right hand. I stood and shook it firmly with a smile.

I sat beside Optimus again as Ratchet scowled at me.

"I stand up when I shake a person's hand," I protested quietly. "I was shot in the arm, not the leg."

"Which keeps you squarely in the category of most difficult patient I have _ever_ dealt with," Ratchet retorted with a snort, crossing his arms. Several dignitaries behind us chuckled.

I listened with interest to the next few speeches, mentally pulling the grandstanding apart and enjoying myself immensely.

Eventually, the welcoming finished and the leaders of the United Nations rose.

"Two weeks ago," the General Secretary began, "the world froze as we watched a worldwide broadcast demanding Miss Banes be handed over to the custody of the Decepticons, and in a panic, many governments worldwide searched for her for that purpose and effectively made her a fugitive of her own planet," he turned to look at me. "Miss Banes, instead of running fought alongside the soldiers and Auto-bots against a being who's intention was to destroy our sun, and almost lost her life in the process..."

"You didn't _almost_ lose your life," Ratchet grumbled softly beside me.

"I'm alive Ratch, hush," I murmured with a small smile, glancing at him.

He shot me an irritable look. I reached over and gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

"Love you too," I murmured gently. He smiled, and we both turned back to listen.

"Today the United Nations ask for her forgiveness, for violating her right as a citizen of Earth to fair trial. To the basic freedoms we too often take for granted. She will be awarded recompense for this grave error. Miss Banes." he turned and held a hand toward me. I rose to join him at the podium as he gave me a small look of surprise.

* * *

(OPOV)

"I was going to bring the microphone to you," the man said with a small smile.

"I have been blessed with four strong limbs," Mikaela replied with a smile, her voice caught by the microphones. "I was hit in the shoulder, not the leg."

"You honour us with your strength," the man smiled, offering the femme a handshake. She shook it firmly and allowed the man to guide her to the podium. Optimus watched with amusement as she shot a quick glance at her watch and stood straight in front of the microphones.

"Good afternoon," she began with a calm smile as the applause lessened. "I would like to begin by thanking our United Nations, for having the courage to offer an apology that is by and large unnecessary, but truly appreciated none the less. I likely must ask your forgiveness myself because I'm not particularly talented when it comes to public speaking." there was some laughter in the crowd. Mikaela's teleprompter began bringing up the words to the speech Galloway had written. Optimus bit back a smirk as she looked down at the hard copy.

"On the way here today – and throughout these past few months of craziness – I have met several incredible, intelligent and brave people. Mr. Westfield in particular, who wrote me a very well-done speech for today and allowed me to edit it with him while we were flying. Except we've got the wrong one on the teleprompter." Mikaela shot him an apologetic smile. The man grinned in the crowd and cupped his hands around his mouth.

"Just wing it!"

"Wing it? Alright," Mikaela smiled. "Well, I'll try to keep it short then. The teleprompter wants me to say that I was raised to never be afraid, which is false, my father never once told me to never be afraid. Instead he taught me the value of fear, he taught me to ask why. _Why_ is that barking dog scary, _why_ are we afraid of something new."

"I want to meet her father," Ratchet murmured softly to Optimus.

"Agreed," he murmured quietly, glancing at his Medical Officer. He let a tiny bit of the grin show on his holoform's face.

"Father taught me that we have fear to keep us safe, it's the voice in your head that says don't jump out of the plane, don't go near the thirty foot auto-bot because frankly, he _is_ enormous." Mikaela looked back to shoot a wink at Optimus' holoform. He couldn't stop the grin that broke out on his face at her tactics. There was laughter in the crowd again. Ironhide's holoform and body both reached over to lightly elbow Optimus in the chest plates. A broad, laughing grin on both faces.

"It is alright to be afraid," Mikaela stated gently, "there is nothing wrong with it. Fear is the instinct that keeps every creature in this universe safe from potential danger. But that fear should _never_ be allowed to cripple us," her voice strengthened slightly. "The fear that makes us wary, can also make us freeze, and in that moment of frozen time, when fear makes your mind slow and turns your limbs to ice is the moment when your life is truly in peril."

There were a load of soldiers nodding firmly at that, Ironhide and General Moreshower among them. A few of the dignitaries looked at them in surprise and turned to look more closely at the diminutive girl at the podium.

"Two weeks ago I was a fugitive of this fear, which in retrospect sounds absolutely terrible. However I was a fugitive for less than five days and never once mistreated by the brave soldiers who offered me asylum at their own risk. I was kept safe and never suffered, so I request of you, Madam Pillay, Mr. Guterres to please take the money which has been set aside for me and use it to further your own causes. Because I am one, but there are hundreds, thousands more whose rights are denied every day. Prisoners and refugees. Please, help them before you award me."

The two dignitaries jumped up from their seats to shake her hand vigorously as an enormous crowd of people near the back cheered them on. Optimus scanned their faces idly and was surprised to find a great number of human rights protesters. A few of their blogs were protesting the necessity of giving one person a reward when so many others suffered. Optimus frowned slightly, when had she ever read those blogs? He passed the question on.

::. She didn't.:: Bumblebee stated cheerfully ::. She just knows the sentiments, watch, she isn't reading the speech, she's reading the _people_.::

Optimus couldn't help the small smile at the thought.

"Thank you, Miss Banes," the hispanic man grinned. "I will see that it is put to good use." Mikaela smiled and nodded to him, turning slightly to return to her seat.

"Ambassadorial speech!" Cole shouted up to her.

Optimus rose and took his Kae's left as she looked at Cole in surprise. Optimus rested a hand gently on her right shoulder. She glanced at him uncertainly. He smiled at her with a nod. She was the right person to speak. Mikaela took a deep breath and turned to the cameras again.

"Two weeks ago," she began calmly, "the world learned that we are not the only philosophical creatures in this universe, or indeed on our own planet. I had the honour of having my own hope proven correct two years prior, that we are not alone, and that the auto-bots are peaceful." Mikaela looked down at the speech Galloway had written for a moment. Optimus was surprised to find that it _was_ his after all. That surprise turned into shock, she really was winging it.

Mikaela looked up, directly into the camera, directly into the eyes of the crowds and promptly stole his spark all over again, falling into a positively hypnotic rhythm as she spoke. A soft, gentle tone that made you listen.

"I know at heart, that the truth of their existence is hard to believe at times. Their very structures defy a great deal of what we understand to be possible. There are still days when I wake up and believe that I have just had the most extraordinary dream.

"But when I look out my window I often see a 'bot standing there, and I cannot help but feel a new surge of hope. Because it isn't a dream. They are real, a race of Autonomous Robotic Organisms who live and represent each and every aspect of humanity that we celebrate. The ability to create, to love, care, feel hope, grief, pain. Who live with the honour, morality and bravery so hard to find in today's fast paced world."

Optimus watched with a smile, directing his holoform to look at her, and her alone as he watched people nodding in the crowd. The presidents and dignitaries were listening with rapt attention, Galloway looked ready to have an apoplectic fit.

"For my own safety two months ago I became isolated from my friends and family, but instead of becoming a prisoner of circumstance, I became a part of a group who have gone out of their way to to make me feel at home. Soldiers and Auto-bots both, a unit I am proud to live with, to fight alongside, to call family. For all that I am the smallest, I am a stronger, and better person for knowing each and every one of them."

She paused to take a slow breath.

"President Obama is absolutely correct. The path ahead of us is a rocky one, but now is the time to face our fear of the unknown, because that is truly what our fear is based upon. The new, the uncharted territories, the most easily conquered fear because once we learn, once we understand, it is no longer an unknown."

Mikaela had them, there was no doubt in Optimus' processors, his Mikaela had elegantly rolled each and every listener into a neat little ball and pocketed them. Her voice rang out in the absolute silence.

"In life there is no trying, there are successes and failures. And so now I stand before you, to ask, to exhort my _own_ race not to try, but to _do_. To fight for our success upon this new path, to not only stand and be heard, but to open our eyes, to listen with open hearts and minds.

"With respect, I leave you with a piece of wisdom that was passed onto me, by the person whom I consider to be my dearest friend." Mikaela's right hand crept up to cover Optimus' on her shoulder. She looked past the dignitaries and smiled at _him_, "Fate rarely calls upon us at a moment of our choosing." Mikaela stated with a soft spoken air of pride. Optimus straightened with pride as she continued.

"And he is absolutely correct. Fate will always surprise us, and when she does we can lay down and do nothing, take the way of fear and stay frozen upon the well trod path. Or," Mikaela stated. She paused and softened her voice, looking at Optimus as he knelt, watching her. "Or we can face our fears and learn. Learn some of the most incredible things." Her eyes began to rove around the crowd again, somehow catching every eye. "Both about our own world, and a universe which has suddenly become once again incomprehensibly vast, and yet understandable. An immense space where _everyone_ should have the right to live in freedom. Thank you." she nodded gravely to her shocked and silent audience before turning fully to his holoform.

Optimus winked before offlining the holoform. He moved carefully toward his Kae, leaning forward and offering her his hand. She beamed at him and delicately stepped into his palm, crouching lightly on her toes as he lifted her to his shoulder. She climbed to his shoulder with the ease of old habit as he straightened, perched lightly with her ankles delicately crossed in what he privately considered to be her spot.

"Oh god, they aren't even doing the polite 'well she tried' round of applause," Mikaela whispered very softly. Optimus could sense her beginning to feel mortified when the leaders of the United Nations suddenly burst into hearty applause, the rest of the dignitaries, soldiers and general public immediately following suit.

Mikaela blushed furiously beside Optimus as first Lennox, the soldiers, then groups of people stood, turning to cheer at her as she sat blushing on his shoulder, her head ducked and a small, secret smile playing on her lips.

::. Please!?.:: Bumblebee sent to him on the Primary.

::. Oh go ahead.:: Optimus chuckled, then smiled at his unit as they transformed, beaming at the tiny femme sitting on his shoulder and applauding her.

The President of the United States stood and took the podium, gesturing toward Mikaela as the crowd continued to cheer. Optimus recorded it, to use on her later if she started getting down on herself again.

"How..." the President began as the cheering slowed. "How do you follow something like that?" he asked with a grin, gesturing up at Mikaela again. There was a faster, somewhat more muted round of applause.

Optimus watched his Kae out of the corner of his optic as a final few speeches wound down through the afternoon. He did adore it when she wore his colours. A camera swung toward them, panning in to Mikaela's face occasionally as she listened attentively to the speeches. Director Galloway stood and occasionally shot what he thought was a concealed glare up at Mikaela as he read through his speech. She kept her face politely interested as she listened, reaching up and lightly holding the dressing on her shoulder.

The reporters rather gleefully made note of that.

He turned his head to carefully look at her as Galloway walked back to his seat, she was applauding him politely, the camera on the ground panned in to see her close from the waist up, he could hear reporters quietly noting the way she cradled her left arm as she clapped.

She was becoming rather pale.

"Mikaela?" Optimus rumbled in a concerned tone.

"I'm alright, Optimus," she said in a calm tone, "Ah, the orator," she smiled.

She listened attentively to the speech, applauding politely as he finished. Her body language was screaming her wish to cradle her shoulder. Still, she smiled genially when the man looked up at her.

"If you are feeling well enough, I should like to shake your hand," the dignitary said apologetically.

"Of course," she said with a smile, "Optimus, could you...?"

Optimus couldn't help the frown as he carefully lowered her to the ground, onlining his holoform the second she stepped off of his hand.

"Are you sure you are alright?" he murmured worriedly, guiding her gently toward the waiting group of men.

"I'm just fine," she smiled at him gently, touching his forearm with her right hand. She walked forward on fairly steady legs and shook each hand offered.

"I had planned on inviting you to dine with us this evening," the President stated calmly, "You are more than welcome to attend, although I believe you should be going to a hospital..."

"Thank you, Mr. President," Mikaela said with a gentle smile. "I'll leave that decision to Optimus, or more likely Ratchet. Although I would be honoured to attend."

"Rain check then," Mr. Moon smiled, looking at Optimus.

"Thank you, all of you," Optimus rumbled, shaking hands, accepting his own greeting and nodding politely as the dignitaries wandered away. He gently guided his Kae toward the grouping of soldiers.

* * *

**Well, at this point, I must admit that speech writing was my first love. Hopefully I'm not too rusty. ;) ~K**


	52. 50 Going Home

**Chapter 50 - Going Home**

* * *

(WPOV)

"Oh! Here they come," Will said with a grin.

Ratchet looked at Kae in concentration for a second and scowled.

"That's a scary face no matter what species you are," General Moreshower commented mildly.

"There is shrapnel in your shoulder still," Ratchet growled at Mikaela softly. "and the locals are rapidly destabilizing."

"Yeah, I know," she frowned, Will looked a bit more closely at her, there was a strain in her eyes he'd not seen yet. "Not here though, please? Everyone just finished commenting on how brave and strong I am. It'd be rather a let down if I broke my concentration just yet. How much longer before it's polite to roll out?"

"We go now, you got shot, even if you continue to put on a brave face it would be considered uncouth to let you wander about with shrapnel still in your shoulder," Moreshower growled. "Let's get you to the hospital."

"No," Mikaela protested immediately, "I'd really rather have Ratchet look at it."

"Which is quite a coincidence, because I'd really rather look after her myself," Ratchet grumbled firmly.

"Wait wait, hold up there for a second!" a young man with a reporter's badge slung around his neck shouted out, drawing a ton of attention. Mikaela turned to look at him impassively as a small circus ran toward them. "You have shrapnel in your shoulder, but you'd rather have this guy look after it?" the man asked incredulously.

"This is his holoform," Mikaela stated calmly before gesturing toward Ratchet. "In reality, it's that guy who'd be looking after me, as he has done frequently in the past. And yes, I trust him absolutely."

"Sweet talking me is not going to convince me to let you go back to servicing the jeeps when we get back," Ratchet rumbled in quiet amusement.

"Oh come on Ratch! I've still got one good arm going!" Mikaela protested immediately.

"Nothing doing, you're going to get some rest," the Medical Officer stated urbanely, winking his holoform out and standing straight beside Ironhide. "Now shall we roll out? Field medic or not, the front steps of the White House is _not_ my preferred operating theatre."

"Why's that?" The reporter asked curiously.

"Mikaela is human, as are you," Ratchet rumbled sternly. "Your systems are far more vulnerable to airborne pathogens."

"Another question?" another reporter asked as the circus turned to look at Ratchet.

The medic promptly looked irritable.

"Very well, but please make it quick, Mikaela is one of my charges and I do _not_ enjoy postponing the care of those under my protection."

"As a medic, do you have any worry about the possibility of alien bacterial agents being introduced to our planet?" the reporter asked quickly.

"As a medic, and as a conscientious being it is a constant worry to me that bacterial or viral cultures could potentially be introduced to a new planet-"

"You should see his regimens for that," Ironhide added with a snort. "He's _tripled_ the security measures from the Cybertronian standard."

"What was the standard?" another asked curiously.

"Upon entry into an atmosphere our frames heat to the point that any biological agents hitchin' a ride don't stand a chance of survivin', but he _still _insists on full scans and sterilizations. Worry wort." the weapon's master snorted.

"I swore an oath to do no harm," Ratchet growled.

"Let him be," Optimus rumbled with a low chuckle, looking at the weapons master. "We have work to do, and translating the oath of healers will take hours."

"Still have a signal?" Mikaela asked calmly, looking up at Prime. He nodded. "Hippocratic oath." she stated calmly.

The bots' optics dimmed for a second.

"Close enough," Ratchet nodded.

Optimus rumbled a quiet laugh as he leaned down, offering Mikaela his hand. She smiled up at him and lightly sat in his palm again.

Will couldn't help but grin at the absolute trust the girl had in the titan. But then, she really did have damn good taste in trustworthy people.

"What, you're walking the entire way?" another reporter asked in a shocked voice.

"Don't be ridiculous," Lennox laughed.

"Auto-bots, roll out!" Optimus commanded, he straightened and rapidly transformed around Mikaela. In moments she sat relaxed and gently smiling in his cab. Icing on the bloody trust cake. Even General Moreshower stared.

"How!?" the reporter squeaked.

"She's tiny and has shrapnel in her shoulder," Will shrugged with a laugh. "It's a habit of theirs, he usually transforms around her rather than Mikaela trying to climb into his cab. NEST! Let's roll!" he finished in a shout.

Ratchet and Ironhide transformed quickly. Will, Epps and General Moreshower scrambled up into Optimus' cab as the rest of the soldiers jogged toward the Auto-bots idling carefully toward them.

Cameras winked and flashed as the girls took point, Optimus driving carefully behind them back down the route they'd taken. After three miles Mikaela took off her shoes and rose from her seat, sitting curled up in the hammock stretched in Optimus' sleeper as Epps snuck into the passenger's seat.

"Tell me when we're clear," she murmured softly.

"We're clear Kae," Optimus stated in a worried tone, onlining his holoform as another processor came online.

"I meant to say thanks," Will said, raising his eyebrows and turning to look at her. "I can hear all sorts of wickedly awesome things since you've fixed my ears, Kae."

"No worries," her voice said quietly, "Are there any children or people with delicate ears within hearing range?"

"Go ahead and say it," General Moreshower stated firmly.

Mikaela promptly grasped at her shoulder.

"Ow ow ow fuck shit bastard fuck OW!" she said in a pained tone.

"Kae you should have asked to leave earlier," Optimus rumbled in _that_ tone. Will glanced at Moreshower worriedly, to find the man smiling.

"That, is the tone of a man who loves his woman to the end of days," Chris Moreshower murmured with a grin. Optimus' holoform whipped around in consternation. "It's okay son," Chris said, relaxing into his seat. "I'd'a been a hell of a lot more surprised if you _didn't_. Kae's an honorary officer, still a civilian. Protocols don't cover mercenaries, and they sure as _hell_ don't cover aliens. And if you keep it quiet enough they never will."

"Thank you, General." Optimus rumbled, turning back to his Kae. Will jumped slightly, looking at the tattoo on her chest as it glowed slightly beneath the diamond Optimus had delicately placed around her neck. It had changed. Prime's mark had been integrated into a new one.

The same one that rested above the hammock now.

Whoa.

* * *

(CMPOV)

"Wait a second, hey, Ratchet?" Will called out with a frown. The radio crackled.

"Major Lennox?" Ratchet asked, anyone could hear that frown.

"How's Mikaela going to hold up in the C17?" Will asked in a worried tone, "that thing gets some wicked air pressures, and we got a storm coming in."

"That." Ratchet stated in a flat tone. "Is going to hurt more than getting shot again."

"How long would it take for the nanites to heal her up enough to travel?" Chris asked curiously.

"Once I get that shrapnel out? Overnight," Ratchet stated, it was crazy that he could hear the bot shrug. Chris grinned, he hadn't had an AWL in years.

"I hereby authorize the NEST unit to commandeer a clean motel, order pizza, beer and wings and invite the General." Chris stated blandly. There were whoops of laughter and cheering over the radio.

"You're tagging along for an AWL night aren't you?" Lennox looked at Chris with a grin.

"I like this spot," he grinned, relaxing in the driver's seat.

"Wait until Epps finds Mikaela another book," Optimus snorted. The man in question burst out laughing. He turned in the passenger seat to look at Mikaela with a shit-eating grin.

"You didn't," Mikaela stated flatly. There was silence in the cab for a second. "You did, didn't you?" she demanded, "I'm starting to think the lot of you are complete addicts!"

"A second book doesn't make us addicts!" Epps laughed, he looked at the General and grinned, digging into his duffle bag and handing the man a book. "Right, when you look at that what do you see?"

"I don't know, romance novel," Chris grumbled, looking at the cover and spine. Epps retrieved the book and handed it to Will, who grinned.

"Nice choice of cover," he laughed, handing it down the line to Optimus, who glanced at it and chuckled before handing it to Mikaela.

"Mate? She actually have the book!?" Chance's voice called out over the speaker gleefully.

"Oh she's totally got it in her hands now man!" Epps laughed. "Shh!"

"You're sure?" Mikaela looked at Will with eyes that were laughing in spite of the patch of blood beginning to show on her shoulder. Brave girl.

"Go for it," Chris stated curiously.

"Epps, you got me another girl porn," she said with a bright laugh. "Alright, fine, you want me to break it down again?"

"Let's get it started in Ha! Let's get it started in Here!" Bumblebee played the clip gleefully. Chance whooped.

"She's screwing with us," Chris stated flatly, looking at Will.

"Alright!" Mikaela grinned, "We have another harlequin romance, Blue Lagoon. Aaand... oh look at that, page one-oh-one. We got us a slow courtship today boys. And I quote," Chris stared at the girl as her voice dropped into an absolutely sultry tone, the quirk of her lips twisting it into a lightly mocking lilt.

"'Violet stood at the marble balustrade, leaning delicately into the fragile moonlight that washed the roses in stark greys. Jacobs strode toward her with a decisive step' – yay! It's _Lonnie_! Get _that_ out of your head!" there were howling groans over the radio, and the sounds of the Marine in question being ribbed as he laughed. "'Reaching toward her and sliding a gentle hand to cup her waist. She turned to face him, gasping as he caught her hand and brought it slowly to his lips' – aw Jacobs you old _sweetheart!_" Mikaela began. Chris was shocked to hear the play in her voice, bouncing from a sultry purr one second to a bawdry ribbing the next. Optimus' holoform was watching her with rapt attention, grinning as the men on the radio and in the cab laughed.

"And let's see... wow Jacobs, you really took your time luring her into... damn, away from the party, into the horse carriage, woo! Got a little play going across London, into the Manor, Jeeze, she's even describing how floral the veins in the marble look! Can you believe it!? _Chintzy marble!_ Fuck. Jacqueline Nye is either an interior designer or a sniper who's been taking a few hoots before lining up the shot aaand ah hah! 'Violet gasped as Jacobs pulled her roughly against his firm chest, clinging to him as he delicately undid the pearl buttons running down her back' – ultimate nightmare! You think the hooks on a bra are bad? There's only two! – 'his lips feathered kisses along the bared skin of her shoulders.'"

"Hokay, two pages of undressing her, one page undressing him, she's helping this time, hooray! Aaand, three pages of acrobatic sack dancing due to the fact that Jacobs served in India and discovered a long lost Kama Sutra. Ooh Ooh! 'Violet _screamed_ as Jacobs thrust deeply, stroking a place deep inside, driving her mad,' _Jacobs found the G spot! Go Lonnie!_ Hey Graham! Is there anything in British history to suggest that Queen Victoria knew just how many of her soldiers went AWOL in India?"

"Of course not! She was the Empress!" Graham howled back, struggling to talk between guffaws, "we Brits _invented_ the don't ask don't tell! Stiff upper lip! We carry on!"

Mikaela laughed and frowned, grabbing her shoulder.

"And then of course you_ bloody_ brits had to go and ruin perfectly good Gin by pouring quinine into it!" she shot back at him with a grin.

"Mix drinks!?" Chance shouted, "Blasphemy!"

Chris watched in shock as Mikaela closed her eyes and leaned back. Listening to the continuing banter between the Auto-bots and soldiers with a small smile. Optimus' holoform moved to kneel beside her with worried eyes.

"It's alright, Optimus," she murmured softly, opening her eyes to look at him again. "I broke my concentration, that's all." her good hand reached up to cup the holoform's cheek. The holoform reached up and took her hand from his face, pressing a gentle kiss to her palm as he knelt beside her.

He stayed right there for the rest of the ride.

And never once let go of her hand.

"If that's not love," Will leaned forward to murmur to Chris, his voice blending into the bawdy banter streaming over the radio. "then it is something better."

Chris looked at the Major and nodded firmly.

"Mikaela!" Ironhide's voice rumbled suddenly "You did a brilliant speech!"

"Thanks 'Hide," Mikaela called quietly with a smile. "I'm still going over it in my head, trying to figure out if I said anything that could be used against us."

"Oh hell no!" Lennox said with a grin, turning to face her again.

"Although Galloway's pissed," Chris stated firmly, "I think I'm going to have to run a bit of interference with that man."

Mikaela sat up and watched the scenery out the windscreen.

"Kae?" Optimus asked gently.

"I'm a hundred miles away from my father, it may as well be a continent." she murmured softly.

"That close!?" Ironhide rumbled loudly. "C'mon Optimus! We _gotta _meet that man!"

"Unless she's ashamed of us," Will added with a grin, turning to see Mikaela's reaction.

"So what you're saying is you're going to drive an hour and a half out of the way to meet my father," Mikaela said with a raised eyebrow.

"All in favour of buzzing Kae's place!" Chris called out with a broad grin.

"After that speech?" Jacob's voice called over the radio, "Man _now _it's a religious pilgrimage."

"Pull over a minute, Kae you're riding with me, I will _not_ have you walking up to your father with shrapnel in your shoulder!" Ratchet growled. Optimus rumbled a laugh and made to pull over.

"Don't worry about it Ratch!" Mikaela called out with a broad grin, looking at her watch. "We'll hit the shop, there's loads of room for the lot of us and dad's got the stuff we need. Now are you _absolutely _sure you want-"

"Absolutely," Optimus rumbled, cupping her face in his hands. She looked up at him with wide eyes and smiled.

"Slow down girl," Will grinned at her, "you put anymore love, care and trust in that smile and we're going to have to figure out how to marry you off to him."

Chris observed the most astonishing thing that moment. The two of them glanced at each other, shifting the slightest moment before simultaneously bursting into laughter.

"How the hell do you propose we manage that?" Optimus demanded with a broad grin. "I very much doubt your government would allow a human to marry a holoform. _Or_ a truck."

"Stranger things have happened on that front," Mikaela broke in with a smirk. "it's the consummation that might cause a bit of trouble though."

Optimus promptly sat his holoform in the hammock beside her, laughing and wrapping his arms with incredible care around her shoulders.

"We'd find a way," he rumbled in her ear.

"Oh quit that! Ow!" she laughed, lightly thwacking his chest before clutching at her shoulder again.

"Optimus if you can't stop baiting your spark-mate I'm going to make her ride with me," Ratchet grumbled over the radio.

"Spark-mate?" Lennox asked with a grin.

"Remember how I said Cybertronian has variations not just with tone but with the speed it's spoken?" Mikaela said with a low laugh, twining her fingers into the holoform's.

"Yeah..." Epps said with a shrug.

"The closest we can translate it is a Spark-mate," Optimus rumbled with a laugh, "It can mean anything from close friend, brother, sister, son, daughter, lover, soul-mate. We are all spark-mates in various connotations. Mikaela is sister to Bumblebee and Sideswipe, a daughter to Ratchet, niece to Ironhide..."

"And what to you?" Will asked with a broad grin.

Optimus turned his holoform to lightly cup Mikaela's chin.

"We don't know," he rumbled softly, "she is my spark-mate."

Mikaela touched his cheek and glanced out the window.

"Right on that exit," she smiled. "Hey General, trade you spots."

"How do you intend to drive with one arm?" Optimus rumbled in amusement.

"You were too busy watching the skies to notice that my left arm spent most of the trip hanging out your window." Mikaela shot back at him with a grin, standing up barefoot and walking to the newly vacant driver's seat as Optimus laughed.

"Don't you dare use that arm," Ratchet grumbled over the radio.

"I'm not," Mikaela said innocently, lightly resting her hand in her lap. She promptly began driving one-handedly, turning down a road that Chris wouldn't have been able to see if his life had depended on it.

"Come here often?" he piped up teasingly.

"Shortcut to the shop," Mikaela replied blandly. "Oddly enough this is the second time I've done it one-handedly."

"You got shot before?" Will asked incredulously.

"No! That was when I was eleven," Mikaela laughed, turning around a blind curve that would be frankly terrifying in the dark. "I broke my arm with a few people coming after me. So I chose an easy mark and booked it here."

"So you broke your arm, stole a car, ran away from people chasing you and brought it home to be stripped." Chris summed up blandly.

Mikaela snorted.

"No," she said, "This shop never once saw a stolen car stripped. Uncle cleaned and soft triggered it, took it back and left it in the same place. Which was a no-parking zone, by the way. He went shadow and watched the tow truck take it away. The only time I'd _ever_ driven a stolen car here. Anytime I had to take a contract it went directly into _their _warehouses. The shop was where we built."

Mikaela took a sharp turn into a blind, well paved driveway, coming into an enormous lot behind an incredible warehouse.

"Who owns _that!?_" Epps asked in shock.

"Technically? Me." Mikaela shrugged. "My name went on the paperwork, it's a legal shop even if I couldn't really use it, the property tax is _insane_. Stay here for a minute, please." she added as she parked and swung out of Optimus' cab.

She staggered slightly before straightening and walking around the side of the shop.

"Where do you think she's going?" Epps asked curiously. A single, fat raindrop fell on the windshield.

* * *

(MPOV)

"Stay here for a minute, please." I said calmly, parking and slipping out of the cab. I cradled my arm as I walked quickly around to the side. "Sorry Ratchet," I muttered, jumping up and hauling myself one-armed onto the fire escape.

"I thought I told you to not use that arm!" Ratchet growled at me. I almost fell off again.

"FUCK sake Ratchet!" I shouted, "don't sneak up on me like that!"

"Why aren't you using the front door?" Optimus asked curiously. I looked down to see a group of holoforms beneath me.

"You'll see in a bit, Dad's closed up for the night, the only way you'd get through those doors is to blast them down _DON'T_ blast my doors down!"

"Kaelie!?" Dad's voice said above me.

"Daddy!" I shouted with a broad grin.

"Where in _god's_ name did you disappear to? I _saw_ you on the _news!_"

"Long story, I brought some friends in, will you open up?" I asked with a laugh.

"Give me five," Dad laughed, "I hope you brung them auto-bots with you, be bloody wicked to meet _them._"

"Nice to meet you too," Ratchet called up.

"Sweet! Kae get back down and use the front, if you bin shot you ain't in _no_ condition to use the stairs." Dad commanded. I obediently swung down, landing heavily on the ground. I sat down on the ground and grunted as my shoulder spasmed.

Optimus promptly leaned down and scooped me up into his arms, carrying me back toward the front.

"I _can _walk," I protested tiredly.

"Your point?" Optimus stated calmly. He stopped in front of the main door and continued to hold me. I sighed and leaned my head on his shoulder as the door began to hiss.

"Hissing?" Lennox asked in a shocked tone.

"Mmn hmn," I nodded, "you'll see."

"Holy crap man! Those doors are friggen cinder blocked!" Epps shouted. "That's a damned awesome setup!"

"Cinder blocked?" General Moreshower asked curiously.

"So that people couldn't ram their way in," I laughed softly. "That door has stood the test of time, and seen many badly damaged trucks in it's day."

"Keeps the kids out," Dad stated with a grin, "Hello Chris, bin a long time."

"_CAL!?_" General Moreshower shouted in a shocked tone, "fucking little wet-behind-the-ears _greenhorn_ Cal _Banes!? You're his daughter!?_" the general turned to stare at me. "No wonder you pulled off jacking that damned plane!"

* * *

**Yeah, I know, the Banes warehouse is probably not within 100 miles of Washington DC. Fanfic people, what're the chances of the lot of them getting onto a C17 for the sole purpose of meeting her dad? The fuel tanks are massive in those things, it'd be the most expensive roadtrip EVER!**


	53. 51 Daddy Banes

**As always, a billion thanks to my dear Betas and readers, once again, anything you recognize I don't own, nor do I profit from it.  
This is simply for a bit of amusement. **

**Chapter 51 - Daddy Banes**

* * *

_"__CAL!?" General Moreshower shouted in a shocked tone, "fucking little wet-behind-the-ears greenhorn Cal Banes!? You're his daughter!?" the general turned to stare at me. "No wonder you pulled off jacking that damned plane!"_

(MPOV)

"You stole a plane? New bar kiddo," Dad grinned at me as the soldiers stared at us in shock. "What'd you get?"

"Raptor," I grumbled, "in my defence they crashed it."

Dad looked out at the clouds and frowned.

"Your lot are going to need to stick around for a bit, I'll not let my daughter get on a 17 with shrapnel in her shoulder." Dad stated flatly. "The children are off for the weekend, you can stay here if you want. Get in out the rain." He turned and limped into the depths of the shop, throwing on the lights.

"You know her father!?" Lennox asked in a shocked tone as Optimus' holoform carried me in. Epps was grinning for some reason as he looked around.

"Apparently," Chris laughed, walking beside Optimus. "Wow."

"Thank you," I said gravely, looking at my home. The warehouse was enormous, tools sat perfectly in their places, and the muted smells of gasoline, oil and cleaning solvents comforting.

"Mr. Banes-" Optimus began.

"Cal!" Dad shouted from across the garage, moving one of the bikes to the wall.

"Where can I put Mikaela down?" he asked politely. Dad pointed to the sitting area, and Optimus promptly carried me to the couch.

"Let's get these vehicles in out the wet!" Dad shouted. "No use lettin' em rust!"

"_Thank_ you," Ironhide rumbled loudly, offlining his holoform.

"That's a trick," Dad laughed.

"I will be right back," Optimus rumbled quietly, laying me on the couch and touching my cheek. I nodded and the holoform offlined.

Autobots began carefully rolling in, parking close together and cutting out.

"Kae!" Dad shouted, "Bumblebee's burning his oil again!"

"I _knew_ it!" I shouted. "Bumblebee! Why the hell are you burning your oil!?"

"So you'll change it for me," Bee's holoform grinned beside me.

"The real reason Bee," I said firmly.

"You mind?" Dad called out. Bee looked over at him warily.

"Bee, you can trust him," I said with a weak laugh, "he's _forgotten_ more about your engine than I'll ever learn."

"The Banes don't forget," dad growled, gently opening Bee's hood. "Yep, you got a hairliner. That's _got_ to be affecting your power and sound."

Bee cranked his engine and roared to life, revving up to prove his worth.

"Yeah yeah, you sound fine," Dad growled, "but you still got a hairliner, right here, you feel that? I ain't gonna weld you, you're alive aint'cha? Let 'er heal."

I rose to my feet and staggered over to Bee, running a gentle hand over the engine.

"Right there crik," Dad murmured, I frowned at the fissure.

"You should have said something before Bee," I grumbled, calling a bit of energon to my fingertips and running them along the crack. Bee began coughing as Ratchet onlined his holoform beside me.

"You found the fissure in his vocal processors by _touch?_" Ratchet rumbled in shock, looking at dad.

"TT triple S, Kae's usually better at it than me, got the right touch. I'm surprised at you girl, you usually find those before I even know to _look_!"

"It's Bumblebee," I murmured gently, "sometimes he hides these things for his own reasons."

"I don't like gettin' fixed," Bee's holoform grumbled. "Now I'm gonna be waiting _months_ for you to change my oil big sister!"

I laughed gently and cupped his cheek.

"But if I'm not always changing your oil it'll give me more time to wax and polish your armour..." I told him teasingly.

He perked up enormously then looked at my shoulder.

"RATCHET!" he bellowed. I looked down to find an enormous red stain on the dressings. Two more holoforms were beside us in moments.

"Kae I told you to stop using that arm!" Ratchet snarled as Optimus deftly picked me up, carrying me back toward the couch.

Dad followed and carefully removed the bandages.

".45 sniper, I'm surprised it's in your left Crik." Dad stated calmly.

"Marked it," I grunted.

"That's my girl," he growled, he caught my chin with his thumb and forefinger, holding my eyes, "now do as your uncle taught you."

I nodded and sighed, relaxing my muscles one by one as dad walked toward the back rooms, quickly emerging with the kit and some fresh clothes.

"You follow his orders just fine," Optimus rumbled in my ear with amusement.

"Any of you lot a doctor?" Dad asked calmly. "I can take care of my baby girl, but Sho was always better at the first aid thing." he looked up at Optimus as the holoform continued to cradle me.

"I will," Ratchet stated dryly.

"Has she followed even one of your orders?" dad asked in amusement as Optimus set me down. I didn't have to look to know when Optimus frowned in surprise. "You're a leader, it's in your eyes," Dad stated calmly. "Has my baby girl followed your orders at all?"

"Daad," I groaned, struggling to unzip my dress. Dad lightly knocked my hand out of the way and did it for me.

"Yes, she has," Optimus rumbled.

"Then you're a good leader, welcome to our home," Dad nodded, carefully sliding a comfortable pair of pants over my legs. "That's an interesting tattoo Crick," he added with a puzzled look on his face, eyeing my chest before he delicately wrapped a strapless top around my breasts for modesty sake. "What's it mean?"

"This one," I smiled, "is my own mark, my auto-bot name: Archangel. And this one is Optimus'-"

"Which designates him as her guardian," Arcee stated calmly.

"Guardian how?" Dad asked with his usual intensity, narrowing his eyes at Arcee.

"Guardian in that if _anything_ happens to Kae, he'll tear the universe apart to find her, protect her or annihilate whomever hurt her," Arcee smiled.

"I _like_ the tattoo, never thought I'd say _that_," Dad smirked at me, I couldn't help but laugh. That was my dad.

"Mr. Banes?" Ratchet asked curiously.

"Cal, you're Ratchet." Dad stated calmly, he looked up at the group of soldiers, general and holoforms standing awkwardly around the couch. "You're Major Lennox, General Moreshower, Lieutenant Jacobs, Lieutenant Chance, Sargent Epps, Ironhide, Optimus Prime, Lieutenant Graham, a Brit, gotta like the brits, you get shit done. Bumblebee, nice to see you again son." He grinned at Bee, my little brother beamed at my dad. "The rest of your names haven't been spoken loud enough for me to hear 'em yet." He turned and picked up my dress, folding it automatically. "No sense messing up that pretty dress of yours." he added offhandedly.

"I've missed you too, Dad," I smiled.

"May I have permission to repair your daughter," Ratchet stated formally.

"Surprised you haven't already," Dad grinned.

"Everyone, may I introduce you to Captain-"

"Former Captain," Dad growled.

"Former Captain Calvin Banes," General Moreshower acceded.

"Former?" Jacobs asked curiously.

"Had to keep them safe," Dad growled, "Former. I don't do the military no more. And I don't do my stories. You boys don't have a rotten apple among you, or you'd'a never got near this shop. Dishonourable discharge. With all due respect, that's the end of that discussion."

"That dishonourable is bullshit," Moreshower grumbled.

"Can't argue with the paperwork," Dad shrugged.

I couldn't help the smile that broke out onto my face.

"Kae your dad's intense!" Chance shouted suddenly.

"And he does brilliant pizza and hotwings if you want to ride out the rain here," I added with a laugh as Ratchet scowled at my shoulder for a second before grabbing a pair of forceps from the kit, reaching in and quickly grabbing a splinter of metal.

Dad grinned.

"And I brew a hell of a lot better coffee than Chris ever managed," he shot at the General, "they still using his socks?"

"No, we started using _your_ socks when you told General Lewis to fuck off and die," the General told him with a smirk. Dad barked a laugh.

"Right, all you lot who are just gonna get in Ratchet's way can come help me set up the place to feed you." Dad grinned.

"He's for real?" Epps asked in shock, looking at me.

"You honestly have enough food to feed a dozen soldiers," Lennox stated in shock.

"Those cinderblock doors double as a bunker, we're set to survive twenty years in here, or five with an army." I shrugged, wincing as Ratchet pulled another splinter out of my arm.

"So if you can trust an ex-captain, we'll fire up the wood oven and the deep-fryer." Dad grinned. I let out a small cheer.

"You fixed that bastard?" I demanded with a grin.

"Bastard didn't need _fixing_, you're just too afraid of singeing your damn _hair_ to light the fryer," Dad shot back at me with a smirk, turning toward the back room again. "_I'll_ do it."

"I happen to _like_ my eyebrows!" I called after him with a snort.

"Prissygirl!" he replied cheerfully.

I scowled after him as he limped toward the kitchen. Chris Moreshower following him a moment later with a parting.

"I should have known he was your dad," he grinned at me, "Only a Banes will tear your head off one second, insult you without your noticing it and then feed you."

"Pizza, pasta or to the lions," I grinned, closing my eyes. The couch sank slightly as the weight of different people settled down. "So. that's my dad." I added.

"Your sire is intense," Ironhide chortled.

"Oh!" I laughed "Wait for it!"

We sat in silence for a second.

"_Goddamn bastard fryer!"_ Dad's voice shouted out of the kitchen. "Mikaela! Where the hell did you put the C4?" he poked his head out of the door, his hair a bit singed.

"It's in the pantry between the beans and the pickled carrots!" I called back with a laugh. "Where the hell else do I _ever_ put it?"

"Oh, right," Dad snorted.

The soldiers were staring at us.

"The bonus of being a Captain," Dad grinned at them. "Did you know that C4 makes great cooking fuel-?" he turned back into the kitchen again.

"Where the hell did you get C4?" Lennox demanded of me.

"You know that complete pyro I mentioned? As it turns out, prison has a fireworks technicians course. Not that dad _needed _it, but there you go..." I snorted.

"_Victory!_" Dad's voice shouted from the kitchen.

"I'll be damned, he got it lit," I stated mildly.

Ratchet snorted and pulled another splinter out of my shoulder, it made a light clinking sound as he dropped it into the jar that Chance was holding.

"C4?" Lennox asked weakly again.

"What? It's great stuff, remarkably stable, you can use it for cooking fuel in a pinch, cut down a tree with it..." I smirked. "Bet even Ironhide didn't notice that our driveway has two trees wired with C4, we can topple them with three buttons, instant barricade – well... mostly instant, it takes seven tenths of a second for the signal to reach the blasting caps, and another three or so seconds for the trees to fall..." I winced as Ratchet dug deep and pulled another splinter out of my shoulder.

"That's the lot of them," Ratchet grumbled, "the nanites can take care of healing it up." he began taping my shoulder closed, laying clean gauze and taping a new bandage over it. "You use that arm and I may just cut it off for you." he added.

"Good luck with that," Dad stated with a laugh, "'Mon Crik, there's work to be done."

I grinned and stood up, slipping on the enormous shoes dad had tossed toward my feet, Dad turned to look at the holoforms.

"Dunno what you lot eat, I've got southern comfort, diesel, moonshine, 82 and 98 if you don't want pizza, beer and wings."

Ironhide fairly flew toward dad.

"Which refinery on the 98?"

"Texas," Dad grinned.

"Kae, your sire is a generous man," Ironhide stated with a broad grin.

"We will gladly recompense you," Optimus rumbled with a grin of his own.

"Bah, a host feeds his guests." Dad stated firmly. "You're the Peterbilt. 'magine you're gonna want a top up on your coolants. Good engine, but you run hot, 'specially when you're pulling a load."

"He's _always_ run hot," Ratchet snorted.

"Comes in handy for space travel though, don't it?" Dad asked curiously.

"Oh it really, _really_ does," Arcee giggled.

I grinned and left them to chat, walking toward the kitchens and immediately surveying the progress, snagging a bag of flour and dumping it into the mixer. Scoop of yeast, sugar and water went into a bucket. Sausage meat into the frying pan, and rounds of meat beside the slicer. I pulled out a couple of bricks of cheese and glared at them.

"Wait! You run this stuff!?" Lennox asked me in shock.

"What did you think I've been doing?" I asked with a laugh, "sitting on my ass? I've had jobs in the kitchen, waitressing, you name it. There's nothing wrong with me, why would I sit around?"

* * *

(OPOV)

"She follows your orders," Optimus rumbled, watching Kae walk toward the kitchen.

"When it suits her," Cal laughed. "Never be fooled by that girl, she'll put on a rebel face and snarl with the best of them. But when she knows you're right she don't say one damn word. Except maybe to to remind you you're right. Or cared for."

"How..." Ratchet asked in shock.

"Here, c'mon, can you walk out of line of sight?" Cal asked with a grin. Optimus nodded and followed the upright, limping man after his daughter.

"She kept up the shop," Cal stated in a proud tone, leaning against one of the walls, "I told her to sell this place, instead she worked her ass off for five years. Kept up the utilities and taxes. Tell her to keep herself free and she refuses to co-operate." Cal shook his head and glared at his daughter.

"We aren't arguing about this again," Mikaela stated in a level tone, opening the first block of cheese with one hand.

"You shouldn't'a had to sacrifice your own life to fix my mistakes," Cal growled.

"We've been over that," she growled right back, "I ain't gonna let y'all _rot_."

"It's a fools errand to save every soul," Cal growled.

"I've been a fool for far worse," Mikaela snapped, turning and gesturing with the knife in her hand, "and I don't know why you're going to argue with me about that now. You were right about the sniper, but you sure as _hell_ aren't right about this one, I'm _not _going to sit idle when there's work to be done!"

"See?" Cal grinned at Optimus. "That's her mother _and_ her grandmother right there." Optimus snorted as Kae rolled her eyes. "You lot want to stay the night? We'll fire up the projector."

"Baby pictures?" Lennox grinned, Cal barked a laugh.

"Nah, but a movie wouldn't hurt, or we could make Crik read to us." Cal snorted, "you did good on that speech baby girl, kept it tight. That speechwriter help you out?"

"She did it entirely by instinct," Optimus rumbled with a grin. Mikaela looked up at him in surprise.

"You didn't notice me reading Galloway's speech over your shoulder." he grinned at the girl, "point for point, I watched the skies, you watched the crowds."

"It's always nice to have someone trustworthy at your back," Mikaela shot a grin at him as she struggled to cut up that block of cheese. A large group of men came in bearing armloads of wood as Ratchet delicately took the knife from her.

"_Thank_ you," she laughed, "They just need to be small enough to fit into that little hatch there," she pointed to a mechanical grater before directing the men to set the wood _there_, and stating that a resident boyscout could start the fire in the bottom part of the oven there, moved to a mixer, dumped a bucket of water into the bowl and firing it up too. "You have the red sauce done up dad?" she asked, glancing over her shoulder.

"Not spiced yet," Cal grunted, sitting at the table with General Moreshower, Major Lennox and a half dozen of the men as she bustled off. Optimus hovered in confusion, Cal glanced at him and laughed. "If you think _that's _intense you should have seen her five years ago, she could singlehandedly – literally – feed an army in this kitchen. Hey! Don't look at me boyo, this is _her_ kitchen. Has bin since her mom passed away."

"But if you're looking for something to do the three of you can heft that bowl up to the table here," Mikaela added with a smile, whacking the off button on the bowl. Optimus strode over as she unlatched the bowl into the soldiers's hands. "Dump it out on the butcher block there, thanks, Optimus could you open these and pour them into that bowl there?"

Cal burst out laughing at the bemused look on the holoform's face.

"It don't matter if you're an ensign or an admiral, if you're standing you help," Cal chortled. Optimus grinned before glowering at the jar again.

"How?" he asked curiously, holding up the jar.

Mikaela glanced over at him and smiled, walking over and grasping the top of the jar, "Hold tight," she commanded with a grin, and twisted the top slightly.

"I knew _that_ one," he rumbled with a snort. "However I do not know the precise strengths that are required to open it without _breaking_ it."

"Mkay," Kae frowned. "Flip it upside down, concave bottom facing me." Optimus obeyed curiously. "Hold tight," she hit it sharply. Beneath his hands, the jar popped. Kae grinned at him.

"Kinetic energy causes so much force against the butt of the lid it breaks the seal," Ratchet murmured musingly. Kae looked at her mentor with a laugh.

"We now sit in anticipation of the sheer amount of calculations Ratchet runs through to figure out the precise forces-"

"As well as the precise placement of bones and muscles required to produce the same amount of force." Ratchet added grumpily as Ironhide laughed. "Which took the same amount of time as your sentence, I might add." he shot at Kae, piping the calculations over the primary and smirking as the soldiers laughed.

"Got it," Optimus rumbled with a snort, pouring the red sludge into the bowl and opening the rest of the jars. Kae pressed against his side as she began dumping leaves, powders and things that smelled absolutely incredible into the sauce.

"This place is intense," Epps stated expansively, "why the hell do you have a wood fired pizza oven in a motorcycle shop?"

"We stayed neutral, but there were a few biker gangs that I didn't mind having over, we used to host a no-man's-land rally. Beer, Pizza, Wings and absolutely no weapons allowed." Cal grinned, "not so much as a broken beer bottle."

"God those were fun," Mikaela laughed. "you remember when that little weaselly guy tried to start shit the second time we hosted?" She glanced over her shoulder at her dad.

Cal frowned for a second before bursting into laughter.

"Old Wolf picked that guy up, carried him over his head, hell, over over _everyone's_ heads and set him down on his feet outside the shop." Mikaela chuckled.

"He said 'This is no-man's-land, and will remain that way, you want to start shit you leave.' and walked right back to the table. Then Paddy just sort of looked at Old Wolf for a moment, gave him a shit-eating grin and poured him a pint on the house!" Cal howled as the soldiers laughed. Optimus couldn't help the grin that crossed his face.

"This is neutral territory son," Cal told him with a grin, "anyone who can smile is welcome here."

There was a roar of engines pulling up to the shop. Cal rose and walked to the entrance. Optimus followed curiously.

"Speak of the devil and he shows his face! Ho Wolf!" Cal bellowed.

"Cal! Saw your little girl on the television! Knew she was going far!" a man with an enormous white beard bellowed back.

"Get the hell out the rain! We got the kitchen fired up!" Cal shouted. A dozen men in leathers taxied bikes in and parked, cutting their engines. The man with the white beard dismounted and caught Cal's forearm with a broad grin.

"That the wood fire I smell?" he grinned.

"That it is, we got a right no-man's-land going on tonight!" Cal grinned, "Ol' Wolf..." he turned to Optimus, "you know we never really met proper."

"Your daughter was bleeding, introductions could easily wait until she was repaired," Optimus rumbled. "Optimus Prime." he extended his hand as Cal offered his left arm. Optimus couldn't help the grin that crossed his face as he threaded his arm into Cal's as Mikaela walked to stand beside him.

"Tradition dictates that the strength you pull back with is the amount of trust you have that he won't straighten his arm to fire on you." Mikaela put in calmly. Optimus' grin broadened as Cal pulled back strongly.

"Like that one," Cal grinned, grabbing Optimus' hand. Optimus grasped Cal's hand and watched as the man narrowed his eyes. "My daughter taught you," Cal murmured.

"She did," Optimus rumbled, nodding firmly. He turned to Old Wolf.

"Elijah White," the man rasped, grasping Optimus' hand, "A friend of Cal is a friend of ours. You watch over our Kae?"

"For so long as she allows me," Optimus rumbled firmly, "and probably beyond that."

"Probably, she takes some taking care of," Wolf laughed, holding out his arms to Kae. She laughed and walked into a hug, still cradling her arm somewhat. "So who shot you this time? Do I have to send a hit out?"

"Sniper, and no, I think the military has the hit out already." Mikaela stated wryly.

"The order went out five minutes after," Optimus rumbled with a deep frown, "and if it had not I would have hunted the creature down _myself._"

"_That's_ some intense hate on," Wolf grinned.

"_Nobody_ shoots Kae and hopes to live," Optimus glowered, the more he thought about it the more he wanted to go back and pick up the trail.

"Optimus," Kae's voice murmured gently, her hand rested lightly on his forearm. _**ΩI'd much rather have you here.Ω**_

He started back to the present to look down at her with a smile. "Only _you_ would stop me from destroying one who would kill you," he replied with a low laugh.

"I'm supposed to be your Ambassador remember?" she laughed, "and your Ambassador needs to get back to the kitchen. Play nice."

"_Me_ play nice!?" Optimus rumbled in shock, staring after her retreating back, "you get shot, verbally kick Director Galloway in the teeth in front of the world whilst still _bleeding_ and you tell _me_ to play nice!? I didn't even step on the _roses_ this time!"

"You're forgetting something," she grinned over her shoulder.

"And that is?" he rumbled indignantly.

"She's tiny and adorable, she doesn't have to play nice," Wolf laughed.

"True." Optimus rumbled with a broad grin, watching as she made a rude gesture over her shoulder.

"So you wanted pineapple on your pizzas right?" she shouted.

"BLASPHEMY!" Wolf roared, she laughed brightly and disappeared.

"While we're at it, let's go do the introductions properly." Cal grinned, "Get your wet off and hanging and we'll set up for a proper night."

"Should I get the instruments?" one of the younger men asked with a grin.

"Do it," Wolf smirked. The man got on his bike again.

Optimus frowned at the rain.

"Where you going?" Ironhide rumbled, winking his holoform to stand beside him. "You're on an open vehicle, and it's raining.

"It's only a ten minute ride," the man shrugged.

"I'll take you," Ironhide rumbled, winking the holoform out and pulling toward the man.

"No offence, but you have an open box," the man stated with a frown.

Optimus burst out laughing as Ironhide snorted, extending a cover over his box.

"That. Is _so cool!_" the man shouted.

"Hop in, you give the directions," Ironhide grinned.


	54. 52 No-Man's-Land

**Chapter 52 - No-Mans-Land**

* * *

(MPOV)

I laughed and walked into the kitchen. The dough was rising properly and almost ready to be spun as the soldiers sat and looked a bit lost. Everything sat prepared and waiting.

"Alright boys, your work is done, I can take it from here," I laughed. "If you want you can wander, the beer is in the cooler over there, I'll have the wings up in ten." I ducked into the freezer and grabbed the first few bags of chicken wings.

There were a few cheers around me as Epps dragged out a couple of boxes of beer and I dropped a couple of bags of wings into the fryer basket.

"How can I help?" Ratchet asked curiously, hefting an enormous bin of grated cheese onto my prep counter.

"You can stir that red sauce again," I grinned, "and when that timer goes pull the basket out of the oil and let it hang for a few seconds." It was a quick wander to grab a few jars of wing sauce. "Right, barbeque, spicy, burn your face off and honey garlic, who wants what?" I asked with a grin, setting the jars down.

"Ain't nothing can burn my face off," Jacobs rumbled.

"Oh really?" I asked with a grin, opening the jar and dipping a spoon in, handing it to the man, he sniffed it for a second and ate the spoonful of sauce. Smacking his lips for a second.

"That's a nice flavour to it," Jacobs rumbled with a grin. I looked at my watch with an exaggerated movement. "But it _doesn't_ burn your fa... holy _shit!"_ he promptly snatched Epps' beer and downed it in one go. He came up gasping. "That's a mean sauce!" he laughed.

"Rig's Louisiana peat fire," I laughed.

"Peat fire?" Chance asked curiously.

"It smoulders for a little while until you get some air, then it's a flash fire," Jacobs grinned. "I'll take that on my wings, and the recipe, please."

"We'll see," I smirked at him, pulling out the mixing bowls and setting them to the side.

I grabbed the first chunk of dough I'd portioned and began flattening it on the well-floured board.

"Man Kae, have you ever been to the Chicago pizza joints?" Epps asked expansively, lounging in his seat with a new beer. "I swear they used to spin that dough until it was three feet across. Incredible food."

"So you like a thin crust?" I asked with a grin.

"I like pizza," Tibir stated flatly. "Bread meat sauce cheese. Perfect."

"Hey Epps?" I asked with a small smile, focusing on the dough for a moment.

"Yeah?" he asked curiously.

"Hold Ratchet down for a minute will you?" I asked mildly.

"What are you... KAE!" Ratchet bellowed as I hefted the dough into the air and began spinning it.

* * *

(OPOV)

"Pizza is _not_ a pizza unless it's been spun," Mikaela stated firmly as the soldiers cheered. "Alright!" she shouted out with a bright grin, "We got deep dish and we got flat pan! Who wants what!?" she sang before the first three foot round of dough flopped onto it's pan and had oil brushed onto the edges before moving to the second.

"Has she started!?" Wolf bellowed, running into the kitchen.

"Try not to fuss, Ratchet," Cal added quickly, "she bit my head off when I tried to convince her to not spin the dough when her arm was _broken_."

"It's going to _scar_ if she keeps doing that!" Ratchet snarled, batting Epps off.

"It's a bullet wound, it's gonna scar," Cal stated with a confused frown.

"It _won't_ if she quits moving it and lets the nanites do their job!" Ratchet grumbled.

"But if I _don't_ move it it'll be stiff for days." Mikaela stated calmly, pressing down another round of dough. "Ratchet I'm not worried about a scar. Grab the wings will you?"

The Medi-bot's holoform looked at the timer as it counted down one second and began beeping.

"_No_ idea how she does that," Cal stated. "Swear to god she has a timer in her brain."

"Metronome Cal," Wolf said comfortably, "a girl who is so deeply invested into sound has a metronome, not a timer."

"What's this now?" Lennox asked curiously.

"Oh ho! You haven't told 'em, have you girl!" Wolf grinned, looking at Mikaela.

"Oh come on Wolf!" she protested, flipping a round of dough into it's pan.

"Well I hope to hell you've kept up," the man grinned, "you're playing tonight if I have to hold a gun to your head!"

There was silence in the kitchen as the soldiers looked at the man warily.

"Has that ever worked?" Cal asked in mocking curiosity.

"No," Wolf stated with a mockingly grumpy snort, glaring at Kae.

Mikaela snorted.

"You didn't even have the safety off, softy," she smirked at him.

"Smartass," Wolf snorted.

Will was eying the older man curiously, Mikaela looked at him for a second and laughed.

"Will, Old wolf, Old wolf, this is Major Will Lennox. Will, Old Wolf here is the alpha of the wolves, the pack that guarded our territory while Dad was in jail."

"Somehow, I thought you'd be taller-" Will stated with a snort, holding his hand out.

"With a scar across my eye?" the man asked blandly. "I get that a lot, don't seem to matter to most that I was a lawyer for thirty years..."

"Oh yeah? Which firm?" Jacobs rumbled curiously.

"JAG." Wolf shrugged.

Silence.

"You, were a JAG?" Will demanded.

"Why does that always surprise people?" Cal laughed "Elijah White was one of the best lawyers a military man could ask for. You spent what-?"

"The entirety of Korea as a kid, MP in Nam, got into some serious shit there," Wolf snorted. "Then they said, oh, wait, we drafted you and you stuck around, what would you like to be as a civilian? I got a damn good education out of it, and an even _better_ retirement."

Soldiers and Wolves eyed each other for a moment before the lot of them burst out laughing at each other.

Mikaela snorted and started in on the next ball.

"Show me how?" Optimus asked with a small smile, she beamed up at him and jerked her head.

"First thing's first," she instructed calmly, "Blink your holoform so you don't have to wash your hands."

Optimus laughed and obeyed, offlining the holoform for a second before onlining it again, walking back into the kitchen and to her side.

"Grab a ball of dough and start pressing it out like this," she smiled, Optimus grinned and began flattening his ball so that it looked like hers. It felt soft, as smooth as her skin but far more giving, there was steel in his Kae. She glanced up at him and laughed, and for a second he could swear she had read his mind.

"Alright, now pick it up and here's the trick, you use your knuckles, your fingernails would rip it," she instructed, beginning to spin the dough.

He watched her method for a second and did the same, laughing as Kae stepped a bit further to the side to give him room. Optimus couldn't stop grinning, the dough was soft, and it was absolutely entertaining to watch the centrifugal forces spread it wide. Then Kae did an astounding thing, she tossed her dough into the air as it spun, caught it, spun it, tossed it and caught it in the dish.

"Stuffed crust!" Jacobs bellowed, Kae laughed and grabbed a double handful of cheese, spreading it along the outside and deftly folding the crust in on itself as Jacobs cheered. Optimus tossed his dough curiously.

"Sidestep!" Kae shouted, he took a quick step away from his Kae and bellowed a laugh as she caught his crust. Another toss and it was in it's pan.

He hovered his hand over another ball of dough and looked for her permission.

"Yes you can play too," she laughed, Optimus grinned and began again as the soldiers laughed. He honestly didn't care, it was scrapping fun. He glanced to the side and saw Mikaela at the same stage he was.

"One?" he rumbled.

"Two," she grinned.

"Three!" they shouted together, flipping the dough into the air and spinning it.

"We've got two spinners!" Cal bellowed, leaping up and running toward a storage case, "C'mon Kae! I dare you!" he held up an enormous pan.

"Have we got everything for that?" she asked curiously.

"We do," Cal grinned, Optimus noted that the bikers that had accompanied Old Wolf were rubbing their hands together.

"Oil it!" she commanded with a grin, tossing her crust into the air beside Optimus'. Cal immediately got to work spreading oil onto the pan as soldiers and Holoforms watched curiously.

"Optimus," Mikaela said seriously, "you up for a challenge?"

"Bring it," he rumbled with a fierce grin, catching his crust on a pan.

"Team spin," she grinned, grabbing two lumps of dough and pressing them onto two more. "Once we've got these last four finished up."

Optimus immediately grabbed one of the lumps and flattened it, enjoying the activity immensely. "What is the large pan for?" he asked curiously.

"Dessert," Mikaela said vaguely.

"The best thing you will ever eat in your life," Wolf said seriously, looking at the soldiers.

"Sir, we have beer, wings, and hand spun pizza on it's way, what's better than that?" General Moreshower asked expansively, leaning back in his seat.

"Oh you'll see," Wolf laughed, taking another swig of his own beer. Optimus caught his crust on it's pan and started in on his last.

"What are we doing?" he asked the tiny Femme beside him.

"First off, we're going to get these finished up and in the oven, and then we're going to do a double team spin on those two lumps of dough," she nodded to the lumps calmly. "We have a bit of prep work to do before that though, Dad, grab the apples will you?"

Cal grinned as he walked back toward her, already holding a bowl of green apples.

"You want 'em peeled?" he asked with a grin.

"Mmn hmn," Mikaela nodded, stuffing another crust with cheese. She grabbed the bowl of red-sauce and began scooping it into the centre of each crust. "Alright boys, what are the orders?"

"Meat!" Epps shouted, precisely the same time that one of Wolf's men did. They grinned at each other.

"I think that goes for all of us!" Moreshower grinned. Mikaela laughed and spun the pans on the table, spreading sauce before her right hand fairly flew over the crusts, spreading meats as though she'd done it all her life. Cheese spread on top, she picked one up and popped it on a rack, whacking a button on the side. The rack began to creep forward, slowly pulling the pan through into the heat. A few more sticks of wood went on the fire.

Cal returned with a load of peeled and cored apples.

Kae smiled, grabbing a knife and rapidly slicing each apple into thin wedges, dropping them into orange juice. Optimus picked up a knife and copied her movements, she glanced up at him and beamed, picking up another pizza and tossing it on the rack.

"I. Have watched her make this every single time I've had it," Wolf said seriously, "and I still don't know what she does to make it work."

"Love Wolf," she stated with a grin, "Love makes it work."

"You don't use a recipe, you don't measure a single damn thing," he chuckled, "and it turns out perfectly every single time."

"That's because love doesn't need a recipe," she laughed. She looked at him with a smile and began pressing the double-sized roll into a circle.

"We don't want to do the second ball just yet," she smiled, "But this ball will do the entire pan. I need your help for spinning it."

"Sho used to spin with her," Cal added with a smile.

"God bless that man, he knew the world," Wolf added sadly.

Mikaela began spinning the dough. "Have you learned the catch?" she asked Optimus with a grin. Optimus nodded, grinning as he watched the centrifugal forces spread the dough wider. "Then catch!" she laughed. Optimus obeyed with a broad grin, stepping into her place as she side-stepped, spinning the dough on his knuckles. Ironhide's holoform wandered in and watched him for a moment before snorting and plopping down in a chair. Optimus grinned and looked at his Kae.

"Toss it!" she commanded. He obeyed and stood to the side as she caught it again, spinning it briskly before tossing it and catching it on the enormous plate.

"Butter," she muttered, spreading a pat over the dough with her bare hand, "cinnamon, apples, sugar, apples, cinnamon, cornstarch, sugar." she spread the apples across the dough, and shoved the pan to the side, punching down the second ball of dough.

"Again," she grinned up at Optimus' holoform, flipping the dough into the air and beginning to spin it. Optimus watched for a second before moving to stand behind her, picking up the spin before she had to toss it, she laughed and leaned into his chest.

It felt absolutely perfect.

Kae dragged the pan directly beneath his hands and let his toss fall over it. He stayed, watching as the pan spun around on the table, the edges of the dough being crimped by slender, deft fingers.

"And that's the lot," Mikaela stated with a smile, catching up another pizza and putting it up on the rack before putting more wood on the fire. She glanced around and walked toward an enormous silver door, yanking it open and stepping through the blast of cold air.

The kitchen sat in silence for a second.

Ironhide jerked his head to Optimus slightly.

::. Ask her father for her hand.:: Ironhide rumbled silently.

Optimus frowned at his weapons master.

::. C'mon, you know you're going to ask her.:: Hide laughed ::. When's a better chance than now? Her dad wants to talk to you anyway.::

Optimus glanced up and noted the way her father was watching him. Ironhide chose that moment to stand and cuff the back of his head. He shot a glare at his weapons master's grinning holoform.

"We can start again if you want kid." Ironhide rumbled with a snort. Optimus gave into the temptation and rolled his eyes. Mikaela bustled back into the kitchen again, holding a bag of frozen wings and dumping it into the hissing, spitting oil. Optimus watched her and jumped, standing and walking toward her.

"You are frozen," he rumbled calmly.

"Not entirely," she laughed, reaching up with her good arm to set the timer and squeezing his shoulder.

"You missed Jenny's wedding, Kae," Wolf told the girl with a shake of his head.

"Jenny got _married!?_" Mikaela shouted in shock, staring at the older man. "Primus but I've been out of touch with life!"

"Yep, Jenny's married now with my first great grandbaby on the way," the man grinned, "I was hoping you'd show up so that I could introduce you to a few of my nephews..."

"You're trying to get Kae into your family again," Cal chuckled.

"Can't blame a man for trying," Wolf grinned, shrugging and tearing into another chicken wing. "A girl who can cook, service the motorcycle and play? _I want grandchildren off of her!_"

"You're forgetting my sharp tongue and bad temper again," Mikaela snorted.

"Your nephews are good boys, but she'd have 'em whipped in a matter of hours," one of Wolf's men laughed. "She's gonna need someone strong enough to face down that temper of hers and you know it!"

Wolf bellowed a laugh and looked at Optimus.

"So _you_ up for that challenge?" he asked with a grin.

"Hah!" Ironhide laughed, "She's the first who's ever managed to stand toe to toe with that bot and shout him down. I wanna see them fight again, I honestly don't know who'd win."

"Do I hear another pool?" Chromia asked cheerfully.

"That's assuming they'd ever let us see them argue!" Bee stated in a bright tone.

"See nothing, we'd still hear them," Ironhide rumbled cheerfully.

Mikaela glanced up at Optimus with a small smile as auto-bots, soldiers and a few of Old Wolf's men began laying out odds and solemn promises to inform the winners.

He grinned down at her unrepentantly.

"The one who's viewpoint proves correct would win," he rumbled.

Out of the corner of his optic, he saw her father watching him intently.

She winked and walked to the oven, picking up a pair of mitts and retrieving the first pizza as it emerged. Optimus watched her with a smile. The smells in here were absolutely incredible. The heat of plasma reducing wood to it's carbon components. The yeast of dough, sizzling meats, salts, the herbs she had casually dumped into the acidic, tangy smelling tomato sauce... and beneath it, her scent.

Intoxicating.

Cheers started up as she brought the first pizza to the table, setting it directly on the wood and brandishing a round blade on a handle, cutting the round into wedges in a move that could only have come with practice. She shoved the first toward her father, who caught it on a wooden board.

"Alright boys!" he roared, "Let's get this night _rolling_!"

Optimus remained in the kitchen as it rapidly emptied, grinning as she rapidly fed the oven, tossing in a last few pizzas and pulling the cooked ones out of the other side, rapidly cutting and setting them on wooden slats, she picked one up and looked up in mild surprise as Optimus took it from her delicately.

"Let me get these, I will return in a moment," he rumbled gently, snapping a levitation field around the multitude of pans and causing them to march out to the main area.

"Where the hell were you when we needed you at the rally?" Wolf demanded, grinning as Optimus lined the pizzas along a long table.

"How many years ago?" Optimus frowned.

"Seven," Wolf replied curiously.

"We were scattered back then, just starting to group together again," Ironhide rumbled quietly, "flying about, searching."

Wolf nodded and reached out, laying a strong hand on Ironhide's forearm.

"Welcome to our home," he stated quietly, "I hope that what you were looking for has found you."

Ironhide grinned and eyed the pizzas curiously.

"Hey Ratchet, what would happen if I ate that?" he rumbled curiously.

"You'd have to run it through your conversion matrix on solids setting alpha five, break it down into carbon and hold it in stasis until you figured out what to do with it." Ratchet shrugged, "I can't say you'll get _much_ energon from it, but some, the fact that it's hot helps."

Ironhide grinned broadly and picked up a slice, taking a curious bite out of it. He chewed, swallowed and promptly sat down hard in his chair.

"Sweet Primus, y'all have to _TRY __that!" _he grinned, grabbing another bite and leaning back reflectively. "Good friends, gas from Texas, tastes from Valhalla, everything's here!"

Optimus chuckled as he watched his unit flock around the table beside the soldiers. He turned and walked back toward the kitchen, listening to the conversations.

"Y' wait 'till we get the music going, y'aint never gonna want to leave," Wolf grinned. "I know I sure as hell never want to."

Optimus stopped at the door to the kitchen, watching his Kae as she held her shoulder, breathing deeply. She straightened abruptly, washed her hands at the sink and began moving again, pulling the last pizza from the oven and setting it on the table.

She stood then, glaring at the enormous pan with a defeated expression on her face.

"Let me get it, Kae," Optimus murmured gently, walking forward and gently touching her arm. She smiled up at him.

"Just set it up on the rack there, please?" she asked gently. Optimus picked up the heavy pan and carefully set it in it's place, watching for a moment as Kae adjusted the timing on it somewhat.

"It needs to bake a bit longer, half an hour," she murmured. Optimus reached over and picked up a slice of the pizza, biting into it and closing his eyes at the flood of new information. Absolutely fascinating. He opened his eyes to see Kae watching him with a sweet mix of delight, worry and curiosity.

"It tastes of love, of what a home should be," he murmured with a smile. Her face melted into the smile he so adored.

She fetched down a pot and began pouring ingredients into it.

"The glaze for the pie," she said softly, carrying the pot to the stove and lighting the flame beneath it.

Optimus sat down comfortably, watching his Kae as she hummed softly, stirring the mix with a sharp eye. In a few minutes the pot came off again, sitting on the table with every appearance of being forgotten as she sat beside him, grabbing her own slice. They sat in comfortable silence for a long moment.

"Penny for your process?" she asked quietly.

"Guilt," Optimus rumbled softly.

"For?" she murmured.

"Taking you away from this," Optimus looked around, listening to the laughter and banter coming from the main area.

"Don't," she said calmly. "You're forgetting that I had already left this. The truth? Your being here brought it back."

Optimus stared at her. She smiled up at him.

"A space without people, without the warmth of friends and loved ones is just a house, it takes love to make a home. If I had come here alone... I would not have been able to come. Instead I came, and in the morning I'll be able to leave, taking a warm memory." she said gently. He could not help but smile at her, reaching out and wrapping her in a gentle hug.

"Thank you," he murmured. "This place is a memory that I will never delete."

She hugged him back for a moment before pulling back and giving his jaw a quick, gentle kiss. Kae rose and walked to the other side of the oven.

"Could you help me catch this?" she asked calmly. Optimus rose and was at her side in seconds, lifting down the enormous tray and carrying it to the table. She touched her clean cutting wheel with sad eyes.

"Kae?" Optimus rumbled softly.

"It had always taken two of us to cut this," she murmured. "Today is the first time that I made this without Uncle Sho with me."

Optimus pulled her into a gentle hug. She leaned against him for a long moment before taking a deep breath and looking up at him.

"Will you help me?" she asked softly.

Optimus felt his spark flare, she felt so right in his arms.

"You have but to look at me, and I will be at your side," he rumbled, cupping her cheek.

"Oh see now you're spoiling me," she grinned up at him impishly.

"You deserve it," he grinned. "What do I do?"

"Well, seeing as you're so bastardly tall, could you open that cupboard there and reach down the orange liqueur?" she asked cheerfully. Optimus laughed and obeyed, pulling down the bottle and offering it to her as she explained how to cut the enormous round evenly.

Mikaela opened the bottle quickly and poured it into the pot of sauce, stirring it around for a moment before grabbing a tiny sip of it from her spoon. She closed her eyes in concentration for a moment, added a splash more and closed the bottle.

"So Wolf doesn't know how you do it because he cannot remember?" Optimus teased her. She laughed. Primus but he loved it when she laughed.

"No, he always goes out to set up the instruments by the time I'm doing this," she giggled, picking up the pot as Optimus caught up the enormous pan, bearing it easily.

"Is it ready!?" Wolf demanded with a broad grin.

"It is, and because you're here I'm going to tell you how I do it," Mikaela said in a serious tone. Optimus set the pie on the table.

"It looks different," Wolf frowned.

"Because it isn't finished," Mikaela stated patiently, proffering the pot, she offered the old man a spoonful of the sauce before pouring it over the entire pie, spinning it as she did.

"That's liquor! Grand Marnier!" Wolf howled, laughing.

"Tell Jenny to use the recipe for crepes flambe for the sauce," Mikaela smiled. "Femmes, Bots and Boys!" Mikaela announced proudly. "The Banes Flambe!" she whipped out a lighter as her father cut the lights, a brilliant blue flame flickered over the pie, casting off the scent of heat, apples, oranges, woodsmoke, cinnamon and caramelized sugar.

Optimus almost collapsed.

::. That's her scent!.:: Ratchet transmitted in a shocked tone. ::. The undertone of her Energon! That's her personal _scent!_.::

Cal brought the lights back up somewhat as Mikaela smiled, taking a deep breath and blowing out the flames, directly at Optimus' holoform. His processors shot up overload warnings as the scent curled around him.

"Did we die, and nobody bothered to tell me?" he asked quietly, looking at his unit.

"Nope, but I'm pretty sure we could offline right now, and reach the Well of All-Sparks with complete souls." Ironhide rumbled gently, clapping a hand on his shoulder as the soldiers watched curiously.

Mikaela cocked her head to the side somewhat and smiled at Optimus, offering him the blade. He took the knife and made the first cut, aiming it directly to her. Her hand touched his as she carried on the cut to her edge, spun the pan and passed the blade back toward him. Optimus grinned and caught the edge of the pan, spinning it as he cut two circles while Mikaela beamed at him.

At speed they cut together, and Optimus couldn't stop the small smile that sparkled in his holoform's eyes anytime her hand touched his.

The pie cut she winked at him and slid a couple of blades in, pulled up a piece and set it on a plate, offering it to Optimus. He took it from her hand gently and walked to a seat in the corner, watching the swarm of men around his Kae.

Her father sat down beside him.

"You love my girl," he stated calmly. Optimus glanced at the man and nodded.

"With everything that I am," Optimus rumbled quietly. "With that being said, I would ask permission to court your daughter."

"Really? 'Cause the way you're lookin' at my girl I thought you'd be asking for her hand by now." Cal stated comfortably. "Tell you the problem with that though son."

Optimus turned to watch the man patiently.

"That you felt the need to ask for my permission for anything concerning that girl, shit, that's a move that could get us _both_ killed." Cal grinned.

Optimus rumbled a laugh, watching the young woman as she began arguing with Old Wolf about something. There were leather clad men and soldiers both, slumped side by side in chairs, cradling beer and the burning apple pie that seemed to accompany it perfectly.

"She's changed again," Cal stated calmly. "When I got out of the jail there, I found my baby girl had grown into her mind. Closed her heart from the world. You're pulling her through unknown territory son, an' I don't mean all the stuff with you being from another planet. She's taught you how to read a hand, which means that she trusts you enough that you know she's bin keepin' secrets."

Optimus nodded calmly, watching his Kae.

"Some of them I have learned," he murmured quietly, "On occasion her dreams rise on the currents of energon that flow through her system now. I will not betray them."

"Well then," Cal said just as softly, he reached out and grasped Optimus' forearm. "Don't you _ever_ let her push you away, when the day comes that she tells you that she got no more secrets to hide from you, and you can still love her, you hold onto my baby girl and tell her that her father knew when his day was ending."

Optimus turned sharply to look at the man.

"It ain't today, and it probably ain't tomorrow. But either my enemies will be coming after me, or her fight will spread to my doorstep."

"Cal-" Optimus started.

"No," Cal stated calmly. "I ain't gonna run. A Banes don't run, and I'd imagine you've seen our Kae say the same damn thing."

Optimus sighed and nodded.

"Do me a favour," Cal stated after a long moment. "Keep her heart safe. She's a surviver, her head is in the fight, but her heart ain't. Of all the things I regret in this life, having to raise that girl to be able to kill is the top of the list. She shouldn't'a had to learn how to survive when her age-mates were learning their ABC's."

"She is an extraordinary person none-the-less," Optimus rumbled firmly, grasping Cal's shoulder, "and she is still our Kae, for all that she locked her heart away from the world, her soul still smells of this pie as it burns."

"How what now?" Cal asked in shock.

"Kae's body began producing energon," Optimus rumbled calmly, "she is slowly becoming one of us, to the point that we may have to upload her into a new body-"

"Oh she'd love that," Cal chuckled, looking at his girl as she rolled her eyes and picked up a man's violin, her eyes closed she began softly plucking the strings. Tuning it.

"For now, we have been trying to keep her energon levels as low as possible, she's not capable of using it herself yet," Optimus rumbled calmly. "She more often than not shares it among us. Recharging and repairing all of us. It smells, and tastes like this." Optimus held up the pie he'd been savouring.

"So she's kept that part of her after all," Cal smiled, his entire body relaxed. "Good." he glanced at Optimus with a smile. "So what does that smell like to you, anyway?"

"Kae smells of heat, of apples, oranges, woodsmoke, cinnamon and the sweet, musky smell of hot sugar." Optimus replied, knowing his tone sounded as though he were in a dream. "When she walks by, when she touches even the dead metals of my armour, she sounds, smells and_ feels _of of _life._"

"You've got it bad," Cal laughed, clapping a hand on his arm. "C'mon, you have my blessing, let's go watch the Archangel sing."

Optimus grinned and rose, walking to stand as Mikaela stood, crossing her arms and looking at Old Wolf with wry eyes.


	55. 53 No-Man's-Land part II

**Chapter 53 - No-Mans-Land part II**

* * *

(RPOV)

Ratchet watched with glee as Optimus and Kae's father settled down in a far corner, having a spark to spark over his assistant. They were about finished when the instruments were done up properly.

"C'mon Kae, start us off," one of Wolf's men grinned. Ratchet looked at Kae with a grin.

"Do one for Optimus!" he called out. Several of the men cheered that thought. She looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh alright, In the Palm of your Hand," Kae said with a smile.

The man with the guitar grinned and changed his tone somewhat.

Optimus and her father walked toward them again. Smiling.

"If I could have the world and all it owns, a thousand kingdoms a thousand thrones, if all the earth were mine to hold with wealth my only gold. I'd spend my gold on selfish things without the love that your life brings, just a little bit more is all I'd need, 'till life was torn from me." Kae sang sweetly, she looked at Optimus, then his holoform as she sang.

"I'd rather be in the palm of your hand, though rich or poor I may be. Fate can see right through the circumstance, sees the forest in spite of the trees, your grace provides for me."

One of the men played the violin for a moment as Kae swayed gently. Another verse, and the instruments took over as Kae smiled shyly, singing a soft reprise. Optimus walked toward her and wound her into his holoform's arms, leaning down to kiss her temple gently.

"Although I'd rather have you on my shoulder," he murmured in her ear. She looked up at him and giggled softly.

Absolutely adorable.

"Alright Kae, enough of this soft hand's stuff!" Wolf shouted out with a broad grin, pulling out a second violin.

"Oh come on _Wolf_!" Kae shouted.

"You know you want to," he grinned. Mikaela rolled her eyes and picked up the violin, plucking the strings lightly as Wolf walked up to the microphone.

"If you're gonna play in Texas, you gotta have a fiddle in the band, that lead guitar is hot but not for a Louisiana man. So rosin up that bow for faded love and let's all dance, if you're gonna play in Texas, you gotta have a fiddle in the band." Wolf belted out alongside his men, an electric guitar started up playing. "I remember down in Houston, we were puttin' on a show when a cowboy in the back stood up and yelled 'cotton eyed joe!' He said 'we love what you're doing, boys don't get us wrong, there's just something missing in your song...'"

"If you're gonna play in Texas, you gotta have a fiddle in the band, that lead guitar is hot but not for a Louisiana man. So rosin up that bow for faded love and let's all dance, if you're gonna play in Texas, you gotta have a fiddle in the band." Men and soldiers sang out cheerfully. Optimus watched his Kae as she patiently sat, listening to the soft tones of the violin as she tuned it carefully. Ratchet glanced over at Ironhide to see the bot's holoform grinning madly, belting out the chorus alongside the soldiers.

It had been a _long_ time since he'd seen _that_ spectacle.

Mikaela grinned and watched her hand as she played a simple fiddling riff on the violin, the second man grinned and joined her, they played together with smiles along with the instruments and singing men.

"Alright, that's a warmup you brat!" Wolf shouted as the music echoed out. "You're gonna _play_ for us!"

Mikaela shot the man a grinning pout and canted her head to the side to the first violin.

Powerful music started, the man with the violin grinning as he played quickly.

"The devil went down to Georgia he was looking for a soul to steal, he was in a bind 'cos he was way behind: he was willin' to make a deal." Old Wolf started out, singing in a rapid, grinning baritone to the cheers of the soldiers. Ratchet couldn't help but smirk slightly, the thought of making a deal with the un-maker for the sake of a bit of gold was ludicrous. Primus sake, if he really wanted the taste of gold in his energon, he'd _trade_ for it! Or like as not, a patient would trade him the gold for his services as a medic. Far more efficient.

The man with the fiddle began playing again, playing quickly, Ratchet grinned and nodded his head to the music. Even if the lyrics were silly, the skill the musicians showed bringing sound from something outside of themselves was fascinating.

Ratchet laughed as Bee's holoform bounced up and down, watching as Kae rosined her bow patiently, kneeling with a placid look on her face.

::. Watch watch watch!.:: Bee transmitted excitedly.

"The devil opened up his case and he said: 'I'll start this show.' and fire flew from his fingertips as he rosined up his bow. And he pulled the bow across his strings and it made an evil hiss. Then a band of demons joined in and it sounded something like this:" Wolf sang again, he turned and pointed to his band as they played a rather sinister, heavy set. The fiddle sounded like ghosts screaming. It was weird.

Mikaela stood up with a smirk on her lips, holding her fiddle loosely in her hand as Wolf began singing again, gesturing with her bow in counterpoint to his words.

"When the devil finished, Johnny said: 'Well you're pretty good old son, but sit down in that chair right there and let me show you how it's done."

The fiddle flew to her shoulder as she belted out, "Fire on the mountain, run boys, run!" Ratchet grinned, looking at Optimus as the bot watched his spark-mate in awe, her bow flew across the strings. "The devil's in the house of the rising sun. Chicken in the bread pan picking out dough, Granny does your dog bite no child no."

Mikaela's face was set in a vicious grin as she played. Her hand and bow flew on the strings. Bumblebee was grinning madly as the rest of the soldiers and bots watched in shock. Her hand slowed, playing a long, smirking note.

"The devil bowed his head because he knew that he'd been beat. And he laid that golden fiddle on the ground at Johnny's feet. Johnny said: 'Devil just come on back if you ever want to try again." Wolf grinned as Mikaela's voice rose powerfully.

"Cos I told you once you son of a bitch I'm the best that's ever bin!" she shouted out, whipping her bow in the air with a vicious grin.

"And he played fire on the mountain run boys run. The devil's in the house of the rising sun. Chicken in the bread pan picking out dough, Granny will your dog bite no child no."

Kae played her fiddle again, dancing around gleefully as her hands flew. Her hair whipped around her face from time to time. Ratchet glanced at Optimus to find the bot's holoform staring at her in awe. Not simply for the skill she showed in bending the string's vibrations to pleasing tones, but for the sheer, unadulterated joy that she showed, that she _shared_ when she was doing so. Ratchet sat his holoform down beside Chris Moreshower as the man grinned, cradling his third beer with a third helping of pizza, and a second helping of pie close at hand. Ironhide was sitting back with a broad grin on his other side.

"Never deleting this memory," Ironhide rumbled through that grin, grabbing another swig of the 'moonshine' Cal had pressed into his hand at Ratchet's enthusiastic grin.

Now _that_ was some serious high grade, and by all scans, was going to burn _beautifully._

"Amen to that brother," Chris grinned, holding up his beer toward Ironhide. The bot frowned momentarily. "Oh right, social convention," Chris grinned whacking a palm to his forehead, "distant handshake of sorts, you tap your glass against the offered bottle or glass to signify agreement or celebration."

"Gotcha!" Ironhide laughed, lightly tapping Chris' bottle as a banjo started up. Chris grinned.

"Midnight rider!" he shouted. Wolf waved a grinning arm for Chris to join him at the microphone.

"I got to run to keep in hiding, and I'm bound to go on riding, I've got one more silver dollar." Chris started out with a grin.

"I ain't gonna let them catch me lord I ain't gonna let them catch the midnight rider!" Wolf replied with a grin as Mikaela picked up a bit of background before playing her fiddle. The usual fiddle man was grinning and sitting relaxed, drinking a beer and taking his leisure until the three finally concluded their song with a final:

"I ain't gonna let them catch me lord I ain't gonna let them catch the midnight rider!" the three of them sang cheerfully, Mikaela backing up the two men with the evident ease of long practice. The music faded back and Chris grinned at the group.

"Buy me a rose?" he asked Wolf before settling down between Ratchet and Ironhide again.

"Here's for you lovebirds," Wolf grinned at Mikaela as she set her violin down in it's case and went to stand at the side, the band began playing the slow, sweet song.

::. Go dance with her.:: Ironhide commanded Optimus with a broad grin over the primary. Optimus shot a look at Ironhide. The bot rolled his eyes and whacked Ratchet's arm, standing and spinning Chromia onto the open space, immediately turning it into a dance floor as Ratchet gripped Arcee firmly, leading her around. She felt so right in his arms.

::. DO it you glitch!.:: Ratchet added with a matching grin. Arcee pressed herself a bit more tightly against him.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus rolled his eyes at the two of them and looked back at Mikaela, smiling as he crooked a finger at her. She walked toward him curiously and broke into the smile that few ever saw on her face as Optimus wrapped her in his arms and led her around the open space alongside his senior officers.

"Buy me a rose, call me from work, open a door for me what would it hurt, show me you love me by the look in your eyes, these are the little things I need the most in my life."

Mikaela laid her head gently against his chest as he quietly sang along with the song.

It felt absolutely perfect, his beautiful, independent Kae who still let him lead, pressed tightly against his chest. His pillar of strength, a Femme to love and adore.

"Buy me a rose, call me from work, open a door for me what would it hurt, show me you love me by the look in your eyes, these are the little things I need the most in my life."

Optimus listened to the lyrics and held his Kae a bit more tightly, understanding finally what she had meant. His spark and processors were in sync with each other, and the songs made sense. The songs put forth gentle pieces of advice, and he took them. He was never going to stop showing his Kae his adoration of her. He concentrated for a moment and created a rose from the carbon for her, lightly pressing the thornless stem into her hand as she looked up at him with the sweetest combination of shock and joy.

::. Atta bot!.:: Ironhide rumbled gleefully over the primary.

::. I _seriously _need to remember that.:: Bumblebee added in an awed tone.

"So I bought you a rose, on the way home from work, to open the door to a heart that I hurt. And I hope you notice this look in my eyes, cause I'm going to make things right for the rest of your life."

"And I'm going to hold you tonight. Do all those little things for the rest of your life." He whispered along with the song as it finished.

The music slowed and Mikaela smiled up at him.

Optimus felt his spark flare in response to all of the love in those incredible eyes.

He belonged to her. There was no other way. One of the younger men stood up.

"I vote!" he called out with a vicious grin. "I vote we make these exquisitely beautiful women _dance!_"

Flareup punched the air with a crow as Arcee and Chromia gave the menfolk a light shove off the floor, firmly evicting Optimus and wrapping themselves around Kae.

"Give us a fat beat boyo!" Flareup shouted with a broad grin.

"This is my town!" the younger men shouted, the drummer grinned viciously as he picked up a strong beat alongside the electric guitar.

"It's my town! It's my town! It's my town!"

Epps was shouting with a broad grin, punching the air alongside several soldiers.

* * *

(RPOV)

Ratchet grinned as the femmes danced closely, his spark flaring as Arcee shot a sultry glance at him.

"When the sun goes down the stars come out like the ghosts of yesterday, so drink 'em down, 'cause some things never change. Baby sing get loud, we ain't gonna fuck around, when the sun goes down let me hear you say: this is my town."

Ratchet glanced over to see his assistant dancing tightly pressed against Chromia as Optimus and Ironhide both watched them with broad grins. Point for them. Absolutely.

"It's my town! It's my town! It's my town!" Soldiers and bikers chanted at top volume. Lennox grinned and dragged Chris Moreshower to his feet as even he shouted the chant out.

Chromia and Kae teamed up and drew their bots' holoforms onto the floor. Ratchet laughed aloud to see Kae and Optimus practically dancing a tango with each other. Optimus had her arm pinned across her stomach, holding her rose as her eyes sparkled.

Arcee smirked as she wound herself around him. Ratchet grinned viciously and spun her onto the floor, determined to do at least as well as Ironhide as the weapon's master's holoform stood firmly, grinning and guiding his femme through intricate, erotic steps as she wrapped herself around him. They froze for a second and flashed their forms into scaled models of their own bodies, continuing to dance as they would on Cybertron as the soldiers cheered them on.

"When the sun goes down the stars come out like the ghosts of yesterday, so drink 'em down, 'cause some things never change. Baby sing get loud, we ain't gonna fuck around, when the sun goes down let me hear you say: this is my town."

"It's my town! It's my town! It's my town!"

"This is my town," the band sang again, the music cut out for a minute.

"Jimmy!" Wolf called out, "Do that song!"

"This song?" the man at the piano asked curiously, playing a few chords.

"That song," Wolf nodded. The piano became deeper as a microphone was set in front of Jimmy.

"From underneath the trees, we watch the sky, confusing stars, for satellites, I never dreamed, you'd be mine, but here we are, we're here tonight.

"Singing A- men I, I'm alive, I'm alive, singing amen I, I'm alive..."

"If everyone cared, nobody cried, if everyone loved and nobody lied, if everyone shared and swallowed their pride, then we'd see the day, when nobody died..."

Ratchet grinned to hear the lyrics, absolutely true. Brilliant. He scanned the lyrics for a moment and couldn't help himself, onlining a secondary holoform of lightning bugs to float around the room. Arcee beamed at him.

"And in the air, the fireflies, our only light, in paradise, we'll show the world they were wrong, and teach them all, to sing along. Singing amen I'm alive, I'm alive, singing Amen I, I'm alive!"

::. If everyone Cared, Nickelback.:: Bumblebee supplied with a grin. Bouncing in to dance with his big sister, she wrapped an arm around his waist with a grin as they danced and swayed like the siblings they truly were, singing along with the chorus gleefully.

"And as we lie, beneath the stars, we realize, how small we are, if they could love, like you and me," Jimmy pointed at Optimus with a grin. "Imagine what, the world could be. If everyone cared nobody cried..." Jimmy sang out powerfully.

Optimus' eyes were glowing as the verse was sung. He stood as the song finished.

"We got a singer!" Wolf shouted with a grin as Optimus ducked down to whisper in Kae's ear. Ratchet watched them casually and felt a small flare of pain as Optimus whispered.

"Help me?"

Mikaela looked up at him and cupped his cheek, quickly cuing the band as Optimus stood at the microphone.

"All the things I've felt and never shared," Optimus sang in his rich, beautiful baritone. "All the times that she was lonely with me there, the tears I wouldn't let fall from my eyes. And how I let her go without a fight." Ratchet grasped his spark, knowing who Optimus was singing of as he looked out the open door toward the cloud concealed stars.

"The reasons I'm alone I know by spark, but I don't want to spend forever in the dark, I swear next time I'll hang on for dear life. If love ever gives me another try." Mikaela sang his backup softly, and the look in her eyes knew why he was singing it. Ratchet watched in fascination as she glanced at Arcee, her eyes seemed to speak before she shot a piercing look, seemingly directly into Ratchet's spark before she looked back at Optimus.

"There's no changing things that we regret, the best that we can hope for is one more chance..." Optimus looked at his Kae, gently touching his mark where it sat visible on her chest. In the midst of the sounds of regret in the song, Kae sang beside her guardian, her voice raised in companionship.

Optimus sang strongly, and Ratchet couldn't stop himself from walking up to his holoform and dragging him into a powerful hug. Ironhide hung back for a moment, choosing his timing to enter the group hug as Mikaela wrapped a gentle hug around Optimus' waist.

"Alright, that means it's time to talk," Will called out quietly.

"Her name was Elita 1," Optimus rumbled. "She was killed in battle."

Ratchet straightened, and Mikaela wrapped a gentle arm around his waist, catching Arcee's eyes. The Femme who had waited for him, had gently touched his spark jumped to her feet and caught his waist lightly as Mikaela smiled at her, wrapping her other arm around her Optimus' waist. He traded glances with Optimus.

"His name was Nova," Ratchet stated quietly. "He and our daughter Alia were murdered by Decepticons, a hundred of your years later."

"You said you've been a widower for..." Will murmured in the silence.

"Seven thousand years. Ratchet and I both would have followed our Spark-bonded mates to the well." Optimus rumbled softly.

"We were refused," Ratchet finished strongly. He stood straight and looked down at Arcee.

"I will follow you," she murmured.

"I will wait for you," Mikaela murmured up to Optimus. She looked at Wolf.

The older man stood proudly.

"Her name was Elizabeth." he rasped out. Cal rose as well.

"Her name was Eun Mi." he stated proudly, handing shots out to each man who rose to speak the name of their lost one.

"To our lost beloveds," Wolf husked, raising his glass.

Ratchet raised his glass and downed the burning alcohol with the group and felt it wash away a lingering bit of pain. Arcee reached up to cover his chest as Mikaela copied her with Optimus, and Chromia did with Ironhide.

"Kaela, sing us some hope," Wolf commanded brusquely.

Mikaela nodded and walked to the man behind the keyboard, leaning down to murmur in his ear. He nodded and began playing softly as Mikaela sang.

"When the waves roll on, over the waters and the ocean cries, we look to our sons and daughters, to explain our lives, as if a child could tell us why. That as sure as the sun rise, as sure as the sea, as sure as the wind in the trees-"

"We rise again!" Flare, Kae, Chrome and Arcee chorused together.

"In the faces of of children," Chromia sang

"We rise again!"

"In the voices of our song," Arcee replied

"We rise again!"

"In the waves out on the ocean." Flare added.

"And then, we rise again!"

"When the light goes dark, with the forces of creation, across the stormy sky," Arcee sang sweetly as Kae smiled at her. "We look to, reincarnation to explain our lives. As if a child could tell us why."

"That as sure as the sun rise, as sure as the sea, as sure as the wind in the trees." the four femmes sang together, Bumblebee backing them up in a light tenor, "we rise again, in the faces of our children," Ratchet straightened and added his voice along with the rest of the bots. "We rise again, in the voices of our song, we rise again, in the waves out on the ocean and then we rise again." he began stomping to the beat. The soldiers and Wolf's men joining in quickly.

"We rise again in the faces of our children, we rise again in the voices of our song, we rise again, in the waves out on the ocean, and then we rise again."

The music finished and they continued singing. Ratchet could feel his spark flaring with strength again, and understood where Kae's strength had come from as she sang powerfully, blending her voice among so many others. She turned and grasped Optimus' hand as Arcee threaded her holoform's fingers into his. Ironhide had already wrapped Chromia's in his' arms.

His spark flared again as Arcee smiled up at him.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus felt his Kae's warm hand slide into his holoform's larger one as she continued singing beside him. Joined with each bot, he could feel their hope, their strength increase as they sang with the humans.

Ratchet's recognition of the source of his spark-mate's strength triggered a responding flare of his own spark. He stared at her father.

As though sensing the look, Cal caught Optimus' eye. And even as he sang with the group, the look in his eyes confirmed that knowledge. A father's eyes that were as expressive as his daughter's. A single look that said no matter where she was in the world, she had always had this to return to; an entreaty, a prayer that when he was gone, that Optimus would stand by her side; and a lesson in leadership, from a man whose world had scorned him, but his head was still held proudly. It was the strength that grew when it was shared.

Optimus pulled his Kae closer, wrapping his arms around her gently as she leaned trustingly against his chest. Cal grinned at him and nodded, raising his voice even more strongly with the soldiers'.

Never, if he lost Kae, if he lost _everything_, he would never delete this memory.

"Alright!" Wolf declared as everyone's voices finally quieted. "Let's get this party on a happier note!"

Cal grinned and grabbed one of the guitars.

"I dedicate this song to Paddy!" Cal shouted out, "an Irishman to the bone, may his spirit rest in the spirits and forever make them sweet!" he began strumming the guitar with a grin, and proceeded to belt out an Irish ballad. Optimus listened to it, quietly translating the irish slang and proceeding to roar with laughter as Kae joined her father, belting out the ballad in a perfect accent.

Tim Finnegan proved an hilarious character. Optimus couldn't help himself and began dancing Kae around as she called out the song with a broad grin, following his lead.

Men and Auto-bots sang and danced late into the night. Optimus sat down and pulled his Kae close, she was slowly becoming pale, and within moments of Optimus wrapping her in his arms she drifted off to sleep, cuddled into him with a smile on her face. Cal looked at him with a gentle smile. Optimus sat and listened to the music and banter for a while longer, holding his Kae until the music and the night began to wind down.

He gently lifted her with his holoform's arms and carried her to himself, climbing carefully into his sleeper and laying her in the hammock he'd fallen into the habit of maintaining for her. She shifted slightly and took a deep breath, slipping deeper into her sleep as Optimus sighed. She felt so right near his spark.

Bumblebee's holoform was weaving slightly as Optimus blinked his holoform back into the midst of the small crowd. He rumbled a low laugh and gently caught his over-tired scout's holoform.

"Get to your recharge cycle young bot," he rumbled gently, "if your big sister is already sound asleep you probably should be as well."

Bee grinned up at him and wrapped his' arms around his Prime's holoform.

"Night Sir," he said quietly before the holoform winked out.

Optimus turned and smiled at his close-knit unit as one by one, the younger ones winked out until only his medical officer, weapons master, and the Femmes remained.

"You take good care of your squad," Cal murmured, standing beside Ratchet.

"We don't follow the bot just because he looks good," Chromia murmured with a grin. Optimus shot a wry glance at her. She laughed softly and stood on her toes, pecking a gentle kiss to Ironhide's jaw as Arcee did the same for Ratchet. The Femmes winked out and dropped into their recharge cycles.

Wolf's men and the soldiers bunked down on the heavy pads and sleeping bags. Chris Moreshower had dropped off and was snoring quietly in an armchair. Cal laughed quietly and pressed a button on the side of the chair, it leaned back slightly as the General's feet swung up. He jerked awake and Cal laid a hand on his shoulder before throwing a blanket over the older man.

"I can sleep on the floor with the men!" Chris protested drowsily.

"Seniority gets the lazyboy!" Jacobs called out with a quiet laugh, "Perks of being a General, besides, if _you're_ grumpy in the morning there's a ton of downhill for the shit to run."

Chris snorted and toed his boots off, relaxing in the chair and out cold the next minute.

The lights dimmed.

"I'll take the watch," Sideswipe's holoform stated quietly, onlining his holoform for a moment. "I'm good for another two days, EM field is nothing."

Optimus looked at him for a long moment before nodding.

"If you grow tired, wake me," he rumbled quietly. Sideswipe grinned and offlined his holoform again.

Cal nodded and stretched out on the pad at Wolf's head.

Optimus nodded to the man and offlined his holoform, checking on his Kae as she slept before dropping into his own recharge cycle.

* * *

******In theory, cooking that efficiently, _and_ playing the fiddle is too much talent for one person. I do it though, my kitchen is my haven, my little spot for fixing Jet in the garage a close second. *Shrug* Both rely heavily on the ability to imagine, and the logic centres of the brain. My mathematics suck, until it comes to the fractions required in a recipe. Then I'm awesome. Fiddling? I adore it, even if sheet music is beyond me, I play by ear ;). I might note that that's my primary explanation for Kae hearing and understanding the bot's moods by the hum of their sparks, once the music becomes a part of your soul, you simply cannot _not_ apply it to practically everything else in your life.**

******But then too, if you're still going to insist that Mikaela is a Mary-Sue: are you really going to begrudge Optimus? Really? XD**

**In other news, yes, we're somewhat off plot at the moment, the plot returns in a couple of chapters, don't blame me, blame the plot bunnies that demanded these chapters be included. My brain is weird. Leave it at that. That's all for today folks, we'll see you tomorrow! :D**

**Oh, additional authors note as**** of march 2. the song list for this chapter are as follows: **

**In The Palm of your Hand – Allison Krauss and Union Station**

**If you're gonna Play in Texas (you gotta have a fiddle in the band) – Alabama**

**The Devil Went Down to Georgia – Charlie Daniels**

**Midnight Rider – Allison Krauss and Union Station**

**Buy me a Rose – Kenny Rogers**

**My Town – Hollywood Undead**

**If Everyone Cared – Nickelback**

**Another Try – Josh Turner Feat. Trisha Yearwood**

**We Rise again – The Rankin Family (Actually there was a version of this song that I heard years ago, featuring the Rankins, Anne Murray, the Men of the Deeps and Rita McNiel among others, it was incredible and that's the version that I had playing in my head when I wrote that, it's just so... powerful, if you can find it, tell me? Please?)**

**Finnegan's Wake – Dubliners (although it's a rather widespread song, the Dubliners do it VERY well)**


	56. 54 Headlines

**Chapter 54 - Headlines**

* * *

(MPOV)

I woke up immediately. The dim light of the shop didn't betray the time. I stretched and silently rose, lightly touching my shoulder and finding it knit. I carefully peeled away the bandages to find the barest outline of a scar. I pocketed the dressings and lightly slipped out of Optimus' cab, padding on silent, bare feet through the main area into my kitchen.

In minutes I had my griddle fired up and heating before I walked into the refrigerator and pulled out the bacon and sausages that had thawed overnight. But first things first, the first percolator got plugged in and began brewing the coffee. Out of old habit I scrutinized the surveillance cameras, looking for intruders.

Everything was clear, I smiled and began cooking breakfast for an army.

Optimus' holoform was sitting at the table, smiling at me as I came out of the refrigerator. I offered him a silent smile in greeting and began slapping bacon onto the griddle alongside a few ropes of sausages.

"What can I do?" Optimus rumbled softly.

"If you could make up the juice in that big container over there I'd appreciate it," I murmured, smiling at him over my shoulder.

He grinned and got down to work, opening several frozen cans and pouring the concentrate into the vessel. I was scraping the griddle off in preparation of eggs and pancakes when the soldiers began wandering toward the smell of food.

Breakfast was a cheerful affair for all that it was somewhat muted.

I kept the kitchen clean as I worked. Sitting beside my father in silence for an hour.

We didn't need to speak, we already knew what the other would say.

I hugged him close before we left, we clung to each other for a long time. Eventually, we pulled back, and he looked down at me with a grin.

"You've got good people around you Mikaela, that Optimus is a damned good example of the good sort," he said quietly, we looked seriously at each other for a long moment. Saying the things we could never say aloud.

I hugged him tightly again and shot him a bright smile. We clasped hands tightly, our forearms pressed together, he leaned down, our foreheads pressed against our combined fists.

"_Simul sunt nos fortis, tenetur amoris, fortis aeternum, celeri tacita mortis. Semper Fi_." we murmured together. Together are we strong, bound by love, strong forever. Swift, silent, deadly. Always faithful.

"Until we see each other again," dad stated calmly, "I love you."

"I love you, dad," I smiled at him. Optimus' holoform stood back from us until dad caught his eye.

"Take care of my girl," dad commanded calmly.

"With everything that I am," Optimus rumbled firmly, offering his left arm.

Dad hooked his own through the holoform's and I could see them both pull back strongly. I smiled gently and turned, climbing into Optimus' cab.

I sat patiently, watching with a small smile as the men grinned at each other, shaking hands, bumping fists and promising to return e-mails.

Motorcycles roared as Wolf's crew rolled out.

"Aren't you gonna say goodbye to your dad?" Lennox asked curiously, climbing into the cab behind Epps.

"Already did, we're not much for long goodbyes," I laughed softly as we rolled out.

"I, am so glad we did that," Jacobs' voice called over the radio.

"Your sire is incredible, Kae," Ironhide rumbled. "You should be proud of a man like that." there was a quiet chorus of astonished agreement.

"I am," I smiled, "I am blessed for what I have been given, and he's one of the best."

Chris Moreshower turned to look at me seriously.

I returned the look calmly, he nodded.

Lennox looked at him curiously.

"Good man, Cal," Chris said vaguely. "I should have recognized Mikaela. She has a lot of that man in her. A lot of her mother, too."

"If that was your father, what was your mom like?" Epps asked curiously.

"I don't really know," I replied calmly. "I can't really remember her anymore, just that she had a soft voice, and that whatever she said, she sang."

"I'll be running interference," Chris stated suddenly in an incredibly firm tone. He turned to look at me seriously. "Galloway is going to be after your blood if we don't tread carefully."

"I will take your advice and recommendations seriously," I stated just as firmly.

Chris nodded.

I yawned and Optimus onlined his holoform with a smile.

"Catch a nap, Kae," he rumbled gently. "You have had an eventful two days."

I laughed softly and for once, curled up and dropped off.

* * *

(WPOV)

Will sat back, riding with Optimus happily. He, Optimus, Chris and Epps kept their conversation muted, God only knew Kae deserved the nap she was taking in Optimus' sleeper. He thought of the night they'd just spent, shaking his head at the multitude of surprises he'd received in the past twenty-four.

"So Cal won't tell his stories, but will you?" Epps asked Chris curiously.

"Welp, Cal knows why he isn't sharing _his_ stories, I probably can tell you _my_ stories of dealing with that devil's spawn though," Chris snorted. "You see... oh! Optimus could you stop for a moment? Newspaper!"

Will grinned as Optimus obligingly slowed and stopped beside a newspaper stand. There were a few people eyeing him curiously as General Moreshower got out of the cab and bought a few papers, he climbed back in again.

"Good?" Optimus rumbled in an amused tone.

"Good," Chris grinned, he held up the paper for Will to see. "However I seem to owe Cole twenty bucks. He got the headline right."

"Did Kae achieve her goal?" Optimus rumbled curiously.

"What goal?" Will asked curiously.

"She wished to make the story more interesting than the headline," Optimus snorted. Kae opened one eye and rolled onto her side.

"Did I win?" she mumbled.

"Cole got the headline right," Chris snorted, handing her the paper. Will watched her eyes rove the paper quickly before she snorted.

"Will," she grinned, handing him the paper. "I need an impartial judge, did I win?" Will cheerfully sat back and began reading. He was completely tempted to read the story a second time. Perhaps a third.

"Kae." he stated calmly. He looked up and around the cab. "For the win." he grinned.

"What does it say?" Optimus rumbled.

"I'm gonna make Kae read it to you," Will snorted, handing the young woman the paper. She laughed and sat up slightly.

"We got the front page, love," she started with a low laugh. "Headline, Alien Ambassador shot during Parade. Yesterday, November third, marks a day in our history that few will likely forget. During the parade leading to the introduction and welcoming conference for the Auto-bots, Ambassador Mikaela Banes, -already made infamous for having been hunted down by her planet- was shot in the shoulder by a sniper during the parade. The sniper's name and affiliations have not been released, although it is reported that _several_ groups have attempted to claim responsibility.' by the way?" she added calmly. "Don't stress yourselves out trying to find the guy, _his _group is _not_ going to claim responsibility. I'm going to be a terrible person, because for your own safety I'm not allowed to name them."

"You're right, you are a terrible person," Will grumbled.

"Hush," Kae murmured. "I'm not just doing it to keep _you_ safe, Will, I'm doing it to keep your ladies out of danger. We're talking_ that_ kind of organization."

Will promptly stared at her in shock.

"Mikaela Leanne Banes," General Moreshower stated sternly.

"You know the mission types dad was given, Chris," she stated firmly. "With all due respect that is the end of that discussion."

The present men watched in shock as Chris Moreshower heaved an irritable sigh and nodded.

"General?" Epps asked, wide eyed.

"Classified above my pay-grade and so deeply wrapped in red tape it's a nightmare," Chris groaned. "Keep reading, then, Kae."

Mikaela smiled slightly.

"However, despite being wounded, Ambassador Banes-"

"Ambassador Banes!" Jacobs chuckled over the radio. "Ambassador at nineteen, I call dibbs on your first autograph when we get back!"

"Maybe!" Mikaela laughed. "So I'm 'reported to have been the one to insist on continuing on, even going so far as to override a four star General-"

"Which you're only going to get away with because it's you," Chris added mildly.

"That is so very kind of you, General," Mikaela beamed at him while soldiers and auto-bots snorted in amusement.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus watched with mild astonishment as his Kae immediately returned to her routine on base, waking, working, laughing with men and auto-bot's both. The only difference now: she received the occasional missive from dignitaries, often reading them while still sitting at her workbench.

"Kae! Letter!" Chance shouted, waving an envelope at her. She straightened from the jeep she was servicing and wiped her hands.

"Why thank you Chance," she grinned at him, slitting the envelope open and quickly reading the letter. Her face slowly sank into a frown.

"Who's it from this time?" Will asked curiously.

"Chris," she murmured, "He says Galloway is upset that I've taken his job," she stated with a deep frown. "Which makes no sense, he's still the liaison." she rubbed her forehead irritably, leaving a streak of black grease and leaning against the wall. "Fuck." she stated grimly. She sighed and tucked the letter back in it's envelope.

"Fuck what?" Will asked in a worried tone.

"Chris says that Galloway is trying to get rid of me," she frowned, "which means I need to watch my p's and q's. Here's hoping that Galloway realizes that I _can't _take his job, I can't even leave _base_."

"We can go wherever you want," Optimus rumbled immediately, onlining his holoform. Mikaela looked up at him with startled eyes and laughed softly.

"I'm not complaining," she said with a smile, "but the point stands, liaison between you and the president, what's the point of me being liaison if you go with me?"

Will snorted back a laugh, Optimus couldn't help the low chuckle that escaped him.

"True," Chance grinned. "So now what?"

"_Now_," Mikaela stated patiently, "I top up the oil on this jeep and log it."

"No, politics wise," Will snorted.

"Just do the same thing I've already been doing," Mikaela chuckled. "Work for Ratchet. Write back to the people who send me letters."

"How's that work?" Will frowned. Mikaela laughed.

"They already know that I'm in hiding, and they're respecting it, too," she pulled out her small stack of letters and pointed to the closing lines from the President. "Every missive finishes with a well worded 'drop by for dinner if you're in the area and not hiding the fact that you're in the area.'" she tucked the letters away and proceeded to finish servicing the Jeep.

Optimus stared at his Kae as she patiently closed the hood and moved to the next vehicle for servicing.

"Optimus," Will stated urbanely, reaching up and clapping an easy hand on the holoform's shoulder. "Your femme is _way_ the hell too easy going. And as such, you're a bastard." Mikaela stuck her tongue out at him as Optimus laughed.


	57. 55 Ill Afforded Grief

**Chapter 55 - Ill afforded Grief**

* * *

(WPOV)

Will's eyes flashed open as a hand pounded on his door.

"Who is it?" he called out groggily.

"Jerry! Moreshower's on the phone! He says don't bother putting your uniform on yet." the man called out worriedly. Will was on his feet the next moment, sliding feet into boots and out the door the next moment in his pyjamas. He followed Jerry quickly, ascending the catwalk and going to stand in front of the screen.

Will's heart sank, the General looked drawn and tired.

"Will," he said quietly, looking at him with grief in his eyes.

"Sarah?" Will whispered hoarsely.

"Your ladies are alright," Moreshower murmured consolingly. "It... it's Cal. I need you and one or two of the bots to go out to his place..." the man trailed off and looked down, looking like he was fighting to compose himself.

"Oh god," Will whispered. "Do you know..."

"He's dead, Will, it looks like he was tortured something bad, I made the identification myself. The shop though, you _saw_ that shop Will. Those boys built it to take almost anything, but the reports say it's almost ready to fall down. I need to know if it was his battle, or hers that knocked our Kae's door down."

"I'll come with you," Ironhide rumbled softly, transforming and standing with a grim expression on his face. "Mikaela is my niece, which made Cal my brother. We need to know."

"Ironhide," Will murmured, nodding to the Weapons Master.

"We go now," the mech stated sternly. The general nodded and Will looked at Jerry.

"Information vacuum, I don't want Kae to find out the wrong way, we gotta make sure it's... we gotta make sure." Will stated quietly. The tech nodded firmly and looked toward her tent as Optimus' holoform winked into being beside him.

"Ironhide," Optimus rumbled softly.

"I'll make sure," the mech nodded quietly. "We should go quickly, Will, you're gonna need your armour."

* * *

(MPOV)

Optimus was quiet when I woke up, walking out of my tent and looking at the bots curiously. They were avoiding my eyes. Ironhide was gone.

"Ratch?" I murmured worriedly.

"Later, Kae," Ratchet murmured softly. I nodded and got to work on the new batch of services that had rolled in.

I glanced up as Ironhide rolled into the hangar at noon. Will got out of his cab slowly and looked around the hangar. I dug back into the engine.

"Mikaela," Lennox was walking toward me slowly.

"What's up Will?" I asked curiously, straightening from my task and snatching a rag, wiping the grease from my hands.

"Kae, maybe you should sit down," Lennox said softly, touching my shoulder. "It... it's about your father."

Silence.

"What happened?" I asked softly, frozen. Lennox looked like he was about ready to clam up. "Major Lennox, what has happened to my father?" I said firmly.

"The police found him last night... there... there was a fire..." Lennox said quietly.

"Was there a signature?" I asked patiently.

"Decepticon," Ironhide stated, "By the look of the place your dad put up one hell of a good fight-"

"Ironhide!" Lennox protested worriedly.

"What?" the weapons master asked, looking at the Major. Will opened his mouth to respond, I interrupted briskly.

"Any sign of who?" I asked in clipped tones.

"Barricade probably, he is fond of fire," Ironhide growled.

"Mikaela?" Lennox looked at me in consternation.

"Major Lennox, Ironhide, thank you for informing me." I said in the same deathly calm voice father had always resorted to when he was hiding emotions. "If you'll excuse me, please, there's work to be done." I walked back to the truck I was working on, dry eyed.

The few humans and several Auto-bots in the hanger stared at me, I ignored them and carefully set the carburetters in place, bolting them in. There was silence as I checked the last few adjustments and re-filled the fluids. Walking around to the cab I turned the key in the ignition, the accessories turned on but no tickover. I frowned and crawled under the engine with a hammer, lightly hitting the starter. Back out I turned the key again, closing my eyes as the engine roared to life. A few moments and I shut it off again with a nod.

"Ratchet?" I said tentatively.

"Mikaela?" he looked down at me warily.

"I'm going to need a new starter solenoid for this one," I banged on the hood lightly, "otherwise I think she's good." I looked at the truck for a long moment, then around the shop. "If it's okay, I think I'd like to go for a ride."

Ratchet looked down at me for a moment and grabbed a cell from the workbench, lightly tossing it to me. I looked up at him gratefully and pocketed it, snatching up my leathers and helmet. A few seconds of rapid zippers and clips and an engine roared to life beneath me, first gear cautiously idled me out the hangar doors, I slowly increased my speed as I wove delicately through the compound. The twins caught up and tailed me, already chattering.

::. Hey hey hey, it's the world's fastest fleshbag!.:: Skids' voice called over the bluetooth in my helmet.

"Hey Skids, Mudflap," I called back, knowing they could hear me. "I call rematch!"

::. Whoa, she gonna go faster?.:: Mudflap exclaimed, accelerating somewhat. ::. Ain't no way a fleshbag can keep up with us!.::

"Never heard o' teamwork then have ya?" I baited him with a brief parody of a broad grin. "I can't go fast by myself, but I can still ride faster than you can run!" An eternal moment. A deep breath and I let out a ululating war cry, gearing up in a flash and accelerating into a wheelie before taking off at high speed with the twins hot on my heels. I once again reached the end of the track first and bade them goodbye, riding swiftly to the compound gates and taking off along the coastal road.

* * *

(WPOV)

"That's her solution? Lennox asked with a frown. "Thank the messenger for telling you your father has been tortured and murdered, finish your work and run up and down the airstrip for a while? Wait, now where's she going?"

"She's going to the cliffs?" Optimus rumbled softly.

"She's going to the cove," Ratchet said quietly, looking into the distance and evidently following the progress of the cell he'd given her.

"One hour, if she does not return I will go get her," Optimus stated quietly.

Will nodded, that was a good move.

* * *

(MPOV)

It was quiet. The sound of the waves rushing softly against the sand was soothing.

Numbing.

Philosophically, I recognized the need to release grief. But numb would do, for now. The rush of cool air had quieted the immediate need to sob. I glanced at the sun and rose as the familiar roar of Optimus' alt form reached my ears. I walked toward him as he transformed.

"Thank you," I looked up at him dry eyed with a small smile.

"What for?" Optimus rumbled, carefully kneeling down to look at me.

"For coming to look for me one hour after I drove off," I looked up at him with gentle amusement. He watched me carefully as my expression sobered, as much as I fought to keep the amusement in place.

Looking into the intense, burning blue of his optics I finally sighed.

"I'm not ready to grieve yet," I said softly, "There's a lot left to do still, and I can't bring myself to be incapacitated at the moment."

"Mikaela," Optimus watched me for another moment, then reached over and gently enveloped me in his hand. "If you need anything, I am here."

"I know," I said softly, cuddling against his palm and touching his mark on my chest. "That means more to me than I can express. I'm just not ready, not yet."

He gave me a gentle squeeze and rose.

"Would you like to stay out a bit longer?"

"No," I said gently, "we should probably get back." I looked up at him and walked over, carefully climbing up his foot to hug his leg. "Optimus?" I murmured.

"Mikaela."

"Thank you for caring," I looked up at him and hoped his sensors would pick up the truthfulness of the four simple words. He gave me a small smile.

"Would you like to ride with me? Or are your bringing your bike back?"

"I'll bring the bike back, one never knows when they need to run."

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus watched his Kae, she was still working, acting as though nothing had happened. He knew she could hear the worry resonating in the bot's sparks. Occasionally, she would look up at him and smile gently, take a deep breath and renew her focus on her work. A helicopter landed on the pad. Optimus immediately transformed, standing tall and walking to communications central to stand with Will, he didn't want anyone bothering his Kae for the next few days.

Director Galloway was walking from the helicopter and through the hangar doors. Straight toward Mikaela.

"Miss Banes!" he called out calmly.

"Director, what can I do for you today?" Mikaela asked in a calm tone.

"I'm afraid I'm to be the bearer of bad news, Decepticons burned your father's home yesterday, he didn't escape the blaze. You have the government's sincerest apologies." the man stated with a complete lack of tact.

He reached out and caught her right shoulder, clapping a hand down and giving a small shake.

"We would truly appreciate your continuing trust, help and loyalty through these trying times. Especially to make sure something like this doesn't happen to another. The best way to kill a snake, after all, is to cut off it's tail, right behind the head. Walk with me."

He threw a companionable arm across her shoulders, leaning across to whisper to her as he led her toward the hangar doors.

"You know, the auto-bots don't belong here," he murmured.

Optimus frowned. What game was the man playing?

"Oh this is bad," Lennox whispered beside him, Optimus glanced at him, noting the grim expression on the man's face.

"The only way to keep these things from happening anymore is to get them out of here, you know? They protected us, yes, but they protected us from enemies they _brought_ here. Listen, we could use you in Washington. You're a brilliant public speaker and all..." Galloway continued, seeming to be trying to lead her toward the helicopter.

"Thank you, Director," Mikaela said in a deeply calm voice. "I'm afraid I have work to do, but I will give your words the thought they deserve."

"You do that dear," the Director simpered at her, patting her shoulder. "If you wish to talk, you know how to find me. Uncle Sam needs you, Miss Banes."

"Thank you, Director," she nodded, giving the man a weak smile. He nodded and walked quickly toward his waiting chopper.

Mikaela stood and watched him take off, and then disappear into the distance.

Two dozen soldiers and auto-bots watched in shocked silence. Mikaela took a deep breath and spat forcefully on the ground where Galloway had stood, making a sharp about face and walking back to the jeep.

The gentle breeze brought the scent of blood and rage into the hangar.

Optimus stared in shock at the blood on the ground.

"She bit her tongue that forcefully!?" Will choked beside him.

"Mikaela!" Ratchet stated with a growl, "Say it aloud."

She turned to look at the Medi-bot with a deep frown etched on her face. She rapidly composed herself, neutral.

"Say what?" she asked in a level tone.

"Whatever it is that has your pheromones washing the place with anger," Ratchet growled. Ironhide onlined his holoform the next second, right beside Prime's.

"Best I don't," she said with a small smile, closing the hood on the jeep and walking over to a servo. She began to disassemble it with patient, steady hands.

Ratchet nodded to Ironhide, who promptly picked her up out of the chair and slung her over his holoform's shoulder.

"Primus dammit Ironhide put me _down!"_ Mikaela protested loudly.

"Nope," Ironhide rumbled with a grin, "'Mon girl, time to let 'er go."

"Let what fucking go!" Mikaela shouted, squirming on his shoulder. Ironhide stepped onto the mats and tossed her down. She rolled and was standing in a defensive stance a second later.

"No good spittin' blood on the ground without throwin' a punch first," Ironhide shook his head before charging toward her. She sidestepped and shoved him to the side, taking a couple of running steps to the edge of the mats, stumbling as her boots caught the padded rubber. She snarled and tore the boots off as Ironhide caught her, she threw him down easily, tearing her coveralls off the next second and standing in light cotton tank and pants as Ironhide caught her in the side again.

They went down, and in seconds Mikaela was sitting on top of him, one fist inches from his face.

"I will spit blood on the ground before I spit venom in the air!" she snarled.

"Admirable, but a waste of blood," Ratchet rumbled.

Ironhide flexed underneath her and tossed her away, rolling her onto her stomach and holding her arms well behind her back. Pinning her well into submission.

"If you can spit blood on the floor you can spit the venom too," Ironhide rumbled cheerfully. "You're distracted Kae, gonna hurt yourself if you keep stewing like this."

Optimus watched an amazing thing. Mikaela flexed and caught Ironhide's throat with her feet, pulling him off of her back and flat onto his own. Her hand caught his wrist as he released her, and as she spun she twisted his arm, forcing him onto his stomach and pinning him in submission, one elbow pressed very lightly into his kidney... or rather... where the humans kept their kidneys...

"If the Decepticons came after the Auto-bots, would you care to explain how they managed to get here first?" she snarled. "The fate of the human race was sealed the day that the cube entered earth's atmosphere, twelve thousand years ago. Does the number make sense?" she snarled.

"Explain it anyway," Will barked.

"Ten thousand BC, the cube landed. Twelve thousand years ago our world ended an age and began another, the glaciers began to recede, the first cave paintings were drawn." Mikaela snapped. "Five hundred years later man began to change his environment to suit himself. Need more perspective? Sixty-five million years ago an asteroid changed the atmospheric patterns so rapidly it killed off the dinosaurs. We saw this planet's history, and we fought to preserve the life that would have been destroyed by our arrival."

Optimus clapped a hand to his vocal processors. Her memories were integrating with the All-spark's.

"Shiiit..." Jacobs whispered, staring between he and Kae as the femme continued speaking.

"If that hadn't happened where do you think the human race would be? We would never have evolved. Never have gotten rid of our claws. Never have learned to work together, with each other rather than staking out our own little piece of territory. We would have never developed compassion, as hard as it is to believe that we actually_ did_ when you listen to that brown nosing little _weasel!"_

Optimus stood for a moment, watching Kae. She had said she considered him to be her dearest friend. And as a friend he needed to follow his instincts.

Mikaela stood up from Ironhide's shoulders and was caught in Optimus' arms. He took her legs out and brought her carefully to the mats. Pinning her gently.

"That's not all of it," he rumbled gently. Mikaela shrieked in rage, squirming beneath him. Which was confirmation in itself, actually.

"Optimus let me gods damned up!" she snarled.

"Say the rest of it." he said calmly.

She shrieked and spun beneath him, Optimus was amazed at the force she commanded to flip him off of her and directly onto his back, she sat on his chest, toes digging into sensitive places without the force to truly hurt.

"I do not encourage a fair weather friend," she snarled, "He claims he wants my trust and loyalty? I know you lot heard what he had to say. He wants me to help get rid of you, Optimus, he burned the bridge and now walks blindly into the flames. _Uncle Sam needs __**me!?**__ WHERE THE FUCK WAS UNCLE SAM WHEN WE NEEDED HIM!?" _she bellowed, her hand slammed into the mat beside his head.

Optimus caught her wrists as she pulled away. Anyone could see the blood draining from her face. She hadn't meant to say that.

She pulled back, hard, fighting to break free as he gently stood, pulling her to her feet.

Optimus released her gently, watching as she turned sharply, walking barefoot back to the servo. She stared at it for a long moment before sitting down, picking up a screwdriver and continuing to dismantle it.

She'd looked at him with eyes so deeply shuttered Optimus knew why she'd fought to keep her silence. She couldn't afford her grief. There was still another.

Her unit of seven was now down to two.

Will began to walk toward her.

"No," Optimus rumbled softly, catching his shoulder. Men and bots looked at him. "Let her be for a while." Optimus murmured, turning to look at his Kae with worried optics.

They _all_ watched her, worried, as even her eyes closed off from the outside world.


	58. 56 Who Your Friends Are

**Chapter 56 - Who your friends are**

* * *

(MPOV)

The base was quiet for the next few days. Several people, Auto-bots and human alike left me alone, but I could still feel their eyes as I went about my day-to-day routine: Fix things, train, eat, fix things, sleep. It hadn't taken long to fixate, anger seethed close to my bones eventually. Anger gave me focus, gave me energy. I trained.

Eventually, on the mats, Will's worried look turned into a mild glare.

"I know what you're thinking." I stated quietly, slowly shifting from the snake creeps through the grass to stand on one leg beside Sideswipe's holo.

"I find that hard to believe," Lennox said flatly, watching me worriedly.

"You think I'm a cold hearted bitch for not grieving my father." I said quietly.

"Little bit, yeah," Epps announced, garnering a glare from Lennox. "Thought you loved your dad, seeing as he taught you everything you know 'bout mechanics. We met the man! You were proud of each other!"

"I love my father, never doubt that," I said quietly, sinking into needle at the bottom of the sea.

"Well you sure as hell aren't showing it!" Lennox finally growled.

"No, she's showing it alright," Sideswipe stated calmly. I froze in position and stared at the holo. "You've got the same focus I did when my master was killed. Little Sister you are too focused, spending too much energy trying to act normal." he looked at me with piercing eyes.

"There is a time and a place for grief, and now is not it." I said firmly, moving back into position and performing the fan through the back.

"It's not your fault he's dead," Optimus stated quietly, his holoform touched my shoulder gently.

"When he dropped me off at college," I said flatly, shrugging away from the comforting hand and turning to face him. "He hugged me tightly, and gave me a list of people with their pictures. He said 'Kay, memorize these faces, if you ever see them, I want you to run. Don't fight them, don't hide, run. They won't show you any kindness and I won't see you make my mistakes. Don't let them get you, and don't go after them if they get me.'

"My father is dead, Optimus, and he's dead by the hand of one of _my_ enemies, not his, _mine_. Did I give him the same courtesy? Did I tell him 'Dad, if you ever see a Decepticon, run, don't hide, don't fight, run?' No. How is his death not on me? It's my fault. So if you'll excuse me I'm going to continue keeping my focus, I don't need platitudes, I need to make damn sure that they don't take any more lives."

Out of the corner of my eye, Ratchet lowered a hand to block Lennox moving forward.

"Watch," the medi-bot murmured. Sideswipe's body leaned casually against the hanger wall, tipping his head toward Ironhide in silent communication as his holo walked toward Epps and Lennox.

"Your father knew, Kae," Optimus rumbled quietly. I watched him with wary eyes, "he said that when the day came, to tell you that Cal Banes knew when his day was ending."

"Dad may have known," I growled softly, "but what about the ones who don't?"

"You are hyperfocused and therefore unfocused, who are you going to fight like this?" Prime growled, glaring at me. "Even if I provided you with the weaponry necessary to take down the Decepticons who killed your father you are not strong enough to hold your own against Barricade unaided."

"I _will_ kill him Prime," I snarled, glaring at him.

"How?" he taunted me, "by glaring daggers at him? No doubt you are out of ammunition, I am still alive." His eyes turned gentle, "You. Are no _killer_."

"I did well enough in Egypt." I snapped, moving directly into the demanding stances Uncle Sho had taught.

"And what do you intend to do then?" Optimus asked in a mild tone.

"I am going to train, I am going to get back the strength they gave me and I am going to follow my programming." I growled.

"With what? _You_ are not going _anywhere!_" Optimus snarled, grabbing my wrist.

"_It will not stand!_" I shrieked, my vision tinged with red. Before I knew it I was throwing punches while Optimus stood, casually blocking the strikes, the gentle look never leaving his eyes. "They _tortured_ him Optimus!" I shouted, barely keeping my balance as he delicately re-directed a roundhouse kick. "They tortured and killed him to get to me," A badly weakened punch finally connected with his shoulder, managing only to push it backward an inch. A gentle hand caught my wrist and pulled me against a solid body. Powerful arms held me tightly, pinning me in place as I struggled weakly against him.

"He died to protect you," Optimus rumbled softly, "I will not dishonour his memory by letting you go to your death."

"How many more will die because of me?" I gasped into his chest as he rocked me. "_How many!?_" I shrieked, giving one last, feeble struggle.

"If you are going to fight them, do not become _one_ of them," he murmured in my hair, "Kae your father would have fought no matter what. A Banes does not run."

I clung to him, shaking against the sobs that threatened to break from my throat.

"Come for a drive with me?" he murmured gently, his holoform guiding me into his hand. I nodded, a painful, defeated motion. "Oh Kae," Optimus rumbled gently, standing and walking out of the hanger with me cradled close to his chest.

"What am I supposed to do now, Optimus?" I asked weakly, climbing his arm to sit on his shoulder. "If you guys go I'll have nothing left."

"I will never leave you," Optimus murmured. _**ΩYou are my spark-mate, I will never be separate from you.Ω**_

The language of the Primes resounded through my soul. Truth. Absolute truth. I closed my eyes and felt my soul reach for him. The solid, comforting warmth of his spark greeted me as it always did.

"Love you," it whispered. I broke down and clung to his shoulder as one hand reached up to gently cover me.

* * *

(RPOV)

"What just happened?" Lennox asked the medic in shock.

"Survivors guilt," Sideswipe said quietly. "THAT is the same technique our Prime used on me when they killed my master," the normally flashy Auto-bot's holo gestured toward the pair. "Mind, he was gentler with her." he added, his holo winking out again.

"What do you mean gentler? That was friggin' harsh!" Epps exclaimed.

"It took me two and a half hours to put Sides back to rights when Prime was through with him." Ratchet grumbled irritably.

"Whaat?" Lennox looked around at the gathered Auto-bots.

"Optimus had to beat the hell out of Sideswipe to keep him from going lone ranger," Ironhide rumbled good-naturedly. He handed Sideswipe a tiny glowing ball.

"What..."

"Prime's being gentle with her," Sideswipe grinned, flicking the little ball of energon about before absorbing it. "He actually let her catch him."

"I was expecting him to put her into submission right off," Ironhide grumbled.

"But..."

"Optimus baited her into releasing the anger safely," Ratchet finally explained to the frustrated Major. "With the All-Spark still integrating itself into her mind her mood will be unstable, and her temper volatile at best. She is strong, and has a great deal of discipline, but she has been fighting alone for so long that accepting help is difficult. If she can master it, she could wield the power of the All-Spark."

"Wait, Optimus said that the All-Spark contained..." Epps trailed off and stared at the young woman now enveloped in the hand of a metal titan.

"Everything that is our race, is now contained within her mind." Ratchet stated quietly, "How to fight, how to transform, create, heal. Billions of years of learning in one mind. She's overloaded. There isn't enough space in such a tiny form."

"That's why you want to upload her into an auto-bot body so badly," Lennox murmured.

"And why we need the protoform metals from the Decepticons we've taken down." Ratchet added calmly, watching the pair.

"So you've decided then?" Will said calmly.

"Prime's going to tell her tonight," Ratchet grinned. "Don't know if she'll accept, I hope she does. It'd be nice to have a nurse again."

"If she does, how big you think she'll be?" Sideswipe nudged Ironhide with a grin.

"Ooh, there's a good one," the weapons master grinned.

...

::. Did you ask her?.:: Ratchet asked excitedly as Optimus pulled in.

::. No.:: Optimus murmured quietly ::. She is grieving, I want to give her time.::

Ratchet nodded and returned to his recharge cycle.

* * *

Mikaela was quiet the next day, looking as though she were prepared at any second to completely withdraw into herself. She continued to strip that same servo, bringing it right down to it's protoform metals before moving onto the next.

Optimus looked at his scout almost in desperation.

Bee looked back at him calmly and transformed, walking to Mikaela and sitting down across from her at her workbench.

He stared at her for a long moment until she looked up at him.

"So if the cube hadn't come to earth, would you have been bigger or smaller than me sis?" Bee asked curiously.

Mikaela snorted back a laugh and shot Bumblebee a reproachful look.

"That's playing dirty Bee," she said firmly.

"That's why it's so much cooler that you're bigger than me," Bee grinned at her. He set his face on the table, all but obscuring himself behind the servo she was dismantling. "So is this your latest victim for death by dissection? 'Cause that's kinda gross big sister. You should give me an oil change instead."

"_Bumblebee!_" Mikaela protested with a helpless laugh. "Oh _thank_ you for putting that image in my head you great _prat!_"

"Good, now that you're grossed out c'mere!" Bumblebee chuckled, reaching over the table and plucking her up. "I found this great spot on the road that looks like it ends right off a cliff into the ocean. And there's all sorts of weird stuff scuttling down in the water down there-!"

"Bumblebee!" Mikaela shouted through her laughter. "That's _disgusting!_ Why the hell are you trying to show me _seabugs!?_"

"Cause they're seabugs!" Bee chirped gleefully. "Fine, if you don't wanna go see the seabugs with me you should at least come see the sunset with us. You get all stuffy when you stay in here. And you're squishy enough as it is!"

"Are you calling me fat?" Mikaela demanded with a laugh.

"There's a reason I call you my _big_ sister," Bee shot at her with a broad grin.

Mikaela squirmed onto Bee's shoulder and promptly began messing with his helm as the bot reached up and began lightly poking her, striding out of the hangar door.

Bee turned around and grinned at everyone.

"Are you coming or not?" he chirped, transforming as Mikaela squeaked and burning rubber down the coastal road.

Ratchet chuckled and walked after them, transforming and driving toward the cliffs as Optimus waited patiently for several humans to load up.

"I vote bonfire night!" Chance shouted, scrambling into the kitchen to get the cooks on hand gathering up camp food.

"Hey Graham," Lennox asked musingly.

"Major," the British lieutenant asked in a neutral voice.

"The cliffs up there are basically no-man's land aren't they?"

"As far as the base is concerned, yeah," Graham nodded. "Civilian territory really, civilian rules."

"We're all due a day or so's leave of absence aren't we?" Lennox asked with a smirk.

"I'll bring the beer," Graham grinned, jogging toward the cold storage.

* * *

(MPOV)

Bumblebee transformed around me and burned rubber.

"Where the hell are you taking me you right prat!?" I demanded.

"I'm taking care of my big sister. You're not allowed to withdraw into yourself," Bee said firmly, "Double standard sis."

"What do you mean double standard?" I asked irritably.

"We're allowed to trust you, cry on your shoulder and feel loved and cared about and you aren't?" Bee shot at me. "You're part of our family, we're not going to let you draw into yourself and suffer alone. Pain is easier when we share it."

He screeched around a corner and ploughed his way up the road to a beautiful clearing out on the cliffs. He transformed again and cradled me to his chest.

"Do you remember when we used to come sit out on the cliffs near Sam's home?" Bee asked softly, sitting and cradling me gently. "I never told you about _my_ twin, did I? It's really hard to not feel alone, except for when you came and took care of me, and then it was like having a little part of him back again. Better, because Stinger went to the Decepticons, and you're so much better."

I froze and stared at Bee as he looked down at me with a smile.

"You make pain go away," Bee said gently, "what kind of brother would I be if I didn't take you out to our favourite spot and hug you back?"

"I missed you Bee," I whispered, cuddling into him and fighting back the tears that stung in my eyes.

"You're allowed to cry Kaelie," Bee murmured as the sounds of the other auto-bots transforming surrounded us.

"Give us something, Kae," Will said gently, walking to stand beside Bumblebee as my brother cradled me.

"I..." I whispered. "We were seven, Dad, Paddy, Brick, Rig, Uncle Sho, Tinny and me, there are only two of us left. And I don't... I don't know how to keep him safe, there aren't any channels I can use to warn him. Because the second _I_ find him, they will too."

"Wait, a unit of seven?" Epps growled, "if they're being picked off there have been five-"

"Murders?" I said softly. "It's shocking just how much people get away with in prisons, men are murdered, stabbed, maimed. But what do you do when they're living in a community of murderers? Every one of them has been 'proven' a killer." I put a vicious twist on proven. "How do you catch one murderer among hundreds?"

"But if the last one goes..." Will stated in a deathly quiet voice.

"Then I become the number one target. Except they already know where _I_ am," I whispered, lightly touching the scar on my left shoulder. "I'm sorry, I can't say anymore, I know I sound paranoid. Rule forty."

"They will not get to you," Bee stated firmly. "I will build you a terraform home on the moon if I have to, they _will not get you!"_

I cuddled closer to him.

"In the meantime, come back to us, Kae," Optimus rumbled softly, onlining his holoform to cup my cheek.

I reached out and wrapped an arm across his shoulders.

"Thank you," I whispered. A few more vehicles drove up, there was the sound of a beer opening. "Bonfire night?" I asked with a smile.

"We met your father," Ironhide rumbled. "He was a good man, it is only right that we celebrate his life as he would have wished."

"Fire and beer," I laughed softly, turning to look at the group of soldiers and 'bots. "You're the absolute best, you know that right?" I asked with a weak grin.

"We'd like to think so," Chance shrugged, handing me a beer.

I looked at him with raised eyebrows.

"You're my sister," he grinned, "that makes you partially Australian. You've been legal drinking age for over a year now."

I snorted and took a swig of the beer, cuddling against Bee and watching the sunset.

"Fare the well, my own true one." I began singing softly. "Fare thee well, my old true one. Wind is blowing, through the trees, ships are sailing, out to sea, and the sun is slowly setting, on you and me."

"So drink up my friend 'cause it's a departing song. And it matters not who's right, which of us is wrong," my little-brother sang along with me. "We may meet again 'neath the shady pine, with a warm breeze blowing through the grass in the summertime."

"Oh fare thee well. I must be moving on. It's just as well, the time we had is gone." my throat tightened, the ache of tears stinging my eyes again.

"For the west coast, I'll be bound, and there's no need in hanging round. And I long to get my feet, back on the ground." Bumblebee hitched me a bit closer and sang alone, my dear, sweet little-brother picking up where I couldn't, and quickly joined by the other Auto-bots.

"So drink up my friend, 'cause it's a departing song. And it matters not who's right, which of us is wrong, 'cause it's a departing song. Fare thee well."

I raised my beer to the sun as it dipped below the horizon.


	59. 57 The Little Criminal Girl

**It must be said, a million thanks and energon goodies to my dear sweet betas, and a million more to my readers and reviewers. Your comments and critiques are what help me better myself as a writer. Anything you recognize, again, I do not own.**

**Chapter 57 - The Little Criminal Girl**

* * *

(CMPOV)

Chris sat through yet _another_ boring meeting, he wanted to get out of here. Ugh.

There was a knock on the door, and one of the aides present went and answered it.

"Sir?" Christina asked timidly, looking at him.

"Lieutenant?" he asked calmly.

"Sir you told me that under no circumstances was _anything _to get in the way of me telling you..." she started quietly.

"Brick?" he demanded harshly.

She shook her head sadly.

"Gentlemen, something's come up," he barked quickly, rising and shoving his papers into his briefcase. "We're going to have to continue this at another time. Christina, get me the president on the phone. Now."

His aide handed him the phone. It was already ringing.

Ringing as he ran, Christina hard on his heels.

He needed to get there first.

_That._ Was imperative. In five hours he was in a car with a very confused president.

"_Now_ will you tell me what's so urgent?" the man demanded as they sped to the airport.

"Mr. President, this is a matter of national and international security," Moreshower stated firmly. "Miss Banes is far, _far_ more important than you have been allowed to believe."

"How?" the man demanded.

"You have been made aware of what a CG is?"

"Covert Guardian, but she's not military!" the president stated worriedly.

"No, she was never formally inducted," Chris nodded. "However her father and his entire unit _were_, and _their_ missions were important enough that Mikaela _couldn't_ be inducted."

"But-"

"So much so, that until I saw Kae and her father in the same room I didn't recognize her, and she never told me," Chris stated flatly. "She has been trained to hide, and she does it so well that she stood right under our noses, tied up with the auto-bots and hunted by the entire world that it never even _dawned_ on us that she is more than she lets on. She is one of the first CCGs."

"_C-_CG?"

"_Civilian_ Covert Guardian," Chris stated flatly. "And _we_ need to get to her _first_."

"Why now?"

"Because the last of her unit is dead."

"They _what!?_"

"Her father was killed, you got that report. Brick is dead too, now, and we need to get there first, not only to collect the information she has been guarding, but to warn her. She is now the number one target."

"Fuck..." the president whispered. Chris nodded.

"We'll take separate choppers," he stated calmly. "I know you're not comfortable in the blackhawks, but they're faster."

The President nodded in relief and sat back.

"So basically I just need to follow your lead," he stated calmly as they pulled in.

"Indeed." Chris nodded. "I'll see you there."

The president nodded and got out of the car with his bodyguards, making a beeline for Marine one. Chris scrambled out and ran to the blackhawk already powering up and waiting for him.

"Diego Garcia, as fast as we can get there," he barked, the chopper took off almost before he was in his seat.

"Permission to speak freely, Sir," the chopper pilot barked out.

"Granted," Moreshower snapped out worriedly.

"We ain't gonna get there first General," the man stated with a frown. "Galloway left on Eagle five forty minutes ago."

Forty minutes. Kae was surrounded by Auto-bots and soldiers, if Galloway was sent by his former boss he'd have to get through those soldiers and bots first. For the first time, he actually found himself _blessing_ Optimus Prime's obstinate demeanour. Nothing was getting to Kae.

"It's close enough," Moreshower grunted.

The flight felt _interminably _long, even if the pilot was throwing all speed on, they spent a good portion of the flight with their nose pointing to the ground.

Chris spent that entire gods damned flight praying. Praying that he was doing the right thing, praying that Kae actually trusted him as much as she seemed to, and wishing he was back in that boring ass meeting.

* * *

(MPOV)

"Where is she!?" a voice bellowed at the other end of the hanger, near the doors.

"Director Galloway! What can we do for you today?" Will called out amicably.

"Don't give me that condescending tone!" Galloway announced gleefully, "Where's that little criminal you've been hiding here?"

"Wheelie, what'd you do?" Lennox looked down at the tiny ex-Decepticon.

"I defected to your side, 'f I showed my face in the wrong circles now I'd be a pile of melted slag," Wheelie defended himself angrily. "I ain't done _nothin_'!"

"Right, so who are you talking about then Director?" Major Lennox asked calmly.

I glanced up and crossed my fingers, hoping he wasn't talking about me.

"That Banes girl! Your favourite little _assistant!_ Didn't do a background check on her now did you?" Galloway grinned.

I rolled my eyes and sighed.

"Last time I checked the army doesn't really care," Graham piped up, walking past toward the Mechanic's corner.

"We have your back, Kae," Ratchet's voice rumbled softly in my ear, his holoform's hand touched my shoulder lightly.

I sighed and looked at him mournfully.

"I hope you can say that still when Galloway's finished." I murmured back.

"You're the one always saying the past shouldn't define us."

"Doesn't mean it always works," I grimaced.

Ratchet patted my shoulder as his holo blinked out.

"Mikaela!" Will called out, "where you at?"

"Third Humvee on the right!" I shouted out, inspecting a crack in the air filter casing.

There was the sound of footsteps before an irate hand slapped a photograph in front of me. I stared at it in shock.

"Where did you get this?" I asked in an icy voice.

"It was clutched in the hand of a dead inmate, _that_ inmate," A finger pointed to one of the men in the picture.

Brick.

I barely heard Galloway continue.

"You can imagine the guard's surprise to have found it, seeing as it didn't get logged with the things he was carrying. Care to explain it?" Galloway's hand grasped my wrist and tried to spin me around. He tugged valiantly, I didn't budge.

"Brick's dead?" I asked quietly instead, staring at the photo.

"Mikaela, you alright?" Ratchet asked menacingly, Galloway's hand dropped my wrist.

"Uh, yeah, Ratch," I said quietly, picking up the photograph and moving to my work table. I sat heavily on my tall chair and leaned back, holding the photograph with care as a flash flood of memories crossed my mind's eye.

Brick... not Brick... not dear, powerfully strong and gentle hearted Brick.

I knew it had been coming, but the knowing never softened the blow.

Mercifully, Galloway was frozen, watching as the Auto-bots rolled in and transformed, walking toward Ratchet. I didn't notice.

"Kae what's happening?" Lennox asked worriedly, touching my shoulder as he looked at the picture in my hands.

"They're all dead," I whispered, "except me," I pointed to my face, so young and carefree in the photo. Most of them were there, Dad, Brick, Paddy, Uncle Sho, Rig... I felt a tear track it's way through the carbon dust on my cheek. Shot into panic, I brushed it away quickly, knowing the black dust had darkened into an oily smear.

"Aaww, isn't that _sweet?_ The pretty little criminal girl is crying for her dead gang members," Galloway sneered.

Optimus' holoform was in front of me the next second, helping Will hold me in place.

"Don't rise," Will muttered to me, "God's sake Kae, he wants you to hit him so he can get you out of his way, don't rise."

"Oh no! I've got her out of here anyway!" Galloway crowed. "Bet you didn't know your favourite little assistant is an accessory to murder!"

"Mikaela!?" Will asked incredulously.

I ground my teeth together, straightening my back and fully preparing to resume the icy silence that had got me through hours of interrogations.

"Didn't even co-operate to save your own skin, did you? Too loyal to your little gang," Galloway shot at me with a smirk. "How does it feel to know that they're all dead now?"

I stayed silent, looking straight ahead at nothing until Optimus' eyes came down to meet mine.

"Kae?" he whispered softly.

_∂What do I _say_ Optimus?∂_ I asked desperately, the clicks and deep notes almost shrill – it was that much harder to hide emotion in Cybertronian.

_∂They would want you to do whatever you need to, to stay free,∂_ Optimus stated firmly, if gently. I sagged into his holoform's arms. _∂You fought and sacrificed to keep their names free. the dead do not need our loyalty, they would want you to be free.∂_

I nodded into his shoulder with a shuddering sigh, the dear bot held me tighter. Comforting me, concealing me as I gathered my composure together.

∂_Doesn't mean you have to be nice about rubbing his face in the truth though,_∂ Ratchet added thoughtfully.

"What is this?" Galloway almost shouted, "you lot speak in code now?"

"No, we speak in Cybertronian common," Optimus rumbled in a mild tone, anyone who knew the bot gleefully got ready for him to tear a strip out of the offender. "Kae?"

"Ratchet, would you be so kind as to loan me a scalpel," I asked distantly, pulling back to look at him as I gave Optimus' wrist a gentle squeeze in thanks.

"Surgically altering Director Galloway would not be a good idea," the Medi-bot told me calmly, "what do you need it for?"

"You asked once what the sub-dermal chip contained, I need to remove it." I said calmly, catching and holding Galloway's eyes icily.

Ratchet collected his gear as I unbuttoned my coveralls.

"How many files did you find, Director?" I asked mildly as I bared my hip, poking at the skin until a lump appeared under a thin scar. I took the scalpel from Ratchet and lightly sliced open the scar, prodding a small glass container out of the wound.

"Multiple thefts and a murder," Galloway smirked, throwing a stack of files on the desk.

"There were two murders," I stated quietly, inspecting the glass capsule for a moment before carefully breaking the sealed glass. A tiny chip emerged from the splinters, which I plugged into my laptop close by.

"You're admitting to two murders now?" Lennox asked in a stunned voice.

"I killed no one," I said calmly, "Epps, you lived close to us, do you remember the little girl they found burned in the river?"

"Yeah, that was like, seven years ago, little asian girl, showed she'd been beaten to death, then burned afterwards. Jane Doe." Epps frowned at me.

"Her name was Chen Li, daughter of Master Chen Sho, but everyone called her Tinny. She was my twin sister from another continent." I said sadly, decoding a multitude of files. The first image was of a smiling pair of young girls, arms around each other as they laughed at the man behind the camera. I touched her face on the screen sadly.

* * *

(OPOV)

"What happened Kae?" Optimus asked softly, he reached out and laid a gentle hand on the femme's shoulder as Ratchet's holoform glued the cut together on her hip. He offhandedly connected her computer to the projector nearby, sending the images on her computer desktop to the wall.

"When Tinny was born prematurely, her mother suffered a massive hemorrhage. The doctors in rural China did nothing to help her as she slipped away in Sho's arms. When she had passed they asked if he wanted to be rid of the baby. To start his life again without a premature girl who probably wouldn't survive anyway," Kae began softly.

Major Lennox stared at the girl in shock, the soldiers grouping around the femme all stared in shock as she began to speak her family history. No twisted arms, no wheedling, she simply spoke.

"But the Chens were fighters," Kae continued softly, pulling up image after image, "Chen Sho took his tiny baby girl home and kept her warm, he woke up every hour to feed her. Where he went, she went with him, tucked into his riding jacket whenever he had to attend the races. When you're a top racer, the gangs don't let you go. Sho was a fighter, a winner, scraping a meagre living riding at high speed through the streets of Shanghai against the other gang racers with a baby girl zipped against his heart."

"Dedication," Will whispered, Optimus nodded. Kae took a deep breath and continued.

"When Tinny was strong enough, Sho traded his bike and paid all of his winnings to stow away on a freighter. They dropped him off ten miles offshore, dad was out fishing when Chen floated toward his boat, half dead with a three month old Tinny screaming her lungs out." Mikaela smiled weakly. "I was three months old when I met my sister, the day dad brought Uncle Sho home, talking to each other in the language of mechanics."

She pulled up a picture of a raven haired woman holding two babies and smiling.

"Tinny and I were literally born fifteen minutes apart," Kae smiled sadly, "I was bigger, but she was the older, Dad always said mum took one look at Tinny in Uncle Sho's arms, gathered her up and set her to breast milk within seconds.

"We were eight years old when mum got sick. Dad went back to stealing cars at that point, to pay the medical bills, and Uncle Sho went back to racing. It didn't help, she held on just long enough for Tinny and I to say goodbye. Mum lasted just long enough to tell my father to take his time following her into their next life. That was when Uncle Sho taught us the funeral song, to sing her soul into the next world."

Optimus stared at the next picture, the one Galloway had brought. She had the identical photograph on her computer.

"Tinny took that picture when we were twelve, those two bikes in the back were ours, Dad taught us to build them, and Uncle Sho taught us to ride, fight, and speak Mandarin." Kae smiled, gesturing to the photo. "She was going to be a photographer, we were so proud of her. What you're missing, Director Galloway, is this photo. The one she took once she'd figured out the timer on her new camera." Kae poked a button and the next photograph came up, Tinny standing with her arms around Kae's waist, everyone was smiling in this photo, Genuine, laughing smiles. Mikaela took a deep breath and pulled up another set of files.

"That's the murdered guy!" Lennox half shouted, pointing to one of the faces. Optimus stared at the face in shock, it couldn't be...

"Wo Shang, aka Jimmy Wo, among other aliases," she said quietly. "He contacted Uncle Sho, demanding that he race for the local chapter, making threats. Uncle refused, he said he didn't want his little Tinny and Cricket involved with the races. Wo Shang killed Tinny, beat her to death on camera, and sent the video clip to us."

Mikaela's body-language was flinching away from her movements, but she still pulled up the clip, closing her eyes and turning away. Optimus understood why, that clip had burned itself into her memory, she couldn't watch it again. Not and keep her composure. He slid his hand slightly on her shoulder, closer to her neck. Idly covering her artery as he watched the clip again. Somehow he knew that she knew what was happening, simply by the gasps and groans of the soldiers as they watched the tiny girl beaten to death, offering no resistance.

"Dad was in jail already, Tinny and Uncle Sho were still in hiding when it happened," Kae stated softly. "He couldn't go to the police, they were on order to deport him on sight. So we took what was left of Tinny's body and set her in the closest thing to a dragon boat we could make, sending her to the next life with as much honour as we could scrape together." Mikaela wiped away a tear and pointed at the list. "This is the list of men that dad warned me away from. The only reason Wo Shang is still on that list is because Dad didn't know that Uncle Sho tracked him down and beat him to death, so that he wouldn't come after me, too."

She pulled up the photograph of the group again, everyone smiling, laughing. The way she would have wanted to remember them.

"Criminals," Galloway said weakly.

"This was my family," Kae shrieked at him, "They sacrificed _everything_ for Tinny and me," Mikaela rose and stormed to the wall, dragging Galloway by the collar, glaring at the man and pointing the faces out. "Paddy was a grandfather to all of us. Catholic to the bone and always there with the right words. The prison guards reported that he died _praying_ for the soul of the man who'd stabbed him. He made the most beautiful things from glass and could single handedly strip, clean, paint, then re-assemble a car in twenty hours. Rig was the king of electrical systems, he was always fixing Tinny's camera, making it better, more powerful, and could get a car running and out of it's parking space in under twenty seconds. Uncle Sho taught us how to _defend_ ourselves, how to ride away from trouble and Brick," she pointed to the enormous, bearded and grinning man with tears streaming down her face. "Brick was the closest thing to a living teddy bear there was, he'd play peek-a-boo with us for hours on end, bounce around with us, one in each arm _singing_ until we fell asleep on his shoulders.

"We were a unit," Mikaela said fiercely, getting into Galloway's face, "We did what we had to to survive. They fought to _stay out_ of the gangs, we tried to build the shop, build motorcycles legally. They stole to pay the loan sharks, the only ones who would give us the money to pay for my mother's medical bills when the insurance refused. So excuse me, Director Galloway, for holding my silence and accepting a criminal record for six years to protect all the family I had left in the world."

Mikaela released him, turned and walked back to the Humvee, digging back into servicing it. Optimus watched her worriedly, her eyes were glazed with tears, she seemed to be taking apart the filthy air-filter by touch alone.

He turned and glared at Galloway.

"They made their beds-" the man began muttering.

"Man, that was cold," Epps stated sharply, getting into the Director's face, "You ain't never _seen_ the streets have you? The only way to get out the gangs is to join the military or die. If you got family you don't join the military, or they'll kill _them_ instead."

"We will be lodging a formal complaint," Lennox added firmly. "Optimus, you want in?"

"With pleasure," Optimus rumbled menacingly, standing behind his Kae; just so that he would be close to her.

"I have one last question then," Galloway said in a muted tone.

"What?" Mikaela asked none too graciously, staring into the engine. She had the right.

"In the report from Egypt, it states that you were the one to identify that the water in location Z alpha one had been poisoned. It doesn't say how you knew." Galloway stated.

"Mikaela caught the scent of a decomposing body," Will stated coldly. "She said she had caught the scent of death, you will find that in the report."

"I still need to know-"

"Case file one-one-six-five-alpha-tango-eight-eight dash oh three," Mikaela snapped, "Jennifer Wong." she grabbed a wrench and attacked the carburetters.

In an instant, Ratchet was searching for the file. He read it in seconds and froze. There was deathly silence for a long moment.

::. You should be the one to read it, Optimus.:: he sent in a muted tone.

"'July 15, 2003, 03:12 hours. Guards were alerted to panicked screaming in detention cell block six. Investigation of the screaming found Miss Jennifer Wong in a rapidly deteriorating state of health. Miss Mikaela Banes, the next cell over was identified as the one who had been screaming for help." Optimus read the file out quietly. He watched worriedly as Kae gripped the spanner in her hand, forcing herself to continue disconnecting the engine.

"Jennifer Wong was found to be un-responsive to anything said in English, but seemed to listen to the Chinese-"

"Mandarin," Kae said hoarsely, anyone could hear the tears in her voice, she was fighting to not cry. "We spoke Mandarin."

"-being spoken soothingly from the next cell over, Miss Banes, being the one speaking to Miss Wong, was released from her cell to translate what had been assumed as a panicked version of the same language," Optimus continued softly. "Miss Banes reported that no words were in fact being formed, Miss Wong was instead screaming. Upon attempt to return Miss Banes to her cell, Miss Wong grabbed her hand, vomiting and choking on her own blood. Miss Banes broke away from the guard attempting to remove her and sat on the floor with Miss Wong, holding her hand and singing what was later reported as a traditional Buddhist Funeral song. Miss Wong calmed substantially as Miss Banes sang, dying peacefully in her arms.' That is the end of the report."

"Her soul passed peacefully, but her body went into convulsions after she died," Mikaela stated harshly, leaning heavily on the truck. "They thought I'd been the one to poison her at first. I sat with her head in my lap, and sang a friend's soul to the next life. Knelt in her blood as her breath rattled and the acid burned through my clothes and sang her away from the middle areas and yet they thought I was the one to kill her.

"They knew I was good with mechanics, figured that I'd somehow filled her water glass with sulphuric acid from one of the batteries I'd removed while servicing the hall's vehicles under _supervision_ of one of the guards." Mikaela took a deep breath, her next words as cold as the ice on iron shutters.

"They said that when Jenny had felt the acid begin to burn, she'd tried to throw it up again and aspirated it into her lungs. She burned up from the inside out. Melted. They went so far as to show me the pictures of her autopsy, the acid had kept burning her, even after death." Mikaela straightened from the engine to face the shocked and pale men standing around her laptop, the iron shutters were in her eyes again. Cold rage seeped from her.

"It took me a month of scrubbing my skin raw to get rid of the smell of her blood, of her flesh burning." she stated flatly, her hand reached back and wrenched the battery from it's holder. She carried it to the work bench and hefted it up, letting it slam onto the surface to charge. "It took six more to get up the bravery to touch a car battery again. They let me out not long after that, once the jury decided I was an innocent, fully prepared to die to protect my family. The psychiatrist wrote in my file that I was too far gone after her death, too closed up, to quiet. A lost cause. You ask why I do not speak? You have your answer."

She spun on her heel and walked back to the hummer.

"But..."

"I don't think you quite understand the moral of the story, Galloway," Mikaela stated over her shoulder in that same icy tone. "The Auto-bots are my family now, they are the last that I have on this earth, I was prepared to die then, and I am prepared to die now."

Mikaela pulled the carburetters off and disconnected a few more hoses. A few more moments, a few bolts and she was lifting the engine from the frame, paying no more attention to the argument behind her. Zoned out, closed off.

::. Prime.:: Bumblebee sent desperately.

::. We will protect her.:: Optimus sent gently, he glanced at the scout as the resonations of relief hummed softly from his spark. Optimus waited until Galloway was out of the hangar before he walked his holoform up behind her.

"Kae," Optimus rumbled softly, testing the waters.

"Optimus," Mikaela said quietly, setting aside the worn out clutch.

"He's gone Kae," Optimus murmured, reaching out to rest a hand on her shoulder, gently turning the femme around to face him. Mikaela looked up at him and broke down, her composure shattered. Optimus wound her tightly into his embrace, nodding to his unit as holoforms winked online around them, hovering indecisively.

In moments, Mikaela was surrounded by the holoforms of her surrogate family.

And in that moment, Optimus could not have felt prouder that his beloved Kae trusted him enough to cry in his arms.


	60. 58 Chips

**Chapter 58 - Chips**

* * *

(EPOV)

"How the hell was I supposed to know?" Galloway demanded as he was roughly ushered to the helipad.

"You were supposed to leave it _alone_ like General _Moreshower requested_," Lennox stated coldly, watching a helicopter touch down. They shielded their faces against the blowing sand. The chopper whined as it powered down.

"But she's got a record!" Galloway stated defensively the second he could be heard.

"Which was expunged," General Moreshower stated coldly as Epps and Lennox saluted him smartly. "My but this is a mess for the President to arrive in."

"But...!" Galloway mouthed wordlessly as a second chopper came into view, then settled onto the pad.

"Sargent see what you can do about calming everything down in there will you?" General Moreshower asked calmly. "Will, I'm afraid I've got some good and bad news-"

"Yes sir," Epps saluted smartly and all but sprinted back to the hangar.

He looked at the group of holoforms surrounding a softly crying young woman and groaned. Optimus looked up and caught his eye.

"President!" Epps mouthed, pointing behind himself.

Optimus nodded and seemed to hold Mikaela even more tightly as he bent down to murmur in her ear. Ratchet's holoform grabbed a clean rag and pressed it into Prime's hand as several of the holos flickered out. Epps walked over to stand within earshot.

"Are you going to be okay?" Optimus asked gently, tipping her face up to dry her tears.

"Haven't got much choice," Mikaela replied quietly, but a small smile still caught and held on her face. "Go for a drive later?"

"You got it," the holoform leaned down to press a tender kiss to her forehead.

"That's adorable, but we got company," Epps murmured, knowing the Auto-bot could hear him. He spun about sharply, facing the doors as Mikaela composed herself.

* * *

(MPOV)

"I need to cut the holo," Optimus rumbled apologetically.

"Go for it, I'm alright," I said quietly, touching his cheek for a second. I dabbed at my eyes and walked toward the wash basin, clearing away the worst of the grime and erasing the tears with cold water. I glanced in the mirror before returning to the engine I was swapping the clutch in, immersing myself in the calm familiarity. I kept one earpiece in, listening to some calm, peaceful music. I had the clutch cover back on when Moreshower's voice rose.

"Petty Officer Mikaela Banes." I glanced up to see Lennox gesture toward me.

::. You may want to wash your hands.:: Optimus cautioned me over the iPod.

I obediently walked back to the basin and did a somewhat more thorough job of removing the grease and grime from my skin before walking back to my workbench.

A group of grim faced, upright people walked toward me. Lennox, trailing somewhat behind, waved to catch my attention. He pointed toward me and brought his hand to his forehead, mouthing "salute!"

I immediately snapped to attention and faced the General, presenting my arm with the precision of it being automatic.

"At ease, actually at ease Mikaela," the General said gently. I relaxed to stand with my hip resting against the table, arms lightly crossed and glancing at Lennox, who shrugged, looking confused.

"I came here originally on one unpleasant task and find myself caught up with another." Moreshower started, rolling his eyes at me.

"Efficient, if nothing else," I commented quietly, "what can I do for you General?"

"Well first off, I should do the official introductions, Mr. President, Mikaela Banes."

The dark skinned man offered his hand to me with a grave expression.

"Mr. President," I nodded to him respectfully, shaking his hand firmly.

"Miss Banes," the President acknowledged me quietly, "I'm sorry that I'm here to pass my condolences to you. And now to apologize for my Liaison."

"Thank you, Sir," I said calmly.

"Mikaela, I'm afraid we're here to regretfully inform you, officially, of the passings of Captain Calvin 'Cal' Robert Banes, Lieutenant Richard 'Brick' Javier Binns, Sargent Patrick 'Paddy' Joseph O'Reilly, Technical Sargent David 'Rig' Russel Kinsey and former Chinese Naval Lieutenant, Master Chen Kan Sho." Moreshower stated calmly.

I took a deep, calming breath and nodded my acceptance.

"Thank you, General," I stated in an even voice.

"They will all be posthumously awarded with the Medal of Honour, and their missions declassified. If you can provide any information on their missions it would be greatly appreciated." Moreshower said gently, then turned to the shocked faces behind him. "And please don't give her flack for not saying anything, the sheer fact that their missions were classified above _my_ superiors states just how tied her hands were, and how reliable she is for keeping a secret."

I lowered my gaze.

"Mikaela?" Lennox asked worriedly.

"I am all about the getting cut up today," I sighed, "Ratchet, could I prevail on you? I can't reach this one."

"You have another implant?" Epps asked in a shocked tone.

"Technically? I have seven," I shrugged.

"One just below each breast, one in each wrist, one on each hip and one tucked well beneath her right scapula." Ratchet listed off, his holoform flickering into being in front of me. "The one in your shoulder I'm assuming?"

"Please," I said heavily, "I can get the rest of them."

"I'll get them," Ratchet said gently, squeezing my shoulder. I took off my coveralls to find a small patch of blood on my hip. I rolled my eyes at it and sat on my tall chair, turning to face the group of men and Auto-bots.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you before," I said quietly.

"Man, I _knew_ she was a military brat," Epps said suddenly.

"Dammit, my bet was CIA," Chance grimaced.

"Fully declassified?" I asked quietly, looking first at Moreshower then at the President.

"Fully," the quiet spoken man stated firmly.

"They were both," I said quietly, "Jacobs, you're a marine, you remember the rumour of a branch of CIA who were planted into the military, but not part of SAD?"

Jacobs nodded curiously. His eyes widened.

"That was my family." I said softly, "Fully trained marines hand picked for their abilities and specializing in the gathering of dirty intelligence and cleaning up messes. The thirteenth regiment."

"Holy shit," Jacobs said quietly, running his hands through his rigidly short hair before turning away, "Holy _shit!_"

"Miss Banes, I would request permission to bury them with full military honours." The president said, looking at me apprehensively.

"I would be honoured, as would they," I said quietly, "But could I make a request?"

"Go ahead."

"Master Chen Sho's daughter, Chen Li, was murdered by gang members seven years ago, we couldn't bury her properly, or even claim her body. I would ask permission that her remains be moved from the state tombs and laid with her father. They would both have wished to be cremated."

"I'll see that it's done," Moreshower said firmly. "But I have to ask, why are you about to cut a load of implants out?"

"Five of them are the individual reports made by the unit, the one under my shoulder contains the master reports. This one," I gestured to my laptop "is the one that proved their civilian lives and my innocence - that Uncle Sho hid for me to find. And this," I held up my right wrist, "this one I'll keep, it's the charm that Tinny gave me on our last birthday she was alive."

"Ready when you are," Ratchet said gently, I peeled my shirt off and bent forward, flexing my muscles so that my shoulder blade stood out. I felt the coolness of rubbing alcohol before the minor sting of a local.

"You do still care," I said softly, dropping my head.

"Kae, we'll always care," Optimus' voice murmured gently.

"Mind if I use something other than a pair of forceps to get this out?" Ratchet asked mildly.

"You're the doc-bot," I smiled.

"Oh man that's _weird!_" Epps suddenly shouted.

"Whoa, you're not the one feeling it," I scrunched my face up, fighting to not squirm at the feeling of microfine tentacles burrowing through my shoulder; avoiding the major nerves then retracting just as quickly.

"Got it," Ratchet stated calmly, "stay still a moment longer." a mild sting proved he was quickly taping the small wound closed again. He moved into my peripheral vision, delicately setting down the small glass bubble.

"I'm astonished they'd use glass," Moreshower murmured.

"They were designed to be destroyed in the event of massive trauma, and to destroy the contents if the wrong person tried to open them," I said calmly, flexing my shoulder. "Wow it feels weird to not have that there anymore."

"Considering it had migrated next to the bone I'm not surprised," Ratchet commented mildly, "I'll want to go after that scar tissue with a regenerative laser later."

"Okay," I said quietly as he carefully froze the next few sites.

"With as much secret keeping as you did, what's opened this up now?" Lennox asked curiously. Ratchet began carefully removing Brick's capsule from beneath my left breast.

"There were two circumstances for me to have these taken out," I said calmly. "When I turned twenty-five I was to take them to the Pentagon, or the second-"

"If all five of them had passed, and the President of the United States, accompanied by a four star General, both of whom you yourself would have to deem un-compromised and trustworthy were present to state that any information you could provide would be helpful." General Moreshower finished for me. "Your father sent me this letter, after you'd made your speech." he added quietly, pulling an envelope from his breast pocket. "I'm so sorry I didn't recognize you before."

"Well, that's flattering," the President murmured.

"They look like gemstones," Lennox murmured, looking at the tiny capsules being lined up on the tray by Ratchet.

"Paddy made them for me to wear on a necklace," I said with a sad smile of remembrance, "Except for the one that was under my shoulder blade."

"Why were they under your skin then?"

"Safer," I shrugged.

"Unless one of them splintered beneath your skin," Ratchet stated sternly.

"If I was hit hard enough for one of them to splinter beneath my skin it's best that they did just that," I said firmly. "I'm sorry that this is going to take a little while longer, Mr. President, I'd offer you some coffee, but it's quite dreadful out here."

"They're almost all out," the man frowned in confusion.

"The chips are encased in non-corrosive oil with a shard of pure potassium, if this splintered and mixed with your blood it would destroy the chip in seconds! And cripple you I might add!" Ratchet stated in shock, holding up one of the capsules.

"Or any moisture in the air," I shrugged.

"Then how do you get the chip out?" Moreshower asked in consternation.

"Carefully," I smiled, "They'll be fine for a moment Ratchet," I added as the medi-bot began to clean up the shallow cuts. I caught up a piece of plastic and the crazy glue, sealing it to the skin of my left wrist before wrapping more plastic around it to keep it secure.

"I promise I'll be good once these are safe," I added to the grumbling medi-bot.

"You better," he rumbled as I grabbed the rubbing alcohol, carefully rinsing out a small container with it before filling it with oil.

"What can I do to speed it up?" Ratchet asked grumpily as I picked up the first capsule.

"And why didn't you do this with the first capsule?" Lennox added as I plunged my hands into the oil with a small hammer.

"Uncle Sho gave me that one," I said calmly, "it was Paddy who made the rest of these, Uncle Sho wanted the one proving my innocence to survive." I took a deep breath before lightly tapping the hammer on the ridged end, splitting it open along an all but invisible seam.

"This is the unit report," I said, carefully pulling the chip from the oil and handing it to Ratchet to dry off.

"How can you tell?"

"Colour," I smiled softly. "Look more carefully at the colours, what do you see?"

"Service ribbons!" Morshower exclaimed. "Look at that! Arctic service, Iran, intelligence, I knew those boys were going to go far."

"Paddy made some of the most beautiful things out of glass," I repeated myself softly, breaking apart the next one. "This one is Brick's."

In a matter of minutes I had the capsules open and Ratchet had them clean and safely stored and labeled.

"Petti Officer Mikaela Banes you've done a great service to your country," Moreshower told me softly. He reached forward and shook my hand firmly.

"Thank you General," I said quietly, handing him the small case of microchips.

He snapped to attention and saluted me, I returned the favour instantly. In moments the group had turned sharply, headed quickly for the helicopters.

Ratchet firmly sat me down and began fussing over the slowly bleeding and swollen wounds he'd had to inflict. I sat obediently still, staring off into space as he sewed me back together.

"Kae?" Optimus' holo took my hand gently.

"I'm not special anymore," I murmured, "I honestly don't know how to feel about that."

"What are you on about?" Lennox asked, plunking down beside me.

"I survived acting the part of your average daughter of an average thief by always knowing that it was for a reason, delivering that information," I looked at the hangar doors, "Only now it's done and I'm right back to being average again."

"Oh _pit_ no, you're my little sister," Sideswipe shot back.

"Deadly as sin," Ironhide added with a grin.

"Sexy as hell," that was Chromia.

"A damn good assistant," Ratchet rumbled firmly.

"And you do a brilliant oil change," Bumblebee chimed in, grinning at me.

"You, will _never_ be simply average," Optimus rumbled firmly, catching my chin between thumb and forefinger with the holoform.

"Quit that, you're gonna make me cry," I half choked out, fighting back tears.

"For you? I can handle a bit of rust," Optimus murmured softly. "Once Ratchet has finished patching you up we will go for a drive, okay?"

"'Kay," I murmured, my face buried in his shoulder.

"Not to mention you're a shoe in for the medal of honour yourself," Lennox added mildly, sitting back in his chair while Epps, Graham and Chance wandered back toward us.

"More than a shoe, I'd say two feet and an arm by the way that lot were talking about you," Graham grinned.

"Oh, we so gotta go shopping too!" Arcee stated suddenly.

"Hey yeah, that's right!" Will shot up in his seat, "Funeral with full military honours is a state funeral! We gotta get you something to look right to bury five soldiers and a little girl, and put the security detail together, President'll be there, that's a _massive_ target ground for the lot of us!"

"We will be there." Optimus stated firmly.

"Right beside you," Arcee added gently, touching my undamaged shoulder.

"You lot are the best, you know that right?" I asked softly, leaning my forehead against Arcee's shoulder.

"And we only accept the best," Lennox added, reaching out to lightly squeeze my hand.

"You're one of us, unfortunately," Chance grinned, "the Auto-bots are cool and all, but this human group leaves a bit to be desired yeah?"

I began laughing softly, standing up despite Ratchet's objections and turning to face the oddball group.

"I guess I can do this now, then," I said with a small smile. I snapped to attention, throwing up a sharp salute. "Celer Silens Mortalis, Semper Fi!" I barked, head held high and proud. Jacobs snapped to attention and presented his arm.

"The strength of the pack is the wolf, the strength of the wolf is the pack, Semper Fi!" he shouted back at me. He relaxed and grinned. "And I win the bet." he added offhandedly.

"Any more secrets you can't tell me?" Optimus asked, gently teasing as he tucked me into his holoform's arms.

"No, yes, no..." I groaned.

"C'mon! Spill!" Chance grinned.

I sighed and looked at Optimus with mild reproach.

"The last one?" I said quietly.

"Go for it, we'll share with you to even it up," Lennox grinned.

"My name is Chen Mikaela Leanne Banes, adopted daughter of Chen Sho and sister to Chen Li. I speak seven languages and have, in fact, been trained to kill a man in two strikes. And no, I'm not teaching you," I added in a grumble.

"Well you gotta show us at least!" Jacobs protested.

"Nope, now here's my final secret, Ratchet, did you do a deep scan on this one?" I held up my right wrist to him.

He looked at it with a frown and began swearing.

"Why the _hell_ do you have that in your _wrist_!" he bellowed, instantly irate.

"This is my final insurance," I said coldly. "_That_ is there to make sure that I never become the murderer I was trained to be."

"Ratchet what's in that?" Lennox asked in shock.

"It's a thinner glass capsule containing a silver dagger pendant and a dose of ricin." the Medi-bot snarled. "And I'm removing that if I have to knock you out to do it!"

"You will do no such thing!" I snarled back.

"_Do you have any idea what would happen if that shattered!?_" Ratchet bellowed.

"I would die after three days of intense illness and pain," I stated coldly. "No less than what I would deserve if I were to use that strike again."

The group surrounding us froze.

"You..." Lennox whispered. I looked around and sighed.

"Three times," I murmured softly. "The blow is called San ji. Three strikes. Not because it takes three strikes to kill, but because after the third time it's used it becomes deadly."

"But..."

"The first three times it is executed, the force is enough to break the forearm," I murmured, "greenstick first, the second time it shatters, the third time the last of the weak spots in the bone fracture. After that..." I trailed off.

"After that, the bone will have developed enough scar tissue that the force would be fully concentrated into the blow," Ratchet murmured, staring at me.

"The first time I used it was on a man who tried to kidnap me," I whispered, "he was ordered by the bloods. I was to be used as incentive to force dad to steal, and Sho to race for them. I was ten. Greenstick. The second was the same scenario two years later. Except he had been ordered by the Crips." I closed my eyes and crossed my arms protectively. "The third," I whispered, "the third I used on Wo Shang, six months before he murdered Tinny. It blinded him in one eye, and I'm told the other had double vision. I should have let him kill me," I finished harshly. "If I had died, Tinny would still be alive."

"No, she wouldn't," Epps stated coldly. "If you had died, all of you would have been dead, and all of the information you protected would have been lost."

I glared up at him.

"You're forgetting something Mikaela," Epps told me flatly, "we lived in the same area, only the information I'd received differed, Bloods thought you and your dad belonged to the Crips, I joined the military when they ordered me to take you and Tinny down."

Everyone stared at him in shock.

"You were supposed to be my first kill," Epps said quietly. "When I left I sent a message to your dad, told him you'd been targeted. So don't you _dare_ keep that poison in your arm. We've all killed here, but there's a harsh line between murder and defence."

"How long have you known?" I whispered.

"Since you brought us to meet your dad." he said calmly.

I looked at him with a frown.

"I knew you only as Cal Banes' girl, not as Mikaela Banes," Epps said quietly. "It's how you hid, isn't it? You didn't need to change you name, nobody _knew _your guys' real names."

My throat tightened as tears finally tracked their way down my cheeks.

"Now," Ironhide stated calmly, "you're going to let Ratchet get that thing out of your arm, and you're going to teach us that strike. Hey!" he glared back at me as I whipped around to face him. "I swore on my spark that I would never let you be a murderer," he growled at me. "It ain't your fault you were trained to kill."

"It is not your fault you used your three strikes on men who would use you against others," Arcee continued, her holoform assuming an unyielding stance.

"And it is not your fault that they are gone," Optimus murmured gently. His holoform cupped my face in his hands. "Do not take yourself away from us because of a guilt you should never have had to feel."

I closed my eyes and bit my lip, hard.

"You're allowed to cry," Lennox added softly, "just because we're soldiers here, doesn't make us heartless."

"Shit, most of us would be incapacitated if we'd dealt with half the shit you've wound up traipsing through." Jacobs finished. I began laughing softly.

"What?" Chance asked, wide eyed.

"You know?" I said with a small smile, "Paddy always used to say that when life gave you shit, you needed to spade it into the gardens. It was God's way of testing you. If you worked hard enough that shit would make the roses bloom."

"That's awesome," Lennox chuckled, "I need to use that."

"Tell it to your baby girl, when she's down in the dumps," I smiled. "Space it out, use it three times in 18 years, and it will stick with her for the rest of her life."

The air vibrated behind me, warmth of a body drawing closer on silent feet. Instinct kicked in before I could stop it. I spun around and caught a wrist holding a syringe. Wrist control, the syringe was an inch away from his neck in a second.

"JESUS!" Epps bellowed.

"_Damnit!_" I shouted, immediately releasing Ratchet's holoform and backing away from him in horror. "How many times!? Don't sneak up on me!"

The men were standing and walking toward me quickly, boxing me in.

"FREEZE!" Ratchet bellowed. Everyone froze as I automatically tracked them. "That was my fault," he continued in a calm voice, "Mikaela's injured, her body is on high alert and in one pit of a survival mode." Ratchet looked at me with kind eyes. "That's why you want to keep that ricin, isn't it? It's for the day that you're in a position like this, the day you're injured and your survival mode is kicked into high gear. You're fighting yourself harder than you've _ever_ fought Sideswipe."

"Please," I whispered, "please don't come near me for a little while, I don't want to hurt you, I don't want to hurt anyone." I fought the tremors that wracked my body, the hyperactivity of a massive dose of adrenaline that suppressed the pain and decreased my reaction time to an almost zero factor.

Ratchet was staring at me with a frown.

"Your adrenaline hasn't stopped being produced," he rumbled worriedly.

"Two hours," I whispered, "it takes two hours of meditation to come down, sedatives don't work, they'll only make me produce more to counteract it."

"Why the pit did you do that?" Ratchet demanded irritably.

"Name one instance that I ever had the option of changing my own evolution." I groaned, sliding down the wall and curling up.


	61. 59 Secrets

**Chapter 59 - Secrets**

* * *

(OPOV)

Jacobs walked slowly toward her and sat down as she watched him warily.

"Stories," Jacobs grinned at her. Mikaela snorted and closed her eyes. Jacobs looked up at Optimus and jerked his head. Optimus smiled and walked with a calm step to sit on her left. He settled a gentle hand on her knee and sighed contentedly.

"Hey Will, you volunteered first," Jacobs grinned.

"Secrets huh? Okay," Will snorted, settling back into his chair again. "Sarah and I were married for a year before our official wedding."

"_You_ eloped?" Mikaela chuckled, opening an eye to look at him with amusement.

"Vegas baby!" Will laughed, "Sarah met me there, I was stationed in Houston at the time, drove seven hundred miles in six hours, stayed the night and got back just in time for the morning run."

"I'd _wondered_ where the hell you'd gotten to," Epps laughed. "Why the fuck didn't you invite me you bastard?"

"Well I didn't exactly know I was getting married at the time, I won five hundred bucks on a nickel and decided to press our luck." Will snorted.

Mikaela began laughing softly beside Optimus.

"So all of this is staying in the family, right?" Chance grinned.

"A-yep," Jacobs snorted.

"Okay, totally lost my virginity on base," Chance snorted.

"Yo! Don't tell dude!" Epps shouted with a laugh.

"Wait, that was that little biscuit Naiomi, wasn't it!" Graham snorted.

"Oh you knew her too, did you?" Chance laughed.

"Oh gods _everyone_ knew that bird," Devon groaned. "Wonder whatever the hell happened to her."

"You didn't hear?" Chance grinned, "Jones married her, she's expecting their third now."

"You're _shitting_ me," Graham laughed. "Who'd you lose it to, Jacobs?"

"Stephanie L'roque, prettiest little creature you'd ever seen," Jacobs sighed, "two years older than me, if _ever_ there was a Mrs. Robinson, it was her."

"She teach the Kama?" Mikaela asked with a small laugh.

"Little bit," Jacobs snorted, "or at least as much of it as you can manage in the back of a volvo. What about you Graham?"

"Penny Jackson," Graham sighed, "A tart with a heart of gold. I swear she could make a man jizz his pants with one glance."

Optimus glanced at Kae, she was shaking slightly and blushing furiously.

"Kae?" Optimus rumbled softly. She snorted and burst out laughing.

"I'm sorry," she laughed, "trust you lot to bring up high school memories."

"Oh oh! Now you gotta tell it!" Chance howled.

"Oh come off it! A lady doesn't brag of her conquests!" Mikaela snorted.

"What an insulting term!" Arcee grinned at the girl.

"Which one?" Jacobs asked interestedly.

"Lady," Flare snorted. Mikaela burst out laughing again.

"C'mon girl, show you mine if you show me yours," Chromia smirked.

"Alright fine!" Mikaela giggled, "you want the facts or the reputation I spent _years_ building up for the CIA?"

"Fact girl," Graham snorted.

"Alright, so the first was Tony, except of course he didn't actually do more than grunt twice and use up his only condom," Mikaela snorted, swinging her fist twice. "Reputation wise? We went twice in the back of his car. If I remember correctly, there are twelve boys who claim to have had randy teenager sex in their cars with me before I _ever_ lost my virginity."

"How the hell did you pull that off?" Chance asked between guffaws.

"A lovely combination of fragile male egos and magic fingers," Mikaela snorted. "Actual virginity was to Trent, the guy you were constantly wanting to terrify, Bee," she grinned at her younger brother.

"I _knew_ I should have given him nightmares," Bee snorted.

"Why?" Optimus rumbled softly.

"Cause he's a total jerk," Bee replied with a shrug.

"No, why would you allow such flotsam to tarnish your reputation?" Optimus asked curiously, looking at his Kae. "To take and not give?"

"Necessity is the mother of invention," Mikaela shrugged beside him. "Nobody would believe the daughter of a car thief who happens to be a model student ordinary. I was still honour roll, but not many people knew it. As far as the school population was concerned, I was a whore, the sort of person that people overlook. I hid out in the open."

"That's hard," Epps stated quietly. Mikaela snorted.

"No, it was ridiculously easy, the only person's opinion that _ever _mattered to me was Tinny's. They raised the two of us to work toward our goals, either to build a future, or to finish a mission. Tinny's future was photography, _my_ future was hinged primarily on today." Kae fell silent and stared at the open hangar doors, where the chips she'd protected had walked out.

Optimus wound a gentle arm around his Kae, taking extreme care to not jostle her shoulder. She glanced up at him with a smile that flashed to wicked the next second.

"Alright, I've shown you mine, your turn," she grinned at Chromia.

"Oh! Oh! Here we go!" Flare laughed brightly.

"Hah! Says the femme with the same number of conquests!" Chromia shot back at her with a grin.

"Yeah, mostly because we went out together and you _picked_ 'em," Flare grinned.

"I have a gift," Chromia stated urbanely. "But after five thousand it comes time to look for a life mate."

"It would take an Orn just to say all of their names," Flare giggled.

"That was the goal, wan't it?" Arcee murmured with a low laugh, "You wanted a list of conquests long enough to cover an Orn, _just _to din my audio receptors while there was nothing to see but the occasional star and comet."

The three girls looked at each other and burst out laughing again.

"Wow, they have officially put _all_ of us together, _completely_ to shame," Jacobs rumbled with a snort.

"They're Femmes," Ironhide drawled with a broad grin, "They've got it, and are _completely_ entitled to flaunt it."

"Never hurts to... what's the term?" Ratchet frowned.

"Sleep around?" Kae asked with a small smile.

"What does _sleeping_ have to do with it?" Ratchet smirked at her, she burst out laughing again. "But true, it never hurts to sleep around before choosing a life mate."

"I want to be one of _them_ in my next life," Graham stated quietly, ribbing Lennox.

"So who was the first though," Lennox asked with a grin.

"The second," Arcee corrected gently.

"Although it's usually the third," Flare giggled.

"Oh don't be crass," Chromia laughed, giving the Femme a gentle shove.

"Translation?" Mikaela asked with a small smile, giving Optimus a gentle nudge.

"Our first interface is ideally guided by a chosen..." Optimus frowned, searching for a word. Mikaela looked up at him calmly.

"I cannot find an earth parallel," he rumbled.

"I wouldn't be surprised," she said calmly, "say it in Cybertronian?"

_First guide,∂_ Ratchet supplied calmly.

"For first Rites," Mikaela murmured with a half smile. "That's why there isn't a parallel, earth's current cultures are primarily patriarchal, there is a _lot_ of credence given to virginal brides. Mmmn," she frowned, leaning her head back on his shoulder. "The only parallel I can come up with are from semi-fictional works detailing matriarchal societies."

"Which means you've got a translation for us," Epps grinned at the Femme tucked snugly into Optimus' holoform.

"Sort of?" she frowned. "Mrs. Robinson, but add a shit-ton of respect to it. Donii woman would come far closer."

"Like Clan of the Cave Bear?" Jacobs asked curiously.

"I think so," Mikaela frowned, she tilted her head to look at Optimus' holoform. "A much more experienced and trustworthy person to guide the young through their first time?"

"Precisely," Optimus rumbled, grinning at his Kae.

"So you guys have your first partner chosen for you?" Lennox frowned.

"That's just making it creepy, Will." Ratchet snorted, "think of it from my perspective. You have one penis that fits into one vagina for the purpose of trading genetic material to produce young-"

"-Which they _still _manage to screw up-"Mikaela murmured with a snort, Bumblebee covered his vocal processors, his optics sparkling with laughter.

_"__Personally?_ I have sixteen separate binder cables capable of sending and receiving neural-energonic pulses-"

"-For which I am grateful-" Arcee murmured smugly. Optimus snorted.

"Which aren't solely used for interfacing," Ratchet continued, unperturbed. He crouched down and offered one of the cables from his wrist. He reached out and picked up a used oil filter, "They are prehensile, and capable of doing a great deal of damage to another if not properly controlled." he easily crushed the filter in demonstration. "Our first few times are guided, for our own safety. Interfacing is not simply unity of body, it is unity of sparks as well, you _saw_ the damage a misaligned spark does."

Kae idly reached up and rubbed her chest as the soldiers jumped.

"Mine wasn't even that badly misaligned," she murmured.

"True, yours was still within your body," Ratchet nodded. Flareup shuddered, and was immediately wrapped in Chromia and Arcee's arms.

"We are sisters now," Chromia murmured gently. Flare looked up and smiled weakly.

"Is it okay if I ask how you three wound up being sisters?" Chance asked hesitantly.

Arcee looked at Flare. The vibrant red-headed holoform nodded.

"Flare and I began as cousins," Chromia began quietly, "we were raised by sibling parental units at any rate, they were executed while we were still young. The war was all we knew so we made the best of it, staying in the Auto-bot compounds, much as the twins are now."

"We were trained for battle after that," Flare grinned, her smile faded. "Chromia and I... We wound up ambushed doing a routine cargo haul. I caught the edge of a blast to my spark..." she sighed. "I... I was..."

"When I looked back at Flare, I... I thought she'd been right behind me," Chromia whispered. "Instead, I saw her spark completely outside her chamber, her soul floating freely in space."

"I was desperately trying to get back to my body," Flare whimpered, "It hurt, it hurt so much, trapped between life and death, I didn't want to die, I didn't know the way to the Well."

"We were younglings back then," Chromia sighed. "I probably did more damage to Flare than that blast-"

"You saved me, Chrome," Flare immediately interjected, nuzzling against her sister.

"That was how I found them," Arcee stated calmly. "Chromia had bound herself around Flare, and did a rather good job seeing as it was her first time. I was a neutral rogue at the time, fate had thrown a solar flare in my path, which diverted me directly to them. Initially, I thought that they were both dead, so I came aside to see if I could find their memory chips, perhaps try to return them to their family. When I realized their sparks were still burning, I absorbed them both."

"That was how we found them," Ratchet murmured, reaching over to gather the girls into his arms. "How Arcee managed to carry two stranger's sparks in her own chamber is frankly astonishing. We didn't recognize them, at first," Ratchet stated calmly, carrying on the story for the soldier's entertainment. "Arcee had pulled their sparks into her own chamber, and was towing two mangled, tiny bodies behind her own. There was nothing left of Flare, and Chromia had all but destroyed herself trying to save her cousin."

"Then how...?" Will asked in shock.

"She split herself into three pieces, just so we could have bodies again," Chromia murmured sadly.

"I am one third my original size, but in return I have two beloved sisters. I would not have it any other way," Arcee stated calmly. Flare and Chromia wound themselves around their dominant sister. "I have traveled alone, and having them with me is far better than the isolation. Even if you managed to din my ears with two orn worth of your conquests," she teased them gently.

"Optimus was our first after that," Chromia stated calmly, looking at Kae carefully. There was silence for a moment as the femmes all looked at their potentially newest sister.

"Not prone to jealousy," Kae smiled at them wryly, they grinned at her as Optimus proudly pulled her a bit more tightly into his side. "He's a damned good first." she added, well below the human's hearing range. Optimus fought back the smirk that matched the ones on Ratchet and Ironhide's faces.

"And that was..." Lennox frowned.

"One thousand of your years before Elita was killed," Optimus rumbled softly. Kae reached out and gently caught his hand in her own.

"Physician, heal thyself," Optimus murmured into her hair. She let out a choked laugh as he pulled her a bit more tightly into the holoform's arms. She turned slightly and buried herself into him. Primus but it felt right.

"So you guys..." Epps grinned, looking back and forth at the holos.

"It's not so much sex as training," Chromia supplied with a grin.

"When Chromia saved me, she merged her spark entirely with mine, we had a _pit _of a time trying to figure out who was whom," Flare added with a giggle, "Optimus was the one who separated our three sparks. He's the best one to do it."

Chance stared at him for a long moment, obviously debating himself.

"You are allowed to ask why," Optimus rumbled with a snort.

"Excellent! 'Cause I was gonna be stewing _forever_ if you guys didn't tell us what the qualifications to be a first are," the Aussi grinned.

"Optimus is the best at it, because he's so much of a pacifist it's sickening," Ironhide rumbled with a snort. Chromia burst out laughing and whacked his holoform lightly.

"Optimus has one of the... how do I describe it?" Arcee murmured, looking at Mikaela with a smirk.

"He has a combination of both the strongest, and gentlest personalities," Kae stated with a gentle smile. "He always has the potential of completely overlaying another's spark, but he's always holding himself in check. He knows how to keep his personality separate from another's." Kae unwound herself slightly to cuddle into him a bit more, Optimus smiled to hear her description, she looked up at him and he felt his spark flare in his chamber again. "He gives without thinking about it, gives more than he takes."

"Wait, that means he's technically _your_ first interface," Will grinned at the girl. "What'd he give anyway?"

Kae promptly began to blush furiously.

"All together?" Chromia stated cheerfully.

"Agreed," Arcee giggled, "he wasn't my first, but he renewed my hope."

"Gave me my identity," Flareup trilled.

"Gave me strength, and patience," Bumblebee stated with a grin.

"He was your first too!?" Jacobs asked incredulously.

"What? It's common for a bot to interface with his or her Prime, gender doesn't really matter," Ratchet shrugged. "It's _insanely_ rare to find a femme with enough strength to deal with an overzealous youngling, interfacing isn't simply sex, in fact, it's _rarely_ sex, what did you think the twins and the girls are doing when they integrate into one body?"

"Oh, point," Will grinned.

"He gave me courage," Chromia added, grinning at Optimus' holoform. "What'd he give to you Kae?" she asked with a broad grin.

Mikaela blushed even more, making it obviously possible.

"Kae?" Arcee asked softly.

"He... he gave me safe harbour," the girl whispered, Optimus jumped, turning to stare at his femme. She took a deep breath and looked up. "He gave more than I can repay, surrounded me with light in the darkness. He gave me acceptance, looked at the person I have had to be and stayed regardless. Gave me the strength to face the night."

"Aw Kae," Bumblebee whimpered, his holoform crawling over to pull her into an enveloping embrace alongside Optimus.

"You know what you gave me? Bee?" she whispered. Bee pulled back slightly to stare at her. "You gave me the courage to let him." Bee grinned at his sister and laid down on the floor, tentatively resting his head on her thigh. Her hand reached forward and idly began toying with her younger brother's hair.

"The courage to face the night?" Will murmured curiously.

"If I may?" Optimus murmured, Kae looked up at him and nodded. "When Kae sleeps in my cab," Optimus rumbled quietly, "her dreams often rise on the currents of energon that seep from her. Through her eyes, I watched her cradle her sister as she died in her arms. Watched her being interrogated for hours, watched as she allowed her uncle to tie her up before the police arrived."

"Uncle stunned me, just a low setting on the gun, so that I wouldn't have to watch as the police shot him for resisting arrest," Kae whispered. "He'd tied me up so that if the stun didn't work, I wouldn't have enough time to get out of the restraints to get in front of the bullets."

"Why would he resist arrest?" Will asked hoarsely.

"Because being shot and killed outside our shop was a far better fate than what would have happened were he put in jail," Kae choked. "He chose his place to die, in our line of duty, we refer to it as the permanent assist."

"New topic?" Optimus murmured gently, feeling her reluctance to continue the topic. She looked at him gratefully and nodded.

"That's why you refuse to take naps?" Ratchet murmured.

"Eight hours of pain and terror is enough," Kae whispered, she straightened in his arms somewhat and forced herself to smile.

"So who really shot you?" Will asked suddenly.

"I don't honestly know," Kae shrugged, "We never found out if it was bloods, crips or rogues. I know I saw their faces, but all I could focus on at the time was getting to the high ground. I felt so bad for Tinny, she was so pale as Uncle Sho patched me up. She stayed though, right beside me for the entire drive she stayed and held my hand."

"I will stay beside you," Arcee whispered, Kae looked up at at the Femme and bit her lip, hard. "Not that I want the necessity," Arcee added with a small smile, "I'm just saying."

"Mind, I'll probably be at your knee," Chromia added, "No doubt Optimus will be at your head since Ratchet'll be at your other side, patching you together again."

"I call her other knee then," Bumblebee added, turning his head up to look at her with the irrepressible grin of a young man.

"So seven languages?" Jacobs asked curiously.

"Mandarin, English, Arabic, French, German-"

"Arabic! Why the hell didn't you just talk to the people yourself?" Lennox demanded.

Optimus looked down at his Kae to see her looking at Lennox with a wry expression.

"_For a rather good reason,_" she stated in Arabic. Jacobs snorted.

"Iranian syntax," he chuckled. "You speak that and they shove you around at gunpoint."

"It comes in handy though," Kae snorted. "I don't speak, but I can still hear."

Optimus pulled his Kae closer as she began to shiver, shooting a worried glance to Ratchet.

"Kae," Ratchet began softly, "your adrenaline is being broken down, is there anything that I can give you, take the edge off?"

"Coffee," Kae groaned immediately. "It's too early in the day for sleep."

"You're sleeping in my cab tonight," Optimus rumbled quietly, reaching up to tilt her face to look at him. "Any and every night that you wish it you will remain with me. I cannot make the dreams go away, but I will stand beside you, behind you."

Kae promptly buried herself a bit more deeply into his chest, so close he could feel the tension in her muscles as she struggled to not shake.

"You're going to have one hell of a headache if you don't stop that," Ratchet stated firmly.

"It's humiliating," Mikaela immediately groused.

"Oh c'mon, we _all _shiver when we're coming down off an adrenaline rush," Jacobs snorted, patting her knee.

"What, that you're suffering from minor convulsions as the adrenaline leaves your system?" Ratchet demanded irritably. "I'd be worried if you _weren't _shaking. If you want embarrassing-"

"Not it!" Bee shouted immediately.

"Oh may as well, you know she's gonna know in a matter of weeks anyway," Ironhide snorted.

"We're ratting ourselves out," Ratchet snorted, "and here's embarrassing, I haven't had a physical in over seven vorn."

"We're scheduling you in then," Mikaela immediately stated in a firm tone, straightening slightly and promptly glaring at her hands as they shook, immediately crossing her arms.

"Mine," Optimus rumbled in her ear, squirming slightly so that she was sitting propped between his legs, his arms wrapped around hers, threading fingers together. She felt like ice, even her core temperature was dropping. He frowned worriedly, looking at Ratchet.

"Solid state," Ratchet stated flatly. "Kae, quit directing the energon to consume your adrenaline, it's only going to make you colder."

"Kae, oh my Kae I'm so sorry," Optimus rumbled in a choked tone, pulling her a bit more tightly into his chest.

"What's going on?" Will asked in a shocked tone.

"Mikaela has been directing her spark to convert the excess adrenaline in her blood into energon," Ratchet groaned, "which is stored in a solid state, you're going to become a statue if you don't stop it!"

"I c-c-can't," Kae whispered, her shivering becoming all the more violent as her body struggled to warm itself. Ratchet's holoform blinked out the next second, his metal body moving as quickly as he could toward his assistant. He extended a binder cable toward her.

"I know it's more fun to release it with Optimus," he rumbled, "you can do that later, once you've warmed up a bit."

Mikaela immediately reached a hand out, allowing the binder cable Ratchet extended to wrap around her wrist.

"How the hell!?" Epps asked in a shocked tone as the thick cable passed into her skin.

"The cable separates into it's component neural fibres," Mikaela murmured, "then passes through the skin between the cells to connect to my nervoushuhhh..."

Kae's eyes rolled back in her head even as Ratchet began convulsing lightly.

"SCRAP!" Optimus roared, immediately moving forward and extending binder cables into Kae's body.

"What's going on?" Will shouted, watching in a panic as Optimus' holoform's face blanked out and Mikaela convulsed.

"_That's _embarrassing," Bumblebee laughed, all of the bots' holoforms were laughing.

"Cute though," Ironhide snorted. "Ratchet connected to Kae and forgot that even as such a tiny form she's an absolute powerhouse. They basically just connected a AA battery to a nuclear reactor. Power wise anyway, she's not radioactive."

"Isn't that..." Chance started worriedly.

"Dangerous? Nah, it's only dangerous when sparks merge," Ironhide grinned. "Right now Ratchet's getting the recharge of his life. See?" he added as Ratchet's cable retracted. Kae's eyes snapped open.

"My bad," Ratchet snorted before she could open her mouth.

"I could have-"

"What? Shorted me out?" Ratchet laughed as Optimus' holoform animated again. "Optimus is over-reacting, I'm programmed to withdraw before I can get shorted. Although we can cancel the physical now, you just managed to take a good _vorn_ off of my aging cycle. Go, take her to see the sunset and get her calm again," Ratchet added, looking at Optimus. The holo nodded.

"If you will excuse us," he rumbled quietly, lifting his exhausted Kae into the holoform's arms and delicately settling her into his hand at the nods of soldiers and bots. He transformed around his Kae, and drove up the coastal road with her curled up in his seat.

In silence, he transformed, cradling his dear femme to his chest as the sun set.


	62. 60 Ashes

******Well, I garnered some very weird looks when I wrote this chapter, I was sobbing my eyes out. And a year later, when I read it again I sobbed once again. The song for this chapter is 'Wishing you were somehow here again' specifically from the Phantom of the Opera, 2004 as sung by Emma Rossum. In so much as you can, enjoy. ~K**

**Chapter 60 - Ashes**

* * *

(MPOV)

Optimus' holoform got out of his cab first, glancing around before walking to the passenger door, he offered a hand and helped me down, climbing up to gather the flowers we'd stopped to pick up.

He handed me the bouquet and offered an arm, which I delicately linked my hand through, letting him guide me toward the tastefully decorated grave sites. An entourage of holoforms followed closely behind. Brick's wife hurried toward me, a tiny, sobbing woman with hair so blonde it was almost white.

"Mary, oh Mary I'm so sorry," I murmured, holding her tightly as Arcee gently took the bouquet, freeing my hands.

"Thank you Kae, you gave them back their honour," Mary whispered looking up at me with the bright green eyes that had always pierced through your defences. I cupped her cheek lightly and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, glancing up at Optimus.

He nodded and started forward again, taking my hand and protectively tucking it into the crook of his elbow. We stood silently; my arm still wrapped tightly around the still sobbing woman, not caring that her tears were dampening the modestly cut silk of my pantsuit. The femmes especially had been spoiling me, allowing me to maintain my quiet, numb demeanour, asking rather than demanding if I wished to join them on the shopping excursion that had brought the pantsuit to the base for me.

And every bot had been there, not an hour went by when there wasn't a hand briefly touching my face, my hands, my shoulders. Anchoring me. Reminding me that they were there.

The funeral was modest, officiated by an elderly, retired marine. Blissfully short despite covering both Paddy's Catholic traditions and Uncle Sho's Buddhism. Finally, General Moreshower stood to present folded flags to Mary, Rig's gentle mother Jean, Paddy's sister Beth, and handed two to me, one for Sho, one for dad, along with their medals of honour.

"Does anyone wish to say something more?" the gentle faced marine priest finally asked after the guns had fired.

"Kaela, sing something?" Mary asked me softly, "Please?"

Optimus gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze and accepted the flags, handing me the bouquet again. I walked forward hesitantly, receiving nods from several people.

"You were once my one companion, you were all that mattered, you were once a friend and father, then my world was shattered." I sang softly, touching Dad's casket lightly before laying his group of three flowers down, Red and yellow rose and a white african daisy. I caressed Rig's casket as I laid his favourite iris down with the roses. "Wishing you were somehow here again, wishing you were somehow near, sometimes it seemed if I just dreamed somehow you would be here."

I moved to lay flowers over Paddy and Brick's caskets. Clover for Paddy, and a rhododendron for Brick along with their roses. "Wishing I could hear your voice again," Paddy's voice crossed my mind as I sang, his rich, sweet irish lilt and the wisdom in the words that had been spoken with it. "knowing that I never would, dreaming of you won't help me to do all that you dreamed I could. Passing bells and sculpted angels cold and monumental, seem for you the wrong companions, you were warm and gentle." Dear, powerfully strong and gentle Brick.

I could hear Mary begin to sob again as I moved to Chen Sho and Tinny's combined casket – two urns resting within instead of one body. Tears streamed down my face, blissfully still leaving my voice unaffected as I sang. "Too many years fighting off tears why can't the past just die? Wishing you you were somehow here again, knowing we must say goodbye. Try to forgive, teach me to live, give me the strength to try. No more memories no more silent tears no more gazing across the wasted years. Help me say goodbye... help me say goodbye." I caressed the casket in farewell and laid my final bunch of flowers down. Red and yellow roses, a Lotus flower for Uncle Sho, and Tinny's favourite snow white lily. I took a deep, calming breath and stood at the head of of Uncle Sho's casket, beginning to sing his soul to the next life, my voice broke.

In a second, Optimus and Sideswipe were standing beside me. Sideswipe held the note, preventing the chant from breaking. I joined him quickly, gathering the strength from Optimus' strong hand on my shoulder. Finished, I nodded weakly and let the two holoforms guide my steps back to our place.

Mary was sobbing again as she threw herself into my arms. Tears streamed silently down my face as I rocked her until she quieted again.

"Dear little Kae," she murmured as her brother gathered her up, "Thank you."

I nodded silently and stood straight backed in the circle of Optimus' arm as the caskets were lowered to the mournful sound of a lone trumpet playing the last post. A minute of silence and the sound began again, the flags raised.

Dry eyed once more, I let Optimus lead me back toward his truck form, getting into the cab silently and buckling myself in.

"Mikaela, are you alright?" he rumbled softly.

"I'm okay," I said quietly, "I'm sorry, just a lot of memories to deal with."

His holo nodded silently and followed the gear shift as he reversed and drove back to base. We were waved through the gate automatically, continuing to drive until we were on one of the waiting C-17's. I took a deep breath and got out of Optimus' cab, his holoform doing the same. Ratchet, Sideswipe, Ironhide, Bumblebee, Arcee, Chromia and Flareup parked behind us. A dozen or so soldiers got out of the cars as holoforms flickered into place.

Lennox squeezed my shoulder gently as Chance gave me a hug, Jacobs, Graham and Epps did the same before walking to the side of the plane, buckling in for the flight. I smiled at them and walked toward Sideswipe.

"Sides?" I asked calmly.

"Little sister?" he asked gently, his holoform flickering to stand beside Optimus'.

"Thank you f-" I took a deep breath as my throat suddenly constricted. "Thank you for not letting me break Master Chen Sho's funeral song," I whispered, fighting back tears.

"What's a brother for?" the Asian holoform said gently, cupping my cheek.

"Mikaela?" Optimus asked gently, his hand warming my shoulder again.

"I'm sorry," I said automatically, fighting to compose myself.

"Never apologize for expressing grief little cricket," Sideswipe said gently.

The floodgates burst, Optimus' arms were around me in seconds, rocking me as I grieved the loss of father, sister and four uncles in one day.

Surrounded by a press of comforting bodies, Optimus rocked and murmured, his face pressed into my hair. I felt so tired, so weighed down. My eyes closed of their own accord, the last sensation that passed my mind was the feeling of being lifted gently, passed carefully from one pair of arms to the next and laid to sleep.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus watched his Kae's dreams worriedly, they were so very vivid. She was surrounded by death, fighting with frozen arms, it was so cold. He finally recognized the scenery from her point of view. Egypt.

He himself was lying in the sand, his chest cracked wide open.

She jerked awake, screaming.

"Kae, I'm here, I'm right here," he rumbled desperately, onlining his holoform and wrapping her tightly in his arms, rocking in the hammock.

"You were dead," she sobbed into his chest, "Optimus you were dead."

"Mikaela listen to me, listen to my voice," Optimus ordered, crushing her to his holoform's chest. "They can kill me a thousand times over and I will always, _always _return to you. There is no force in this universe that will keep me away from you."

She broke down, sobbing in his arms and clinging to him desperately. He pressed his lips to her forehead, knowing she could hear the worry and love that resonated through his spark chamber. Kae arched slightly, reaching up and catching his lips with her own.

Automatically, he knew what she needed. He kissed her soundly, cradling her head with a gentle hand before working his way down her jaw, feathering kisses to her collarbone. Delicately, the neural fibres of the hammock pressed into her skin, reaching for the currents of energon running through her system and touching her spark.

He opened his eyes in her mind, saw the fragile little femme surrounded by darkness and reached for her with his own hands, caressing her gently before laying her in a bed of satiny light. He laid down beside her and felt the aching pain in her spark, felt it ease away as she fully registered his presence.

"You aren't a dream," she whispered softly, pulling him closer as he held her tenderly.

"Close your eyes my spark-mate," he whispered into her spark. "Humbly, your guardian will _always_ be here."

Her eyes closed obediently, cuddling closer to him as she drifted back to her recharge cycle. Optimus drifted into his own, holding his Kae close to his spark.

* * *

He roused as the sunlight streamed through the open hangar doors and caressed the photocells present on the surface of his armour.

"Is she still asleep?" Lennox whispered to Ratchet. The medic transformed quietly, looking at Optimus and nodding.

"She's had a bad night," Optimus rumbled softly, he could still feel his Kae's exhaustion, despite her being in deep rechearge.

"She's grieving her father, uncles and sister all over again, isn't she?" Lennox asked sadly. Ratchet nodded. "Let her rest," Will murmured softly, "I just came over to tell you that the latest shipment of metals arrived, but I think they can wait."

"Thank you, Will," Optimus murmured. The Major nodded and walked quietly away.


	63. 61 A Year of Hours: Surprise

**Chapter 61 - A Year of Hours: Surprise**

* * *

_We choose our fates, and when fate has chosen, the countdown begins._

365:00

Location: Diego Garcia

(RPOV)

Ratchet onlined hurriedly, something felt wrong.

Kae was in her workspace, staring at a Jeep that even she wouldn't be able to fix. She was shaking, her spine rigidly straight but her shoulders bent. A broken femme trying so hard to keep herself in one piece. Ratchet scanned her for a long moment, weighing his options.

::. Let her be for a moment.:: Bumblebee sent quietly, startling Ratchet. The scout's spark had sounded precisely like he was sleeping. Sneaky. Ratchet utilized it immediately and noted that several of the other bots were watching Kae as well.

::. What do we do? I can't leave her broken!.:: Ratchet stated firmly.

::. Wait, watch.:: Bee murmured ::. if she doesn't turn her music on, she's going to start singing, and the second she does we'll know what she needs the most, it's sometimes the only way to tell how she's doing, by listening to what she's listening to, or singing.::

::. How do you know that?.:: Optimus demanded worriedly.

::. She's my sister.:: Bee shrugged, and his tone left absolutely no doubt that he was just as worried, watching her intently.

It was another forty seconds before her voice, barely more than a whisper reached them.

"I am sitting here wanting memories to teach me, to see the beauty in the world through my own eyes. I am sitting here wanting memories to teach me, to see the beauty in the world through my own eyes." she sang softly.

Kae reached forward and laid her hands on the jeep, seeming to fight just to stay upright. "You used to rock me in the cradle of your arms, you said you'd hold me til the pains of life were gone, you said you'd comfort me in times like these and now I need you, now I need you, and you are gone..." her voice, even as quiet as it was, broke.

She sounded so alone.

::. Ratchet, go hold her.:: Bumblebee commanded. ::. as you, as your holoform, whatever...::

Ratchet didn't need telling twice, he onlined his holoform behind Kae, catching her as she collapsed, shaking violently and desperately trying not to sob aloud.

"Let it out, daughter let it out," he rumbled desperately, cradling his assistant, his spark-daughter close to the holoform's chest. Her pain was so much his own. Hers, the loss of a father, his... his daughter.

Kae opened her mouth, seeming to try to compose herself before a harsh cry tore from her throat. Ratchet transformed immediately, walking over and collecting his spark-daughter into his hands, curling around her and surrounding her with the sound of his spark.

As he had for his Alia, when she was a hatchling.

* * *

(OPOV)

Kae rose silently, leaving his cab and walking toward the makeshift med-bay. Optimus began to bring a processor online to solidify his holoform.

::. NO!.:: Bumblebee commanded.

Optimus froze in shock as his scout brought him up short.

::. Please Sir! Let her be for a minute!.:: Bee sent over the private channels desperately.

::. Kae is grieving! She should not have to be alone!.:: Optimus stated firmly. He did, however, utilize the trick Bee was sending over the channel to the other bots, quieting his spark to sound as though he were recharging still.

::. She's not alone.:: Bee stated firmly ::. we all are watching her, but she doesn't _express_ the depths of her emotions unless she thinks she's alone. You have to understand, Prime, Kae was never equipped to share emotions, she's _trained_ to suppress and conceal them to keep others away, to hide those capsules. Now they're gone, as well as her entire family. She does't know how to handle it yet.::

::. A wounded creature does not announce that it is hurt, it hides away to lick it's wounds...:: Arcee murmured softly. ::. Poor Kae.::

Optimus sat, stewing irritably, he wanted to hold his Kae, to make it better.

::. I know it's hard.:: Bee murmured suddenly. ::. You wouldn't believe the number of times I've almost given myself up for want to go hold her. It's how I learned, anytime she thinks I'm asleep, that she's alone, _that's_ when she shows the pain, she needs to get it out before you can make it better, sir.::

He listened, interested now as Bumblebee next dissuaded Ratchet from immediately going to Kae. He thought back to her dreams and realized that his scout was absolutely correct. Damn it. Finally, _finally_, Kae began singing. It was another wrench entirely to listen to the lyrics, she was speaking to her father.

::. Ratchet, go hold her.:: Bumblebee commanded. ::. as you, as your holoform, whatever...::

Ratchet's holoform was online the next second, catching Kae as she collapsed beneath her own mental burden. She was shaking, trying so hard to remain quiet. The Medi-bot's next words explained Bee's actions instantly.

"Let it out, daughter let it out," Ratchet rumbled desperately, and every bot knew precisely why as he transformed, striding over to cradle the tiny femme.

::. Just as he had Alia.:: Ironhide rumbled in a grieving tone. ::. Good call, Bee.::

::. Now when can we all go?.:: Arcee demanded, Optimus noted the way she needed to comfort not simply Kae, but Ratchet as well.

Bumblebee remained silent for a long moment.

::. Now.:: he murmured gently, transforming and rising with slow precision, Optimus followed him immediately, along with every last bot in the hangar.

"I am sitting here, wanting memories to teach me," Arcee sang softly, wheeling forward carefully and laying a hand on Ratchet's shoulder. "To see the beauty in the world through my own eyes."

Flareup and Chromia joined her in a successively more complex harmony. Oddly, their voices keeping harmony with the soft hum of everyone's sparks.

"I am sitting here wanting memories to teach me, to see the beauty in the world through my own eyes."

Kae's voice joined the harmony as she clung to Ratchet, leaving no doubt she could feel his pain as well.

"You used to rock me in the cradle of your arms, You said you'd hold me till the pains of life were gone, you said you'd comfort me in times like these and now I need you, now I need you, and you are gone... I am sitting here wanting memories to teach me to see the beauty in the world through my own eyes. Since you've gone and left me, there's been so little beauty, but I know I saw it clearly through your eyes."

Optimus softly joined his own voice into the harmony, winding a gentle arm around Ratchet's shoulders. This was the easy part, the strength that grew as it was shared.

"Now the world outside is such a cold and bitter place, here inside I have few things that will console. And when I try to hear your voice above the storms of life then I remember, all the things that I was told..."

Kae continued to sing despite the tears streaming down her face, out of the corner of his optic, Optimus observed Will standing at the hangar doors, several of the soldiers just behind him. There were tears in both Jacobs' and Chance's eyes, Will silently gestured the men back, they faded respectfully into the dark.

Optimus turned his head slightly and caught Will's eyes, nodding his thanks.

Will shot him a gentle smile and nodded back before he retreated into the dark.

Kae's voice was getting a bit stronger, even as the tears remained. She clung to Ratchet even as the older Medic cradled her, rocking as he had Alia as a sparking. Each gathering strength from the other.

Gently, Optimus guided his earthbound unit to the centre of the hangar. Laying down in a pile of limbs and servos, sparks hummed together. The strength that was shared.

Kae never roused as sunlight touched the gathered mechs, Optimus watched her worriedly, looking at Ratchet.

::. Let her sleep.:: Ratchet sent gently. Optimus obediently transformed around her, laying her in his sleeper.

She stirred slightly and sighed, cuddling closer to him and slipping back into her recharge.

* * *

282:00

Location: Diego Garcia

I opened my eyes to see Optimus' holoform watching me carefully.

"I'm okay now," I whispered hoarsely. "I'm sorry."

"Love gives us strength," Optimus rumbled gently, "never apologize for being the kind, loving femme we cherish and respect." his holo wrapped me in his arms again. I closed my eyes and relaxed against him for a few minutes, gathering the strength to face the day.

Finally, I took a deep breath and looked up at him.

"I've been sleeping for four days," I stated calmly.

"You are allowed," Optimus rumbled calmly, "Though I will admit it has been nice to have the excuse to sit around myself."

"You shouldn't have to babysit me through a minor meltdown," I frowned.

"I do not have to," he cupped my cheek, "I wanted to."

"I love you too," I whispered, kissing the palm of his holoform.

"Good," he murmured, bending down to touch his lips to mine. I kissed him back lightly before carefully exiting the hammock. I dragged on a clean pair of jeans and tank top that had been set out at some point, stretching under-used muscles back into working condition.

"I hope Ratchet left some things for me to do," I stated with a small smile. "Gods but it would suck to be an assistant with nothing to assist on." I looked back at the smirking holo. I narrowed my eyes at him. "You lot made bets on how long it would take for me to be back to work, didn't you?"

"And also proved something," Optimus rumbled with a small laugh.

"What?" I frowned.

He sat up and snagged my belt in a flash, dragging me between his knees.

"That Primes _do _in fact, know everything," he grinned, snaring me in his arms and planting a kiss on my collar bone.

"Oh so you're keeping me here so that I reach my workstation at a precise time-stamp now?" I looked down at him, torn between irritation and amusement.

"Fifteen minutes," he nodded.

"Which is just enough time for me to go have a shower," I smirked at him.

"I took the time you'd take to go have a shower into account," he smirked back at me. His expression sobered slightly. "But there is also something I would like to ask you."

I raised my eyebrows at him as his holo morphed into a scale size of his bipedal form.

"Mikaela," he looked up at me with earnest blue optics, he hesitated for a moment. "Will you go for a drive with me later? To watch the sunset?"

"Our usual place?" I asked gently, caressing his face.

He nodded.

"Absolutely," I smiled, ducking down to first kiss his lips, then the plates covering his spark. "You know you don't even need to ask."

He pulled me close, holding me tightly for a long moment.

"So can I go shower now?" I teased him lightly. "Or is Ratchet going to win if I do?"

"Go on," he rumbled, his avatar winking out with a laugh.

I climbed stiffly out of the sleeper hatch, almost falling until Sideswipe's holo caught me, carefully setting me on my feet. He gave me a gentle hug before his holo winked out again. Bemused, I shook my head to clear the cobwebs and made a beeline for the showers.

Stripping down in the cubicle I glared at the shower before turning it on and letting the icy cold spray blast me into proper awareness.

At high speed I washed and conditioned my hair, running a bar of soap quickly over my pulse points and rinsing the soaps thoroughly away before shutting the water off again. My muscles screamed protest as I roughly dried myself off, flying into my clothes again.

Ten minutes precisely I was walking toward Ratchet, tying my hair up as I went.

"Morning Ratch," I called out when he'd lifted his hand away, "What's on the menu for today?"

"Three oil changes and a problem child," Ratchet rumbled, turning to look at me. "_After_ you have eaten."

"Oh don't be a bully," I shot back at him, "I'll eat at noon when I'm certain I won't throw it back up again."

"At noon you will be 'halfway' through the problem child and claim you'll eat when you're finished, which will be at midnight." Ratchet stated grumpily, "Eat. Food. Now."

I glared up at the medi-bot, he glared back.

I caved first and rolled my eyes.

"Fine," I sighed. Ratchet smiled.

"It's good to have you back Kae."

I smiled up at him and jogged toward the mess hall.

"Ratchet won again?" Chance asked, handing me a tray.

"It's friggen impossible to win a staring contest with a being that has absolutely no need to blink." I grumbled, rolling my eyes.

"Then why bother?" Epps asked curiously.

"It's how they tell each other they care," Chance chuckled, I lightly jabbed my elbow into his ribs, he grinned and turned to Epps, holding a finger to his lips. "Shh, don't tell anyone."

I snorted, fighting back a laugh.

"We're sure she's not just a really pretty guy?" Chance asked over my head.

"Dunno man, when you're out here too long even _your_ ugly face starts looking good," Epps replied, grinning.

"I'll leave you two ladies to your courtship then," I shot at them, drawing a cup of coffee from the percolator furthest to the right. The one that was always the strongest.

"Oh yeah, she's back," Lennox grinned, giving my shoulder a squeeze, "You coming for the run tomorrow?"

"After four days of laying down?" I grinned, "Gods, I'm going to have to carry _you_ just to keep up with you guys."

Chance burst out laughing and looked at Lennox as we settled at the table.

"Just don't headbutt her boob, or she'll never let you live it down," he stated with an absolutely straight face before he burst out laughing again.

"Yeah yeah," Lennox chuckled, he turned to me. "So, being as it is now November 25th, my wife has ordered me to bring you for Christmas."

I stared at him with raised eyebrows, mouthing wordlessly.

"Thought you said you knew how many days you've been sleeping?" Epps nudged me, "C'mon, she does a brilliant spread."

"I can't put your family in that kind of danger!" I finally exclaimed.

"What danger? We've got the matrix, and the Decepticons are being quiet lately," Will shrugged, shooting me a half grin.

"No, not from the Decepticons," I murmured, biting my lip.

"You still keeping secrets?" Epps looked at me with a frown. I sighed.

"Not really, but the implementation of the information I was carrying will likely be taking effect in another orn... sorry two weeks. You know that picture of the unit I have hanging in my workspace?"

"The one where you lot are smiling, or the one where everybody looks so serious?"

"The serious one," I said quietly, habitually looking around with wary eyes. "Tinny wasn't in it because despite the fact she was dominant, she was a gentle, carefree, and loving girl. That photo was a plant. In two weeks time I was supposed to go underground. Brick never carried that photo, it was left in his hand."

"Wait, wait wait wait, who's going to come after you?" Chance asked firmly. I glanced at the news and did a double take. The news reel beneath was disturbing to say the least.

"Turn that up!" I shouted. One of the soldiers scrambled to obey.

"...with the new information which came to light after being presented by it's covert guardian, Miss Mikaela Banes," the President stated in a quiet, sober tone.

"Fuck," I whispered as everyone stared at me in shock. "Fuckfuckfuckfuckfuck!"

"Miss Banes risked her life repeatedly in the line of duty, despite having never been formally inducted into the military. Not only to protect the information which had been handed to her, but also to act as first contact, then ambassador to the Auto-bots." Obama paused and looked up from the lectern. "I had the pleasure of meeting Miss Banes on a personal level when she presented this information to us," he held up a sheaf of papers, "she gave the impression of being a brave, intelligent young woman. They say you can tell an individual's personality by their handshake. Her hands are strong, covered in grease, and anyone who shakes it can immediately tell she is one of the best exa-"

"Present Arms!" a voice commanded behind us. I stood frozen, staring at the television.

"At ease everyone, Mikaela?" I barely heard Moreshower's voice, staring at the screen in horror. A hand gripped my shoulder. I reacted instantly, grabbing the wrist and spinning to see my attacker.

"General!?" I half shouted in shock, releasing him. I turned back to the screen and whipped my head around. "I have to go! If the President is already acting on that information I need to go to ground _now!_ FUCK! My run kit is in pieces! _Idiot!_ Never get comfortable in any one place! Anywhere I am the people around me are in danger now!" I raged, beginning to stride at high speed toward the door.

"MIKAELA!" General Moreshower shouted, moving to quickly stand in front of me and catching my attention finally. "Calm down and listen to the rest of the broadcast!" he commanded sharply.

I took a deep, shuddering breath and turned back to the screen.

"With this information," the President stated with a proud lift of his head, "World peace will finally be a viable possibility. We will no longer have to live in fear of the destruction of the world at our own hands." there was a massive amount of cheering in the background of the broadcast. Someone hurriedly passed the president a note, Obama read it, tuned away from the microphones and began arguing softly, waving the note. He seemed to be asking for confirmation. The person looked up at him sadly and nodded. The president visibly sagged before he raised a hand for quiet.

"If I may have your attention, I have received some new information, unfortunately," he began, his voice taking on a truly sad tone. "Miss Mikaela Banes, the young woman who devoted her life to protecting these secrets was found murdered last night..." he reached up and rubbed his mouth before taking a shaky breath and looking up.

"I had hoped to personally award her the Medal of Honour and shake her hand once more," he said in a quiet, saddened tone. There was absolute silence in the background now. "I swear to these United States, and to the world. The United States of America will work tirelessly to make the sacrifice of her young life have meaning. She will be posthumously awarded the Medal of honour. If we could have a minute of silence, in remembrance of her bravery and kindness."

There was deathly silence as I collapsed onto the floor.

"I thought I did a fairly good job on that speech," Obama stated calmly behind me. "I _had_ hoped to warn you before it came on though..."

"Who took care of my death?" I asked weakly.

"I did," Moreshower stated flatly. "The only people who know that the body being buried in the grave beside your father is nothing more than wood ash and crushed chimpanzee bones are standing in this room. I _personally_ took care of it."

I took a deep breath and fought to still the violent tremors wracking my body.

"I'm dead," I whispered, I began laughing.


	64. 62 A Year of Hours: Hysteria

**Chapter 62 - A Year of Hours: Hysteria**

* * *

-281:28

Location: Diego Garcia Mess Hall

(WPOV)

Mikaela collapsed.

Will took one look at her and ran for the door.

"Optimus!" he bellowed, the mech whipped around to look at him, his holoform onlining the next second.

"What's wrong?" he rumbled in a dangerous tone.

"I think we're going to need you," Will stated hoarsely, dragging the holo into the mess by the wrist, convention be damned.

"Who took care of my death?" Mikaela asked weakly, her tone was _way_ off. Terrified.

"I did," Moreshower told her flatly. "The only people who know that the body being buried in the grave beside your father is nothing more than wood ash and crushed chimpanzee bones are standing in this room. I _personally_ took care of it."

Mikaela took a deep breath and sagged into herself, anyone could see the adrenaline draining from her body. "I'm dead," she whispered. She began laughing.

"Oh this is bad!" Will groaned as her laughter took on a hysterical edge despite it's bizarrely quiet quality. Optimus' holoform darted back to the door, bellowing what could only be orders in Cybertronian before he fairly flew to kneel in front of Mikaela.

"Calm down, Kae come back, calm down." he cupped her face in powerful hands and forced her to look at him.

"I'm dead Optimus!" she looked at him with glazed eyes, "You're all in danger now. Who'll sing my funeral song?"

"You're not dead you're right here!" Optimus told her urgently. "Kae come back, you're safe, nothing's going to get you!"

"Prime!" Chromia's holo snapped, "move over!"

"Chromia-"

"It's a fit of hysteria, talking her down will take hours," Chromia told him flatly. "C'mere Kae," Chromia proceeded to haul Mikaela to her feet and slapped her hard across the face with a resounding smack.

"What the Hell!" Epps shouted.

* * *

(MPOV)

"You back with us Kae?" Chromia looked me in the eye sternly.

"Yeah, I'm good," I sighed. "Fuck, I'm a mess, this is a mess, I'm sorry, thanks."

"There's my girl," she smiled gently, pulling me into a tight hug. "And don't worry about it, if you ever see me going hysterical you can feel free to slap me back right?"

"You hysterical?" I laughed weakly, "shit Chrome, you'd kick my ass!"

"Uh, what just happened?" Will asked in a shocked tone, I turned in Chromia's arms to look at the audience, my friends. I groaned and buried my face in her shoulder.

"You caught her off guard," Chromia shrugged. "Lemme guess, you're about two words shy of grabbing your run kit and going completely off the grid?" she looked down at me wryly.

"One name. Oh God Chrome, my run kit's in pieces," I groaned. I made to go, but Chromia held me firmly in place, turning me to look sternly in my eyes.

"That's enough to make any hunter turned hunted hysterical." Chromia nodded firmly. "You're giving off the pheromones of trapped prey. Spill."

"One name is enough to send you off the grid?" Moreshower demanded.

"Well, there are six names, but any one of them and I disappear," I said vaguely.

"Who?" Obama looked at me sternly. I looked around, biting my lip against the tears.

"Oi you! Stick around, the majority of us are warriors!" Arcee told me sharply, "Say the names, they sure as the pit _burns_ won't find you!"

I took a deep breath and sagged against Chromia.

"They already have," I whimpered. "I have to go, I need to make a trail and lead them away, they can't find you, any of you."

"If they have found you then let them come!" Ironhide snarled. Outside the mess hall I could hear his cannons powering up.

"Give us the names!" Moreshower commanded. I straightened and looked at him sadly.

"Special Agent Jason David Liams, Director Joseph Lorenne, Commander Xan Wo Shang, Comrade Viktor Petrov, Sir Edward Manske and Sheik Achmed Aussen. As far as the world is concerned I'm dead, there's nowhere I can hide for long. If I'm found alive I will be declared a fugitive, and my head will be served on a silver platter to our President." I turned to look at the man. "You will be forced to declare me a traitor to save face. A coverup like this is a scandal in the making. The information will at that point be declared forgeries and nullified."

"Fuuuck," Epps whispered.

"Liams... _Liams_ is Galloway's former boss!" Moreshower growled.

"There's nothing _former_ about it," I said coldly. "Who do you think gave Galloway the picture? Brick sure as hell didn't carry it." A cell phone rang behind us. A few muttered words.

"Mr. President," one of the black clad men said grimly, "we have a problem."

"What's happening Leo?" Obama asked quietly.

"Sec Def was found at the bottom of a staircase with his neck broken." the man replied.

"Broken how?" I demanded, instantly alert.

Everyone stared at me. I rolled my eyes with a groan and pinched the bridge of my nose. "As in did he break his neck on the stairs or did someone break it for him? What _angle_ is his _head_ at?" the black clad man – Leo – looked at the president quickly and dialled the phone number at his nod. He passed my question on then covered the mouthpiece.

"Says his head is facing backwards," Leo said with a frown.

"_Shit_, that's Sabre. They're moving fast," I stated, my voice going from panic to icy calm. I looked at Lennox's shocked face and made the decision I'd never wanted to do. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

"Mikaela what do you know about this?" Moreshower barked.

"It would seem that the next time you see me, Ironhide, you're going to have to go through with your promise," I said coldly. "I _will_ not let my mistake put you all in danger." I turned, walked out of the mess hall and into my tent. I began packing my run kit.

"What promise?" Jacobs demanded behind me.

"That if she were to become a murder, she would die by my hand," Ironhide choked.

"Mikaela what the fuck!" Lennox bellowed, a group of shocked and wide eyed men and holoforms crowded around the open side of my tent.

"I'm going to make a promise to you Will," I said quietly, zipping my duffle and turning to look at him. "I'm going to make sure they never come after your baby girl."

"What are you going to do?" the President asked worriedly.

"I'm going to complete my father's mission, as I was trained to do," I said firmly.

"There's no way in hell you're gonna do that alone!" Moreshower growled.

"We're coming with you," Optimus added in no uncertain tones. I froze, looking around at the grim, unyielding expressions.

"I will not have you lot become murderers to clean up a mess I should have taken care of before the funeral." I said quietly. "Rule forty-five is in effect."

I made to walk away from the group, but Optimus caught my arm, holding me firm.

"How about a briefing before you run off and we'll decide that," Lennox stated firmly. I looked again at the obstinate faces and sighed.

"Fine, but when you decide that it's not for you please don't try to stop me." I said tiredly, "Ratchet, I need a scalpel."

"About _scrapping_ time," the Medi-bot growled, "C'mon, I'll get that _damn_ thing out while you give us our marching orders." I looked at him in shock.

"You're one of us Kae," Bee stated unwaveringly, "a femme who catches and releases bugs alive doesn't kill without reason."

"That doesn't mean you need to get involved," I stated firmly as Ratchet almost dragged me to his work area, sitting me firmly down.

"Marching orders young lady," Moreshower stated firmly, then of all things, he grinned. "Hi, I'm a general, and this here is the President of the United States. I'm involved whether you want me to or not."

"God's sake _Chris_," I said exasperatedly, "you just want in for the 'adventure', admit it!"

"Your dad was a good man," Christopher Moreshower growled at me, "I was in the hospital when you were born, 'course you were blonde at the time. What good is telling your old man that I'd look out for you in _my_ neighbourhood if I don't help you clean up this mess?"

I rolled my eyes and smirked at the shocked look on everyone's faces.

"Alright fine," I said quickly, "I'll give you lot the bare bones briefing, if you want in you stay put, if you decide you don't want any part walk away at any time while I'm in this hanger. Don't say anything about this to another person and we won't say your name if this comes public. Deal?"

"I like her style," Chance grinned, leaning against the work table. There was a chorus of agreement from the fifteen odd men surrounding us.

"Right, Ratchet I need my arm for another minute," I looked at the medi-bot apologetically. He sighed and released me as I pulled out my laptop. I pulled a pretty hairpin from a small box and plugged it into the audio port. A multitude of images came up on the laptop as everyone crowded close. I switched to my left hand and gave Ratchet my forearm. He grunted his approval and froze the site.

"There was a very quiet movement eleven years ago that our unit investigated," I began in a lecturers tone, "they were basically charged with a 'make work' assignment to see about the reasons that world peace seemed to be impossible. What came to light was a conspiracy that would make the auto-bots living on earth look positively tame. What it comes down to is money, peacetime cuts into the wallets of war-economy based businesses. Weapons manufacturing, oil, aircraft, media and the military to some extent."

I looked around at the shocked faces with a frown and continued.

"They asked the questions you never should if you value your life or career, and they found out more than they bargained for. These six are the heads of it, they worked quietly, got well up into the major organizations and began gathering contacts. Followers. They're well set up, and well guarded. Each of them has an assassin on call, and each has their favourites. That's how we tracked them down. Now." I looked around grimly. "Here's the clincher. Mr. President I seem to have made the mistake of assuming that your predecessor would have given you the name of his favourite go-to boy. But neither of your men are standing at assassin stance."

Obama shook his head in the negative.

"Figures, friggin' oil families," I grumbled. "Right then, that being the case we're going to have to take care of you and your family as well, Liams is second in command at the CIA, so I think we're going to have to re-locate you for the next ten days to one of my safe houses. Speaking of CIA, Leo was it?" I looked at the man in black. He nodded.

"Borrow your phone Leo?" I asked calmly. He dug it out of his pocket and handed it to me at the nod of the President.

"It's an un-secure line," he stated in a deep voice.

"That's alright," I said calmly, carefully dialling a fifteen digit phone number. Lennox looked over my shoulder.

"Holy crap, who's that?" he asked curiously.

"Old friend," I said calmly. "Dad took his orders directly from him, and if any of you laugh or repeat any part of this conversation I _will_ kill you." I hit send, put it on speaker and pressed my finger to my lips. The phone rang once and was picked up immediately.

"Hello?" a woman's voice asked curiously.

"Hey Linda!" I said in a bright, cheerful tone, "is Pookie there?"

"There's my little angel!" she said in a bright voice, "I'll get him on in a second."

There was the sound of a phone being tucked against a shoulder and footsteps. A muted knock on the door.

"Mrs. Jackson?" a male's voice asked curiously.

"Sorry sir, phone call," her voice said in a cool tone.

"So sorry gentlemen, I will return in a few moments," the male voice said calmly. There was the sound of a phone being passed and more footsteps.

"Hello?"

"Pookie!" I called out in a bright, cheerful tone.

"How's my little Angel?" the man's voice asked with a grin.

"I'm okay Pookie, I'm sorry for calling you at work, but I just wanted to let you know that my phone number's changed."

"What is it now?" the man asked with a smile.

"555-8954 like the movie! Isn't that just so cool!" I gushed, sounding exactly like an over-excited, less than bright teenager.

"That's very cool baby girl," the man practically cooed, "So when are you coming over?"

"I'll be all finished up in ten days! Less than two weeks and I get to see my Pookie again!" I gushed. "I'll see you then okay?"

"Alright baby girl," the man laughed, "I'll see you then. Bye bye sweetie."

"Bye Pookie!" I sang and killed the line. I closed the phone and waited a second.

"Okay now you can laugh, but just this once," I said seriously.

"What the hell was that!?" Chance howled out between guffaws.

"That voice... that was the Director of the CIA!" Leo stated in a stunned tone.

"And now he knows to get to ground for the next ten days until this mess is cleaned up, his second in command is going to be going after his blood." I said seriously. Several stunned faces stared at me.

"Alright, next on the list," I said perfunctorily. "I have six highly guarded men to kill in ten days. Mr. President, where is the first lady and your children?" I asked seriously.

"They'll be at the White House," the man stated worriedly, looking at his watch. I leaned back and gave him a stern look.

"How much does she know?" I asked calmly.

"We have an emergency system for if everything hits the fan," Obama said seriously. "Where are we going?"

"My safe house," I said quickly, and turned to Moreshower, "Do you have anyone extremely trustworthy in Washington at the moment?" he nodded, "Good, tell him to go to the White House and be prepared to escort them to the Airport. If _anyone_ tries to interfere, shoot on sight, we're talking professionals. Mr. President call your wife, tell her to pack for a two week vacation in the sunshine. We'll meet her in Miami."

The two men nodded and followed Lennox to the secure line phones. I looked around at the rest of the men.

"The real help I can ask from you lot is communications surveillance, transportation and guard duty, if you're not up for it I'll understand." I said calmly.

"Where's the guard duty?" Jacobs asked in a tired tone.

"Bayou safe house with the President." I said calmly. Jacobs perked up enormously.

"Way out back?" he asked with a grin.

"Oh you're gonna love it," I laughed, "Okay, so who's in then?"

"I'll come with you Mikaela," Epps said firmly, "No way I'm goin' to the Bayou."

"I'll stay with you the entire way," Lennox said just as firmly. "Epps can take command of the away team, and Jacobs the guard duty?"

"I'll stay in Washington and handle communications," Moreshower stated with a nod.

"Holy shit," I said mildly as everyone split up to stand with their leader. An almost perfect split. "Okay then, Chris Epps Lennox, we have five places to target, Washington, London, Paris, Hong Kong and Moscow. In that order. The sixth I'll either get very lucky or I'll need to break away and go hunting." I narrowed my eyes at Epps for a second then nodded, I turned to the laptop and connected to the printer, I handed him a list of coordinates.

He looked at them and frowned for a long moment before looking at Optimus.

"How do you lot feel about splitting up five ways, if we can air-drop a team in a rural area outside each location in one shot, it'd draw less attention altogether. You could stake the safe houses and confirm if they're still safe."

Optimus nodded and turned.

"Arcee, you and the girls take London. Bumblebee will take Paris. Ratchet, Ironhide, take Washington. Sideswipe you'll take Hong Kong and I will attend to Moscow." he ordered. "Objections?"

"No Sir!" Bumblebee chirped.

"Prime? Optimus?" I said softly. He looked at me with a fighter's glint in his eyes. I stood up and hugged his holoform. "Thank you," I whispered.

"Always," he rumbled softly. I pulled away and looked around.

"Okay, Mr. President, have your ladies fly down to Miami on Airforce One. We'll pick them up there, Ironhide, Lennox and I will meet you at these coordinates and we'll proceed to Washington. Once we're finished there, if Lennox decides he doesn't want to have anymore to do with it the two of you can roll."

"What about my Vice President?" Obama asked in a worried tone.

"Pookie's got him," I said firmly, I glanced at my watch, "In fact, the directors of the FBI and the CIA will be kidnapping him about now and taking him to Hetty for safe keeping before they go to ground. Barry knows the drill, he designed it." I looked around, "everyone know what they're doing?"

"Just a moment," Ratchet said calmly, he turned to the President. "Did you want proof or is this going to be silenced?"

"With Mikaela's permission, I'm going to release this information to the other leaders once it's finished. That is, of course if I am correct that you are cleaning up a world wide coup?" he looked at me with a remarkably calm expression. Ratchet's holoform nodded and bustled off to his work table.

"You are absolutely correct," I stated grimly.

"Murder and treason is something my fellow leaders and I completely agree upon, any evidence and proof would be appreciated."

"Yes sir," I said firmly. "Does anyone want out now?"

"Absolutely not," Graham stated firmly, as everyone frowned the negative. "God save the Queen."

"Give us your tired, your hungry, your weak," Lennox added in a strong tone.

"Semper Fi!" Jacobs growled.

"Advance Australia Fair," Chance stated proudly.

"Our loyalty to our Fatherland gives us strength!" Andrev rasped.

"Let's get to it," I stated, rising from my seat.

"Kae," Ratchet stated calmly, "lean back and hold your eyelid open for a second."

I looked at him curiously as I obeyed, leaning back into his cupped hand. Ratchet's holoform carefully put a few drops from a bottle in my eye, then switched to a positively tiny syringe, injecting something directly into my cornea before a bright white flash from his neural fibres blinded me for a moment.

* * *

010:00

Location: Moscow

(OPOV)

Optimus sat waiting outside the building as Mikaela walked toward him calmly, Will at her shoulder, frowning.

"It's finished," Mikaela said softly, climbing into the heated cab. "My father's spirit can rest in peace, and I will join him soon."

"What does that mean?" Optimus demanded.

"Optimus..." Lennox stated weakly, "I think we need to get her to Ratchet. And fast."

Mikaela collapsed into the seat. Unconscious.

"What happened!?" Optimus demanded, accelerating into the snow clogged streets and driving quickly toward the airport and waiting C17.

"We went in, Mikaela left me in a safe place to wait, she went in for like, twenty minutes, came out, said 'let's go, the shit's going to hit the fan in ten, I'm sorry Will. I broke my promise!' I made her promise she'd survive this!" Will reported in an almost panicked voice. "Shit, she had _everything_ covered on this, what's gone wrong!? What do we do!?"

"We get on the plane, we get her to Ratchet and we go over the tape to _see_ what went wrong," Optimus stated flatly, accelerating a bit more. "I cannot find anything wrong, her body has begun defying our sensors, only Ratchet has her number at this point."

"Right," Will said in an exhausted voice.

"Rest," Optimus ordered. "I will wake you when we reach the plane."

Optimus felt Major Lennox's brain functions slow as he drifted off. He tried scanning his spark-mate again, reaching for her spark. She had almost no energon in her system, he could only feel the outer edges of her consciousness. At least he could sense no physical pain in her. His spark clenched when he caught the outer edge of the agony in her soul. He onlined two extra processors, one to watch for humans with Radars, and the other to carefully reach for her spark. Making sure she knew she wasn't alone.

He accelerated to a speed his non-sentient counterparts could only dream of, reaching the air-base and C17 in just slightly less than an hour. He screeched to a stop just short of the gates and looked down at the man at the gate.

"US Military, we need to board that C17 immediately," he stated in Russian, just barely touching the voice of command. The soldiers scrambled to obey.

"Optimus! That was fast!" Epps shouted as the semi drove up the ramp and into the plane.

"We have a problem," Optimus rumbled, transforming with one human in each hand and sitting rather scrunched in the plane. "We need to get to Ratchet immediately."

"You heard the Bot!" Epps bellowed, "Let's fly boys!"

Lennox jerked awake.

"Let's get started on that recording," he stated, sitting up quickly.

Optimus nodded and linked to the implant in his spark-mate's arm, projecting it as a holoscreen in front of him as the soldiers tied him in. A time stamp flickered at the bottom.


	65. 63 A Year of Hours: Miami

**Chapter 63 - A Year of Hours: Miami**

* * *

280:30

Location: Diego Garcia

(MPOV)

"Jeeze, what the hell Ratch?" Epps looked at him aghast.

"That, is our proof," Ratchet rumbled gleefully as I blinked repeatedly, his holoform winked out. "Now then." the Mech stated, he projected a flickering image on the wall. "Mikaela, quit blinking and look around."

I obeyed, looking at Optimus then the rest of the group as they stared at the wall with broad grins.

"Dude, that's a video camera in her eye!" Leo stated in shock.

"Nice one Ratch," I chuckled, "but how is a nanite supposed to record everything?"

"It's going to beam directly into the new implant you didn't notice me slip into your arm," the Medi-bot stated smugly.

"This just takes devious to a whole new level," Chance smirked.

"We're ready then?" I asked grimly.

"Set," was chorused around us.

"Optimus?" I looked at him with a smile. He looked around with a serious expression.

"Auto-bots, Roll out!" he commanded.

"We rollin'!" Ironhide grinned. The holoforms flickered out as one as the mechs transformed, driving quickly for the C17's.

"Never get tired of watching that," Epps commented mildly, Obama laughed. "Right! Everybody coming with me let's roll!" Epps shouted out. In a matter of minutes one third of the group were striding quickly to the plane, fastening buttons, carrying massive bags and discussing drop coordinates.

"Communications with me!" Moreshower commanded, "Don't worry about your gear, we got what you need at the five point hotel."

There was laughter as the six communications specialists headed for a black hawk.

Jacobs looked at me.

"Alright, Mr. President, we'll fly to Miami, pick up your ladies and I'll bring you lot out to the safe house." I said calmly, tucking my laptop into my run kit and slinging it over my shoulder.

"Don't you want anything else?" Lennox looked at me with raised eyebrows. I looked at the half empty duffle, ran to my tent and added a few more things.

"Everything else that I need is at it's location," I stated calmly as we walked out of the hanger amidst the entourage. "If you're tailing me the entire way you're going to want to travel light."

We loaded into the enormous chopper and were quickly in the air. I closed my eyes.

"Mikaela?" Obama asked tentatively, I opened one eye.

"Sir?" I said calmly.

"I need you to point out where I made the mistakes," he said quietly.

"You didn't really make any mistakes," I stated calmly, closing my eyes again. "At some point I would have wound up faking my own death."

"But you went into a full panic," Will protested. I gave him a half smile.

"You would too," I said gently, "picture being one of the primary targets of every undercover agency in charge of doing the dirty work. Then the President of the United States blows your cover, expounds on how great a person he thinks you are then tells everyone that oops, unfortunately you're dead. Well shit. It _screams_ coverup. The _bizarre_ part is that there are now two ways for this to go. Either they killed Sec Def because they _believe_ that I'm dead. Or they killed the Sec Def to lure me out. And my run kit is in pieces. Thank the gods for backups. I wasn't supposed to have to do this until I was 25." I opened my eyes and looked at the President. "The sheer fact that a neutral, fully trained assassin was alive and prepared to stop their plan held this in check for the past ten years. First our unit, fully prepared to deploy at a moment's notice, and then me. Except now I'm dead."

"Whoa." Jacobs murmured.

"That, is a massive screw up on my part," Obama murmured.

"Not your fault though, once this is finished, I'll get Barry to assign you a go-to guy." I said with a smile. "That is, of course, if you don't decide to get your go-to to get rid of us. That was a _real_ mess last time it happened."

"What happened?" Jacobs asked curiously.

"Watergate," I shrugged.

"So what, you're this generation's Deep Throat?" Obama asked in shock.

"Nah, I'm the messenger. Scared the shit out of me last month, Will," I grinned at him. "So much for discreet, you made my handle my _actual handle_. Mikaela, feminine for Michael, the arch_angel_ and messenger. When the shit hits the fan, I am Angel."

"No..." Will stared at me for a second and began laughing wryly. "So what's your message then?"

"Death," I said grimly, closing my eyes again. "You might want to get some rest, this is going to be a long few days."

I promptly sank into a restful meditation, gathering my wits and icing my nerves.

* * *

278:10

Location: Miami Airport

We began losing altitude. A hand touched my knee. I opened one eye.

"What are your orders?" Jacobs asked quietly. I glanced into afternoon light.

"Contact Moreshower on a secure line, determine the ETA for Airforce One." I stated calmly, opening the other eye. A moment later Jacobs held up two fingers.

"Alright," I said calmly, digging in my duffle for a moment and pulling out some clothes, shoes, hairpins and glasses. "Land a good distance from the terminals and lay low for a while, be silent, pretend there's no one else here."

I stood and stripped out of my tank and fatigues, ignoring the blushing men and stepping into pantsuit, pumps, blouse, and jacket. I brushed my hair back and pinned it into a severe bun at the nape of my neck. I slid the glasses on and glanced in a mirror, directing the nanites to change my eyes to brown and applying a light gloss. The final touch was an excellent spiderweb tattoo on the side of my neck. I'd have to remember to thank Optimus for the nanites.

"What?" Lennox looked at me in shock.

"Stay put for now," I said calmly, then frowned, thinking hard. "Actually, Leo, you're the same size as Lennox, can he borrow your clothes?"

Leo nodded with a bemused look.

"Alright Will, you still sure you want to follow along?" I looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Shit, I gotta see this," Will grinned.

"Right, put this on, Leo's trousers, shirt and jacket. The boots are fine. Hide your tags." I ordered quickly, tossing him the men's tank I'd stripped off. I fished out an ID badge and tucked it into my inside pocket as Lennox rushed to throw his new clothes on.

"That's FAA," Jacobs looked at the badge with raised eyebrows.

"Mmn hmn," I shrugged as we touched down. "Remember you guys, lay low. Jacobs, keep an eye on this, don't let it out of your sight." I pulled out a briefcase and handed him my duffle, I looked at Lennox, he straightened his jacket and nodded. I finally pulled on a pair of thin, black leather gloves.

We stepped out of the helicopter as it powered down, I began walking with an officious strut toward the terminal. A small car rushed toward us.

"Good afternoon Ma'am," the driver said in a worried tone, "welcome to Miami."

"Thank you," I said in a dry, no-nonsense voice. "take us to the terminal, please."

"Yes Ma'am." the man nodded and stepped on the gas, weaving between the jets and passenger airplanes. He came to a halt and looked back at us with a worried frown.

"This will do, thank you." I said in a cool tone, stepping out and walking into the luggage area. Lennox followed, taking my right and wisely keeping his mouth shut. I walked straight for the entrance into the main lobby and paused at the door. "Walk to the right, if anyone bumps into me and tries to bluster stay at my shoulder, look menacing, play bodyguard and whatever you do, _never_ look shocked." I murmured, pushing the door open.

"Yes Ma'am," Lennox murmured. He followed me closely through the bustling airport as I quickly scanned for a target. Rich boy, fat wallet, bingo. I gauged his path and strutted toward the exit, bumping into him 'accidentally.'

"Watch where you're... oh, sorry Marm," the texan nodded to me, touching the brim of his hat. I nodded to him coldly and continued out the exit with Lennox close behind, strutting until I reached a well appointed SUV in the taxi circle.

"Where to Ma'am?" the man asked with raised eyebrows.

"Downtown to the United Arab Embassy," I said in a distant voice, stepping into the back of the car.

"Any luggage?" he asked politely as Lennox took the front seat.

"No," I said calmly, idly glancing at the wallet and counting. "And an extra hundred if you can get us there post haste."

"Oh! Yes Ma'am!" the man stated excitedly, jumping into the driver's seat and taking off. "D'you mind if I take the toll roads? It shaves off half an hour."

"That will do," I nodded, giving him a small, icy smile.

A half hour drive and we sat at the lights one block away.

"This will do here," I said calmly. Handing him the exact price for the cab fare plus a hundred in twenties. "Keep the change."

"_Thank_ you Ma'am!" the man grinned as I got out of the cab. I nodded and began to strut toward the embassy with Lennox on my heels.

"The embassy?" he asked with a frown.

"The embassy," I said calmly, "intelligence, stay quiet, you might like this one."

"Okay..." Lennox murmured as we walked up the steps. A man met us at the door.

"State your business," he barked in heavily accented english.

"I am here for my appointment with Achmed Aussen," I stated in heavily irritated Arabic, "That is, of course, if the fool has not forgotten once again!"

The guard's eyes bugged out as he took me in. He opened the door and waved me through hurriedly, leading us to an ornate office.

"I will fetch him immediately," the man stated, bowing. I stood with my arms crossed in the office. Lennox looked ready to fidget.

"Attention!" I muttered. He stood ramrod straight behind me as the door opened.

"Mai! You are early!" Aussen exclaimed in a worried tone, he immediately crossed to a panel and pushed it open, I followed him with an annoyed look in my eyes.

"I have business to attend to Aussen," I said, levelling a glare at him as the panel shut behind the two of us. "What do you want this time?"

"I need you to find Mikaela Banes, everyone says she's dead, but I don't believe it," Aussen stated, pacing. "Even the idiot Brits believe it! There's no way that hell-spawned Cal's daughter would be found dead in her own home."

"So you want me to find the little whore? Then what? Be sure?" I asked in a perfectly bored tone.

"No, I want you to _make_ sure of her," Aussen growled, "she knows too much, if she activates there's no way we can pull this off! I want to be a leader! Not a dead traitor! It's bad enough everyone's running around trying to figure out who killed Liam's man." The man grinned. "You did a brilliant job on him, though, and I loved the look on Shang's face the other day, he can't keep a go-to to save his life, anyone could walk in and get the job now, and don't gloat, it's not attractive. "

"Oh shut up Aussen, I don't do details," I grumbled.

"That's what I love about you Mai," Aussen said with a fond smile, tipping a photo onto it's face. "You get things done! What a wife you would make!" he moved toward me with his arms extended.

"A leader for a husband?" I asked musingly, "I don't do _husbands_."

"Ah but let me change your mind, be my most treasured mistress, Mai," he simpered at me. He took another two steps toward me. I sprang. One hit to the jaw, curved around and a blow to the spine.

The look of horror stayed frozen on his face as I carefully bore his weight into the desk chair. I carefully set him up in position, closing his eyes as though he'd passed away in his sleep, his chin propped into folded hands. Last, I tweaked the expression on his face into a small smile, something for his family. I righted the picture of his wife and children, facing it toward him. Closure for his little boy.

I turned up the heat in the office to body temperature and walked out of the hidden office. Lennox stared at me then straightened his expression. I jerked my head and walked out of the office door.

"Um, excuse me, Miss?" the timid little girl behind the desk asked softly. I turned to look at her.

"Please hold Mr. Aussen's calls, and clear his schedule for the rest of the day, he does not wish to be disturbed. He's received quite a shock and will likely be calling his family." I said in a calm voice. "Do not let anyone else in to see him today, there's a good girl." I gave her an icy smile and turned sharply, striding toward the door with Will on my heels. I nodded to the guards as they quickly stood aside for us. I curtly gestured one over. He approached me cautiously.

"There's a woman who has been impersonating me using my old face," I said in an angry tone, speaking in Arabic again. "She will no doubt try to infiltrate, be cautious, she has apparently been well trained. Shoot on sight, out of sight." I tapped my forehead. The man nodded sharply, that was something he could do.

I exited and began to stride along the sidewalk.

We made it four blocks before Will finally spoke.

"So what happened?" he asked quietly.

"Later," I said calmly. "Ah, here we are," I smiled, changing character and walking around a comfortable looking older van to the driver's side. Eleven seats. No baby chairs. I slipped a slim-jim out of my case, unlocked the door and hopped in, ten seconds and the car alarm shut off as I unlocked the doors.

"Bloody finicky thing," I said with a mild British accent, rolling my eyes at Will for the benefit of passerby. "Close the door love, don't let the cold out!" Will slammed the door shut as I reached under the dash and caught the right wires. The van fired up immediately, I pulled into traffic calmly and headed back toward the airport.

"Okay," I said calmly, pulling into a lesser part of town and down a back alleyway twenty minutes later. "Ah, here we go!" I said cheerfully, hopping out of the van and pulling out a small screwdriver. I quickly switched the plates with a similar model of van and hopped back in. I glanced at my watch.

"And the first lady will be arriving in half an hour," I smiled. Will stared at me. "You okay Will?" I looked at him worriedly.

"Is he..."

"Dead? Very." I said calmly, "and Mai will soon be."

"And you just..."

"Stole this van and switched stolen plates? Yes."

* * *

09:00

Location: C17

"Holy crap!" Epps said in a shocked tone, looking at the unconscious woman in Optimus' hand.

"She wasn't kidding," Will said quietly, "global murderers."

"Good on details," Chance nodded, "did you see the photo and the heat? She gave his family closure, peace."

"How does that-" Jaques asked curiously.

"It makes all the difference in the world." Chance growled, looking at the holoscreen. "There was no option, did you _hear_ that conversation? The man was going to send a high profile assassin after Kae, she killed him cleanly and gave his family closure. It matters."


	66. 64 A Year of Hours: Safehouse

**Chapter 64 - A Year of Hours: Safehouse**

* * *

276:10

Location: Miami Airport

(MPOV)

I flashed my FAA identification to the guards, they waved us through. I drove to the chopper still parked on the tarmac and got out of the van.

"Okay, I got us a ride," I said in a cheerful voice, climbing into the helicopter.

"The First Lady has landed," Leo reported, listening to the radio. "They will be taxiing to the Presidential strip."

"Let's go then," I said calmly, collecting my duffle from Jacobs and tossing it between the driver's seat and passenger's.

We loaded into the van and drove slowly toward the distinctive jet. The President's men went forward and collected the woman and children, ushering them quickly into the van before loading up the small bags of luggage.

"Michelle! Girls!" Obama said in relief as they sat close to him, he kissed his wife gently, hugging the little ones.

"What's happening?" Michelle asked in a worried tone.

"We're going somewhere safe for the next few days," the President said in a quiet voice. "If I had known these things weren't just in the movies I would never have run."

I politely ignored the quiet conversations in the back as I drove out of the airport again, I turned toward the freeway.

"I'm sorry," I said during a lull in the conversations, "this is both my fault and a long drive. But I promise, you will be safe." I glanced in the rearview mirror. "Do the two of you like movies?" I asked with a small smile.

"Nemo!" the little girl called out with a broad grin.

"You know what?" I grinned, "I think I have just the thing for you little one." I reached into my duffle and pulled out a small flatscreen.

"Will, could you plug that into the dash and hand it back to the girls? If I'm not mistaken I have Finding Nemo on the green chip, they're marked."

Will dug around and pulled up a handful of chips in a small case, he looked at the green one and grinned. "That's Finding Nemo alright! How do I work this thing?"

"Cord in the cigarette lighter, two pair of headphones if they want and chip in the little slot on the side there." I glanced over as he set up the movie and smiled as he crowed his triumph. I laughed softly as Will teased the children gently, claiming _he_ was going to watch the movie, then passing the screen back to the cheering girls.

The sound cut out a few minutes later as two suddenly very happy and giggling girls settled down to watch the movie with enormous headphones. The Obamas shot me a grateful look as the quiet conversations started up again.

The sun set in front of us. I continued to drive. The girls slept peacefully between their parents. Finally I turned off onto a gravel road into a tiny town.

"This is going to be the worst part," I said apologetically, stopping at a closed tourist shop. The place was deserted. "Stay put for a moment."

I stepped lightly out of the van and crept to the gate, quickly picking the padlock and slipping through. An enormous, flat bottomed boat made for carrying tourists sat moored against a dock, I climbed aboard and checked the ignition. The keys were still in for Pete's sake. Small towns. I grinned and slipped back to the van.

"Alright," I murmured, "Keep the headphones on the girls, they're sound exclusion, so they probably won't wake up." I packed everything else back into my duffle and got out of the car. "Follow me," I whispered.

The group walked quietly through the gate and down to the boat, climbing aboard as quietly as possible.

I noted the light chill in the air and touched Leo's shoulder.

"I'll be back in a moment," I murmured, climbing off the boat again. I walked on silent feet up the dock and pulled out a pick, quickly getting into the tourist shop and picking up a load of sweaters and blankets. I was back at the boat within minutes. Last but not least, several jerry cans of gasoline.

"Alright, everyone stay low, I've got some blankets for if you get cold," I said quietly, "is everyone okay still?"

There were several muted nods all around.

I started up the engine and carefully engaged it, quickly pulling out of the area and beginning the two hour trek to the safe house.

"Ratchet, if you're watching, or listening to this at any point," I said aloud, "the night vision setting in my right eye was a brilliant touch. So if I don't get to tell you that in person, just so you know, it's awesome."

"Who're you talking to?" Leo asked curiously.

"I'm making a personal note on this chip that's being recorded." I smiled at him.

"Gotcha." the bodyguard nodded. "Should I be holding a flashlight or something?"

"No," I smiled, "Flashlight's a beacon, and I can see just fine."

"So, you own a flatbottom boat," he stated mildly, looking around the craft.

"Nope," I shrugged. "I have a canoe stashed five miles from here, but it isn't big enough to carry all of us."

"So you're transporting the President of the United States in a stolen boat," Leo looked at me as though I were insane.

"Priorities Leo, safety of the President. Stolen boat that the insurance companies will cover." I chuckled. "I'm not exactly going to burn it out, I'll dump it in one piece when I meet up with Ironhide. It'll look like a couple of kids took it for a joyride. That happens a lot out here."

"Oh, well that's okay... I guess..." Leo visibly shook himself.

"If you think that's bad, don't ask about the car," Lennox murmured. The soldier still looked a bit shaken.

"If it's too much Will, I'll understand," I told him quietly, "I've been training to do this from the cradle. You've been trained to _prevent_ people like me."

"Actually?" Will said quietly, "Moreshower pulled me aside and asked that if I was okay, I should request that you give me a bit of training, too."

"Dear old Chris," I smiled, "he does like getting his favourites up in the world." I turned lightly into a patch of Mangroves and cut the engine.

"Alright," I whispered, "stay low, I need to go scout ahead to make sure the safe house is still hidden."

"I'll come with," Jacobs murmured, touching my shoulder, "we're in my neck of the woods now. Or rather, my territory," he gave me a wolfish grin.

"You a speaker?" I asked him New Orleans French.

"Oh hells yes!" he grinned, "if I knew you spoke you'd;a never heard the end of it."

"That works," I chuckled, speaking english again, "you need night gear?"

"There's a moon ain't there?" he shot me a wolfish grin and gestured me to take the lead.

"Will," I said quietly, "tie this off into the mangroves here, stay out of the water. If it's all clear I'll be returning with a different boat."

Will nodded and grabbed up a few ropes as Jacobs and I slipped into the mangroves, moving silently through the twisted branches, straight south. A half an hour and I held up a hand. Jacobs touched my shoulder and gestured a 'how far?'

'two hundred yards,' I signalled back, followed by a 'wait here.' I crept out on silent feet and covered the distance. I took the height of the mangroves and caught sight of flickering candlelight. I began swearing silently, creeping closer to the house and looking in the window, empty but for a candle.

"There are only two people in the world who know this location," a soft voice growled menacingly behind me. "Turn around slowly, keep your hands where I can see them."

"Pookie?" I asked in a high pitched, girly voice.

"Angel?" he asked with narrowed eyes. "Who's your daddy?"

"Well it sure as hell ain't you Barry," I retorted with a low laugh. "I didn't know you were coming to the bayou house."

"I'm glad _you_ did though," he replied in a low voice, "I've got David and Linda with me, how many did you bring?"

"Potus family and backup," I replied, "hold up, I've got a marine waiting for me, is it okay to approach?"

"C'mon in Angel," he chuckled, "I'll be in the kitchen."

"I'll grab the boat and be there in half an hour or so," I grinned, monkeying down to the dock and untying the silent navigator, firing up the remarkably quiet engine and driving toward Jacobs.

"All clear!" I called out quietly, approaching the point I'd left the Marine.

"Permission to come aboard?" he asked, his head poking out of the water and over the edge of the boat.

"Permission granted, now get the hell out'a there Jacobs," I chuckled. He flopped over the edge and sat comfortably on the seat.

"Nice navigator," he grinned, inspecting the wood, "you could take this baby anywhere!"

"That's what we built her for," I laughed.

"Any good hunting?"

"That lagoon you decided to swim in is full of old Jake's grandchildren." I told him wryly.

"Gators?" he asked with a grin.

"All ages," I laughed.

"Excellent!"

"We're here, you wanna signal the boys?"

Jacobs immediately cupped his hands around his mouth and let out an impressive wolf's howl. An answering call came back, I angled the boat into the mangroves, easily coming alongside with the navigator's impressive handling. The little girls were crying.

"Momma, there's wolves," the youngest sobbed.

"That was just me, little one," Jacobs soothed her in his calming baritone.

"We're ten minutes away from the safe house, Chiquita," I said gently, "there's warm beds and lots of people here who will protect you and your family, okay?"

The little one hiccoughed and nodded, still looking upset.

"Come aboard into this boat," I said gently, walking toward her and holding my arms out. Her father gently lifted her up and handed her to me, Jacobs taking the second little girl and carrying her to the stern to sit with us. Everyone boarded quickly, Lennox carrying my duffel and we pulled out.

"Miss Angel?" the littlest one whimpered, "how do you know where you're going?"

"This is my home," I said gently, "my uncle taught me how to find it when I was your size, my heart always knows where it is, and when he died he said that his spirit will come back here anytime there are people and watch over them. See?"

I pointed to the mist beginning to rise from the water, "he's hiding us from anyone who would want to come and hurt us."

The little girl crawled into my lap as I steered, hiccoughing and trying very hard to not cry. I cuddled her close as her parents looked apologetic and began singing.

"May the angels protect you, and trouble neglect you, and heaven accept you when it's time to go home. May you always have plenty, your glass never empty, and know in your belly, you're never alone. May your tears come from laughing, may you find friends worth having, with every year passing, they're worth more than gold may you win but stay humble, and smile more than grumble, and know when you stumble, you're never alone."

Several people in the boat smiled and picked up the chorus with me.

"Never alone, you're never alone, I'll be in every beat of your heart when you face the unknown, wherever you fly, this isn't goodbye, my love will follow you, stay with you, baby you're never alone."

I took up the verse again.

"Oh I have to be honest, as much as I want it, I'm not going to promise, the cold winds won't blow. So when hard times have found you, your fears surround you wrap my love around you and you're never alone."

Michelle took her daughter in her arms and rocked her as I steered the boat toward the dock, the mother, father and soldiers still singing quietly. We bumped lightly against the dock as Director Bartholomew Matteer, head of the CIA materialized out of the fog, catching the rope I tossed to him and snugging us up to the dock.

The President and his men looked at the Director warily.

"Barry!" I grinned, stepping out of the boat and giving him a giant hug.

"Angel you're killing my 'as unapproachable as 'M' vibe," he scolded me.

"Don't scare the little ones," I told him with a grin, "got anything on the stove?"

"Veggie soup," Barry snorted, offering a hand to the President and his men to disembark. "Liams actually tried to have someone follow us, we couldn't pick up any fresh meat. I hope you're going to bag us something before you take off."

"Better, I brought a Bayou boy," I laughed.

"Lemme guess, the one who's wet behind the ears?" the director smirked, looking Jacobs over. "Only a Bayou boy would go for a swim in the gator pools. Well, just so long as he don't try to feed us fried crickets, I don't _care_ what they say, the do _not_ taste like peanuts."

Jacobs burst out laughing.

"You're just bitchin' 'cause you got an old one," he grinned.

"Yeah, that's what Rig said, but that don't account for the ten others that tasted like slimy dirt." Barry growled. "Let's get you lot inside and fed."

"No, see _that's_ the problem, Rig cooked them. We'll put you two in the room my sister and I always shared," I smiled, offering my hands to the little girls and leading them up the dock. I looked over my shoulder at the First Lady. "I apologize that this place is rather... quaint is the nice word for it."

We walked up the steps and passed through the enormous veranda.

"Oh you set up already!" I smiled, looking at a few hammocks tied to hooks.

"Yeah, Dave and Lin figured some of these boys might like to have the breezy room with me." he looked at Jacob's grinning face. "That one by the look of it."

"There's no place like home," Jacobs stated piously.

"Do we get to sleep on hammocks too?" one of the little girls clinging to my hands asked with wide eyes.

"I think we can manage that," I smiled, leading them to the kitchen, "do you two want to see your room first or would you like something to eat?"

"I've got some hot cocoa and marshmallows," Linda said with a warm smile, looking up from the kitchen table. The girls squeaked excitedly and chose the tall chairs Tinny and I had always taken claim to. I scooped out two hot cups of chocolate and plopped some fresh marshmallows into them, setting them in front of the girls.

"This is really, really good," the older one said seriously, taking another sip.

"Thank you dear," Linda smiled, taking a sip of her own chocolate.

Will came up behind me and looked around before staring at the stove.

"You weren't kidding! You grew up with that thing!" he exclaimed with a grin.

"When was the last time anyone was out here?" the First lady asked apprehensively, looking around the large kitchen.

"Ten years for me," Barry said with a shrug.

"Three," I said calmly, "I checked up on her after that major hurricane passed through and did a couple of repairs. And looked her over after I was ordered off the grid."

"And re-stocked," Linda smiled at me, "You did a brilliant job too. Not even the silver was stale."

"But the blankets..." Michelle frowned as the girls drank down the last of their cocoa.

"Here, why don't I show you to the girl's room," I said gently, "I know this place isn't a mansion, but we've always taken good care of it."

Michelle nodded apprehensively as the girls looked up at me excitedly.

"We get our own room?"

"Yes you do Chiquita," I smiled down at the girls and led them down an airy hallway. I opened a faded pink door and walked through to the linen closet, pulling down a couple of oil lamps and lighting them. The room was filled with a soft, gentle golden glow, showing a couple of mosquito net covered hammocks and beautifully carved, cedar chests and armoirs.

"Now then, you two figure out which side each of you want and I'll get the blankets out." I smiled at the thoroughly excited girls as they scurried back and forth. "Those two chests are all full of toys and games."

One of the girls suddenly froze and looked at her mother.

"Momma, I didn't bring bugsy!" she began crying. Michelle looked desperate.

"Now sweetie," I said gently, kneeling in front of her and wrapping her in a big hug, "bugsy's on your bed right now right?" the girl nodded, still crying.

"I'll tell you what, bugsy will be just fine, he'll keep any of the monsters away so that when you get home everything will be okay."

"But who'll keep the monsters away from us here?" the girl whimpered. I touched her cheek and crawled to my chest, opening it and unzipping the enormous plastic bag at the bottom, air rushed into the vacuum pack and I pulled out a beautiful, blue clad geisha with a resilient, smiling china face. I turned around and handed her to the girl.

"This is Lorenna," I said gently, "she always slept with me in _my_ hammock and kept the monsters away until I was big enough to do it myself."

"She's so pretty!" the girl said in a wondering tone, accepting the doll and cradling her.

"Isn't she?" I smiled, I looked at the other, wide eyed girl and pulled out another Geisha, Tinny's. "This was my sister Tinny's doll," I said with a sad smile, "her name is Lillabeth, and wherever we went, they came with us," I offered the pink clad doll to the older girl. "I think it's time they had a new family to love them." the girl accepted the doll with wide eyes, cradling her as though it were the most precious thing in the world. I rocked to my feet and smiled down at them. "Now, have you chosen which hammock you would like?" I asked gently. They grinned and split, each standing beside a hammock and looking at it curiously.

"There's no blankets!"

"The blankets are right here," I smiled, pulling down two flat, solid bags and opening the valves. Air rushed in and they inflated while Michelle looked on worriedly.

"You know," I said in a quiet, conversational tone, "when you store blankets in plastic, a lot of the time they start to smell like the plastic. Tinny and I always hated it. So before she died my mother taught me to put packets of lavender and cedar in, so that they'd smell nice no matter how long it was before I opened them again."

I could see Michelle relax and smile as I talked.

I pulled out the first set and got to work. First the mosquito netting got tied back, then a thick cotton blanket rested over the netting, followed by two sheets and another cotton blanket. I plumped up the pillow and set it at one end, so that the girl's feet would point to the door. Finally, I tied off the little straps to keep the sheets from bunching in. In a matter of minutes the two beds were made.

"Now there's a trick to getting in," I said with a bright smile to the yawning girls. "What you do, is step over the hammock and sit down in the middle, then you tuck your feet into the blankets, pull them up and you're done!"

The girls obeyed, giggling as I set the hammocks to gently rock them. I looked at the First Lady.

"You can turn the light up and down with the knobs on the side, and there's lots of sweet oil available if you want to leave one burning as a nightlight. That door there leads to the girl's bathroom, we're backward out here, but we still have indoor plumbing, and I'd imagine David and Barry will get the solar panels sorted out in the morning. Knowing Linda, she already has the water system purged by now, so the water is good to drink." I smiled gently at the obvious relief in the older woman's eyes. "I'll leave you to your rest. Oh... we're indoors, so perhaps let the girls sleep with the netting tied back at least for tonight. Sleeping under netting takes a bit of getting used to, it moves in the breeze at times and can be a bit scary if you can't remember that it's just netting."

I gave her a half bow, walked out the door and started down the hallway.

"Wait!" the First Lady said quietly. I stopped and looked back. "You've brought us to your home, hidden us away from people who would hurt my family and I don't even know your name," the woman said in a distressed tone.

I smiled.

"I'm Mikaela Banes," I said gently.

"But you're dead!"

"For now," I nodded, "if it makes you feel any better, it came as a surprise to me, too. Your husband is an intelligent man, he will explain everything, tell him that I don't mind if people know who I am anymore." I offered her a gentle smile and walked back to the kitchen.

"There she is," David looked at me with a nod, "sit down, council."

"Have you filled POTUS in already?" I asked curiously, taking a seat beside Barry.

"We're coming up to '85," David rolled his eyes and looked at Barry.

"Year of the Spy," I rolled my eyes.

"Bloody toothache, that's what it was," Barry grumbled. Linda patted her husband's hand lightly.

"The year that dozens of spies were arrested on American soil," I leaned back in my chair, "they got what, the equivalent of a Chinese leg and a KGB foot?"

"KGB toe, they never run out." Barry snorted.

"The KGB was disbanded," Obama protested, frowning.

"With all due respect Sir," I said with a smile, "The KGB was disbanded, and I'm dead."

David looked around at the people at the table and burst out laughing.

"So that's what's started up this latest clusterfuck!?" he demanded, "nice job on the broadcast sir, even I thought Mikaela Banes was dead, so you _are_ Cal's daughter," he looked at me with a grin. "I thought he'd brought you back from 'nam or something."

"Nah, he brought my mum back," I said with a half smile.

"Wait, Eun Mi's your mom?" he stared at me then sat back heavily. "I'll be damned, baby RED. No wonder they were scared of moving 'till now."

"Baby RED?" Will asked curiously.

"In laymens terms, both of my parents were spies, classified R-E-D. Retired, extremely dangerous. I _literally_ have been trained from the cradle to do cleanup."

"I thought that was a movie," Jacobs frowned.

"It is," Barry grinned, "the more that people think that this stuff only happens in movies, the more we can actually get away with."

"But eventually we're going to have to figure out how to humanize the FBI and CIA again," David rolled his eyes. "The only recruits we get nowadays are guppies looking for scoops for their screenplays. And now that Angel's _dead_ it's gonna be a mess to get her into the bureau without a scandal."

"Dibbs," Barry murmured.

"If, of course, I survive," I said irritably. "Big if. I got lucky with Aussen, Mai changes her face so often they let in every brown eyed woman with a killer's strut."

"Started already have you? Moving fast Ang." Barry grinned at me.

"Oh shut up Barry," I groaned, "I can just _hear_ you doing your 'I was right, you were wrong' gloating dance."

"So what convinced you anyway?" Linda asked kindly, shooting a warning glance at her husband of thirty years.

"This mook invited me to Christmas just before I 'died'," I sighed, jerking my head at Lennox. "I broke rule ten."

"We all do love," Linda said gently, patting my hand. "That's probably the best reason there is to activate."

"Break anything else lately?" Barry asked curiously. I held up my leather gloves and shrugged.

"Nope."

"Rules?" Jacobs looked around, confused.

"Fifty one rules to live by," Barry said sternly.

"Oh this is just messed," Lennox said tiredly, burying his face in his hands.

"Anyway, to business, the vice is with Hetty, POTUS is here, and Angel is finally going to clean up." David stated firmly, he took out a briefcase and handed me a file. I flipped through it quickly, memorizing the information and handing it back to him.

"You good?" he asked.

"I've got a backup," I said calmly, showing him my wrist. "new plant, it's linked directly to an audio-optic.

"Sub-dermal bug?" Barry asked with an exasperated frown.

"I want proof," the President stated. "You're talking world-wide. The men you've ordered her to take down are close to the seats of government. If I'm going to protect everyone, I want very good reasons and confessions."

"Omitable?" Barry looked at me.

"Probably," I shrugged. "Anyway, I'd better get going. Jacobs, you okay to take bag?"

"Real food," he grinned and rubbed his hands together.

I walked toward the door. Lennox jumped up and ran after me. I looked back at him.

"Will..." I started.

"I'm coming with," Lennox said firmly. "Optimus would fry me if I let you wander off without backup."

"Will," I said firmly, "I'm about to go murder five more heavily guarded men-"

"It's not murder," Will stated flatly, "it's cleanup."

"Ooh! Keep him!" David said with a broad grin, "if Barry gets Cal's Angel I'll take the White Devil."

"Good handle, we'll go through the pension plans later." Barry grinned as David glared at him. I rolled my eyes and looked Lennox up and down.

"Well, you're about the same size as Rig was, let's get you suited up." I sighed.

"Wait, I've got a handle now?" Lennox asked in confusion.

"CIA dirty work handle," I said quietly, gesturing him to follow.

"Tell him the pension plan!" Barry called after me.

"Pension?" Lennox looked at me with raised eyebrows. I looked at him and frowned.

"Barry, with us," I said sternly. He and Linda rose from their seats and followed us as I walked to the munitions room. "Barry, Will has a wife and little girl, I want you to set him up as my handler on the blackout work and set his ladies up properly. This will likely be my only mission and I want him to take the good points."

"You're such a bleeding heart," Barry grumbled, his wife elbowed him.

"Just do it love," Linda said fondly, "you already owe her big on this. He's volunteered, she didn't. At least let her have this one."

"Oh... alright," the man sighed. He looked at Lennox. "As of now you are a deep cover CIA contract mechanic. You have licence to kill during an assignment with the provision that it is a justifiable death. This mission will be the only one required of you, and you are free to turn down any mission offered to you afterward. If you are killed in any line of duty your wife will receive three thousand dollars per month for the rest of her life, subject to increase with inflation. Your daughter will be granted tuition for whatever college or university she chooses with the provision that her grades allow her acceptance. It will follow under the guise of automatic acceptance of financial aid. We have counselling and groups for every class of loss or gain. Am I missing anything?" he looked at Linda.

"Personal injury," she smiled.

"Right, if you are _injured_ in the line of duty you will receive home-care aid if desired and a comfortable living salary."

Lennox frowned.

"What's the fine print?" he asked warily.

"I like him," Barry commented to his wife.

"Deny anything that hasn't been declassified." Linda shrugged. "your method is up to you, but I find the 'that shit only happens in movies' line works quite well."

"That's the contract they had dad sign. It's two pages," I smiled at Linda fondly.

"One now, I made the print smaller." she smiled.

"If you want you can sign it when you get back, if they manage to get past Angel and kill you on this one I'll forge your signature," Barry stated. "You have my promise that I'll take care of your ladies."

"Shit! I can do that," Lennox grinned. "You want a sample of my signature?"

"You're Military. Already have it," the man shrugged. "I'll be using one of your older signatures so that it looks like you've been deep for a few years and automatically eligible."

"Just like that?" Will looked stunned.

"If I'm going to risk your life, I want you to benefit from it," I said softly, opening up Rig's clothes locker. I gestured Will toward it and handed him a black duffle. "You're going to need a suit, dress shirt and tie. Your combat boots, go through and see if you can find a pair of dress shoes that fit you, and pick out five or so days worth of civilian clothing. Your choice. And the blackout suit. If you want you can look through Dad's locker as well, he was a bit bigger than you but he adored bowling shirts."

I turned and grabbed my own duffle, emptying it and quickly re-packing from my own locker. I carried it to the gadget table.

"What do I wear now?" Lennox piped up.

"Civvies," I said over my shoulder, I pulled down two watches for each of us, a nice briefcase for myself and some pieces of jewelry.

"This okay?" Will stood with his arms out, wearing jeans and a button up shirt over a men's tank.

"Nice," I smiled, "pick yourself out some accessories." I quickly stripped out of my clothes and began strapping on various weapons. Knife between my shoulder blades, one at my calf and a lightweight, silenced gun. I threw on jeans and a tank under a jacket and froze.

"Military transport the entire way?" I asked quietly.

"Yeah, why?" Will asked curiously, looking over the weapons with a keen eye. I handed him the log-book, walked to my dad's locker and pulled out his rifle, across the room, the firing pin and several rounds out of the munitions, I sat and immediately began to clean it.

"That's..." Barry whispered.

"It will remain the widowmaker," I stated quietly. Will whistled. I looked up at him.

"Even _I've_ heard the legends on that thing," he murmured.

Lennox took a bit more time deciding on his weapons, finally opting for the same calibre he carried on base.

"Let's roll," I said quietly. "Barry, Linda, it was nice to see you again."

"Be safe Angel," Linda said gently, cupping my cheek. I nodded and picked my duffle up. "Barry, will you take us out to the boat?"

He nodded, we walked out of the house and down the dock in silence. I drove to the boat I'd stolen and nodded to Barry.

Silently, Will and I boarded and took off.

"If you can, you might want to get some shuteye," I said finally, "this is going to be a long haul." Will nodded and relaxed into his seat.

* * *

8:00

Location: C17

"That... wow man, you're set for life!" Epps grinned.

"First and last," Will stated firmly, "doesn't leave the plane."

"Yes sir!" the men saluted jauntily.

Will looked up at Optimus.

"She killed, and not three hours later comforted the children." Optimus murmured, cradling the tiny femme in his hand.

"It wasn't how easily we got out of the embassy that convinced me to stick with her," Lennox stated with a nod at the young woman as she shifted, her eyes opened, anyone could see the agony in them. They closed again


	67. 65 A Year of Hours: Efficiency

**Chapter 65 - A Year of Hours: Efficiency**

* * *

269:55

Location: Mangroves

(MPOV)

I wiped down the boat, slung two duffles across my shoulders and gently shook Will awake.

"We're on foot from here," I said calmly, wiping at where he touched the boat. He took the hint quickly and began wiping the rest of the boat. "I already did that, let's roll."

"Isn't Ironhide..."

"He'll be on the road a mile north from here." I said calmly, "there's a community nearby that goes out into the mangroves here on a regular basis. It'll take months for the police to eliminate them all as suspects of who stole this thing. This is the best place to park."

Will frowned but nodded, following me as we climbed through the mangroves.

"Don't use this branch," I'd say occasionally, but for the most part we moved in silence.

Finally, we reached the road. Will jumped across the flooded ditch and caught the duffles as I tossed them. I climbed higher in one of the trees and tossed him a half dozen oranges as well before going out on one of the limbs and letting it sag me down to the road. I glanced at my watch and began walking east.

Five minutes and a truck roared up behind us.

"Not Ironhide, keep walking," I murmured.

"It looks like Ironhide..." Will murmured, frowning.

"Not Ironhide." I said firmly.

"Hey sweet cheeks, why don't you ditch that loser and ride with us?" a muscle bound teenager, maybe three years younger than me shouted out as his friends leered.

"I shall remain with my _husband_," I stated coldly.

"Beat it," Will growled.

"I don't think so," the boy grinned, "C'mon baby doll, my new truck needs some breaking in. Just fixed 'er myself," he added smugly.

"Judging by the sound of your engine and the fact that you're still riding your clutch it's already well on it's way to being broken," I retorted haughtily, cocking my head, "your timing is missing a beat and it sounds like your carburettors haven't been tightened properly or in the right order. So before you break down five miles from here why don't you try to get to a proper shop?" I began walking again.

"Well fuck you then!" the boy shouted, revving up his engine and popping the clutch in an attempt at a wheel spin. It stalled. Lennox chuckled as he followed me. Ironhide chose that moment to pull in ahead of us. His holoform got out of the cab and walked toward us. He looked positively massive today. I drank in the sight of his form, his holoform in, knowing it would be my last time seeing him.

"Hide! How've you been?" I asked, reaching up and giving him a hug.

"Sorry I'm late," he rumbled, "wanted to see if any of the stations roun' here had anything _remotely_ close to decent fuel. Hop in."

I climbed into the middle and relaxed in the seat as the two males took driver and passenger.

"Hey Ironhide, rev it up for a second and do a proper wheel spin will you?" I asked with a small smile.

"That's evil," Lennox chuckled, looking at the flabbergasted expression on the kid's face behind us. Ironhide chuckled darkly and pulled out onto the road with a screeching roar.

I closed my eyes with a smile.

"Washington?" Ironhide rumbled curiously.

"Washington," I confirmed quietly, my smile fading.

"Look at me Kae," Ironhide said softly.

"I need to finish this before you kill me, 'Hide," I said softly. "I'll go quietly when the time comes."

"Look at me anyway." he rumbled.

I opened my eyes and looked at his holoform. He nodded with a grunt.

"Still not a murderer," he rumbled firmly.

"I've already taken down one," I said softly.

"It's not murder, it's cleanup," Lennox repeated himself.

I closed my eyes with a heavy sigh.

"Doesn't feel like it," I said softly, "has Liams gone down the rabbit hole?"

"Ratchet brought Wheelie with him, that little bot has been keeping a close eye on our rabbit," Ironhide rumbled with an evil laugh.

"Get some rest Kae, you've been driving all night," Will said gently. I closed my eyes and listened to the idle banter between the two males before drifting off.

* * *

08:00

Location: C17

"Okay, let's skip through the conversation, I know I didn't poison Kae." Will stated. Optimus nodded and fast forwarded to the next time she opened her eyes.

* * *

235:15

Location: Washington

(MPOV)

"Kae? We're here." Ironhide rumbled softly. Lennox opened the door and quickly picked up Wheelie. The scrap drone quickly changed and looked at me.

"Man, this guy is cocky," Wheelie immediately said, "he walks to the same cafe three blocks away every day without anyone keeping an eye on him. Here he comes!"

"He's setting his alibi up," I said calmly, "he has a lookalike for when he goes to ground or decides he wants to do a hit himself."

I sighed and dug into my duffle, pulling out a tiny syringe and palming it

"Liams is subject to epileptic fits, he takes a suppressant to calm them, but he hasn't switched in five years, he's about to relapse," I said calmly. I looked at Will.

"What do I do?" he asked seriously.

"We get out and walk, I'm going to pretend to be tipsy, 21st birthday. You're going to indulgently guide me toward that hotel over there, when I ask when we started, answer your phone and lose track of me before getting me off of Liams. Ironhide, circle the block quietly and pick us up two blocks down from the Cafe. On my mark."

"On it," they both replied. I watched as he sat and the waitress poured him some water.

"Now," I said quietly, taking a quick sip of whiskey. Will got out of the truck and I followed. Ironhide quietly pulled out into traffic and made a right.

"And oh my god, did you see his face!?" I asked Will in a bright, cheerful, slightly tipsy voice. "He was like, you totally can't out drink me, and I totally _whooped _his_ butt!_" I giggled.

"Yes you did dear," Will laughed tolerantly, leading me past the cafe, "now let's get you to the hotel and you can sleep off the epic binder."

"It's Noon!" I giggled, "when'd we start again?"

"Ten last night," Will chuckled, "Hold on a second." he stopped and pulled his phone out of his pocket, I continued on as though I hadn't heard him and promptly stumbled over a chair, landing against Liams.

"Whoops!" I said in a bright voice, struggling to get up again. "Sorry buddy, HEY! Were you at the party last night!?" I grinned at him.

"No," Liams said in an irritated voice as Lennox quickly came over and retrieved me, "Please be so kind as to control your girlfriend." he added to Will before looking at the menu again.

"Sorry man, 21st birthday," Will stated apologetically, "come on sweetie," he added, wrapping an arm around my shoulders again.

"Aw Danny you're the bestest," I slurred, leaning against him and walking without a care in the world.

We made it halfway through the second block when screams erupted behind us.

"Is it a party!?" I asked with a bright grin, turning around. A group of people surrounded Liams, blocking him from view.

"No sweetie," Will said soothingly, "come on, bed time."

"Bed!" I exclaimed cheerfully. Ironhide pulled up in front of us.

"There you are man! Thought you abandoned us!" Will called out.

"Nah, but if she hurls I might just," Ironhide bellowed back, his holoform reached over and opened the door. I climbed in and promptly seemed to fall asleep on Hide's shoulder as he drove carefully away.

"Tell me when we're at least ten blocks away," I murmured.

We sat in silence for a few minutes.

"Now we are." Lennox murmured. I sat up and leaned back in the seat, covering my face and forcing myself to breathe deeply.

"Two down four to go." I whispered.

* * *

07:30

Location: C17

"Okay, nothing there," Lennox said grimly. "We got to the plane, flew to London, I was with her constantly until we got to the London guy's place."

Optimus still took a couple of minutes to watch everything at high speed before playing the next segment.

* * *

220:05

Location: London Airspace

I opened my eyes, stretched and stood up, shaking Will's shoulder.

"C'mon flyboy," I laughed at the half-awake man. "this is our stop."

"We're on a plane, where's the stop?" Will groaned, stretching.

"'Chuting in to the Manske Gardens. I pulled a string, or rather, Barry did, there's a practice drop over the city, they're going in with red chutes, practicing a Christmas thing, maybe Guy Fawkes. Something. Anyway. Barry's got it figured out. You good with wing suits?"

"Wing suites!" Will exclaimed, sitting bolt upright.

"Cool your cannons, I'm kidding." I laughed. "But seriously, grab your chute."

"Where are we dropping in?" Lennox asked calmly.

"I told you, Manske Gardens. And just remember, don't call me Angel or Mikaela. Kae's fine." I strapped on my chute and watched Lennox with his.

"Okay," I said calmly, holding up some papers and pointing, "its a night drop, you're aiming for this dark patch here. The safe house is here, if we get split up meet at the house."

The announcement came over the speakers.

"You good?" I asked him firmly, "if you're still groggy you can land and meet me at the safe house."

"I'm good, shit, I don't usually get this much warning," Will grinned.

"Awesome." I grinned, walking toward the opening doors. Chance had himself hooked up to the safety lines already.

"Alright, remember where you're aiming Lennox!" I shouted, taking a running leap down the barely open hatchway. Arms tight to my sides I sped toward the earth before opening my arms, wing suit.

My speed decreased.

"Lennox," I shouted, "I know you're probably watching this, I'm sorry for ditching you, but Manske is paranoid, I need to go in silent on this one. I would have adored having you as backup, but I don't know how good you are at free running." I spied the Manske Gardens, lit up beautifully amidst it's hundreds of manicured trees. There were a hundred bright red parachutes blooming close by. I pulled my pin and joined them for a minute before throwing myself into a fatal looking spin.

Three hundred, two hundred, one hundred, I corrected fifty feet above the Manske estates and landed on the roof. My chute collapsed quickly around me. Perfect.

In moments I had it stuffed back into the bag and began running along the rooflines. There was a party tonight. Talk about timing. I squinted and found myself surprised that I could zoom in on the individual people, I could hear them.

"Ratchet, if I ever see you again, I am going to give you the best detailing you've ever had," I whispered softly. Two men nodded to each other and wandered toward the trees.

"So she is dead?" Lorenne of all people asked quietly.

"She is, one of my men looked at her grave, there is an urn with ashes and bone fragments inside the casket, but we found an identifying mark." Manske murmured.

"Which is?"

"She still had a capsule, shattered glass with that Irish drunk's signature on it." the Brit whispered gleefully. "She's dead, we can move without fear! I also hope you enjoy the fact that I had my man piss on their graves."

"Here's to Prime Ministers of police states!" Lorenne grinned, raising his glass of champagne. I carefully loaded a shot into my rifle, palming the second.

"You know, I always did love your style, Angel," A man's voice murmured behind me. "I call truce, these bastards are ordering me to kill innocents. I don't do that."

"_Sabre?_" I whispered in shock.

"Hey Angel, nice to meet you in person for once," the assassin grinned. "Here, I made these for you."

I turned around slowly to see the man crawling toward me with one hand held out.

I reached over cautiously and accepted two bullets.

"You carved angel wings into the bullets?" I asked in amusement.

"_Knew_ you'd shown up the second Mai grew a third eye," Sabre chuckled. "Please tell me you're bugged?"

"Sub dermals, they're awesome," I grinned. "To work?"

"I call Lorenne," Sabre grinned taking one of the bullets and loading it into his own rifle. "Love the work with the 'chute by the way, they're going to be scrambling for _days_ trying to figure out who or what you were. I'm going to borrow that cover from you."

"Go for it, I'll be gone," I murmured, tracking Manske. "How did you know my calibre?"

"You're Cal's daughter aren't you?" he chuckled. "Who do you think taught _me_ to shoot? The man had his favourites. You sang beautifully by the way, I wish I could have told you that at the funeral."

"Shit you're everywhere Sabe," I murmured, "Feeling a little bit of envy, so what would you like to say for the camera?"

"Camera too? Sweet. Welp, my code name is Sabre, I'd like to resubmit my resume to the CIA, I've been trying to feed them information without it getting to Liams, which is bloody hard. I thought of retiring but I didn't make it a month. Boring. Anyway, don't need much in the way of pay. You got a safe house nearby?"

"Nope."

"Good, me neither, we'll hit the cafe?"

"Absolutely. Oh and don't say you don't want to be paid!" I chuckled.

"Oh you gettin' paid?"

"Nah, they buried the boys with honours, I'm making sure it sticks."

"Good girl, whoop! Here we go! Follow me out, I got a good route for us."

"Three."

"Two."

"One."

Sabre and I fired simultaneously, up and running the next second.

"I'm shocked you're trusting me," Sabre grinned over his shoulder.

"Hey, a man who'll let me follow him has got my trust," I replied, jumping to the fire escape just behind him.

We were outside the walls minutes later, running toward The Assassin.

"It never fails to amuse me when everyone turns up," Sabre chuckled, looking around the almost empty pub and holding a knapsack out to me. "Listen, we'd better make this quick, you didn't gain weight did you?"

"You brought me civvies? Oh you darling," I chuckled, quickly changing into the modest blouse and jeans he'd provided me with. I stuffed everything into the bag and slung it over my shoulder, linking my arm with his.

"Sabe, why'd you go rogue?" I asked in a sad tone.

"They had me working for Liams, you know who the fifth target he gave me was?" Sabre growled.

"Who?" I asked quietly.

"Di," Sabre growled softly. "That sweet, gentle woman. Met her, you know? They wanted her messy so that they could build up a decent third world. I don't do messy, and I don't do innocents. Sho taught me better than that. So I sent 'em a warning, but Xiao drugged the driver. They covered it at least. Oh, and I didn't do the Sec Def either, Liams trained this _damned_ guppy to use my signature. Please tell me you got 'Otis safe? I Rogued a second time 'cause they wanted me to go after the family. I never found out if young Shrubby gave him a go-to to hide them from me."

"I did, and no, bloody oil families." I turned to look Sabre in the eye. "Are you true?" I asked in a firm tone.

"Truer than your daddy's bullets, may they rest in peace." Sabre growled.

"Right well personal note then," I made a point of holding my wrist to my mouth, "Barry, give Sabre the run down, check him out, he might be a good go-to for 'Otis."

"Oh shit you got _Barry_!" Sabre laughed, "Damn girl, awesome. How's he doing?"

"It's_ Barry_, he could be on his death bed with every disease known to man and _still_ whup our asses."

Sabre laughed and pulled out a small case of chips, tucking them into my pocket.

"There's my details," Sabre said calmly. "Semper Fi Angel, I'll let you get back to your handler." Sabre gave me a small salute and wandered off with a jaunty step, disappearing into the crowd.

I walked casually to the safe house, walked through the door and straight into a very upset Chromia.

"Four down, two to go, and a new friend," I smiled at her.

"You. Are in trouble." Chromia glared.

"Okay, but before you ream me out the plan has been upped, we're going straight to Hong Kong. Tell Bee to stop worrying about the fact that he lost Lorenne. I found him."

* * *

05:30

Location: C17

"Chromia reamed her out something fierce too," Lennox added. "So did I, actually."

Optimus nodded. His Kae knew a powerful killer, had such an easy rapport with him... He shook himself and quickly flew through the next several hours of tape until Kae was on her own again.

* * *

100:00

Location: Hong Kong

(MPOV)

"Welcome to Hong Kong," Sideswipe's holoform greeted us with a bright smile. "My name is Cho and I will be your driver on this," he looked up at the rain. "Beautiful Coastal day," Sides grinned, "I always wanted to do that."

"Sideswipe we're at a friggen Military base," I laughed.

"C'mon, you don't think I'd actually do that in _public!?"_

"Okay touche," Will grinned, "so did you find him?"

"Yep, man, you wouldn't _believe_ how easy it was."

"They're keeping to the public eye, they disappear and people start to think they're behind something," I chuckled. "The plus of them actually believing I'm dead."

"Yeah well, our dear Commander is at home with his wife and kids," Sideswipe chuckled. I groaned. "What?" he asked curiously. "You have an appointment with him in two hours at his beach house, he adores going out to cheat."

"How the hell?" I asked Sideswipe incredulously.

"Intercepted his call to a masseuse," Sideswipe grinned.

"Shit Sides, this is way too easy," Mikaela chuckled.

"Well, sort of, I didn't actually get the Kimono, _those_ chicks were staring at me weird," Sideswipe grumbled.

"Probably because you're Japanese and speaking with an english accent." I murmured. Will looked at me from the passenger seat and burst out laughing.

"Is that all that was?" Sideswipe asked incredulously. "Damn, I'll come in then." he parked out front of a tailors. We were in and out in minutes, I crawled into the backseat and quickly changed.

"Okay, here we go!" Sideswipe's holoform announced gleefully.

I closed my eyes.

"Kae? We're here," Lennox murmured.

"Geisha time," I groaned, then straightened myself into a demure young lady.

Lennox, dressed in his suit, helped me from the car, I minced my way to the door behind Sideswipe and walked through.

"Early, good." the butler stated calmly, bowing to me. I inclined myself lightly and followed. Shang was already laying on his bed.

Starkers. Old. Wrinkly. Starkers.

I minced over and immediately set to work.

Shang pushed himself up indignantly.

"You are not the same-!" he began. I snapped his neck and delicately righted it, laying him on the table again. I moved away, waited a few seconds, wiping my hands before walking out of the room.

"Problem?" The butler asked calmly.

"Sir wishes a different Geisha," I murmured softly, "We will send another." I bowed slightly and walked out the door.

"That was fast." Will murmured, tucking me into the back seat.

"Happy ending?" I asked as Sideswipe took off. "Ugh, does anyone have a wet wipe?"

"You didn't!" Will asked in shock.

"Pff, no, ew, but I've got grease on my hands. Nice one though Sides, that's a record."

"I am just that good," Sideswipe chuckled.

* * *

2:00

Location: C17

"I'll give him a commendation," Optimus murmured, skipping through the recording until he reached the right spot. "Right, Moscow."

* * *

11:00

Location: KGB headquarters

(WPOV)

"Why did we drive all this way again?" Will groaned.

"Professional courtesy," Mikaela said quietly.

"He sends hit men after you and you give professional courtesy?" Will grumbled.

"Petrov is different," Mikaela replied. "And why are you complaining? Optimus drove the entire way. On dreadful diesel."

"I wish I could say it was the worst I've had," Optimus rumbled quietly, his holoform turned around to look at them.

"I'll be back in a while," Mikaela stated, her eyes were far away. "We have a lot to discuss." she exited the sleeper cab and walked up the stairs. Will stayed at her shoulder.

Vachenkov met them at the door.

"He has been vaiting, Angel," he said quietly. She nodded, following the man. She turned and looked at Will.

"Stay here, you'll be safe," she murmured. Will nodded. They stepped into an elevator. Vachenkov opened a flap and allowed the retinal scanner to look at his eye. The doors closed.

* * *

(MPOV)

"You don't need to take mine eye," he added calmly, standing beside me. "I haff been Petrov's second in command for tventy years. He told me five days ago that you vould come. And the reasons vhy. I ask that you do not kill me, my first loyalty is to Ruska. I vill remain to escort you out."

I looked up at him with sadness in my eyes.

"I'm sorry," I said quietly.

"That you must kill me?" the man looked cooly down at me.

"No, that I must kill Petrov." I sighed, "the rest of them, the rest of them were murderers, Petrov was always loyal, a good man for an assassin." The door opened.

"Ah, but we need new blood," Petrov said quietly, offering me his arm. "I am glad that you did indeed come, Angel."

"I am no Angel," I snorted.

"But you are," Petrov stated gently, a needle jabbed into my side.

"Ow. Ricin?" I asked quietly, allowing him to lead me to the table.

"A new form," Petrov sighed. "You were kind, gave me time to say goodbye to my family. When I am outed Vachenkov would be forced to kill me slowly for my superior's enjoyment. He did not wish to, and I do not wish to suffer." He turned, released my arm and held my chair. "You will die quickly in ten days, if I had found this sooner it would have been my trademark."

"You always were the merciful one," I said gently, sitting across from him.

"Yes, well, your family still put me to shame. So many religions and yet they still worked and killed peacefully. Hell, they barely killed!" he poured two shots of Vodka and slid one toward me. "A drink, I would most regret not sharing a drink with Cal's Angel before she let me go to my hell in peace."

"No," I said softly, "of all of us, I'm pretty sure you'd have the best chance of getting up there. I appreciate the Ricin though, I have a friend who swore to never let me become a murderer - Me! Friends!" I exclaimed, tapping my glass against Petrov's raised one. We drank.

"What is the world coming to? An assassin with friends!" Petrov laughed, pouring another. He looked at me for a long moment.

"You wish to ask why," he stated calmly, pouring me another before setting the bottle down and sitting back in his seat.

"I do," I murmured. "You never struck me as a man who wanted power."

"I never did. Power is a trap, an addiction I never developed the taste for," Victor scowled. "But it was me or Antonin Demitrov, do you remember him at all?" Victor asked curiously.

"Tall, blonde, black eyes, and a look about him that had father sending me off to hide the second he stepped foot in the shop?" I murmured curiously.

"That is a most apt description," Victor laughed.

"So you took Demitrov's place," I stated quietly.

"Indeed," Victor nodded. "He was Lorenne's contact, here. A man who loved torture, who loved power to abuse it, and unfortunately smart. They covered their tracks, so I played the game, Angel. Set _myself_ to stand in this place today. So that if their plan had succeeded I could keep my beloved Ruska safe. It is our way, as we both know. We are the wildcards."

"We stand and watch the world go by," I murmured.

"Eliminate the most dangerous threats with conscience," Victor added.

"And we stand in preparation to take the blame, the necessary evil," we chorused sadly, raising our glasses to each other. We drank.

"Ah, I miss the old days." he sighed.

"When this was a gentleman's game," I agreed softly.

"When I would have been allowed to attend your father's funeral," Petrov shook his head, "They were buried together?" he asked gently.

"Side by side," I nodded. "Heros."

"And the report says an angel sang," Petrov sighed. He raised his glass. "May you fly, dear, beautiful Angel that you are."

"And you, Petrov," I said softly. We drank. "I truly appreciate the ricin, though, somehow I don't think he'll go through with it. Once I kill you I _will_ be a murderer."

"But I am not an innocent," Petrov stated, pouring another glass for each of us.

"No, but neither are you wholly guilty." I sighed, throwing back the shot. "You still have hope and mercy in your eyes."

"I have killed you," Petrov sighed, "and mostly? So that you would not try to renege. Little Angel I hope that I do not see you in Hell."

"Do you have any confessions, or did you want to pray first?" I asked in a choked voice. "I don't want you to leave unresolved."

"I am finished, and you are stalling," Petrov stated firmly. He stood and offered me a hand, drawing me from the table and drawing me into a hug. We stood for a long moment. "Come, we must not talk each other out of death." Victor stated gruffly, pulling back.

"Gonna miss you Vic," I stated, a tear rolled down my cheek.

"Hush," he said gently, wiping my tears away with gentle thumbs. "Sho hid my VFG disc with the others. Let me go with honour."

Victor Petrov stood straight and proud.

"What I did, I did for the love of my country," he stated in a firm voice.

I caught his jaw with a strong punch, wrapped the force around and struck his neck. He sagged into my arms and Vachenkov moved forward, helping me settle him into his massive office chair. He picked up my glass and thoroughly washed all prints or DNA from it, setting it among the beautiful crystal glasses and decanter on Petrov's desk.

Between the two of us, we tidied the office for Petrov to be found in dignity.

"Thank you," Vachenkov said quietly, offering me his arm.

I nodded wordlessly and allowed him to lead me into the elevator and through the foyer. He looked at Will as he came up the steps to collect me.

"If you have the chance, clean her blood," Vachenkov told the man quietly, "The Angel is still pure, but her blood has been poisoned. The micro-granules will stick to her veins in tventy hours. Be at peace, Angel." He looked at me sadly before walking back into his place of business.

"What the fuck?" Will murmured.

"I broke my promise, Will, I'm sorry," I shook my head sadly and walked toward Optimus, climbing into the heated cab.

"It's finished," I said softly, climbing into the heated cab. "My father's spirit can rest in peace, and I will join him soon." I closed my eyes and let unconsciousness enfold me.


	68. 66 Fatality of Remorse

**Chapter 66 - Fatality of Remorse**

* * *

(RPOV)

"How long ago!?" Ratchet demanded almost hysterically.

"Ten hours," Lennox reported sharply. "Vachenkov said they would stick to her veins in twenty, Petrov didn't expect her to have military backing!"

They had a chance.

"I need to completely purge her system then!" Ratchet stated in an icy tone, "I need _everyone_ with clean O positive blood to donate a pint! NOW!"

Lennox sprinted into the hangar proper.

"Everyone with O positive! We need you now!" he bellowed as Optimus carried his spark-mate into the hangar and quickly set her on Ratchet's workbench.

Ratchet onlined his holoform and snatched up an enormous syringe filled with blue dye. He poked her elbow for a second until the vein stood out and quickly injected her.

"What do we do?" Lennox asked sharply, sprinting toward the makeshift hospital with a dozen men running after him.

"The gear is in that box over there, hook everyone up to donate a pint of whole blood." Ratchet commanded briskly, scanning his assistant every second. He found the Ricin pellets, still floating freely through her blood and heaved a sigh of relief. He looked at Optimus. "They're not sticking yet. The nanites you gave her have decided the pellets are their number one priority, they've been isolating them and are looking for an exit. The amount of actual toxin in her tissues are minute enough for her to overcome."

Ratchet slowed his processors for a second, syncing them, then picked up a scalpel.

"You may want to look away, Optimus," the Medi-bot said gently. He watched as his Prime's holoform winked into being, gently taking his spark-mate's hand.

"If you're going to stay, grab those bags of saline," Ratchet stated firmly, Bumblebee onlined his holo next to the Medi-bot's and scrambled to get the tubes and bags in place as Ratchet cut away the cloth covering Mikaela's leg.

"What are you going to do?" Lennox asked in a worried tone as he tied off the first full bag. The newly freed soldier pressed a cotton ball to his arm as he wandered toward the mess in search of food.

"A bloodwash," Ratchet growled, he brought the scalpel down and sliced deeply into Mikaela's thigh. Several shouts of horror echoed through the hangar at the spurt of blue-black blood.

"Steady!" Ratchet bellowed, slipping the Saline IV into his assistant's arm.

Bumblebee held up the bag, looking down at his big sister with tears in his eyes. Ratchet would fix her, he had to. She stirred, her eyes opened to look at the tube in her arm.

"What are you doing?" she asked softly.

"Saving you," Ratchet growled. "You're awake, now stay awake."

"We're in Garcia again?" she asked softly.

"We are," Optimus rumbled, squeezing her hand gently.

"Why are you saving me?" Mikaela continued, staring at the tube in her arm. "There's ricin in my blood, I'll just die in another eight days. If I'm bleeding to death just let me go quickly."

"You're not going to die," Optimus snarled, she looked up at him with unnoticed tears running down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry Optimus," she whispered. "Take my remains to Cybertron, heal your home." She reached up to touch his cheek gently.

"You are not allowed to die!" Optimus bellowed, fully using the voice of command for the first time in centuries and cupping his beloved's face in both hands. "The nanites are removing the ricin from your blood, you need to stay awake and stay alive. That's an order! For Primus sake don't leave me behind!"

His head dropped to nestle into the crook of her neck.

"If you loved me enough to accept my mark for _Primus_ sake stay alive and let me live again!" he moaned as Mikaela began gasping.

"Bumblebee! The ricin's gone. Switch to whole blood!" Ratchet commanded.

"Optimus I'm a murderer," Mikaela whispered, "I don't deserve you. I deserve to die."

"You are not a murderer," Optimus stated coldly, pulling back slightly to look her in the eye. "You are forgetting that we spent ten hours on a plane watching each one of your kills. You killed quickly, cleanly and for the sole purpose of protecting innocent lives. You made the majority of the deaths look like they were natural causes and set bodies up so that their families could think fondly of them. You comforted scared children, kept them safe. Those are NOT the actions of a murderer!"

"If you're such a horrible person, why did you have a load of children's shows in your duffle bag?" Lennox demanded, "those kids went from terrified to happy in a matter of minutes and if you don't come peacefully to Christmas at my home I'm going to make Optimus, Chromia and Ironhide kick you all the way there!"

Mikaela looked around at the group of unyielding faces and closed her eyes.

* * *

(MPOV)

"So you got my first human kills on camera," I said in a soft tone.

"That's your first proper kill?" Ironhide asked incredulously. "Kae you need to survive to teach me that Primus damned strike!"

"Get in line 'Hide! I called dibs!" Sideswipe protested.

"Would you truly leave us defenceless?" Optimus rumbled softly, catching and holding my gaze.

"Defenceless my foot," I retorted weakly.

"How about inefficient then?" Optimus asked mildly. I narrowed my eyes at him. "You can't make me stop loving you Kae," he rumbled, reaching up and lightly brushing an errant lock of hair back from my forehead.

I could feel the prickling sting of tears as I bit my lip.

"Stop doing that," Optimus murmured, his holoform inches from my face, "I'm the only one allowed to bite that lip."

"Optimus, how do I look you in the eye again?" I whispered.

"By opening your eyes," he murmured.

"Kae, look at me," Ironhide growled. I forced my eyes open and looked at the heavyset, frowning holoform. He glared at me for a second before turning to Prime. "She needs her hope back, that's your area. Not mine. I'm sure as hell not going to kill a femme still grieving that she killed two advancers fully powering up to mow the lot of us down."

Optimus nodded and took my face firmly between his hands.

"I have figured out how you do it," he growled. "You bury every single piece of kindness, love, hope and compassion deep down. You pretend to be an apathetic, uncaring bitch to keep people away to protect them. And you're so good at it you scared the hell out of Bumblebee for a microsecond before you broke your bluff."

He reached down and wrenched open my shirt, laying his hand over his mark on my chest. He smirked.

"I broke your bluff," he drawled, leaning down and pressing a light kiss to my lips.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus felt her sag as the last of her composure shattered.

"I killed them," Mikaela sobbed. "I ran, I hid I tried so hard and it didn't matter! Fate played her cards and I killed them!"

"Cricket, that's how life is." Chen Sho's voice said gently. "The important thing is that you killed cleanly." Optimus glanced up in surprise, he knew that voice, it was a _dead man's_ voice.

"That's not the point Uncle!" Mikaela sobbed.

"It _is_ the point Carida," Rig's voice stated firmly. A load of men stared at the bag Ironhide had insisted on picking up. He'd stated something about a temple in the Banes' shop. Bumblebee's holo walked to it and pulled out a screen with people on it.

"Men kill for profit, you killed to protect," Sho's voice said sternly.

"And you sure as hell better not have that Ricin in your wrist!" Tinny's voice added. "Yeah, I'm on the VFG, we BOTH knew I'd die before you did, you're a surviver sis. And I know you're feeling guilty that you didn't save me. But for Paddy's sake _stop it!_"

Mikaela looked weakly over at the screen Bumblebee's holoform was holding and broke down harder.

"Tinny, it's my fault you're dead!" she choked.

"No, it's not." Tinny replied. "And I can do this all damn day. Now you _listen_ to me sis. Stop trying to join us in death, I will not have my little sister coming back as a _snail! _We didn't inherit our family, we _chose_ them. Why did you think dad gave you the mastery and not me? You protect people, Kae, when the cards are played you're not afraid to get the job finished."

"But..."

"You're guilting over Petrov the most, aren't you?" Cal's voice asked gently.

"He stood straight and proud," Kae whimpered, "we drank vodka together, reminisced of the good old days. He stood straight and proud and let me finish him with dignity."

"Yeah, that's old Viktor," Calvin Banes said gently, "you know he made me promise him that you'd be the one to kill him, eventually. You did me proud baby girl."

"But now what do I do!" Mikaela shrieked, struggling to sit up to face him as the soldiers and auto-bots watched in shock. "Daddy you trained me to be a murderer. What do I do now?"

"You go back and you live the life you were supposed to!" Tinny shouted back at her.

"How do I live my life when I don't even know who I am now? Tinny I've become an assassin, it's not cool, it's not glorious. It's murdering people and preparing to take the blame because nobody else can. It's staying as aloof and uncaring for others so that they don't feel betrayed to find that you're a murderer. Now who am I? Am I supposed to be proud of burning every bridge and shooting every olive branch?" Mikaela shouted.

"You know damn well who you are Chen Mikaela Leanne Banes," Tinny said sternly. "You are the best of all of us. We grew up with love and you proved every day just how much that's truly worth. You're the one who killed the monsters under my bed, because the only thing you were afraid of was crabs. Not STDs, little scuttling crustaceans. And don't you _dare _give me that _bullshit_ about not _caring!_ _You're_ the one that travelled heavy, not for you, you _always_ had something in your kit to make someone feel better. What bloody assassin has _bandaids_ for a child's scraped _knee!?_"

Mikaela sagged into the worktable as her sister continued ranting at her from the grave, Optimus watched his love caving in to her dominant sister. It was frankly incredible that they had known each other so well that a message could be received and spoken to years after the death of one.

"And you know what else?" the irate little asian girl continued, "If you're so good at pretending not to care, why the _hell _are you listening to the VFG? 'Cause you and I _both_ know you're not going to come find us in the temple. There's somebody else there, and knowing you, because I _do_ Kaelie, you're surrounded by awesome friends and family, all of whom you're going to give a hug to from me. Hopefully you've got some extraterrestrials too, 'cause everybody knows Barry would want you spearheading first contact and all that stuff on our soil. So if you _manage_ it, go be a liaison or something."

"Tin, I wish you could have met them," Mikaela whispered.

"HA! I KNEW IT! Now. If _their_ culture allows, give them hugs too. Except, well, you know. Wait until you're healed up little sister, 'cause my bet is you're currently still bruised, bleeding and grieving. Actually, if anybody's there who's not shocked to see a battered girl talking to her dead sister on the computer could _please_ cuddle her, she _seriously_ needs it right now."

Optimus was only too happy to obey, his holoform gently pulled his Kae into a sitting position and sat behind her, tucking her head into his shoulder with arms holding her tight, shocked once again at just how right it felt.

"Only you knew me that well, Tin," Mikaela whimpered.

"Yeah, 'cause we grew up together. You didn't come into this world particularly capable of shutting people out, you had to learn it, and I'm really glad you failed so miserably. It's the first rule of being an assassin and you know it, you can't care. Which means you're a miserable failure as an assassin too." Tinny's tone softened. "Kaelie, get the hope back in your eyes, let me go." the screen winked out.

"Tinny?" Mikaela asked in a soft, lost tone. There was no response. "Tinny!?" she called again, panicked. The screen remained dark. Optimus scanned it worriedly, it had run out of power, the last of it's battery dead.

Optimus held his Kae tightly as she began to shiver.

"Tinny, no, don't leave me _Tinny!_" she shouted. "_Tinny don't go! TINNY!_"

Mikaela began to struggle in Optimus' arms. He held her tighter as her shouts became panicked, culminating in a howl of such loss it squeezed every heart and spark that heard her. Will stared at her, a hand covering his mouth.

"Kae, Kae you have to let her go," Optimus murmured in her ear, "you heal everyone else's losses, mend our souls and not your own? Letting go of the pain of loss doesn't mean you're letting go of her."

Mikaela turned in his arms, clinging to him as she sobbed until finally, finally, her eyes closed and the exhaustion finally took it's toll.

Optimus continued to hold her as Ratchet repaired the artery in her leg. Carried her to the makeshift cot in the work area and curled around her tiny, icy form.

Will dragged a chair forward as the mechs transformed, most of them sitting in their bipedal form to stand vigil.


	69. 67 Pack Loyalty

**Chapter 67 - Pack Loyalty**

* * *

(MPOV)

I opened my eyes, feeling exhausted and sick. Every muscle in my body was screaming at me. First indicator that I hadn't moved for a while.

"Kae?" Optimus murmured, "Kae hang in there, stay with me."

I nodded and took a shuddering breath.

"Ow," I whispered.

"Ratchet?" Optimus rumbled softly. The Medi-bot's holoform onlined.

"Finally decided to wake up huh?" Ratchet murmured gently, touching my face.

"How..." I began coughing. Optimus and Ratchet hauled me up and held a glass of water to my lips.

"Drink," Optimus commanded softly. I took a sip and almost choked, sputtering at the over-sweet-salty taste.

"The _Pit_ is that?" I coughed.

"Water," Ratchet murmured with a frown.

"What did you put in it? Salt and sugar?" I coughed.

"How can you tell at such a minute-"

"Ratch, here," Will said calmly, walking forward with another glass. "She's been unconscious on an IV for five days, I'm shocked you've even got your eyes open this long. Here, wet her lips with a cloth first, her body isn't ready to digest anything yet."

Optimus accepted the cloth and lightly dabbed at my lips. I raised a hand toward the glass a couple of minutes later and was shocked to see my hands shaking violently. In silence, Optimus steadied them around the glass, helping me drink.

"I shouldn't be this bad off after five days," I rasped finally.

"There was still ricin in your tissues," Ratchet said gently, "not enough to kill you, but certainly enough to make life miserable. You flatlined twice. This is the third time you've woken up."

"Why does it feel like the first?" I asked, frowning against the light.

"You were delirious," Ratchet stated in a calming voice, Optimus lightly brushed the hair from my face.

"What's your name?" he asked softly.

"Chen Mikaela 'Archangel' Leanne Banes," I answered immediately.

"Who was your father?"

"Captain Calvin Robert Banes, CIA and US Marines," I reported quietly.

"And how do you always know which of us is behind you?" Optimus asked in a low, amused tone.

"I listen to the resonation of the energon in your spark chambers, it still carries through to your holofor – aw _Dammit_!" I grumbled. "That's low Optimus," I glared at him.

He chuckled and tucked me deeper into the circle of his arms.

"It is good to have you back, my Kae," he rumbled into my hair.

"One question?" I murmured, relaxing into him.

"Hmn?"

"Precisely how much blackmail material did I blurt out mid-delirium?"

"Nothing we can use," Optimus chuckled, pulling me a bit closer.

"Because too many people heard?" I groaned.

"Nope, just nothing we can use," Will piped up. "Already knew you stole cars, killed people and caused a stump to explode with a ball of Energon. I, however, am _still_ pissed that you ditched me in London."

"I said wing suit, you panicked," I shrugged. "Not to mention I was landing on a pitched roof in full tailspin, one chute doing it and it's obviously a trick of the light. Two chutes and we'd have half the security detail breathing down our necks. You're my handler on the paperwork, that means you escort me to and from and tell me who I'm killing. Doesn't mean you come in and shoot people beside me."

"But then why..."

"It's the handlers that get the contracts," I said with a half laugh, "you don't think Barry or Dave actually know who I am on _paper?_ Security Will, if _I_ got caught CIA needs deniability, _you_ get caught you claim you're hunting down a 'high profile assassin' and then you kill me so I'm not thrown to the wolves. Handler."

"You can't be serious!" Will half-shouted. "You mean if the shit had hit the fan I was supposed to what, SHOOT YOU!?"

"Why does everyone always have that reaction?" I looked up at Optimus curiously. "Who do you think coined the phrase 'execution shot?' a bullet to the brain is a hell of a lot kinder than being tortured to death."

"It is a little disorienting to hear someone talk about their own death so amicably," Optimus rumbled, I could hear irritation in his voice.

"Why are you irritated?" I murmured.

* * *

(OPOV)

"I do not take kindly to the thought of your death in such a manner," Optimus rumbled angrily, "you deserve to choose for yourself."

Mikaela turned in his holoform's arms to look at him. She sighed.

"You dear, innocent soul," she murmured, reaching up to cup his cheek lightly.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Optimus growled. "I am well over seven hundred times your age and have taken more lives than I would wish to remember."

She caught his eyes with a gaze far too ancient and mature for her age.

"I have not owned my own life from the day I opened my eyes. Freedom is a luxury few possess, and an illusion to billions more. Hard fought to win, and keenly felt when it is lost."

"You are free _now!" _Optimus rumbled angrily.

* * *

(MPOV)

"Until a new President comes to office," I snorted. "Unless of course I get _very_ lucky and another democrat with upstanding moral character who understands that I had no choice in the matter comes to office."

"President and upstanding moral character are mutually exclusive terms aren't they?" Will stated mildly.

"Exactly, I'm screwed, Obama is an aberration," I chuckled.

"I'm what now?" the President asked, walking toward the group with Leo and Chris just behind him.

"An aberration," I told him with a half smile, "A President of the United States with good moral character and intelligence? End of the world standing right there."

"It's all an illusion, I'm actually George Bush Sr who underwent massive plastic surgery procedures to look like a black man." Obama stated dryly.

"I _knew _the giant blue Auto-bot who keeps pulling my ass out of the frying pan was an hallucination." I shot back, struggling to keep a straight face as Optimus' spark began to resonate with indignation. I failed miserably, finally turning to shoot a wink at him. His holoform relaxed behind me.

"I came to return these," Obama said gently, holding out the two geishas, "and to thank you for saving my family."

"Unless the girls look at them and remember a time of being scared, they should keep them," I said with a small smile. "They'd be going to a good family to love them."

"Thank you," the president said softly, smiling and handing the dolls to Leo. Chris Moreshower grinned at me and handed the man a box.

"Mikaela Banes, I hereby award you with the Medal of Honour, for going above and beyond the call of duty to protect the safety and freedom of these United States of America. I'll leave it to you to decide if I'm awarding this to you 'posthumously' or not." the man smiled. He pulled the medal from it's box and folded my left hand around it gently before carefully grasping my right hand. I struggled to shake his hand.

"Thank you, Sir," I whispered.

"Just so you know, Kae," Moreshower grinned, "everything's been made public, or it's going to be, you've got ten days to decide whether or not you're alive. As far as I know, you're going to continue to be the Ambassador for the Auto-bots if you're magically alive again. According to Barry, your involvement will be completely blacked out. 'Angel' is now a mysterious masked hero who saved the world."

"You're serious!" I squeaked finally.

"Hey, you save a man's family, he's your friend," the president shrugged with a grin. "Of course seeing as you had nothing to do with it I was officially hidden in a bunker for ten days. There's _also_ the probability that you were hidden in the same bunker with me, seeing as we used your 'death' to spur Liams into action."

I began laughing softly, cuddling into Optimus' holoform as he pulled me a bit closer.

"I would appreciate it if you continued to be my ambassador, Kae," Optimus rumbled in my ear.

"Gladly, but what happens when I'm declassified?" I asked firmly.

"That takes what? Forty, fifty years? I'll have figured out how to get you to survive on Cybertron by _then_." Ratchet shrugged.

"I'll be dead, so no worrying about me," Chris shrugged with a grin.

"Oh come on!" Lennox grumbled.

"What are you complaining about?" Chris laughed, "In fifty years I'll be ninety eight and either sleeping in my grave or damn close to it, and _you'll _probably be general. Life goes on, old generals don't die, we fade away. Just make sure they don't McArthur me."

"Deal," Lennox snorted.

"So you're alive?" the President grinned.

"For now," I smiled, suppressing a yawn.

Optimus' spark was resonating curiosity again.

"I'll explain it later," I yawned.

"I'll hold you to that," he rumbled gently, carefully picking me up and transforming around me. "Rest now, my Kae."

Obediently, I closed my eyes and met the darkness again.

* * *

(MPOV)

I woke up feeling ready to burst.

I needed to move. My eyes opened to see Optimus looking at me curiously.

"I need to run," I said softly.

"We can go wherever-" Optimus whispered, I could hear indecision, worry in his spark.

"No, not drive, I need to run, jump, climb," I smiled weakly, "do you know if there's an obstacle course nearby? I never looked."

Optimus grinned at me, delicately pulling his neural fibres out of my skin. The holoform offlined as I quickly pulled on the fatigues and tank that were waiting for me. I couldn't help but notice that the lingerie were still his colours.

I stood to climb out of his cab and crouched as he transformed, carefully shifting me into his hand and standing.

There were soldiers and auto-bots rolling out.

"Optimus?" I asked curiously, climbing up to his shoulder.

"Fitness tests were scheduled for today," he rumbled, I could hear him grinning.

"Alright!" Lennox was shouting as we walked toward him. "We need to show off the fact that even our tech guys can run when we need them to, Mikaela?"

"Major," I called down to him curiously.

"How are your climbing skills?" he called up, "we need another female representative!"

"Do I have to wear boots?" I shouted down.

"No, you aren't regular army!" Jacobs called up with a grin.

"Then bring it!" I bellowed, running down Optimus' arm and fairly flying through the air to land on Ratchet's hand. He lowered me ten feet and I jumped off, landing on my toes and jogging toward Will.

"Having him levitate you doesn't count!" Chance protested with a laugh.

"Levitate?" I asked with a frown, glancing up at Optimus.

"Last time I used a levitation field she almost bounced off," Ratchet laughed.

"What's the course!?" I demanded, bouncing on my toes.

"Groups of six, five miles, you're with Jacobs," Will commanded with a grin as everyone stood to attention. I quickly stood beside Jacobs, standing straight.

"NCO's don't salute," Jacobs murmured quietly. I kept my arm down as the drill sergeant walked past, everyone's arms in a strong salute. Except mine. He stopped and turned to stand in my face.

"Soldier! Why aren't you saluting!?" he bellowed.

"NCO's don't salute, Sir!" I bellowed back.

"NCO why are you in the lineup!?" he bellowed at me.

"I need to run, Sir!" I bellowed at him.

"Major! Why you making the girl run?" he shouted over to Lennox.

"She volunteered as our female representative, Sir!" the major grinned.

"So you don't need to run," the sergeant glared at me.

"All due respect Sir," I grinned at him viciously, "I _personally_ feel the need to run."

The sergeant glared at me for a second before turning on his heel and continuing along the lineup. Jacobs nudged me lightly, I glanced up to see him wink at me.

I stood to attention beside him.

We stood for two bloody hours. The drill sergeant kept passing me and glaring.

"Should'a brought my friggen iPod." I muttered after the first hour. Jacobs snorted beside me. Neither of us moved one iota.

"Red team! Move out!" the sergeant bellowed. Jacobs didn't move. I stayed frozen.

"Yellow team! Move out!" Jacobs didn't move. I bit my lip and stayed frozen, minutely shifting my weight back and forth to keep my muscles warm.

"Blue team! Move out!"

"That's us!" Jacobs rumbled, jogging forward.

"_Finally!" _I laughed, picking up the pace Jacobs set and running just behind him.

"Fall back a pace Kae," Graham stated behind me. "Arm's length."

"So two of my arms?" I laughed, slowing and pacing again.

"Pretty much shrimpy!" Tibir called out two back.

"You make me into gumbo and I give you heartburn like death!" I called back. The group roared with laughter. We jogged three miles, settling into a ground eating trot and occasionally shouting comments to each other.

"Okay maggots," Jacobs called out, "Tire time!" he began bouncing his way through tires, knees high in the air. I couldn't help it, I laughed all the way through the tires, never once setting my heels on the ground and occasionally having to stand on one foot for a moment to let Jacobs get ahead of me.

"Arm's distance in front of you Kae!" Graham laughed as I stopped again.

"I have an enormous ego and tiny arms! I don't think this was such a good idea!" I shouted back at him, flailing my arms in the air as I jogged my way through the tires. Finally, the last was past the tires and Jacobs was trotting toward a field of barbed wire, he began shuffling his way through. I snorted and skittered through on my hands and toes.

"How the hell are you doing that Kae?" Epps shouted at me.

"Practice!" I called back.

"Since when?"

"Since I used to get into my house through the air-vent!" I laughed. Jacobs stood up in front of me and stopped dead, I got to my feet and looked at him curiously. He pointed at a twenty foot wall with a frown. A dozen men were struggling to get to the top, occasionally falling.

"Where the hell's the damn rope!?" Jacobs bellowed.

"There's a corner, why the hell do you need a rope?" I asked curiously, "you coming?" I took off at a dead sprint, angling for the 90 near the edge. "Coming through!" I bellowed, and ran up the wall.

I walked along the top and found an anchor where the rope should have been. No rope. I shrugged and sat on the wall, hooking my knees over the edge and locking my ankles around the anchor. I dangled upside down and caught Chance's hand.

"Hey Chance! Fancy meeting you here!" I grinned at him.

"How the hell!?" he laughed, dangling from my arm and looking at the remaining four feet. I caught his arm with my other hand, hauling him to my waist.

"Grab my belt, climb up," I grunted. He obeyed with a laugh and hoisted himself up to the top of the wall. There was a splash as he jumped off.

"Kae! We're supposed to help our _team_ out! Not every one of us!" Jacobs protested as I hoisted him to my belt.

"Fuck teams, you're my unit!" I grunted, lacing my fingers and catching his toe as he struggled onto the wall. "Go, I'll catch you up." I added, catching the next wrist.

"Last two!" Graham told me eventually, grabbing my belt as I caught his foot.

"Good on!" I grunted.

"How do I get up there!" Epps shouted up at me, holding Will on his shoulders.

"Will," I stated calmly, "dangle from my belt for a moment."

He obeyed and I swung my arms around, catching his knees.

"Bend," I grunted, "Wrap your legs around my back and bend your knees, tuck your chin so you don't whack your head and let Epps climb up." Will obeyed slowly, releasing my belt and finding that I had a death grip on his legs. He laughed and completed a human chain, reaching out and catching Epps.

My legs screamed at me, I squeezed my eyes shut and locked every muscle. Epps grabbed my belt and hoisted himself to the top of the wall.

"Sit up and grab my belt Will," I gasped, he obeyed and I released my arms, lacing my hands and quickly catching his toe. He scrambled to the top of the wall. I dangled for a moment, catching my breath before trying to sit up. My muscles wouldn't let me.

"FUCK!" I shouted, driving myself up and catching the edge of the wall, I hoisted myself up and over, landing in the water heavily. It was fucking cold.

Jacobs caught the back of my shirt and hauled me out of the mud.

"I told you I'd catch you up," I gasped, fighting to stand on numb legs.

"We ain't leave nobody behind!" Tibir shouted.

"Let's go then," I said firmly. As one the unit moved out. I struggled to run beside them, forcing my muscles to obey and ignoring the bruises. Will and Jacobs noticed, jogging on my left and right and catching my arms, giving me a bit of extra support. I began to warm up again, the running became easier. I looked my thanks to them as I delicately pulled my arms from their grasp. Jacobs grinned at me.

"Snipers to the front!" Lennox shouted. Automatically, I sprinted forward, snatching up a rifle and putting it together at high speed. I crouched and aimed, waiting for the target with a handful of bullets. In my peripheral vision Lennox was staring at me in shock as five others put their guns together.

I took a deep breath and felt the ice run through my blood.

Targets began popping up, blanks, I tracked them and fired, head shots, daddy's specialty. Another set, painted. One, dressed as a suicide bomber, terrified. Victim. I looked at the target and held my fire, moving to the next. A child, victim, hold fire. Man with a gun, clean suit, wrong stance. Shoulder. A target turned two feet in front of me, gun aiming for my head. He went down instantly. A bell rang. I threw the safety on and rose beside the other snipers.

"The _hell_?" Epps grinned at me.

"What?" I laughed, cradling the rifle across my chest as we began jogging back toward base.

"Since when are _you_ a bloody sniper?" Lennox demanded with a grin.

"Since I was old enough to not get thrown back by the kick," I laughed, "head shots were daddy's specialty."

"Then why are you the bloody fastest?"

"Because anytime I beat dad on setup and shot we got to go hunting," I grinned viciously. "I told you, habitual carnivore. There is _nothing_ like fresh deer meat cooking over a wood fire. And when we bagged our food? We could afford luxuries."

"Hah! You _were _raised by the military!" Chance howled victoriously.

"No, I was raised by... okay fine, I was _sort of_ raised by the military," I laughed.

"Still automatic to protect them huh?" Epps asked kindly.

"...Yeah," I agreed softly.

"Man, if we ever earn that same loyalty-" Jacobs started in a musing tone.

"You already have," I stated quietly. "You daft mooks made me break rule ten."

We fell into the lineup again, stood to attention and waited.

"NCO!" the Sargent bellowed, "why do you have a rifle!? Major!"

"With all due respect Sir!" Lennox bellowed back, "Kae is well trained with weaponry and a damned good shot!"

Several feet away, I could hear Ironhide and Optimus' sparks resonating amusement as Will and the drill Sargent bellowed at each other.

Finally, the annoying man shouted a dismissal.

"About time," I snorted, "It's an ill wind that blows no good."

"What's that?" Epps grinned.

"Mudpack like this? Gonna lose all my calluses," I snorted, carefully breaking the gun down, cleaning it and setting it back in it's case. As one, we trouped toward the mess.

"So what, why are we daft mooks?" Jacobs grinned.

"You bastards made me break rule ten," I grumbled. "How the hell am I supposed to be an acceptable assassin if I'm constantly breaking rule ten?"

"What, never become personally involved?" Will snorted, "stupid rule if you ask me."

"Well, okay fine, but if you lot were anything less than the _ridiculously_ accepting people that you are, what are my chances of having gotten back here and being allowed to play soldier again after activating?" I asked wryly.

"Yeah well, you're an awesome little sister," Chance grinned, pulling me into a tight hug. "We called dibs."

"Not to mention there would be hell to pay if Ratchet didn't get to keep his favourite assistant," Optimus rumbled, onlining his holoform with a grin.

"You're all prats and I love you dearly," I laughed.

"Good," Lennox grinned, "now are you coming for Christmas or not?"

* * *

(OPOV)

"Oh god, I don't want to impose," Mikaela groaned.

"You'll be imposing if you don't come," Lennox grinned, "You too Optimus."

"I would be honoured," Optimus rumbled with a grin, following the men into the mess hall. Kae smiled as she collected her tray, sitting and eating with the men as if nothing had changed. Optimus watched her carefully.

"What's wrong, Kae?" he asked during a lull in the conversations. She looked up, startled as everyone turned to look at her.

"What are you on about? I'm fine," she said with a smile that struggled to reach her eyes.

"No, you're not," Lennox frowned, "something's eating you."

"Kae," Optimus rumbled gently, reaching over and lightly touching his mark on her chest beneath her shirt. She sighed, sagging into herself.

"You guys don't need to hear the quibbles of a teenaged girl," she murmured softly, staring at her hands.

"We're gonna make you say it anyway," Jacobs murmured. "You don't have to say it all at once, but we _all_ know that after we kill, it helps to bleed off the poison."

"I'm getting blackouts," Kae sighed finally, "I don't know if it's because I was tired, blocking it out, or because of the ricin. It's slipping away, except for the guilt, the knowledge that I've killed."

"That is the ricin," Optimus rumbled, gently taking her hand. "We sliced open an artery in your leg, completely drained your blood and replaced it. And still you died, twice. It is bound to have affected your memories."

"I'm alive," Mikaela said softly, "the only way I had available to deal, was that after... after I activated I was supposed to die. Except now I'm alive, surrounded by people I love again. But I'm still a killer."

She glanced up at the sound of a chopper incoming.

"The hell?" Will said with raised eyebrows as Optimus quickly offlined his holoform, transforming beside his unit into their disguises, he onlined his holoform to follow Will, quickly catching up to his Kae as the Major pressed his glock into her hands.

"Sarah!" he shouted with a broad grin, running toward the chopper his femme and the General were stepping down from.

Optimus frowned, the scent of fear was in the air...

* * *

(MPOV)

Something was wrong, civilians were on base and Chris Moreshower wasn't smiling.

The world slowed down as a man stepped out from behind the helicopter, grabbing Will and holding a gun to his head.

"Hello Angel!" he said with a bright smile that didn't come close to his eyes. Ice ran through my blood. I aimed for his head. "My but you took some finding! Tell your soldiers to stand down, Major, or you will have the pleasure of watching your beautiful ladies crippled, if not killed outright."

"Harrison," I growled. "Leave the civilians out of this. You want me, you have me. Weapons down."

"Oh Angel," Harrison shook his head. "No, you see it's not that easy, they really should have trained you better, you know? Sent you to me, train you up properly."

The auto-bots were rolling in at high speed behind us and transforming.

"Got more reinforcements coming in have you Angel? Drop your weapons boys." Harrison grinned at me, he cocked the gun.

"Stand down!" I barked in the voice of command. Several guns were lowered carefully to the ground. Soldiers and auto-bots both backed well away from us. "What do you want Harrison? As you can see you've interrupted a rather amusing day."

"I want to know what you gave to the General over here, we've had a nice little chat, me and Chris, it seems you gave him something, something that belongs to me, and I want it back. The President has it now, unfortunately, I'll have to kill him too. Such is life. But I need to know what you gave him Angel."

"Well then, it would seem I have the upper hand, now doesn't it?" I stated sweetly, placing the .45 lightly to my temple and flicking the safety off, "so how about you and the three men you have in reserve in the chopper there take the vests off the ladies there. Bomb vest on a toddler?" I laughed lightly. "You always did have style, Harrison, I'll give you that. Have you taken Barry out yet?"

"No, he's on my to-do list," Harrison drawled, looking at me with interest.

"What you see is what you get," I smirked at him. "Once this is all finished up I have no doubt that I'm going to be needing a new employer. Do me a favour though, Will here is a rather nice guy for an upright, get rid of the vest on the girls. Stylish, I'll give you that, but what's the sense of having a soldier out for vengeance? It's just _another_ man I'd have to kill, and good munitions have been getting expensive. But then, just how expensive is the information Cal foisted on me?"

Harrison laughed, jerked his head and three men came out, roughly taking the vests from Chris, Sarah and Anabelle.

"So you're going to die Angel, without saying goodbye?" Harrison simpered at me.

"Perhaps," I shrugged, "or we could all get into that lovely chopper of yours there, and discuss... business."

"Well I'll be damned, Cal's baby Angel grew some horns while daddy was away." Harrison leered at me.

"So much more fun this way," I drawled. Harrison gave Will a shove toward the group of hostages. There were still guns trained on them though.

"Now, is that any way to play nice?" I smiled sweetly, lightly fingering the trigger. "Vests deactivated, weapons down, same time."

The four men grouped together somewhat, wires were pulled. I slowly crouched toward the ground, the same pace that they did. The guns touched the ground and we rose again.

I held my hands out and walked slowly toward them.

"Mikaela!" Will shouted.

"I'll promise you this one thing, Will," I said quietly, trading places with the hostages. "They will never hurt your baby girl."

"Tsk tsk, you broke rule ten Angel, that's going to cost you," Harrison shook his head and pulled a gun from his waistband, there was the sound of a gunshot. In a second my knife was in the air, slicing his hand as I ran toward them. Guns were hastily drawn but I was already among them, punching here, breaking an arm there. They began fighting back.

Ice ran through my blood, uppercut with a stiff wrist, the man fell, unconscious, the second came from behind, catching me in a headlock. I reached back and jabbed my thumbs into his windpipe, fracturing it. He fell back, struggling to breathe. The third tried to grab me, I dropped down and took out his legs, swinging around and a solid kick to the sternum. Broken ribs. He was out. In a flash I was standing and had Harrison by the throat, he stared at me in shock, his eyes flicked about, looking for a weapon.

"Maybe you're right, Harrison, I did break rule ten. But you're wrong." I said in a deathly quiet voice. I shoved him back slightly and brought my right fist around, the punch had an s curve, forcing his neck to turn to the breaking point. With strength I switched angles, bringing my arm back and cutting down, snapping his neck instantly.

"I was taught by the best," I told the dead man flatly. He fell.

Four men lay wounded or dead around me. I leaned down, picked up Harrison's .45 and pressed it to my temple.

"Mikaela NO!" Will bellowed.

"Cover your baby girl's eyes," I said quietly before taking a deep breath.

The next second, Ironhide's holoform was behind me, snatching my wrists and forcing my arms down and behind my back. He pushed me down to my knees, holding me in submission. I bowed my head, waiting for death.

"I'm sorry Optimus," I whispered. Tears streamed down my face.

Ironhide released my arms and walked to stand in front of me, roughly grabbing my chin and forcing me to look at him.

"Hide," I whispered, "I don't deserve mercy, but please, have mercy and kill me quickly."

"It is our responsibility as guardians to _guard _and _protect_ those in our care," Ironhide roared at me. "You have two choices, either you live, or Optimus dies."

That hit far harder than any bullet. I broke, keening in agony as Ironhide knelt in front of me, pulling me roughly into a hug.

"You remember this well," he snarled, crushing me to his chest. "You kill yourself, you die and you commit murder. Understand me?"

I began struggling to hold back a sob as Hide rocked me.

"And don't you _dare_ feel guilty, you wounded three and killed one. You killed with more mercy than that bastard deserved." Ironhide rumbled softly. "A man who would cripple a hatchling doesn't deserve to live."

Optimus was beside us the next second, hauling me into his arms as Ratchet grabbed my stomach. I looked down. Blood.

"Oh, fuck." I whispered. There was darkness.


	70. 68 Loose Ends

**Chapter 68 - Loose Ends**

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus watched in horror as his spark-mate pressed the Major's gun to her head.

"Well then, it would seem I have the upper hand, now doesn't it?" Mikaela stated sweetly, flicking the safety off, "so how about you and the three men you have in reserve in the chopper take the vests off the ladies there. Bomb vest on a toddler?" she laughed lightly. "You always did have style, Harrison, I'll give you that. Have you taken Barry out yet?"

Optimus stood in shock, that wasn't his Kae...

"No, he's on my to-do list," Harrison drawled, looking at the girl with interest.

"What you see is what you get," she stated sweetly. "Once this is all finished up I have no doubt that I'm going to be needing a new employer. Do me a favour though, Will here is a rather nice guy for an upright, get rid of the vest on the girls. Stylish, I'll give you that, but what's the sense of having a soldier out for vengeance? It's just _another_ man I'd have to kill, and good munitions have been getting expensive. But then, just how expensive is the information Cal foisted on me?"

Harrison laughed, jerked his head and three men came out, roughly taking the vests from Chris, Sarah and Anabelle. Optimus was frozen in understanding now. His Kae was holding herself hostage, getting everyone to safety. He would be proud but for the gun to her head.

"So you're going to die Angel, without saying goodbye?" Harrison simpered at her. Ratchet was parked beside him, just as frozen, she'd used the voice of command. They all knew why, even if they hated her reasons.

"Perhaps," she shrugged, "or we could all get into that lovely chopper of yours there, and discuss... business."

"Well I'll be damned, Cal's baby Angel grew some horns while daddy was away." Harrison leered at Optimus' Femme.

Optimus snarled softly. She was _his_. _Nobody _had the right to look at her like that.

"So much more fun this way," she drawled. Harrison gave Will a shove toward the group of hostages. There were still guns trained on them, or those men would be dead.

"Now, is that any way to play nice?" Kae smiled sweetly, fingering the trigger on the gun. Optimus could feel the horror of every 'bot watching, their Kae was a flinch from death. "Vests deactivated, weapons down, same time." she commanded in a sweet tone.

The four men grouped together somewhat, wires were pulled. The five of them crouched toward the ground. The guns touched the ground and they slowly rose again.

Mikaela's hands were in the air as she walked slowly toward them. General Moreshower, Will and his ladies walked past her.

"Mikaela!" Will shouted.

"I'll promise you this one thing, Will," Mikaela said quietly as she walked past him. "They will never hurt your baby girl."

"Tsk tsk, you broke rule ten Angel, that's going to cost you," Harrison shook his head and pulled a gun from his waistband, the sound of a gunshot ricocheted off of the hangar. In a second Mikaela was flying, among the group of four as they struggled to draw weapons, one by one, and so efficiently it almost hurt to watch, she dropped the three bodyguards and stood in front of Harrison, her hand grasping his throat as he stood frozen. There was fear in his eyes, fear and murder. Anyone who looked into those eyes knew that the second he had a weapon, Harrison would try to kill them all.

"Maybe you're right, Harrison, I did break rule ten. But you're wrong." Mikaela said in a deathly quiet voice. Barely breaking the icy silence on the helipad. She shoved him back slightly and in a movement that could have only been trained, brought her fist around and spun his head to the side, her arm swung back and she chopped down hard on his neck. Optimus could hear a muted snap. The man's eyes were blank.

"I was taught by the best," Mikaela stated harshly to the man. Already dead, gravity took it's course, the man fell.

Kae stood deathly still, surrounded by three wounded and a dead man.

Then slowly, she bent down and picked up the dead man's gun, standing and pressing it to her temple.

"Mikaela! NO!" Will bellowed.

"Cover your baby girl's eyes," her voice commanded quietly.

Optimus' spark wrenched as he prepared to watch the death of another beloved, he prayed that he would find her soul in the well, she had said she'd wait for him.

Ironhide was moving in a nanosecond, his holoform onlined behind Mikaela, snatching the gun from her and forcing her to her knees. She didn't fight him, Ironhide had sworn to her that she would never be a murderer. Even knowing her thoughts – that she believed herself to have killed without justice – it was painful to watch the defeated, compliant movements from his Kae. Ratchet moved forward and covered his chest plates with a gentle hand.

"I'm sorry Optimus," his Kae whispered. And in that second he knew that despite the harsh stillness of her hands, she was crying.

"Steady," Ratchet murmured quietly.

Ironhide released Mikaela, walking around with fury in his eyes and grabbing her chin, forcing her to look up at him.

"Hide," she whispered, "I don't deserve mercy, but please, have mercy and kill me quickly." Bumblebee, Arcee, Chromia and Flare crashed to the ground, clinging to each other.

"It is our responsibility as guardians to _guard _and _protect_ those in our care," Ironhide roared at Kae. "You have two choices, either you _live_, or Optimus dies."

Mikaela broke, keening in agony as Optimus almost collapsed in relief. Ironhide's holoform knelt in front of Kae, pulling her roughly into a hug as she keened.

"You remember this well," he snarled, crushing the girl to his chest. "You kill yourself, you die and you commit murder. Understand me?"

Kae began sobbing as Hide rocked her, looking up at Optimus with relief in his eyes.

"And don't you _dare_ feel guilty, you wounded three and killed one. You killed with more mercy than that bastard deserved." Ironhide rumbled softly. "A man who would cripple a hatchling doesn't deserve to live."

Optimus onlined his holoform beside them and hauled his Kae into his arms, holding her tightly as she sobbed. Ratchet was in front of him a second later, pressing a hand firmly into her stomach as soldiers ran to tend the men she'd taken down.

Kae, Optimus and Ironhide looked down at Ratchet's hand.

There was blood.

"Oh, fuck." Kae whispered before slipping into a mild shock.

"KAE!" Optimus roared, shaking her, "Kae come back! Don't you _dare_ leave me!"

"Let her sleep it off," Ratchet chuckled, retrieving the bullet from her stomach as the nanites went insane over the mass of adrenaline fed Energon. "With any luck she won't even remember it."

"What the hell!?" Lennox bellowed, running toward Optimus with a massive group of holoforms and soldiers behind him. "Why the _hell_ would she kill herself?"

"Her survival mode switched," Jacobs shrugged, looking at the girl with respect.

"What!?" Epps stared at the larger man.

"Her survival mode switched," Jacobs repeated himself patiently. "Really, it switched the moment she realized she was holding a syringe an inch away from Ratchet's neck. She's a _trained_ killer, not a natural one."

"Which means," General Moreshower asked interestedly.

"Which means," Jacobs sighed tiredly, "that when she made her first kill, with her bare hands she got hit with a shitload of remorse, she doesn't _remember_ her first kills, it's hitting her _again_. If she were a natural she would be looking down at the fact that the nanites have finished fixing her up and grinning. It means that she's a good person, and it means that every now and again, probably one more kill, she's a strong young woman after all, she'll believe that she's a murderer and ask to be put down before she kills again. To _protect_ people from _her._"

"And you know this how?" Lennox asked in a calmer tone.

"Her daddy was a marine, did you see the shots she took? Put that sniper rifle together faster than speedy Gonzalas over there, crouched and waited for her shots, she shoots with ice in her blood and picks her targets with conscience."

The drill sergeant was nodding confirmation.

"I'll add that even in a team exercise she refused to leave anyone behind." the man delicately rolled up Mikaela's pants, shaking his head at the massive bruises already showing on her legs.

Optimus cradled her closer as she clawed her way toward consciousness again.

"She's stayed with professional soldiers for months!" Will frowned.

"Yeah, but she understands how hard it is for us to pull trigger," Tibir shrugged.

"For me it's so easy to kill," Mikaela whispered in shame. Everyone stared at her in shock. "I was trained only to take the time to choose my targets, there was no time for hesitation. If I have the shot, I have to take it."

"Why on earth were you trained to kill like that!?" Sarah asked incredulously, threading herself into Will's arms.

"I had to protect Tinny," Mikaela whispered, beginning to cry again. "I had to protect Tinny and I failed. I failed my tiny big sister."

"Tinny knew how to fight," Optimus rumbled firmly, his holoform carrying her to himself.

"She used up all her fight before she could walk, I was an hour late getting home." Mikaela sobbed into his shoulder, "I should have been there, taken care of her."

"She was kidnapped with her father in the house," Optimus growled, "the man was good enough to get her out from under Chen Sho's watch."

Mikaela sagged against him, shaking and covered in blood. Before the eyes of her unit, she became a tiny, broken femme.

* * *

(RPOV)

"Gods," General Moreshower whispered, "you just don't realize how tiny she is." Will nodded, wrapping his arms a bit tighter around his Sarah and Anabelle.

Optimus' holoform was carrying the bruised and broken girl back to himself, gently laying her in his hand before transforming around her. He drove slowly back to the hangar with Bumblebee following him.

Ratchet crossed his arms as he watched Prime, nodding to himself.

"Is she going to be okay?" Chance asked sadly.

"Prime has her," Ironhide shrugged. "Hello Sarah, haven't seen you for a while." he grinned at the women snared in Will's arms.

"How have you been, Ironhide?" she asked in a shaky tone.

"Better than usual," Ironhide grinned, he held out his hands and scooped up a pouting Anabelle, settling her into the crook of his arm and gently grabbing one of her hands. "Ab dub dub?" he asked seriously.

"Dub dub!" Anabelle stated with a broad grin, wrapping chubby arms around his neck and cuddling into his shoulder. Sideswipe stared at the normally forbidding weapons master and burst out laughing.

"She's going to forget Common when she starts speaking english!" the asian holoform grinned.

"The point stands," Ironhide stated with a grin, bouncing around slightly as Chromia eyed him with adoration.

"Wait, she's speaking common?" Epps asked curiously.

"Sort of," Ironhide rumbled with a laugh, cheerfully bouncing the babbling toddler around. "If you listen hard enough she's telling us about her day."

"Is she okay?" Sarah asked in a choked voice.

"Dub dub," Ironhide nodded, Anabelle looked at her mother seriously.

"Dub dub," she repeated.

"That's what that means?" Will grinned.

"Good good," Sideswipe chuckled, he listened to her babbling for a second and replied in the same. She crowed and reached for him. Ironhide carefully handed the toddler over to Sideswipe, the holoform grinned.

"It's been a long time since I was able to hold a hatchling," he chuckled, speaking common to the tiny human and listening to her responses, it was almost as much fun as listening to his little sister Kae. She always had a good pun. He glanced toward the hangar. Bee and Optimus were speaking quietly, working out how to bring Kae back.

::. Remind her that she's loved. That she has healed us, true killers are incapable of healing others.:: Sideswipe looked down at the hatchling in his arms and looked at Will.

"You're coming for Christmas right?" Sarah said with a bright smile. Ironhide looked at Will curiously.

"It wouldn't be the same without you guys," Will grinned.

"May I borrow your child?" Sideswipe asked formally, "Mikaela grieves, I believe my little sister could use a reminder of why she fights."

Bumblebee sent a silent, ecstatic affirmative to Sideswipe's suggestion.

Will nodded.

_∂Little one, will you hug my sister?∂_ Sideswipe asked Anabelle curiously.

_∂Tiny giant! Where's tiny Giant?_∂ Anabelle babbled with wide eyes, looking around. Ironhide and Ratchet stared at Will's little girl in shock.

"What'd you guys say?" Epps asked curiously.

"She wants to know where tiny giant is," Ratchet murmured.

Sideswipe turned and began walking with Anabelle to the hangar.

"Are you sure Mikaela is calm enough to not hurt her?" Sarah asked worriedly.

"Easily," Will said assuredly, he wrapped an arm around his Femme, "you know she fixed my ears right? Did you hear what she said as she walked past us?" Sarah nodded for a second before her eyes widened.

"She killed that... man... because he had a bomb on Anabelle?"

"She broke a rule..." Epps frowned.

"Rule ten," Ratchet rumbled quietly. "Never get personally involved."

"You care about someone and you protect them, every Femme knows that," Chromia stated in a soft voice.

"The care of the hatchlings falls to all of us," Arcee stated calmly. "That includes their protection. We _all _know that. Kae is grieving the necessity of following instinct."

Sarah walked forward and collected Anabelle from Sideswipe, walking quickly toward the Peterbilt. Optimus transformed, cradling Mikaela in his palm. She looked so small there.

Sarah marched forward and calmly stood in front of the girl.

_∂Tiny Giant!∂ _Anabelle babbled brightly, holding her arms out for Mikaela to pick her up.

Mikaela's movements were automatic, accepting Anabelle and cradling the toddler gently. Ratchet, Optimus, every auto-bot and soldier stared as Mikaela's entire demeanour changed, cuddling Anabelle and speaking in quiet tones. Anabelle reached up, grabbed a fistful of her hair and promptly fell asleep in Kae's arms.

Mikaela looked at Will's baby girl with a single tear running down her face as she continued to rock the child, singing soft lullabies under her breath.

"Kae? I see no failure in you now," Optimus rumbled softly.

Mikaela looked up at Sarah.

"Thank you," she whispered, carefully handing the sleeping toddler over to her mother. Sarah beamed, cradling her baby. Anabelle was down for the count. A blessing in itself.

"I'll see you at Christmas," Sarah told the young woman firmly. Mikaela blushed.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus cradled his Kae, keeping his holoform online and laying beside her. She was whimpering in her sleep again, calling out the names of her lost family. The nanites were trying to keep her in recharge, her mind refusing the rest. At a loss of what to do he held her tightly, keeping the hammock moving at a gentle swing.

::. Sing.:: Bumblebee told him quietly. Optimus opened the transmission curiously. ::. She loves your voice.:: Bee stated calmly ::. and anytime I was upset she sang to me, it makes you feel loved.::

::. Remind her that she's loved. That she has healed us, true killers are incapable of healing others.:: Sideswipe put in calmly. Bumblebee agreed enthusiastically.

"You shouldn't have to keep babysitting me," Kae whispered hoarsely, startling him.

"There is no 'have to,'" Optimus murmured in her ear, "You spend so much time being strong for us, that we forget that you are a paragon of the gentle spark. It hurts to love, sometimes, and it is an agony all it's own to lose them. Their love will always be with you."

He reached up and lightly stroked her hair. She took a deep breath and looked up at him.

"I killed a man in cold blood and still you're comforting me?" she asked hoarsely.

"You killed a man who would cripple a mother, maim a hatchling. Innocents both. Kill a good man to save his own worthless hide." Optimus rumbled angrily, "A man who intended to kill you the second he had the chance. There was no compassion left in him."

"There was no compassion in my eyes as I killed him," Kae whispered.

"Good," Optimus growled sternly. She looked up at him in shock. "There are times for compassion, and times for making damn sure it never happens again." Optimus growled softly, quoting her words to him. "We have told you, many times over that you are one of us. It is not symbolic. We are guardians, within _us_ is the strength to protect those who cannot protect themselves. _We_ are the necessary evil."

Mikaela was still against him, breathing slowly as she searched his face.

"I failed, Prime," she whispered. In response, Optimus transformed and offered her to Sarah. The woman walked forward and deposited her child in Mikaela's arms. In his palm, he felt the harsh shudder that went through Kae's body, a suppressed sob as she stared down at the tiny youngling in her arms.

The next instant, she was the gentle, protective, loving Femme most had only glimpsed in her. Bumblebee was grinning. Anabelle babbled at her cheerfully for a moment before promptly falling asleep in her arms. Kae sang to the child, rocking gently.

"Kae? I see no failure in you now," Optimus rumbled softly.

Mikaela looked up at Sarah and offered her her sleeping child.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"I'll see you at Christmas," Sarah stated firmly before smiling. Mikaela blushed.

Will came forward and enveloped Mikaela in a bear hug.

"You saved my baby," he murmured. "My wife and my baby girl. _Thank you_."

Mikaela began crying softly, hugging Will for a second before pulling back. "Get some sleep," Will ordered gently, squeezing her shoulders.

She looked down at her bloodstained clothes with eyes becoming glazed again.

"Come on Kae," Optimus murmured gently, bringing his holoform online and gently picking her up. He carried her to the tiny bathroom designated for her use and sat her on the counter, gently peeling her clothes away and turning the shower on. The femmes appeared the next moment, brushing her hair and surrounding her with the comfort of females. Mikaela began sobbing finally, and the holoforms crushed in on her, rocking her.

"Dearspark," Chromia whispered. "Dearspark Kae don't grieve the protection of the young, we have _all_ killed, remember that Kae, we have _all_ killed to protect."

"Do not grieve your instincts," Arcee added softly. "With thirty witnesses we saw the murder in those creatures' eyes. You killed one, and disabled three. That is not murder."

Optimus watched in shock as the energon in her system began scribing the predator's credo down her back. Fire flickered over the markings as it was branded into her skin, Chromia caught his hand as he made to put the fire out.

"It is acceptance," Chromia murmured gently as all three femmes blinked out of their clothing, showing the identical markings down their backs.

"Kae has been through enough pain," Optimus rumbled tightly, cupping her cheek.

"Let me feel it," Kae whispered in a stronger voice. She cuddled into him as he pulled her into the shower, washing away the mud, blood and gunpowder residues from her skin. Her blood was still flooded with adrenaline.

He gently wrapped her in a towel and lifted her into his holoform's arms, carrying her across the hangar and into his hand.

She was silent, eyes glazed with grief and exhaustion again.

Bumblebee was grinning, piping a song to his processors, Optimus viewed it for a second and jumped. A new song, one that encompassed his thoughts perfectly. Bumblebee began playing the music softly as the unit transformed and circled them.

"I know the feeling," Optimus sang softly, "of finding yourself stuck out on the ledge, and there is no healing, from cutting yourself with the jagged edge."

Kae looked up at him with mild astonishment in her eyes, spurring him to continue despite the incredulous looks from the soldiers. He sat in his own hand and cupped her face in his holoforms', gently stroking the hair from her eyes.

"I'm telling you that, its never that bad, take it from someone who's been where you're at: laid out on the floor and your not sure, you can take this anymore."

Music swelled around them as Optimus cradled his Kae, rocking her as his unit's holoforms onlined to stand around his and his Kae. Bumblebee stood directly across from him, his own voice singing in counterpart. Singing to his sister.

"So just give it one more try to a lullaby and turn this up on the radio if you can hear me now I'm reaching out to let you know that you're not alone and you can't tell I'm scared as hell cause I can't get you on the telephone so just close your eyes, well honey here comes a lullaby your very own lullaby."

"Well please let me take you, out of the darkness and into the light, cause I have faith in you, that you're gonna make it through another night. Stop thinking about the easy way out there's no need to go and blow the candle out. Because you're not done you're far too young and the best is yet to come," Optimus sang alone again, letting his scout see his surprise that his Kae's little brother wasn't continuing to sing, or rather, that he wasn't taking the lead.

::. She is my sister, but you are her mate.:: Bumblebee murmured on a separate channel, letting his trust show in the holoform's eyes ::. there is no better.::

Optimus' spark gave a wrench in his chamber at his scout's comment as the voices of his unit, his true-spark family raised with his again.

"So just give it one more try to a lullaby and turn this up on the radio if you can hear me now I'm reaching out to let you know that you're not alone. And you can't tell I'm scared as hell cause I can't get you on the telephone so just close your eyes, well honey here comes a lullaby your very own lullaby."

"Well everybody's hit the bottom," Sideswipe put in softly.

"And everybody's been forgotten," Ironhide rumbled.

"When everybody's tired of being alone," Bumblebee continued.

"Yeah everybody's been abandoned," Chromia crooned sweetly.

"And left a little empty handed," Ratchet intoned softly.

"So if you're out there barely hanging on," Flareup choked, Kae reached out with Arcee and Chromia, dragging Flare deeper into the group hug.

"Just give it one more try to a lullaby and turn this up on the radio if you can hear me now I'm reaching out to let you know that you're not alone. And you can't tell I'm scared as hell cause I can't get you on the telephone so just close your eyes, well honey here comes a lullaby your very own lullaby."

Tears were streaming from his Kae's face as she desperately clung to the holoforms surrounding them. Optimus looked at his unit in pride as every speaker played the music, surrounding them with song. He could feel the strength returning to his Kae's spark as the music continued. Bumblebee leaned down slightly to kiss his sister's cheeks, Ironhide and Ratchet her forehead. Chromia grinned at the surprise in the tiny Femme's eyes as the field marshal Femmes cuddled against their newest sister, kissing her as well. Ratchet quietly noted on the primary the astonished looks on the soldier's faces as the etchings on every piece of armour and exposed protoform glowed with energon.

"Get some sleep, big sister," Bumblebee whispered in her ear.

"We'll see you in the morning," Ratchet murmured, stroking her cheek lightly before the holoforms offlined. Optimus transformed, delicately depositing his Kae in her hammock.

She laid shivering for a long time.

"Optimus?" she whispered finally.

"Kae?" he murmured gently, onlining his holoform beside her.

"Who am I?" she asked in a quiet, lost voice.

"You are my Kae," Optimus murmured, reaching out and caressing her cheek. "And I am your Optimus."

She smiled at him then, reaching out and running her hands delicately over his exposed neural fibres.

Optimus let out a soft moan and directed his holoform toward her, peeling off the towel and caressing her naked form.

He pressed a warm kiss to her lips as the neural fibres stroked every inch of flesh they could reach. She began gasping.

"Come with me," he whispered.

"Where?" she gasped as he stroked lower.

"Christmas," he grinned against her skin.

"Alright," she whispered then groaned as he stroked lower. She was so wet, so hot and wet and maddeningly tight.

"Oh gods, oh Primus Optimus what are you doing," she began babbling softly.

"You have but to tell me and I stop," he whispered in her ear, delicately rubbing the knot of nerves defining her sex. "It is a fondness of mine to try new things. You mentioned that it takes you two hours of meditation to come down from the adrenaline in your system. So what do you want to bet that I can get you to completely pass out in less than twenty minutes?"

"Why?" she whispered, Mikaela turned her face to look into his holoform's eyes. He could see desperation there, a need she wouldn't share even with herself.

"Why what?" he murmured softly.

"Why would you care about me?" she choked, "Put yourself in so much danger to protect me. I'm just one among billions."

"What danger?" Optimus rumbled, pressing his holoform down onto her body, "You can not hurt my holoform, it is a beam of light, the only part of me that you could hurt is my spark. Something that I know you are not truly capable of. Oh you could tear me apart," Optimus smiled at her gently. "But you wouldn't. Kill my holoform in two hits, but no matter how angry you are you have never struck the first blow." He began kissing the tears off of her face, delicately slipping a second finger into her.

"Optimus," she whimpered, "please..."

"Please what?" he whispered in her ear. "I have felt your heart, seen your spark. You are so much more than the one among billions. You are my Kae, my ambassador, my archangel, my beloved, the one who wore my mark with pride."

She stared at him, more tears escaping from her eyes. She reached up and touched his mark on her chest, lightly caressing it.

"I still wear it with pride," she whispered softly as it began to glow brightly.

"Then come back to us Kae," Optimus growled, leaning down and pressing a bruising kiss to her lips. "Stop trying to push me away, I am _never_ going to leave you behind."

Her hand flew up to grab the back of his holoform's neck, holding him tightly as she kissed him back, and in a moment she had Optimus beneath her. He stared up at her in shock as she straddled him. Her eyes burned as she leaned down over him.

"Before you decide that you're never going to leave me behind," she purred, "I have nothing more to hide."

Optimus gave her a wolfish grin.

"Now you believe that you are going to scare me away by proving your complete lack of submission?" he growled softly, reaching forward and gripping the incredible flesh of her aft. He caught her by surprise as he flipped her onto her back again, she stared up at him as he let his own desires show in his eyes. "What fun is a mate who would allow me to walk all over her? You are not weak." he husked, "I need a mate who is strong enough to hold her own against me. Do you want to know why I care? You give, you love, you comfort, you watch my back in battle and shout me down when I am wrong. You remind me every single day, with every breath how to be a better person. You are a femme to be _proud_ of."

Mikaela's pheromones were intoxicating as he teased her coupling again, her eyes were dark, gorgeous. Her lips flushed with blood, swollen from his kisses. She sat up and pressed herself tightly against the holoform.

"I won't live long," she said softly, looking him in the eye.

"You let me decide that," Optimus rumbled, he couldn't hold himself back anymore, and thrust the holoform's spike into her coupling. She keened, so tight, so hot and slick, Optimus groaned as she squeezed around him, writhing deliciously in the holoform's lap.

He crushed her to his chest and laid her back in the hammock of neural fibres. She moaned as they began to slide deeply into her skin, fully connecting to her nervous system.

Optimus looked at his Kae with a gentle smirk as she overloaded in his hands, the rush of endorphins beating away the last of her adrenaline.

She looked up at him with glazed eyes, pulling him down with shaky arms to kiss him again. Another burst of Energon flowed from her systems, making him tremble.

Her spark reached for his, fully, he couldn't help but reach for hers, pulling her into the mindspace.

* * *

(MPOV)

I opened my eyes in the light, Optimus stood in front of me. I looked down, and up at him in confusion.

"I'm..." I murmured.

"A Femme?" Optimus rumbled with a smug look in his optics, "Here, you are whatever you wish to be. You can change if you wish, but I must admit you have incredible taste in forms." his optics ran up and down my body hungrily.

"You only love me for my body," I teased him, running a gentle finger down his chest plates.

"No," he said softly, earnestly, "I love you for your beautiful heart and soul," his eyes turned wicked. "The body however, is a definite bonus." he caught me up and took me to the ground in seconds, laying his heavier form over mine.

I gauged him for a second before flipping him onto his back with a wicked grin.

"You look incredible, stretched out on your back and looking up at me like that," I murmured, leaning down and gently lipping my way down his neck struts. He groaned and flipped me back underneath him, laughing softly as he pinned me down.

Binder cables snaked from access hatches, invading my couplings without remorse as I writhed beneath him.

Energon flashed over my frame, heat sensors crept closer to the red, and my cooling systems kicked in.

"I'm going to make you overload first," I whispered with a smirk.

"Good luck with that," Optimus rumbled mildly, reaching a gentle hand into my spark chamber. I smiled and offlined my optics for a second, onlining them to watch his face. I reached up and cupped his cheek with a delicate hand as my spark reached out and touched his. He began moaning, fighting to stay as still as possible overtop of me.

"Kae," he rumbled in desperation, "Kae what are you doing?"

"I told you," I murmured, sitting up slightly to tuck my face into the crook of his neck. "I'm going to make you overload, because you are long overdue my beloved guardian."

In a flash I had an arm around his back, pressing our chests together, his spark flashed out and connected itself to mine. I caressed it, fighting my own overload as he pounded himself into me. I arched and met him at every thrust.

"Kae, Kae don't stop!" he roared. Our sparks connected and I could feel him, knew every code that defined him. My overload hit me at the same time his did. Blasting my awareness out among the stars before automatically re-booting me into a recharge cycle.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus' cooling fans roared, his Kae had surprised him once again. He vented at a furious rate, fighting to keep his laughter silent. She was deep in a recharge cycle now, and now she knew, she knew everything that he is. He had touched her mind, seen every second of her life in a flash. Had seen and felt every piece of her. And loved her more.

::. That sounded fun.:: Ratchet sent in amusement.

Optimus snorted and pulled his femme close, dropping into his own re-charge cycle.


	71. 69 Ratchet Stories

**Chapter 69 - Ratchet Stories**

* * *

(RPOV)

Ratchet watched the soldiers as they shook themselves out of the daze that the unit drawing together seemed to put them in.

"That..." Chance whispered finally.

"You did not think that we were simply _saying_ that Kae is one of us," Ratchet murmured with a small, sad smile. "She is my daughter now, and my daughter gathered her strength in life from song, from the voices of family raised together."

"That's just absolutely incredible," Jacobs murmured, shaking himself and straightening with a smile. "Another thing that the bots have that humans need to remember more."

"What's that?" Ratchet asked curiously.

"Never leave a person behind," the marine stated quietly, settling down beside Ratchet.

Optimus was taking care of his Kae now. Ratchet glanced over as he heard her keen, that wasn't anywhere close to pain. He smirked slightly.

"What's up?" Chance asked curiously, looking up at him. Even if Kae had repaired the soldier's hearing, they evidently couldn't hear _that_ shout.

"I just figured something out," Ratchet stated with a grin.

"You gonna tell us what?" Epps laughed.

"Maybe at some point," Ratchet smirked, looking at Optimus' truck form again. His cooling systems were being tested to the breaking point, his fans roaring.

::. That sounded fun.:: he sent to Optimus with a small smirk.

Optimus snorted and seemed to shift slightly before dropping into a recharge cycle.

Ratchet burst out laughing, shaking his head and picking up the servos Kae had stripped down to their protoform metals, carefully setting them into the forge.

"What the hell?" Chance asked in shock. "Aren't you going to use those for parts?"

"I am," Ratchet stated calmly. "Mikaela has stripped every useable piece from these, but these frames have been badly damaged. They need to be cleaned."

"You're burning them!" Epps shouted.

"Mmm hmn," Ratchet shrugged and glanced in the forge at the green fire of impurities being burned away, one finally began to burn white, and Ratchet levitated the first piece into the air. He began sculpting it.

"Woah!" Lennox stared at the glowing white metal as it hovered, stretching and folding onto itself in front of the Medical Officer. "You're..!"

"Creating a blank form," Ratchet supplied calmly, "Mikaela will polish them eventually."

"A blank form?" Epps asked with a frown.

"Can't upload a new auto-bot without a body," Ratchet grinned, directing the glowing metal into an enormous barrel of water. It hissed and spat as Ratchet picked out a second piece of twisted metal.

"How are you..."

"It's a levitation field," Ratchet shrugged.

"No, how do you know..." Lennox frowned.

"How do I know what she'll look like?" Ratchet asked with a laugh. "I have no idea, but judging by the amount of Energon she produces, and the size of that flight frame she transformed I'm estimating that she'll be slightly smaller than Optimus. I'm preparing her protoform metals. Purifying them."

"So she said yes?" Lennox asked with a grin.

"Optimus hasn't asked her yet," Ratchet shrugged, then grinned.

"What's got you so happy?" Chance asked with a laugh.

"You mean other than the fact that they just finished interfacing the _pit_ out of each other?" Ironhide asked, onlining his holoform amid the group of curious soldiers.

"Ironhide!" Ratchet protested mildly.

"What?" the holo laughed. "they're dead to the world, and they're gonna be recharging for hours after _that_ one. Good call on the batteries though."

Ratchet snorted.

"Batteries?" Lennox asked, sitting down with confusion on his face.

"You know that Mikaela produces energon yes?" Ironhide laughed. Will nodded. "Anytime she lets Optimus lower the levels in her tissues they wind up... what's the human phrase for it?"

"Fuckin' like rabbits!" Chromia piped up in a celebratory tone, her hands in the air. "And the second they start doing _that_ she just starts pumping out more energon. You'd think she was pregnant or something!"

Ratchet, Ironhide and the soldiers stared at her in shock.

Chromia rolled her eyes.

"Just how much of the mechanics do I have to explain?" she stated in a weary tone.

"Just the assumption that that's the action of a pregnant Femme," Ratchet stated weakly, staring at Optimus as the bot recharged.

"Is she!?" Bumblebee asked excitedly, bouncing around Chromia. "Do I get to be an uncle? I would be an _awesome uncle!_"

Chromia laughed and wrapped her arms around the excited holoform.

"Not yet, give her time to get used to a new body before you expect her to let Optimus get sparkings on her. I said she's _acting_ like a pregnant Femme, it's the all-spark integrating itself, Femma, Creator, Wisdom. The three levels of Femme."

"Maiden, mother and beldame," Will said softly, "But... Kae's 19... holy crap." he smacked a hand to his forehead in shock. "She's doing it backwards, isn't she? She came here fighting to understand every piece of history and learning, then she mothers everyone, now you're saying she's acting pregnant? Sarah was horny as hell when she was carrying Ellie. What do you want to bet that she'll be a maiden when you put her in that new body?"

Chromia stared at the man and burst out laughing.

"She's restarting," Ratchet grinned, "she knows already."

"Now you're just assuming that," Ironhide stated calmly, "She may not know _herself _that she's restarting. Don't any of you spill the bearings. Let Optimus ask her in his own time."

Chromia threw herself into his holoform's arms, kissing him soundly.

"Good Bot," she told him teasingly.

"It's getting late, shall we go charge a few batteries?" Ironhide rumbled with a smirk.

"Yes we shall," Chromia grinned, offlining her holoform.

"So when we get new headquarters, do we get our own rooms?" Bee asked with a grin.

"How..." Will stared at the parked Auto-bots.

"We've been having to settle with interfacing with binder cables," Arcee shrugged. "With the exception of getting to polish Ratchet," she smirked at the bot. "We've been trying to keep your minds as unscarred as possible. Do you _really_ want to know what goes on behind closed doors?"

Lennox shook himself and visibly made a mental note that he'd have to pass that on. Headquarters needed rooms for the 'bots to find some privacy.

"I, am going to go see my wife now." Will stated vaguely.

"You want me to keep an eye on Ellie?" Sideswipe asked with a grin.

Will opened his mouth and closed it a few times.

"C'mon man, I'll drive," Sideswipe chuckled, wrapping an arm around the man's shoulders.

"Anything to get more time playing with a hatchling," Ratchet grinned.

Sideswipe laughed.

"I have not had the opportunity to hold and play with a hatchling since my master was killed, of all things, that is what I truly miss," Sideswipe stated piously. Flare looked at him with adoring eyes.

Ratchet watched the dispersal of soldiers and auto-bots with a grin. He'd have to warn Optimus that Mikaela would likely be hearing secrets resonating soon.

* * *

(JaPOV)

Jacobs resettled himself somewhat in his chair, sitting comfortably and watching Ratchet work on the metals. He contemplated asking Ratchet how it all worked for them, worrying that it would be offensive.

"You have a question," Ratchet told him in amusement. That wasn't even a question. Jacobs suddenly understood why Kae was always calling him a bloody psychic auto-bot.

"Yes I do," Jacobs stated pensively. "But I'm not sure..."

"If it's something you can ask without giving offence?" Ratchet stated cheerfully, glancing at him.

"Kae's been rubbing off on you," Jacobs snorted, grinning at the mech.

"Well, ask and I'll tell you if it's offensive or not," Ratchet shrugged genially. "I'm a medic, information sharing is part of my programming."

Well that certainly worked.

"Cool," Jacobs grinned. "So you guys seem to be incredibly fond of children..."

"No matter what their species," Ratchet murmured, nodding agreement.

"Why?" the marine asked curiously. Ratchet stood still for a moment. He didn't look offended, but still it wouldn't hurt...

"I'm sorry-" Jacobs began.

"No, by no means is it offensive," Ratchet snorted, glancing at him. "I'm trying to decide how best to answer that. There are several reasons, much the same as humans have varying responses to the needs of the young. I suppose the easiest way to answer, would be to tell you that every bot -including a great number of the Decepticons I might add- has a circuit devoted entirely to the protection of the young. Primarily, we did not propagate our race by individually reproducing, the all-spark created us. But when she gives life we begin just as unformed, un-moulded as your own children. More so, we have no bodies. To _all _of us falls the protection and rearing of the hatchlings."

"So yours is a society that views adopting young..." Jacobs began in awe.

"Not simply as an act of good will," Ratchet smiled at him. "it is a part of who we _are._ My own spark-mate, Nova, was first and foremost a hatchery attendant. Where even the sparkings created by a pairing of sparks were brought to be placed in their spark chambers. Am I boring you yet?" Ratchet asked in amusement.

"Shit no," Jacobs grinned. "I'm getting the birds and the bees from your perspective!"

Ratchet looked down at him in what was obviously surprise.

"Did you want me to start from the top then? Tell you precisely how our race reproduced?" Ratchet asked curiously. Excellent!

"So long as you don't mind," Jacobs grinned at him, settling a bit more comfortably in place. "We keep hearing terms like hatchery, and sparkings, which in _our_ terms sounds... I don't know, almost heartless, but you guys really _aren't_. And I know a good few of us are _still_ trying to reconcile that." It was awesome that the medic grinned down at him.

"In the name of learning," the medic stated piously. "Our hatcheries were never made for the mass reproduction of stock, like your animal farms would be. Instead they were a sacred place where the souls of our children were housed, where our sparks were placed in our chambers to protect them, and our chambers given bodies to sustain them, to give us autonomy. The majority of us were brought online by the All-spark, our creator, but several of us, Optimus included, began as sparkings, a new life created by the merging of two sparks."

"So why are there bots and femmes?" Jacobs asked intently.

"You'd be surprised to learn that Arcee, Chromia and Flare _chose_ to be femmes," Ratchet grinned at the man, okay that _was _a surprise. "Gender does not really mean anything to us, for us we have perhaps... twenty eight genders, I suppose. The only thing that separates Arcee and myself is that structurally, she is capable of maintaining a sparking in a separate chamber within herself. Something that I'd be able to do myself, except the programming _responsible_ for the changes: _she_ is as capable of as you are of breathing, but it is one of the _only_ things capable of putting a knot in my processors like _nothing _else. I could _do_ it, theoretically, but I am uncertain as to how well I'd be able to _maintain_ it."

"So... you can only reproduce with..." Jacobs frowned, admittedly struggling his way through that one. Just a bit.

"No, now here's the piece of information that _may_ just break your brain a little bit," Ratchet snorted. "And why we have tried to respect your race's apparent need to keep reproduction a secret: Gender does not _matter_ to us, for example, Optimus could just as easily get a sparking on _me, _as _I_ could on Arcee. However, if he did, we would need Arcee to carry our sparking to the hatcheries, because neither Optimus nor I would be capable of it."

Okay true, that was a bit of a brain buster. Jacobs sat in shock for a moment.

"Are you alright, Lieutenant?" Ratchet asked worriedly.

"I'm good, give me a minute, I'm processing my way through that," he murmured. Ratchet smiled tolerantly and continued working on his project.

Mind awash with new information, Jacobs promptly began to employ the trick Kae had told him calmly in one of their first real heart to heart conversations. He thought back to that conversation and smiled slightly.

...

She was just so damnably _serene!_ Absolutely nothing seemed to phase her, she'd driven in a jeep, seen it blow up not half an hour later and was right back servicing them the second the all clear had been given. And the bots, she got along with them _effortlessly!_

She was a great kid and all, and she'd certainly sorted out the handshake thing. Which was cool. But still, she was just so damnably serene, it was annoying. He was half glaring at her, barely even realizing he was doing it. Kae had turned to look at him, her expressions registering first surprise, then a calm curiosity.

"What's bothering you?" she'd asked patiently.

"How do you deal with all of this?" he'd asked her in a frustrated tone, plopping down on the med-area cot as she patiently stripped a servo. "I mean, yeah, you saw them enter the atmosphere, but nothing seems to phase you about them. About _anything! Ever!" _

"Contrary to popular belief," she'd snorted, "Some of the things _do_ throw me for a loop."

"You don't show it." Jacobs had stated grumpily.

"Of course not," she'd chuckled. "If I allowed every single emotion that passed through my mind to show on my face I'd have more wrinkles than a ninety-year old."

"But..." Jacobs started with a frown.

"Start from the beginning," she'd smiled. "I find it helps to remember that as human as they seem at times, earth's languages are not their first. Concepts that to us are as commonplace as breathing, are just as often as bizarre to them as _they_ are to _us_. So rather than stewing irritably that you don't understand something, take a deep breath, start from the beginning and take heart from the fact that for all the time I've spent taking care of Bumblebee, the gods only _know_ how many times the two of us have just stopped, stared at each other and called each other-"

"Fucking _weird!_" Bumblebee had interjected as he wandered past, grinning at Kae as she laughed at him.

Jacobs had just stared at the two of them and laughed.

"Okay like what?" he'd asked with a snort, looking between the cheerful scout and young woman.

"Well like that breathing thing of yours," Bumblebee snorted, cutting the soundbytes together. "Every now and then Kae did these really heavy vents, which I know _now_ means she's irritated. I kinda like it now, actually, it's a really easy one to mimic to let you guys know when _I'm _irritated."

"You didn't think that the bots vent sighs, or let out a slow breath for their _own_ sakes, did you?" Kae had smiled at him. Jacobs stared at her.

"Jacobs, they don't _breathe_," she'd explained patiently, gently smiling. "the only need they have for air is to combust fuel and keep their processors cool."

"So you guys sigh when you're irritated for _us!?_" Jacobs demanded of the scout.

"Yeah," Bee shrugged. "But Kae's started using our phrases, so it equals out."

"Heh?" Jacobs frowned. Bee opened his mouth.

"You don't need to explain everything, Bee," Mikaela had smiled. "Just give Jacobs a moment to process everything, he and I only run single processors, remember?"

"Right right," Bee grinned. "Dunno how you do that sis, drive _me_ insane."

"But how many times do I have to remind you to slow down and notice the roses?" she smiled back at him.

"_Those_ are just weird. They don't move, they don't talk, they just sit there and smell pretty," Bee snorted.

"And that is why we have them," Jacobs had smiled at the bot. "We keep them there simply to look at, because they smell pretty and remind us to stop and take a breath before we continue on."

"I _still_ don't get it," Bumblebee had grumbled, which made Jacobs feel a great deal better.

"When you're irritated you sync your processors to clear and calm them," Mikaela had smiled at the scout. "Stopping to smell the roses is the catalyst for us to do the same."

"How'd you know I do that?" Bee had grinned down at her curiously.

"Because when you're irritated, little-brother, your processors buzz like a swarm of pissed off bees," Mikaela laughed. "I can hear you syncing them, because you grow quiet for a second before you begin humming properly again."

"You can hear what?" Jacobs asked in a shocked tone.

"I can hear his moods, all of their moods," Mikaela had explained patiently. "Actually, Bee, d'you mind crouching down and letting Jacobs hear your spark?"

Bumblebee had shrugged and knelt down, crawling toward him.

"Your hearing has probably been damaged by bombs, yes?" Mikaela smiled at him. "Press your ear to his chest, as you would to hear a heartbeat."

Jacobs obeyed and was surprised to find a rather musical hum emanating from the incredibly personable bot.

"Commencing processor sync," Bumblebee played the soundbytes quietly, which was nice of him actually, this close Jacobs could almost _feel _the sounds as they vibrated through the scout's armour. The humming quieted somewhat before returning again, it had changed, a tone that Jacobs could only interpret as... calmer.

"That's just cool," he'd grinned at the scout.

"Thank you," the scout grinned at him. "I'd return the favour, but I can actually hear your heartbeat two uni- sorry, ten feet away."

"Two what?" Jacobs asked curiously.

"Two units," Bee shrugged. "You wanna come for a ride while I do my rounds? We can hash out just how weird we are," Bee had grinned at him.

"Oh! Done!" Jacobs had laughed. He glanced back to see Mikaela watching them with a tolerant, almost motherly smile. Of course the second he looked at her her face composed itself back into it's neutral serenity.

Fascinating.

...

Jacobs took a deep breath and looked at Ratchet, starting from the beginning and working his way through the information.

"So let me see if I've got it straight so far," he stated finally. "You lot are technically genderless, you've applied male and female titles more or less for our sake, like you did with the breathing thing."

"Yes," Ratchet nodded.

"The only real difference is that the femmes are capable of transporting a sparking... a new life from one place to another with a great deal more ease than you would be able to." Jacobs stated calmly. Ratchet nodded.

"The hatcheries are where your souls were given bodies."

Ratchet nodded, turning to look at him with a mildly impressed look in his optics. Which was cool, it took a hell of a lot to impress that bot.

"So it's actually kind of weird to you guys that I'd need a female to produce young," Jacobs grinned at him.

"Sort of?" Ratchet laughed. "I mean, I've come across several different species in my time, including a silicon based life form a few systems away... uh... that way... from here that rather resemble a giant form of earth's _amoeba_." he stated, pointing toward the horizon.

"You're _joking!_" Jacobs laughed, looking at the bot with a broad grin.

"Have you ever known me to joke?" Ratchet grinned down at him. "Ask Ironhide, he _stepped _on one while we were there, it just got back up... well... reformed itself, swore at him for a second and I don't even know how to describe how they move... I want to say ooze, but they don't lose any material as they go, they just _go. _They communicate verbally... sort of... they form a bubble out of their exo-skin and force it back out again through a small opening. I honestly would like to show you them, your lot would die laughing to hear _them _talk."

"Why?" Jacobs grinned at him.

"Because the vast majority of sounds they make sound like _your_ human _flatulence!"_ Ratchet snorted gleefully.

"They speak in fart sounds," Jacobs stated flatly.

"I only _wish_ I could come up with a tall-tale as good as the truth of their existence is," Ratchet chuckled gleefully.

"What, the schlorph?" Arcee asked cheerfully, rolling back in from the hangar doors on her way to her recharge. "They're a nice people, very generous, Glorb was kind enough to give me a tentacle of it's form to repair my circuits. He even shaped it perfectly for me."

"What did you give in return?" Jacobs asked, fascinated.

"Oh, I used my cannon and exposed a vein of the raw minerals they survive on," Arcee shrugged genially. "According to Glorb, I provided enough food for his village to survive modestly for the next five centuries or so. Good recharge Jacobs, Ratch," she smiled at them and transformed, parking beside her sisters.

"Anyway, _they_ grow, split in half and somehow form two entirely separate beings without trading any kind of genetic material whatsoever. They have failed to evolve at _all_ as far as I can tell. They simply exist, and have done so for approximately two billion of your solar-cycles. And yet they are just as sentient as your or I." Ratchet grinned down at the man. "Comparatively? Your lot are quite a resilient, evolve-able species that has come up with a remarkably effective form of reproduction. I _know_ the schlorph have sex, they combine with each other because they think it's both fun and pleasurable, but they just don't trade any genetic material! Which if you ask _me?_ _That's_ just weird."

Jacobs burst out laughing, understanding once again why Kae loved working with the old Medic. When he was in a good mood he could tell you the weirdest friggen things, and despite what you thought, you knew it was absolutely true.


	72. 70 Question of a Lifetime

**Chapter 70 - Question of a Lifetime**

* * *

(MPOV)

I took a deep breath, and felt new. Optimus' spark hummed close by, and his holoform was wrapped tightly around me. I listened to his spark for a long moment, there was a familiar, disturbing hum to it.

Indecision. Worry. I opened my eyes to look at him worriedly.

"Are you alright?" I asked softly.

His holoform's eyes snapped open to look down at me. A small smile touched his lips.

"I'm just fine," he said softly. The hum continued.

"Optimus," I gave him a firm look, "you're undecided about something and worrying, I thought we weren't lying to each other?"

"You do realize that you are the only one who knows me that well?" he rumbled, the smile spreading to his eyes.

"Ratchet and Ironhide know you just as well," I laughed softly, cupping his cheek. "Now what are you fretting about?"

"How best to ask you something," he rumbled, leaning down to press a gentle kiss to my lips. "Come for a drive with me later?"

"You've got it," I smiled, pulling myself up by his shoulders to kiss him back.

I stood up out of the hammock and quickly pulled my clothes on. I grabbed my iPod and punched in some powerful music as his holoform watched me with a broad smirk.

"What?" I asked with a laugh.

"You're back," he rumbled with a grin.

"And I'm going to go service some jeeps, drop by and I might find something to do to you too," I purred, leaning down and running gentle hands over his seat. I pressed a kiss to his mark, etched deeply on a panel as he tried to suppress a shudder.

I climbed out of his cab and made my way to the work-area Ratchet and I shared.

"Morning Ratch!" I called out with a grin.

"Go eat!" he shot back at me grumpily.

"Oh come on!" I pouted, "you honestly expect me to digest things this early in the morning? What's on the menu?"

Ratchet glanced up for a second and shrugged.

"Services and a few servos to strip, slow day. Fine, but you're eating lunch!" he grumbled.

I punched my hands in the air in victory.

He stared at me and burst out laughing.

"Missed you Kae," he rumbled, I trotted over to him and hugged his leg.

"Missed you Ratch," I smiled. There was a strange hum coming from his spark. I narrowed my eyes at him as he grinned down at me. "You're keeping secrets," I stated calmly, a little bit of guilt came into that spark resonation.

"I am _not _telling you." Ratchet stated, crossing his arms.

"I'm not _asking,_" I shrugged, grinning up at him. "I'm just making sure that I have that resonation pitch correctly translated."

"What-? Scrap!" Ratchet shouted.

I laughed, gave his calf a gentle whack and walked to the first hummer scheduled for servicing today. We worked in relative silence for a few hours, I could hear Ratchet stewing in curiosity.

"Why aren't you asking?" he finally demanded. I looked up at him with a smile as Optimus rolled in.

"Turnabout is fair play," I stated blandly. Optimus' air-brakes burped slightly as his spark resonated with recent memory. I shot a mischievous wink at him as he transformed. He straightened and shot a glance at me as he strode into communication central. I went back to servicing my final vehicle of the day. He was detailing the use of energon sensors to a committee over the video communications.

Ratchet was chuckling softly as he worked on a prototype sensor array.

I thought of something and froze.

"I'm not going to be able to travel anymore!" I said in a shocked tone.

"Hmn?" Ratchet looked over at me as I closed the hood on the jeep.

"They're putting Energon sensors in all of the cities, airports and things, right?" I said with raised eyebrows. "Where am I gonna be able to go without tripping that array?"

"We'll just have to give you an – oh scrap you're right," Ratchet stated, I watched him wrestle his face into a frown. "I can't really give you an access tag, you're fleshy." he shrugged. "I'll figure it out, Either way, what are the chances that you'll be travelling without one of us tagging along?" He grinned down at me.

"True," I said with a laugh, picking up a screwdriver and flipping it around in my hand idly as I looked around the workspace for something to do.

"C'mere and tell me if you think you can put this together using an average human's intellect." Ratchet called over to me. I laughed and narrowed my eyes at the array, Cybertronian symbols danced in front of my eyes, detailing it's construction.

"That looks good," I said with a grin, "but don't forget to put an anti-tamper on it. You never know what radical might look at that thing and think it's for monitoring humans."

"Really?" Ratchet asked in shock.

"Big brother is watching you!" I told him, holding my arms out and putting on a spooky voice. As expected, his optics dimmed for a second before he snorted.

"That's just taking it to creepy levels," Ratchet stated, chortling. "What is it with sentient races? You humans have world domination urges written everywhere!"

"Lack of openness about sex," I murmured back to him, below human earshot. His spark was humming with suppressed laughter.

::. I heard that.:: Optimus told me over the iPod.

"Sorry," I murmured with a small grin, biting my lip. I patiently began working on a memory chip, delicately inspecting it and cleaning away the grime, looking for any flaws in it's wiring. Finally, I found the corroded line, I carefully cleaned it and laid down a new line of silver on it before handing it to Ratchet.

He scanned it and grinned, bagging the chip.

"That's got some retrievable information on it," he rumbled, "nice fix." I laughed softly and frowned again. I was out of even the make-work jobs. I thought of Anabelle, and the bear hug Will had given me the night before. I thought of something.

"Hey Ratchet?" I looked up at him curiously, "could I use my pack for a minute?"

"What do you need?" he asked curiously.

"I haven't sewn anything in years," I shrugged, "I thought I'd make a Christmas present for Anabelle, but I need to put together some cloth and things."

Ratchet grinned and offered me a neural fibre in his hand. I touched it and laughed softly as it slid into my wrist.

"Just think of the cloth you need," Ratchet grinned ::.I'll download and make it, I've got a load of excess carbon that I've been trying to figure out how to get rid of.::

::. Ratchet, you're the best.:: I smiled silently, imagining a soft, pale ivory fur. In front of my eyes a large bolt of fabric materialized on Ratchet's hand.

I reached out and touched it with gentle fingers.

"That is absolutely perfect," I smiled up at the medi-bot as the neural fibre retracted back into his hand. I lifted the fake fur from his hand and set it down on my workbench. I glanced at the inside of the fur and began laughing.

"I saw the pattern in your mind," Ratchet shrugged, "thought I'd try to save you a bit of time." I walked over and wrapped my arms around his calf.

"You're the best Ratch," I grinned up at him. I quickly stripped out of my coveralls and snatched up a pair of scissors, carefully cutting out the first few pieces I'd need.

Within minutes I was humming under my breath as I fell into the rhythm of stitching together a piece of love, completely zoning out.

"Kae, food!" Ratchet commanded, I jumped and stared at him.

"I'm not doing anything strenuous, can I wait until dinner?" I pleaded.

"It _is_ dinner time," Ratchet laughed, pointing at the clock. It was six in the evening.

"Oh." I said with raised eyebrows as his holoform winked into being beside me. He laughed and wrapped his arm around my shoulders.

"And unless I am very much mistaken, you also have research to do."

I looked up at him and thought for a moment before grinning.

"You are absolutely right, Ratchet," I laughed, beginning to walk to the mess. "I need to check what colour Will's eyes are."

"What what now?" Ratchet's holoform frowned in confusion, "I thought you were going to try to figure out what Optimus is going to ask you tonight."

"You're meddling Ratch," I stated blandly. "Optimus is still trying to figure out how he wants to ask me, and you know it. I'm not going to pressure the bot."

"How did you know that!?" Ironhide demanded, winking in beside us.

"You just told me," I smirked at Ironhide.

Optimus onlined his holoform beside the two deeply frustrated senior officers. He looked at Ratchet's puzzled frown and burst out laughing.

"Why Ratchet, I do believe you've met your match." Optimus stated with a broad grin, wrapping his holoform's arms around me for a moment. "But while the four of us are here, Kae, I need to ask you something."

I turned to look at him with raised eyebrows. He gently took both of my hands.

"Mikaela, in no way do I ever want to put pressure on you," Optimus stated quietly, "and we all will understand if you do not wish to take this path, but you are a part of our family now, and we would like to keep you. As one of us." he reached up and cupped my cheek.

I stared up at him uncomprehendingly for a long minute, turning his words over in my head. Ironhide's words to me, as I'd stood in this same place two months ago crashed into my mind.

"As an Auto-bot!?" I squeaked in shock. Optimus nodded, I could see the worry in his eyes. "but what happens when you get tired of me?"

Optimus stared down at me in shock for a moment before bursting out laughing.

"How the pit could I grow tired of you?" he demanded. "How could I grow tired of my soul? Of my light?"

I stared at him, frozen in shock. I thought back for a long moment and turned, punching Ironhide's arm firmly.

"You knew you right prat!" I told him with a laugh before hurling myself on Optimus' holoform. He lifted me into the air with a rich rumble of laughter.

"Please tell me that's a yes," he grinned at me.

"No," I said calmly, "it's an absolutely honoured definitely." his face fell for a fraction of a second before the grin renewed itself.

"Is that a yes?" Chromia shouted from across the hangar.

"It's a yes!" Optimus roared, lifting me into his holoform's arms and spinning me around. I wrapped myself around him, hugging him tightly. The Auto-bots rapidly transformed, onlining holoforms and sprinting toward us.

"_I get to keep my big sister!?_" Bumblebee shouted, hurling himself against Optimus' holoform. I caught him with one arm as every holobody pressed in against us.

Still in Optimus' arms, I could see the grins on several soldier's faces. Lennox was beaming.

"You knew too!?" I demanded of the man.

"Yeah, but do us a favour and stay human for Christmas," he shouted.

I laughed and leaned down, catching Optimus' lips in a delicate kiss. His eyes danced, and I had a hard time catching my breath as I looked into those expressive eyes.

"Go for a drive later?" he murmured.

"You don't even have to ask," I smiled, sliding down somewhat to press a kiss to his jaw. The femmes were beaming at me as the sweet, beautiful tones of contentment resonated from both he and his holoform.


	73. 71 Arcee

**Chapter 71 - Arcee**

* * *

(WPOV)

Will stood at the top of the catwalk, surveying the men and bots with a small smile. He'd just finished speaking with one of his fellow Majors, the man had passed his condolences on that his unit was having to deal with a civilian girl in their midst. Will had stared at the man on the screen and had promptly broken down, howling with laughter.

"Will!?" the man had asked in shock.

"Art, seriously, before you offer your condolences that we've got Kae, you gotta meet her," Will had hooted. "I swear to the heavens she's god's gift to man."

"Oh so she..." Art had frowned.

"Oh gods no!" Will had immediately protested in shock. "Don't be absurd, she's a boost to morale, absolutely, not like _that_ though. She's like a psychiatrist wrapped in kindness, understanding and diplomacy. Swear to god Art, you show up here and you're going to leave with the certainty that she's your little sister."

Art had stared at him in shock for a moment before the look morphed into one of envy.

"Don't suppose you'd let me borrow her..." he'd started.

"Nope, just because I'm a greedy bastard, man," Will had grinned. "Of course, I'll ask her, but the big man here like as not will insist on accompanying her. Who knows, like you said, it sounds like there's the potential of us being assigned to a new base of operations, we might wind up in the same area."

"Hope so!" Art grinned. "Anyway, duty's calling over here, I'll catch you later."

"Absolutely, nice to see your ugly face again Art, thanks for calling," Will grinned, throwing a salute to the man.

Art saluted and the screen went black.

"That, is so sweet," Mikaela stated behind him. Will jumped about a foot and turned to see her standing in Optimus' hand. The bot was smirking slightly, and just as obviously trying to keep his face as straight as possible.

"You really couldn't help yourself, could you," Will snorted, looking at Optimus.

"Truly, I could not," Optimus rumbled in a mockingly saddened tone, turning around and lightly setting his Kae back on the ground. The sounds of a helicopter coming in that moment had a good number of eyes rolling. More so as Galloway marched into the hanger.

"Director Galloway," Mikaela stated politely, nodding to the man. Which of course had practically every sentient being staring at her. "What can we do for you today?"

Galloway at least had the presence of mind to look at her warily before beginning to speak.

"With respect," he began, obviously feeling insecure. Good. "The President requests that the auto-bot unit split apart and go to different areas of the world to provide surveillance-"

Will watched calmly as Arcee transformed.

"That is an unwise course of action," she stated calmly. Galloway jumped and turned.

"You'll forgive me for not taking the word of a little _field marshal_-" he began, sneering.

Aaand the shit hit the fan. The hangar exploded.

Ironhide was transformed the next moment, Will honestly expected him to be aiming his cannons at Galloway, instead it was a complete shock to see _him_ holding _Ratchet_ of all bots back.

That was a shock in itself, the medic's weaponry was online, and the ordinarily non-violent medic was snarling in rage.

At the same time Optimus was snarling at Galloway, saying something in Cybertronian, that of course was warning sign number one. If he was pissed off enough that he forgot to speak english, really bad.

Number two, fully half of the present bot's optics were glowing an absolutely furious red. Murder red. Really _really _bad.

Then something even more shocking: the entire hanger froze as Arcee straightened and barked what seemed to be a single word in Cybertronian. She'd turned and was holding an imperious hand out to Ratchet. Gesturing him to stop.

At least Galloway had the presence of mind to be cowering.

Will surveyed the silence for a moment and chose the only course of action that seemed to be sane at the moment.

"Kae?" he murmured quietly, looking at the girl pleadingly.

"With your permission, Prime?" she stated formally, looking up at him. Optimus glanced down at her and nodded curtly. Mikaela Banes straightened and looked at Galloway imperiously. "I speak in translation of Optimus Prime, Auto-bot commander absolute. You have dared to insult she who designated herself Arcee, born with the knowledge of her forbears. _Honorary_ field-marshal of the Auto-bot military force." Mikaela stated sternly. Her eyes were pure ice. Warning sign number three. It was a bit of a shock to hear that Arcee was an _honorary_ officer though.

"According to the declassified alien-auto-bot co-operation act, your government agreed to honour the ranking and titles of the Auto-bots within reason. We the Auto-bots have not made issue of your disrespect, however you _will _be made known that you have just insulted a well decorated war hero and baroness in her own right. It will also be made known that it is her gracious word, and her word _alone_ which has stayed her consort's hand from tearing you apart limb for limb." Mikaela stated sternly.

"War hero? Baroness?" Galloway squeaked in a terrified tone.

Optimus growled something in Cybertronian again, obviously content to allow Mikaela to continue translating.

"The rightfully honoured Arcee holds the earth equivalent of twelve purple hearts, the Medal of Honour, the Army Distinguished Cross, the Silver Star, the Defence Superior Service Medal, the Gold Lifesaving Medal, along with numerous ribbons and commendations," Mikaela listed off sternly. Holy shit. "Her title of Baroness was awarded by the joint leaders of Cybertron, by your earth standards and our own Cybertronian tradition you have insulted a superior officer, albeit unknowingly, we expect a full apology be made to her."

"I..." Galloway squeaked, he turned to face Arcee. "You have my sincerest apologies, my Lady," he bowed to her. "I request your permission to take my leave."

"Granted," Arcee stated coldly. Galloway didn't need telling twice, Will couldn't remember _ever_ seeing a person scuttle away that quickly. He glanced over to see his men lining up, glancing at him uncertainly along with the techs on the catwalk. Will jerked his head at them and as one, his men scurried down the ladders behind him.

They lined up together, in formation.

"Attention!" Will barked. "Present Arms!" As one, his unit did him proud as they stood and saluted Arcee as the sounds of Galloway's helicopter faded away.

However, Arcee promptly turned to Optimus with a glare that would make even the bravest cower in fear.

"You _had_ to bring that up, didn't you!?" Arcee shouted at him, she spun and faced the soldiers. "_Stop it_!" she snapped at them. Will turned and nodded to his unit, they relaxed, standing and watching as uncertainly as he.

"Arcee," Mikaela murmured gently, the femme spun to face Kae furiously.

"You all give honour to empty titles!" the femme snapped furiously. "My lands are ravaged and my people-"

"Were given the greatest chance of survival of all Cybertronians, because as Baroness you had the foresight to look at all options." Optimus rumbled sternly.

"But they are still refugees of a home that I should have protected!" Arcee shrieked, giving all appearances of being spitting mad. Mikaela promptly walked forward and wrapped her arms around Arcee.

"Let me go," Arcee commanded sternly.

"No, my sister," Mikaela stated gently. "I will not let you go, anymore than you would in my place."

The hangar sat, absolutely frozen. Arcee sagged onto the floor the next moment, wrapping her arms around Kae and sobbing.

"I am sorry, Arcee, that I could not allow such an insult against you to stand," Optimus rumbled quietly, kneeling beside them as Ratchet strode quickly forward, carefully picking Arcee and Kae up together, rocking them. Will walked forward, feeling as though he were entering the lion's den.

"Ma'am?" he asked softly.

"Don't you dare," Arcee sobbed. "Don't you _dare_ start calling me Ma'am, or Lady, or Baroness. I am Arcee... I am Arcee..." she whimpered.

"Arcee?" Will asked softly. She looked at him. "Is there anything I can do?"

"That _we_ can do?" Jacobs added in counterpart at his shoulder, the grouped soldiers nodding avidly.

"Please, don't treat me any differently than you did," Arcee whispered as Kae gently stroked her face. "I named myself Arcee for a reason."

"D... do..." Chance began hesitantly.

"In Cybertronian translations, Arcee means humble, servant," Optimus rumbled quietly. He reached forward and gently touched Arcee's face. "Forgive me?" he asked pleadingly.

Arcee seemed to make an effort to glare at him before her expression melted into an absolutely, helplessly wry grimace.

"You are using my inability to fully retain anger against me," she snapped at him in a passing attempt at irritability.

"Arcee if you were capable of holding a grudge you would be completely justified in maintaining it against me," Optimus rumbled calmly.

"You, are a complete glitch sometimes," Arcee told him flatly. "But you already know that. Come here."

Optimus leaned down until their faces were at an even level. Arcee drew back a fist and froze.

"For Primus sake you idiot, put your battle mask on!" she snapped at him.

"No," Optimus rumbled placidly. "If you wish to hit me, hit my face. A coward hides behind his mask when he knows he has done wrong."

Arcee glared at him for a second and reached forward, flicking him.

"Glitch." she grumbled. Optimus nodded agreeably. Arcee turned and looked at Ratchet. "And as dear as it is that you were going to tear him limb for limb for me, I _can _fight my own battles."

"I _know_," Ratchet murmured with a snort, reaching up and rubbing his cheek. Arcee stared at him and promptly burst out laughing.

"So many questions," Will moaned.

Arcee rolled her optics and lightly squirmed out of Ratchet's arms, hugging Kae for a moment before setting her down as well, she strode into the embrace of her sisters.

"Well, that's that." Ratchet snorted, watching the femme for a moment before rising and striding toward the workspace.

* * *

(JaPOV)

"Will?" Jacobs murmured.

"Jacobs?" Will asked curiously, looking at the Lieutenant.

"We can safely say that routine has been broken for today, right?" the man asked hopefully.

"Uh, yeah," Will snorted, burying his face into a hand. "At ease you lot, I think we're going to have to take the day after that one."

"Excellent! Hey Ratchet?" Jacobs called out, jogging after him. The bot glanced down at the Lieutenant and snorted.

"Yes. To both." he rumbled, rolling his optics. Jacobs promptly cheered.

"So, back on the topic of reproduction," Jacobs grinned. "Say, theoretically, that Optimus got a sparking on you-"

"The _fuck!?" _Will demanded. "Here I thought I'd used up my shock quota for the day and you come up with a question like _that!?"_

"It's a mindbuster at first, yeah," Jacobs grinned at him. "But free time means learning time, and I'm not gonna waste a second of it. Backstory later."

"Done!" Chance grinned, dragging a rolling chair and settling himself down beside him.

"Rather than theory, why don't I simply tell you a story," Ratchet stated calmly, settling down on his bench, "And answer a few more of the questions that are running through your minds at the moment."

"Even better," Jacobs grinned, squirming himself down into his seat in preparation of a good story as soldiers, Will included, ran to grab seats around the old medic.

A good few wound up sitting on Bumblebee, the scout gleefully onlining his holoform among them.

"Just a moment," Ratchet murmured, turning to look at Arcee with narrowed eyes.

She glared at him slightly.

"You're going to tell it no matter what I say, aren't you?" she grumbled.

"I am, the men deserve to know precisely why we almost began a war over you, my beloved," Ratchet nodded cheerfully. She rolled her eyes as Kae gave her a sympathetic look. The Femmes promptly joined the gathering group of bots and soldiers, a few of them gleefully nudging Jacobs. He grinned and turned his undivided attention to Ratchet.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus gathered his Kae to his spark as she smiled at him, the two of them settling down to listen to the Medic's recollections. Optimus knew the stories already, but it was fascinating to watch the soldiers' and his Kae's reaction to them.

"I told you how we met Arcee, Chromia and Flareup, but I'm about to tell you why that Femme has my abject and undying respect, which she knows already, but she's too modest to really enjoy having people talking about it." Ratchet began calmly.

Faces turned to stare at Arcee for a second as she sat grumpily and turned back to Ratchet, listening intently.

"Arcee spent several vorns as a neutral rogue," Ratchet continued.

"I _began_ as a neutral rogue," Arcee corrected him quietly. "And remained so until I met you, midway through my ninety-first vorn." Ratchet nodded to her respectfully.

"When a femme does that, we believe that her spark is answering a higher calling. She has carried well over two thousand sparkings to the hatcheries, it truly did not matter-"

"Still doesn't," Arcee added.

"-To her what their parents subscribed to politically, she simply accepted a sparking and carried them to the hatcheries without bias, whether the _fathers_ were brave enough to accompany her or _not."_ Ratchet continued in counterpart to the Femme.

"Whoa..." Jacobs whispered, soldiers turning to look at the femme with brand new respect in their eyes. She rolled her optics at them.

"It is the calling of Femme," she stated patiently.

"Now, we met Arcee when she was making her way toward the outpost I was stationed at, towing Chromia and Flareup's bodies behind her and their sparks almost completely merged in her own chamber. A fully formed spark, apparently, is far more difficult to care for than a new sparking, they can't be maintained in what I suppose you would call a womb."

"Ridiculously difficult," Arcee snorted.

"Sorry," Chromia murmured, grinning at her. Arcee rolled her optics again.

"Now, as it happened," Ratchet continued with a small smile. "My spark-mate, Nova, had taken a couple orn off from his duties to come visit me at my posting. Physically visit me at any rate, we were bonded after all, but it was always quite enjoyable to have your mate standing with you. Well, the two of us got rather excited to see each other again, and Nova forgot his blocker." Ratchet snorted softly. "So there the two of us were, military outpost in the middle of disputed territory, Nova was practically shut down, every last one of his processors devoted to maintaining our sparking and the only femme within seven lightyears was Arcee, who was nursing Chromia and Flareup's terrified sparks."

"No..." Chance whispered in shock.

"But she did not hesitate for an astro-second," Ratchet murmured, looking over at the Femme with an awed expression in his optics. "Arcee simply absorbed our sparking and took flight again with Optimus, Nova, Ironhide and I harrying after her."

Ratchet turned and looked down at the soldiers.

"At first, we followed her believing that she didn't fully understand what was happening, some of the rogues had returned to the area recently without knowing that the war had begun again, and that it was steadily becoming worse. We learned rather quickly that she knew the dangers, lived them on a daily basis with no thought for her own safety, only the safety of those she carried. We were attacked en-route, the same group that had attacked the convoy Chromia and Flareup had been guarding. Optimus, Ironhide and I drove them off, but Arcee took damage."

Ratchet's optics looked back into the past, even as Optimus remembered that day.

"As a medical officer, I believed that I had to make a choice, and so I did. I told Arcee to eject our sparking to preserve herself..." the medic trailed off.

"Did she?" Jacobs choked softly, obviously caught up in the story. Ratchet jumped slightly and looked down at him.

"No," he snorted. "No she did not. Arcee, mortally damaged, carrying two stranger's sparks in her own chamber and a stranger's sparking in her 'womb' spun around and slapped me. And when I say she slapped me, I mean she backhanded me so forcefully it took precisely five minutes and twenty three point eight seconds just to regain control of my vectors. She said-

"It is neither your decision nor my own that determines which sparking shall live or die." Arcee stated sternly, proudly.

"Then she turned around and just kept going." Ratchet finished, looking at her proudly.

Kae, along with most of the soldiers turned to stare at the femme in awe. She rolled her optics at them.

"It is my primary _function_," she stated in exasperated explanation.

"Arcee is unique in many ways, but above all else it is her programming that sets her apart. Now, _I _believe that someone changed her programming-"

Arcee promptly snorted in derision.

"No bot has _ever_ changed my programming, and no bot ever shall," she stated imperiously. "You are getting your facts mixed up, beloved."

"Do tell," Ratchet grinned at her.

"What!? Oh... you..." she sputtered indignantly.

"Please?" Jacobs shot at her pleadingly. Arcee looked around at the wide eyed soldiers and sagged in defeat.

"Oh... very well," she grumbled quietly. She paused for a moment and synced her processors.

"First, you must understand our function," Arcee began calmly. "As an individual answering the call of Femme, it is my duty to safely transport a sparking to the hatcheries, where they are placed in their spark-chamber and presented with their bodies."

"That's what 'the hatcheries' are?" Chance whispered.

"The hatcheries are the sacred sanctuaries where our children are housed," Arcee nodded, finally allowing the soldiers to see her true, humble dignity. "And my function, as a Femme answering the call is that of mother, bearer, I carry their lives above my own."

"We all began in the hatcheries," Optimus rumbled quietly. "Myself included."

"No matter our station in life, we all began the same," Ratchet added piously.

"But I did not online in the hatcheries," Arcee stated calmly.

"But..." Jacobs frowned.

"Ailee, _my_ mother, took damage when she was transporting me, I do not know the names of my fathers, they did not follow." Arcee stated with quiet dignity. "She chose her programming, as did I. When her body weakened to the point that she would have to eject me to survive, she fed me the energon of her spark and left her body for the Well. She left me her body and her knowledge, and in her honour did I designate myself Arcee. By the time our body reached her destination of the hatchery I had already taken her spark chamber as my own, as she had instructed me to. So rather than online in a hatchery, I was repaired there. I entered training there, and at a vorn old I returned to the stars and continued my mother's work, answering the call of Femme."

"That... that's..." Jacobs whispered.

"That is my function," Arcee stated solemnly.

"Traditionally, a femme answering the call was not to be bothered. Much like your world's buddhist monks, they who travel are cared for by all." Optimus stated quietly. "Hers is a sacred duty, and as she carries a sparking to the hatchery, Arcee outranks me."

"And so I named myself humble servant, because as many times as they have tried to exalt me, place me upon a pedestal, I am first and foremost Arcee of the Call." Arcee stated with her absolute dignity.

"So rather than eject Alia," Jacobs murmured intently.

"Arcee continued on to the hatchery, feeding not one, but three sparks the energon of her life," Ratchet stated quietly. "It was at that point that Optimus bound himself around her, overriding her programming to sacrifice herself for the sake of the younglings. He maintained them all the way to the hatcheries."

"Arcee is quick to say that I returned her hope," Optimus rumbled softly. "But I do not know if she realizes that upon that day, she redefined me."

Arcee promptly turned to stare at him in shock along with the soldiers.

"Until the day I watched you willingly offer your life to save another, the concept of self-sacrifice was simply that, a concept, a noble sentiment." Optimus rumbled quietly. "I gave you hope, Arcee, so that you would live. But you, you gave me identity. You first fed your life-force to preserve the lives of strangers, diminished yourself to the point that you did not have the strength to inhabit your own body anymore. And when you saw that we could not repair them, split yourself apart to give them bodies."

"You ask why we gladly defer to you," Ratchet continued for him softly. "It is because you are a defining force of our sparks."

The hangar sat in silence for a long moment.

"Moral of the story, by the way," Ironhide rumbled suddenly. "Don't piss Arcee off, I might add that the force she used to slap Ratchet was enough that his face would have been torn off if they'd been planet-side." he smirked at her.

"But we _weren't_ planet-side," Arcee stated loftily.

"What did you look like? Before you split yourself apart?" Jacobs asked curiously.

Ratchet grinned and onlined a full-sized holo of Arcee as she had been.

"Whoaaa..." Chance muttered, looking up at the holo in awe.

"You're so beautiful," Will murmured, looking between the holoform and at Arcee.

"You should see me without the armour," Arcee smirked at him.

"What?" Jacobs asked intently.

"Without my armour, _this_ is not my form," Arcee stated placidly, looking down at her body, Mikaela was giggling.

"Do it!" Kae stated cheerfully. "You've been wanting to anyway."

Arcee laughed and rose, wheeling into the open space and shrugging out of her armour, she stepped out of her wheel struts and stood, proud and naked as she would have on Cybertron. The soldiers stared.

"_This_ is how I look," Arcee stated smugly, standing bipedal, thin and delicate with her etchings riding proudly along her frame.

"And yet you're _still_ taller than me," Mikaela added cheerfully, squirming out of Optimus' hand and jogging over to Arcee to catch her in a hug.

"Give it time, dear sister," Arcee giggled, gracefully kneeling down to wrap her arms around Mikaela. "I have no doubt that the power of your spark will demand a body strong enough to suit it."

Optimus watched with true amusement as Ratchet stared at Arcee, choking slightly.

"What's with him?" Jacobs shot the question at Ironhide, pointing to Ratchet.

"Nothin.' just bin a long time since he's seen a bot out of their armour, _used_ to be a time that it was a faux pas to walk about in your armour everywhere you went," Ironhide snorted. "He ain't offended, he's strugglin' not to just pick Arcee up and interface the pit out of her."

"Isn't that kind of cruel then?" Jacobs asked innocently.

"Absolutely not, if I were being _cruel_ I would do this," Arcee purred, shooting a wicked, sultry glance at Ratchet. The bot's processors promptly popped, Ironhide was moving the next second, making sure his old friend didn't fall over and crush someone as the femmes all laughed gleefully.

"What!?" Will asked incredulously, staring at the still-comatose medic.

"Oh, Arcee just blew his mind," Mikaela stated cheerfully. "He'll be fine in a couple of minutes or so."

"Definitely _or so,_" Flareup added with a snort.

"A trick which we _will_ be teaching you," Chromia added with a broad smirk, she shrugged out of her armour the next second and stood, shooting that same, wicked glance at Ironhide. Optimus was on his feet the next second, carefully balancing his senior officers.

"Watch out of the way, will you?" He rumbled with a low grunt, nodding to the soldiers. They scrambled out of the way and Optimus casually laid them down where they were. "That is cruel," he rumbled at the femmes, desperately trying to sound stern, and knowing he was failing miserably. It was all he could do to not laugh.

"You have to be cruel to be kind," Chromia stated piously before every female in the hangar promptly fell to laughing uproariously.

Optimus gave into the urge and rolled his optics at them.

"Before you even _think_ of shooting that same glance at me, my Kae," he rumbled with a snort, "Please remember that I have a _long_ way to fall down."

"I'll wait until you're in your truck form, how's that?" she gasped, laughing harder.

"Aaww! But it's so much _fun_ watching Prime fall down!" Flare protested through her own laughter. "It's not like it hurts him!"

"Except _now_ he knows it's coming, and it _is_ coming," Chromia added wickedly.

"You're going to let them get away with that?" Will called up with a broad grin.

"I am _proud_ to admit my fondness for picking my battles," Optimus told the Major in a mockingly airy tone. "I _know_ these femmes, it is a battle already _lost._ I shall simply have to content myself with teasing my senior medical officer, and my weapons master that it is taking them so long to sync their processors."

"Not if you plan on waking up with your servos facing the right way around," Ratchet grumbled, shaking himself as he lightly tapped on Ironhide's helm. The weapons master rapidly used the input to sync himself properly.

"Now you sink to threatening your Prime?" Optimus rumbled in a mockingly offended tone. "Besides, I have no doubt my Kae would protect me." he added, smiling down at his femme as she giggled.

She walked toward him and casually settled herself into the hand he offered automatically, he did love having her on his shoulder.

"To the ends of the universe," she murmured into his auditory receptors the second she was in her spot, gently touching his cheek.

"So cute," Ironhide snorted. "C'mon niece, we're going for some target practice, gotta make sure you don't lose your fighting edge with all o' this _sappy_ talk." he held a hand out and she laughingly rose on Optimus' shoulder, lightly kissing his jaw before jumping into the Weapons Master's hand. Optimus couldn't help but smile as they went. A thought occurred to him.

::. Arcee, Chromia, can I prevail upon you to replace your armour?.:: he sent smugly to their private channel. They glanced at him and grinned, armour flying onto protoforms as the soldiers stared at them.


	74. 72 Tussling

**Chapter 72 - Tussling**

* * *

(RPOV)

"Will, you have declared this a day off?" Optimus rumbled down to the Major. Ratchet glanced at him curiously, the Prime sounded downright _sly_.

"Yeah..." Will stated curiously.

Ratchet watched him in amusement as Optimus straightened and turned to his Weapons Master.

"Good, Weapons Master Ironhide I declare you to be a femme thief!" Optimus rumbled in a mockingly stern voice.

Ratchet couldn't have kept his face straight if he wanted to, oh, the game was on.

"Oh! You gonna play that game youngling!?" Ironhide shouted back with a broad grin.

"We _are_ playing that game decrepit!" Optimus called back to him with a smirk as his unit scrambled to stand. He leaned down, lightning fast and scooped the three femmes into his arms mid-step. "Thus do I enact revenge!" he bellowed, two long strides and he was out of the hangar and running with the femmes squealing with laughter in his arms.

He had Arcee.

Oh it was _on!_

"Return her at once miscreant!" Ratchet bellowed at the youngling rip of a Prime, howling with laughter and scrambling after the larger mech.

"The hell!?" Will shouted behind him. Feh, Bumblebee was on it. Ratchet pulled all the stops, modifying his armour slightly and for once _using_ the ridiculously light gravity that abounded this planet. The femmes were already free of the mechs, Arcee cradling Kae and laughing as Chromia cheered her lover on.

Ratchet snorted and scanned the fight for a second before launching himself into the air. He knew the twins would be using it tomorrow to damage themselves further, but for now, that youngling rip had to go _down!_

Of course the problem with a flying tackle into a Prime, means you're going down as well. In a moment, Ratchet was flat on the ground.

"Ratchet, you do that and you are going to dent my armour," Optimus rumbled with a snort. "I will have to pull it out myself, which will scratch my paint, and then Kae will be pissed at us. Is that what we want? Pissed off Kae?"

"Is it sad that you're threatening me with a human femme?" Ratchet snorted, knocking the Prime off with Ironhide's help.

"No, it's sad that we'll actually _listen_ to the threat of pissed off Kae," Ironhide rumbled with a snort, messing with Optimus' armour even as the bot fought to reach the weapons master.

"For the virtue of my sister!" Bumblebee shouted the next second, launching himself onto Ironhide.

"Give me but one ally!" Optimus roared gleefully, Ratchet's spark soared to hear that tone returned to their beloved Prime's voice. "Give me but one friend among the hoards of miscreants and shall my reliant remain safe above my mark!"

"Ratchet!" Mikaela shouted.

"Kae!" he grunted, shoving Optimus.

"Gimme my pack!" she bellowed. Ratchet stopped for a moment and thought about it. Optimus was kind enough to wait. He'd have her body built soon, and it was rare for the chance for a good scuffle to come along. She'd be a bot soon anyway...

"Not too big!" he shouted, tossing the pack to her, he nodded to Optimus and they began again.

* * *

(MPOV)

I began laughing as Ironhide began running toward the enormous grass field where the targets were set up.

"Thus do I enact my revenge!" Optimus' voice roared behind us. Ironhide spun around.

"Your mate is cheating my niece!" Ironhide roared, laughing as he stood firm. Optimus stood in front of us, holding the femmes as they cheered.

"Your femme for mine," Optimus growled, I could see him fighting to keep his face straight.

"To their safety," Ironhide growled back at him, gently setting me down.

Arcee whizzed forward and scooped me up with a grin.

"Girls stay together," she grinned. I laughed and balanced myself in her arms slightly as we settled in to watch. I couldn't help but cheer my guardian on as Chromia did Ironhide.

"Oh, my bot comes after all," Arcee murmured gleefully. I flinched slightly as my mentor caught my guardian in a flying tackle. "They stop the second someone is hurt," Arcee murmured in my ear. "The gravity here is ridiculously light anyway."

I immediately felt better, watching as Optimus teased my spark father before Ironhide helped him get the larger off. I had to admit, my uncle was damn good about using his smaller size to his advantage in close quarters.

And then, my brother, my dear, sweet-sparked little-brother tackled the weapons master, freeing my beloved.

"For the virtue of my sister!" he shouted as a war-cry.

I'd have to polish his armour later, my _dear_ little-brother.

"Give me but one ally!" Optimus roared gleefully, my heart soared to hear that tone. "Give me but one friend among the hoards of miscreants and shall my reliant remain safe above my mark!" he turned and saluted me before going after Ratchet again.

In that instant, I well and truly wanted nothing more than to be that ally beside him. I could see in Arcee's optics her desire to fight beside her Ratchet anyway.

"Ratchet!" I shouted.

"Kae!" he grunted, shoving Optimus.

"Gimme my pack!" I bellowed. Ratchet stopped for a moment and stared at me, Optimus patiently waiting for his attention to return to the tussle at hand. I could practically see my spark-father's processes as he debated himself. And then, the sweetest sound.

"Not too big!" he shouted, tossing the pack to me, he nodded to Optimus and they began tussling again.

"I'll be back in a sec!" I said with a broad grin, squirming out of Arcee's arms and taking off at a full sprint for the hangar, strapping the pack onto my back and activating it. I recognized what Ratchet meant about the silver in my spine as the neural-fibres connected to them, _way_ less annoying.

"Kae!?" Chance bellowed.

"I am _not_ missing this one!" I shouted through a broad grin, sprinting through the group of soldiers.

Destination, flight deck.

I centred myself for a second before quickly flashing energon through the flight deck and calling an exoskeleton and armour around myself, modelling it after a smaller form of Arcee's original. Smaller than my little brother still, but about right for tussling. The readouts Ratchet had programmed to show in front of my eyes said it was well within the safety factors. I grinned and jogged lightly to the hangar door.

"Holy shit Kae!" Will bellowed.

"What the hell!?" Epps demanded with a broad grin.

"Practice," I laughed, "Coming Jolt?" I bellowed over my shoulder, reaching the clear zone and taking off at a full sprint. The speed of the suit-lengthened strides was exhilarating, in moments I was tackling my spark-father.

"For the safety of my Guardian!" I bellowed gleefully, messing with his helm as he lightly batted me away. Arcee whizzed toward me, laughingly making to protect her consort. Optimus was above us the next second, reaching a hand down.

I caught his with the suits' and began cheering as Optimus lightly pulled me into the air, I caught his shoulder and spun.

My Guardian settled me across his back with the ease he did his weapons, and I locked myself in place, feeling as though it were the most natural thing in the universe.

"That's _adorable!" _Flareup shrieked as Optimus and I settled into a fighting stance. Back to back. We were ready for anything.

* * *

(WPOV)

"Will, you have declared this a day off?" Optimus rumbled down to him. Will did a double-take, the Prime sounded downright _sly_.

"Yeah..." Will stated curiously.

"Good, Weapons Master Ironhide I declare you a femme thief!" Optimus rumbled in a mockingly stern voice, standing straighter and turning to look at Ironhide.

"Oh! You gonna play that game youngling!?" Ironhide shouted back with a broad grin.

"We _are_ playing that game decrepit!" Optimus called back to him with a smirk as his unit scrambled after them. He leaned down, lightning fast and scooped the three femmes into his arms. "Thus do I enact revenge!" he bellowed, two long strides and he was out of the hangar and running with the femmes squealing with laughter in his arms.

"Return her at once miscreant!" Ratchet bellowed the next moment, even as he howled with laughter and scrambled after the larger mech.

"The hell!?" Will shouted.

"Don't even worry about it!" Bumblebee laughed, onlining his holoform gleefully. "If they were being serious about it they'd be coaching the challenge in formal Cybertronian and walking side by side to the battle ground, not playing keep-away."

"Which speaking of, if you'll excuse us," Sideswipe added with a snort, clapping a hand on the smaller scout's shoulder. "We have a sister's virtue to maintain, and I believe _I_ shall attempt to avenge a certain fiery femme while we're at it."

Bumblebee promptly began laughing, running after Sideswipe at high speed, the twins hot on their heels.

Will ran to the hangar doors with his soldiers behind him to see the bots all making war on each other.

"It's our equivalent of roughhousing," Jolt's holoform stated, standing shyly beside him.

"How come you aren't in on the action?" Jerry asked curiously, looking at the bot as he stood rather shyly amid the soldiers.

"I... I have a lot of difficulty playing," Jolt murmured in an embarrassed tone.

"Is it okay if we ask why?" Jacobs asked gently.

"I was held captive by Decepticons for a couple of vorn," Jolt shrugged quietly. "They roughhouse as well, but the bots stop the second someone gets hurt... they don't..." Jolt froze for a moment, then smiled slightly. "Our Prime has been very kind to me, he tolerates my shortcomings and still offers me to join them absolutely." Jolt glanced down with a smile. "He just invited me to join them over the primary."

Will watched in surprise as Kae sprinted through the group.

"Kae!?" Chance bellowed.

"I am _not_ missing this one!" she shouted over her shoulder.

Will snorted. Standing in the hangar would be a damn good way to miss the action. There was the sound of light footsteps jogging back. Will glanced around.

"Holy shit Kae!" he bellowed. Kae was in a suit, looking like a bipedal Arcee in armour.

"What the hell!?" Epps demanded with a broad grin.

"Practice," Mikaela laughed, weaving her way delicately through the group. "Coming Jolt?" Mikaela bellowed over her shoulder as she sprinted back to the group in the new suit.

"So go," Jerry grinned.

"No..." Jolt murmured, shaking his head sadly. "I have a great deal of difficulty remembering that it is simply a game. Play... play is difficult to remember at times."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Will asked the bot as kindly as he could, the soldiers were grouping around bot and holoform, Jacobs caught their eyes and butted his shoulder to Jolt's leg. Standing side to side, a non-violent, non-pitying companion.

"When I was captured," Jolt stated quietly, "they obscured my mark, and branded me with the Decepticon shield. The two together made me a slave, an... an abomination." the bot shuddered slightly before his eyes flicked up to watch the group.

"Arcee saved me," he murmured. "Just before the message that the baroness had evacuated her entire sector and destroyed her neutrality made it through the communications, she used her rank and butted her way right into Shockwave's complex and purchased the twins and I away from them. They thought at first that she'd broken her neutrality to their side, so they sold us to her and let us go scott free." Jolt laughed softly. "I... I was terrified of coming here, it is an insult to a Prime for his caste's mark to be defiled by another, which was what the Decepticons did when they branded me their slave..." Jolt trailed off, looking fondly at the group.

"Look at that," Chance murmured. Will turned to watch Optimus fling Kae into the air, settling her across his back and getting into a fighting stance instantly, the group froze for a second before the 'battle' started up again, Kae and Optimus fought together _seamlessly_.

"A guardian and reliant fighting together in battle," Jolt smiled. "Absolute trust belongs to the one who has your back."

"They just fight back to back like they've done it for years. _That's_ commitment." Will murmured, watching as they separated, battled and rejoined without a moment's hesitation.

"So what happened?" Jacobs nudged him, grinning.

"Arcee brought me here regardless, saying she knew _this _Prime," Jolt smiled. "And she was right, our Prime is kind, he did not command me to destroy the mark the Decepticons branded onto my spark-chamber. He said that I can be rid of it, and that he'll gladly return my marks to me, but only when I am ready."

Jolt looked around as the soldiers looked at him curiously.

"Taking a mark is painful, but it is a pain that we gladly accept, often the joy of taking a mark supersedes the pain. But removing a mark is... it's a true agony, even when it is a blessing to be rid of it. I mean, technically a healer like Kae could remove it without it hurting too much but..." Jolt shrugged.

"Still aren't ready?" Jacobs asked kindly, laying a gentle hand on Jolt's leg.

"Well, no, I'm ready to get rid of it, I just don't want..."

"Don't want to ask her?" Will asked in amusement. "Why?"

"She belongs to Prime," Jolt muttered embarrassedly. "And sometimes a healer can't remove a mark without it getting etched on them, can you imagine how awful it would be to have _Kae_ get branded as a Decepticon _slave_?"

"I can't tell if that's a point or not," Jacobs frowned. "You said sometimes, I'm pretty sure Kae'd take the risk, it's _Kae_."

"Yeah, but something like that is a formal request," Jolt murmured, his holoform looking down and blushing furiously. "Which means I'd have to ask Prime permission to ask his reliant to repair me at her risk."

Will frowned in thought for a moment, Optimus tended to be pretty forgiving when he made social faux pas, he glanced at Jacobs and felt his eyebrows rising. The enormous african winked at him with a smirk. Evidently he was thinking the same thing, his right hand lifted up slightly and made a quick gesture.

"I'll take the shot."

Will nodded and raised his own hand.

"I'll take the heat."

Jacobs shrugged, an obvious 'if you want.'

They both turned back to watch as the bots finally seemed to conclude their battle. Will couldn't hold back a snort of laughter as Optimus let himself get dragged to the ground by Bumblebee and the twins. He was on his knees when his arms flashed out, catching all three of them and dragging them to the ground with him, the entire group howling with laughter.

A few minutes more and the bots rose, the twins apparently hadn't tired of the game yet, they both grabbed onto Prime's legs, sitting on his feet and seeming to try to trip him up. Optimus looked down at them for a moment, reached down and settled them a bit more securely before he began striding back to the hangar with a cheerful unit walking and joking beside him.

"He really is an incredible Prime," Jolt murmured gently as the soldiers chuckled at the ecstatic twins clinging to their Prime's legs as he carried them, seemingly without effort. Will was grinning like a madman, he couldn't help it, Optimus looked like an enormous father doting on his children with a gentle hand resting on Bumblebee's shoulder.

Kae was bouncing around in her suit, the femmes all teasing each other within their own little group, shoving each other gently and obviously laughing at what was being said.

Will ran through everything that Jolt had said and glanced at Jacobs, the man glanced at him and winked again. He held steady for another moment until the group reached a line he'd obviously decided on.

"Hey Kae!" he bellowed.

"Hey Jacobs!" Mikaela called back, grinning down at the man.

"Jolt's got a question he needs to ask you!" the man bellowed. Oh_ sneaky_, nice call, Will thought musingly. _That_ was a guarantee that Kae would pester Jolt until he broke down and asked.

"Jaacooobsss!" Jolt protested immediately, sounding rather petulant.

"A-yeah?" Jacobs grinned up at him. "You'll find that we humans call that 'cutting through the red tape'."

Will glanced up at Mikaela, her eyes were narrowed at the Marine. She glanced at Arcee and whistled. Will jumped when he realized she was speaking in another dialect when Arcee whistled back.

The twins immediately released their hold on Prime's legs as the deep tone that said he was irritated began humming softly from his chest.

* * *

(MPOV)

"You'll find that we humans call that 'cutting through the red tape." Jacobs stated cheerfully, I felt my eyes narrow. I glanced at Arcee.

_ƒWhat could Jolt ask that he would need to ask Optimus first?ƒ_ I asked worriedly.

_ƒFormally,ƒ_ Arcee trilled back calmly. _ƒJolt would ask Optimus' permission to ask you to heal him. And he would formally, because he needs a brand removed from his spark chamber, which could be potentially etched onto you as you remove it. So he asks your guardian first.ƒ_

I frowned.

"Auto-bot Jolt," I stated calmly, disconnecting from the suit and casually levitating it to join the flight deck again. "make your request."

"Kae..." Jolt started, trailing off with a blush showing in his optics. He looked rather pleadingly at Optimus. I could hear a tiny amount of anger resonating from his spark as he looked at Jacobs.

"Optimus," I stated sternly, his optics flicked to look at me.

_**ΩThere is danger to you in this.Ω**_ he rumbled flatly.

_**ΩThere is danger in all that we do. I do not interfere in your command, my beloved guardian, please do not interfere in my primary function.Ω**_ I replied softly. I waited patiently as he quickly re-synced his processors. He held my eyes and nodded. I turned and looked at Jolt.

"If you are ready," I stated gently. "Make your request, Jolt."

The bot stared at me for a long second and nodded, he knelt down and prostrated himself before me. I opened my mouth to protest.

ƒ_Don't protest,ƒ_ Arcee whistled to me softly. ƒ_You hate people bowing to you as much as I, but don't protest a formal response.ƒ_ I glanced at her and nodded. I turned again and looked at Jolt, carefully reading the information scrolling across my eyes. Directions.

I walked forward and gently laid a hand on his helm.

"Rise, Jolt," I murmured.

He sat up on his knees.

"Healer, humbly this servant asks to be repaired," Jolt began softly. "For four vorn I have borne the hated mark of our enemies branded upon my chamber. Your servant would beg that it be removed."

He sat back slightly and looked at me with sad optics, obviously expecting me to deny him. For once, I felt pleased to disappoint the bot's expectation.

* * *

(APOV)

Arcee watched as the technician prostrated himself in front of Kae, she opened her mouth, obviously ready to protest such a position.

_ƒDon't protest,ƒ_ Arcee whistled softly. _ƒYou hate people bowing to you as much as I, but don't protest a formal response.ƒ_

Kae glanced at her and nodded before she turned again and looked at Jolt, she was looking at the middle distance, visibly processing information.

A moment and she walked forward and gently laid a hand on his helm, and Arcee couldn't help but smile her approval.

"Rise, Jolt," Healer Archangel murmured.

He obediently sat up on his knees.

"Healer, humbly this servant asks to be repaired," Jolt began softly. "For four vorn I have borne the hated mark of our enemies branded upon my chamber. Your servant would beg that it be removed."

He sat back slightly and looked down at Kae with sad optics, obviously expecting to be denied. Arcee could feel her sisters quietly sending a prayer up to Primus that Kae wouldn't deny him. The poor bot had suffered enough already.

"Auto-bot Jolt," Archangel stated calmly. "Know that this healer does not require servants, she requires friends, family." she walked forward and carefully climbed up his leg and chest to touch his face. "Jolt," Mikaela murmured gently, smiling at him. "Know that you shall never have to beg something from me. Simply ask, and if it is within my power I am pleased to help you."

Arcee vented a relieved sigh, admittedly enjoying the human expression.

::. We say it again.:: she murmured over the primary. She looked up at Optimus. ::. You have incredible taste in femmes.::

Optimus smiled slightly, even as his spark hummed worry.

Jolt just stared at her, the expression of a bot fully prepared to swear eternal allegiance to a superior. His chest plates slid open, baring his spark chamber to her.

Kae reached to touch it for a second before pulling back. Arcee frowned, she was changing her mind? That was _cruel_...

She turned to Ratchet, disengaging her energon pack.

"I don't need the pack for this," she murmured gently, removing the straps and handing the pack to the Medic, she turned back and closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.

Every bot watched in astonishment as energon began to glow beneath her skin, her marks shining brilliantly as Kae reached forward and laid gentle hands on Jolt's chamber. The sweet, bruised spark-body of the technician gasped in shock as energon flashed through him, damages that he had refused repair on mended perfectly as his spark-chamber healed.

"It does not hurt, why does it not hurt?" Jolt choked out, swaying, Arcee whizzed to his side the next second, supporting him with Bumblebee and her sisters. There was a scent on the breeze, a familiar, terrifying one.

Burning flesh.

Arcee looked at her newest sister in horror as she frowned in concentration, the Decepticons mark burning itself into her shoulder, the healer released a final surge of energon and Jolt sat in shock, looking in horror as Mikaela smiled at him gently before descending his frame and standing upon the ground.

Optimus was snarling softly. Mikaela looked at him.

"Steady," she told him firmly, She turned and strode away from the group. In the bright sunlight she knelt gracefully on the ground. Arcee onlined her holoform and ran after her.

"That is unnecessary, Arcee," Mikaela stated calmly, her eyes were closed. It was a fresh shock as the skin beneath the hated mark of slavery began to blister.

"Sweet Primus," Ratchet choked.

"What's happening?" Will gasped.

"Her very body is rejecting the mark," Ratchet murmured, his tone impossibly torn between horror and awe.

Kae chose that moment to reach back and swipe a clawed hand across her shoulder.

The skin peeled away like armour before the heat of a plasma rifle.

"Weapons Master Ironhide," Mikaela barked, levitating her own skin into the air.

"Healer Archangel," Ironhide growled.

"Destroy it," she barked sternly. Arcee watched in admitted satisfaction as Ironhide brought a cannon online, blasting the host-less mark into carbon and a bad memory.

The entire area stood in absolute, shocked silence for a long moment.

"Well, that's that then," Mikaela stated cheerfully, rocking to her feet and walking toward Arcee. She turned her back again. "Or rather, did I miss any of it?" she asked with a small frown. Arcee immediately winked her holoform to stand with her sister, carefully inspecting the bleeding, exposed muscle of her sister's shoulder. However none of the mark remained.

"It's clean," Arcee choked softly, moving aside so that her consort's holoform could attend to his spark daughter.

"A bit dramatic, don't you think Kae?" Ratchet snapped at her.

Mikaela snorted.

"When you do something, you do it right," she stated airily. "Besides, that's a burn, scale of pain that is _nothing_ to that gunshot you patched up for me."

"For the love and patience of Primus himself..." Ratchet started up.

"In my place you would do...?" Mikaela interrupted him in amusement. Ratchet rolled his optics.

"The same Primus damned thing, but the point stands, it takes precisely one thirty-second the amount of time for me to replace a plate of armour as it does the nanites to repair your skin." he grumbled irritably.

"But it does repair," she stated in amusement as Ratchet finished dressing the open wound over her shoulder.

"Yes it does repair," Ratchet sighed. "Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to continue working on your body so that when you accidentally destroy this one I've got a backup." he whacked her good shoulder irritably before the holoform winked out.

"Now then," Kae grinned, she turned to Jolt and jogged back to the bot. "Did I miss anything?" she asked seriously, climbing back up his chest to look into his face.

"No..." Jolt whispered. "I am... I am... whole..."

"Good," Mikaela smiled, pulling herself up to kiss his brow gently. "I will not have my family suffer when it is within my power to heal them."

"Go get some recharge," Optimus rumbled gently, leaning down to collect his Kae and gently touching Jolt's cheek.

Arcee couldn't help but smile at the unit as they lightly reached out to touch Jolt's shoulders, helm and hands: reaffirming him as one of their own.

The smile on his face was absolutely beatific as he transformed and parked in his place, dropping into his recharge.

"What am I to do with you?" Optimus rumbled softly, looking at his Kae in his hands.

"Roll your optics, grumble about the impossible nature of femmes and move on with life?" she suggested innocently. Optimus snorted.

"Only you know me that well," he rumbled in a soft, contented tone.

"Ratchet and Ironhide know you just as well," she stated with gentle amusement, scampering up his arm to settle into what every last earthbound bot referred to as her spot... behind Prime's back, of course.

The major was sliding down the communications catwalk ladder the next moment, running toward them.

"Alright boys bots and Femmes!" Will shouted with a broad grin, "We got our marching orders, we've got a new HQ in Washington! We roll out in two days!"

"Do we get our own rooms!?" Bee shouted with a broad grin.

"Yeah we do!" Jacobs shouted, eyeing the blueprints Will handed him. "There's a couple of extra rooms too!"

Arcee glanced at Ratchet and couldn't hold back a smirk.


	75. 73 Headquarters

**Three hundred and one reviews! Woooo! As always, a billion thanks to my dear betas and my wonderful readers, and always remember, reviews keeps the writer's block at bay!**

**Chapter 73 - Headquarters**

* * *

(IPOV)

Ironhide blinked his holoform to stand beside Jacobs, looking at the blueprints with the human, an idea struck him, and he had to fight to not smirk... visibly.

::. Do you need help packing up?.:: Ironhide sent over to Optimus with a smirk.

::. What are you up to?.:: Ratchet sent curiously.

::. An advance force to scope out the place, and set up your spark-mate's apartment beside her chosen guardian's wouldn't hurt either.:: Ironhide smirked, opening the comm fully.

Ratchet flicked his holoform to stand beside Ironhide's and burst out laughing.

"I call dibbs on that room," Ratchet grinned, pointing to to quarters across from the Prime's.

"And that's the med-bay there, across from the entrance," Will chuckled.

"With permission, I'd like to get there first," Ironhide rumbled, "start getting the place set up properly."

"Communications are headed in there first, you want to go with?" Will grinned at the weapon's specialist.

"It'll be an easier move if most of us head out," Bee stated with perfect innocence.

"I agree with the scout," Sideswipe grinned. "Let's get the first wave of stuff over there."

::. Ratchet, Optimus, quick take her for a drive or something, I wanna surprise my niece.:: Ironhide added with a silent smirk.

"Kae, we'd better run a quick inventory," Ratchet stated calmly.

"On it," Mikaela grinned, jumping into Optimus' hand and immediately getting into the work area, she began sorting files and paperwork.

"Nice," Ironhide murmured to Ratchet before the Medic winked his holoform out. "Will, I have a request of you."

"Nothing bad I hope," Lennox chuckled.

"May I borrow your wife? She seems like the perfect person to decorate Kae's new home," Ironhide murmured, pointing to the blueprints.

"We put Optimus in this one?" Will asked, almost bouncing as he grinned at the schematic. A little bit of tweaking and it would be perfect for Kae. "I'll call Sarah..." he glanced at his watch and whooped. "Right now."

* * *

(MPOV)

The hangar was filled with high spirits for the next two days. Everyone was packing, I looked at the workspace I'd shared with Ratchet for three months with tears in my eyes.

"Not that much will change," Ratchet said quietly behind me. I turned to look at him in surprise. He smiled gently. "You will still be my spark-daughter, and I would truly appreciate it if you continued to be my assistant."

"Aw _Ratch_, now I _am_ crying!" I wailed, throwing my arms around his neck.

"You looked like you need a good cry, what's got you down?" he rumbled, rubbing my back.

"I was just looking at our workspace, and thinking of all the time we've spent here together. We're moving!" I exclaimed. Ratchet snorted and wrapped an arm around my waist.

"We're moving to a better workspace, one with more room," he rumbled in my ear. "We'll all have private rooms which I know you'll appreciate eventually, Ironhide _does_ snore."

"Is it weird that I'm going to miss 'Hide's snoring?" I laughed.

"Little bit," Ratchet laughed. "Especially if you knew that he only snores when he's still interfaced with Chromia."

I fought to keep my face straight as Ironhide's holoform winked in beside us. Chromia followed him a second later, looking completely innocent.

I couldn't do it, I burst out laughing and caught Chromia in a hug.

"What's this for?" she laughed, wrapping her arms around me.

"For being the best sneaky bitch I have _ever_ had the honour of knowing," I grinned up at her. "You _have_ to tutor me, I'm begging you."

"Oh don't you worry about that!" Chromia giggled, pulling me in tight. "The three of us are going to train you up right." she murmured in my ear. We both turned to look at Optimus as he stood at communication central with his arms crossed.

I struggled to not let my eyes rove over his form, the way the surrounding light danced over his sleek frame.

"Pace yourself," Flareup stated brightly at my shoulder, "Looking at him is like looking at a full meal." I jumped and turned to shoot a wry glare at her.

"Oh hush!" she laughed, "we're tutoring you on one condition."

"What's that?" I asked curiously, Flare wrapped an arm across my shoulders and brought her mouth to my ear.

"You tutor _me_ on how to fight so I can catch the optic of that big brother of yours." she giggled.

I stared at her and began laughing, dragging her into a hug.

"Deal," I murmured before turning back to watch Optimus as he moved with a fighter's grace. Enormous, powerful, predatory fighting grace. "Gods fuck that's sexy," I murmured before jerking myself back to task.

"C'mon you guys! We're rolling out in an hour!" Will shouted, looking at the minimal progress Ratchet and I had made packing up our med-bay.

"A med-bay is the last packed and the first set up," Ratchet stated firmly. "Between the two of us, we'll have it on the plane in ten minutes."

I looked at his holoform curiously. He smirked and offlined his holoform, leaning down and handing me my pack.

"Telekinesis is made possible by the application of-?" he grinned at me.

"Breaking down minute amounts of energon into high density light waves, thereby creating an easily controlled forcefield around the objects." I grinned, relaxing my muscles as the neural fibres wove their way into my system. I looked at the workspace and memorized the layout. I took a deep breath and brought a gentle field online. Every single piece of equipment lifted off gently and drifted to it's place.

"Holy _shit!"_ Epps shouted.

I let a grin cross my face as I delicately lifted Ratchet up too.

"Kae!" he bellowed before he began laughing.

I carefully balanced everything on itself and looked at Lennox with a shit-eating grin. "All packed up sir, where am I putting it all?"

"That way!" Ratchet laughed, turning to float on his front. I followed his directions and marched out of the hangar, setting him carefully down before I directed everything to follow him onto the C17. Ratchet reached down and picked me up, carrying me back into the hangar with a broad grin. We stopped and looked at our denuded work area, evident only by a couple of lifts and a work-bench that we never used.

"Well, now what?" I asked sadly.

"Hey! Do that thing with this thing!" Epps shouted, standing on the communication central catwalk.

"Um... kay," I sat in Ratchet's hand and frowned at the catwalk.

"What?" Epps asked curiously.

"I'm trying to figure out how to un-bolt that thing. Levitating is easy, swirling tiny bits in a field is... trickier... unless..." I lapsed back into silence, frowning. I turned and caught sight of a tool kit. I snapped a field around it and began fiddling. Optimus glanced over at the random tools flying around me and began laughing.

"Use the fifth Rell complex as a counterbalance." he stated with a grin.

"_That's_ what that friggen means!" I shouted as Ratchet lightly set me down. "Epps, get down from there." I calmly picked him up and made to set him carefully on the floor as Chance howled with laughter.

"Don't set me down yet!" he bellowed, getting into a superman pose. I laughed and delicately flew him around the hangar for a few moments as even Will laughed. I set him down again and turned to the catwalk.

Communication central lifted gently from the floor and slowly shattered.

"Struts here!" Lennox grinned. I delicately sorted each piece out and directed them to go lay where the soldiers wanted them. I looked around communications central for a second, looking for anything else that needed to be done.

"Alright! Final sweep, everything and everyone out!" Will shouted with a grin.

"Climb in, Kae," Optimus rumbled, rapidly transforming and opening his door for me.

"Where we going?" I asked curiously. Optimus chuckled and took the coastal road. I smiled and cuddled into the seat. He transformed again, cradling me in his hand as he walked the final few paces – for him – to our spot. He sat carefully, depositing me on his shoulder.

"I thought you would like to come up here one more time," he rumbled gently.

"I haven't had the chance lately to tell you just how sweet you are, have I?" I murmured, leaning against his cheek gently.

"_That_ is anti-freeze, you probably should not be drinking it." Optimus murmured. I looked up at him incredulously as he turned his head carefully to look at me with an absolutely straight face and tone. I burst out laughing, shaking and fighting to keep my balance on his shoulder.

"I can't believe you just said that!" I laughed, struggling to breathe as his laughter rumbled around me. He rose and strode back down the incline, walking along the road back to the base. I sat on his shoulder cheerfully.

"I would be remiss in my duty as your guardian to not warn you," he chuckled.

"That thirty foot auto-bots with sparks of gold are dangerous to my health?" I shot at him with a grin.

"Really, I should have warned you of that the second I met you," Optimus rumbled sadly.

"I call drone shit," I told him with a smile. "If perchance, you had warned me that you're dangerous to my health, what precisely do you think I would do?" Optimus looked down at me and sighed.

"You would do the same Primus damned thing all over again," he rumbled.

"Damn straight," I grinned.

"I have trapped you to me," he stated quietly.

"You regret it?" I asked him softly.

"I regret causing you pain," Optimus rumbled gently.

"You regret causing me to be a pain?" I asked innocently. "Because I can honestly tell you I've been a thorn in the side of humans _far_ longer than I've known you."

Optimus snorted and glared at me.

"You are twisting my words... oh touche." he grumbled.

"I did _not _stab you!" I protested with a grin, "hang on, let me kiss it better."

I dropped down into his chest before he could stop me, leaning gently against his spark chamber and covering it with kisses as he moaned.

"Mikaela behave!" he rumbled.

"Oh really?" I asked, running ticklishly light fingers over his spark chamber and frame, "you want me to behave?"

"At least until I have you in my room!" he growled softly as a massive number of softly glowing cables crept toward me, binding my hands and playing with the sensitive points of my skin until I was gasping. He promptly deposited me into his hand, a low chuckle rumbling from his chest as I glared weakly at him for stopping.

"Holoforms are one thing, but a massive burst of energon on a plane is _not_ a good idea," he rumbled with a grin.

"Evil!" I laughed. "and I'll bet I absolutely stink now."

"You smell absolutely intoxicating," Optimus rumbled softly, the vibrations of his voice shooting straight to my abdomen once more.

* * *

I grabbed my bag and followed Chance out to the plane. Jetfire waved at me before transforming and taking off. I climbed into Optimus' cab once we were in the air and continued sewing Anabelle's christmas present, never noticing when I drifted off, comfortable and safe with my guardian.

I woke up as Optimus' engine roared to life.

"Sleep Kae," he rumbled gently, "we are almost home."

I nodded drowsily and cuddled into the neural-fibres that created my hammock.

* * *

"Kae," Optimus rumbled softly, his holoform touched my cheek.

My eyes snapped open.

"Welcome home Kae," Optimus whispered, gently taking my hand and leading me from his truck form into what seemed to be a restricted area.

"Have to set up the Med-bay," I yawned.

Optimus laughed quietly.

"That can wait until morning," he rumbled gently, "I want you to see your new home."

He pulled me gently through a door, I stopped dead.

A kitchen, living area, _fireplace!?_

"Sweet Primus!" I squeaked, gazing around at the multitude of small, homemaking touches that made the room an absolute dream.

"Will's wife, Sarah, had an absolute ball decorating it," Optimus rumbled with a small smile, "she says that when you are settled in we are to have a housewarming party."

I began laughing softly, wrapping my arms around his holoform's waist.

"It's absolutely incredible," I said with a grin.

"Good, now, here's another thing." he rumbled, drawing me forward.

"What?" I asked curiously. Optimus' holoform pulled me through another door into an enormous bay. Optimus crouched down toward me with a grin.

"I hope you do not mind sharing quarters," he rumbled.

I began laughing, jogging toward him and climbing up his arm to press a kiss to his faceplates.

"This place is incredible, thank you." I said seriously, kissing him again.

He laughed and cupped me in his hands.

"Thank Ironhide, it was his idea, now go get some recharge," he ordered firmly.

"I slept on the way here," I protested immediately, feeling my brain kick into high gear. "Ratchet'll have my head if we don't get the med-bay set up! Oh crap, where the hell _is_ the med bay?"

Optimus snorted and straightened, settling me on his shoulder and walking through the immense doors into a corridor.

"This wing is the housing complex," he rumbled calmly, there were a dozen immense doors up and down the corridor with smaller doors interspersed between them. "Communication central is at the other end, entrance bay is here, and the med-bay is across from it, here." Optimus chuckled, delicately setting me down on an enormous berth. Ratchet bustled in a moment later, carrying the red case of parts.

"There you are," he grumbled as I jogged along the berth and caught a handy, dangling chain so that I could swing over to his shoulder.

"Sorry Ratch, Optimus was trying to get me to sleep," I laughed, landing lightly on the medi-bot's shoulder. "I dunno what's up with that bot and sleeping, seriously," I added, grinning at Optimus.

"It's because deep in his spark he's a filthy sack-rat and he knows it." Ratchet stated placidly before roaring with laughter.

"It is a sad day when my medical officer and my ambassador use Decepticon tactics." Optimus rumbled in an absolutely deadpan tone. The right ear could hear the amusement behind it though.

"Wait what now?" Lennox asked, walking into the chaos.

"Prime's bitching that we're ganging up on him," Ratchet rumbled with a laugh, walking back toward the entrance bay.

"Grousing," I piped up with a broad grin, "A Prime _never_ bitches!"

Optimus snorted and headed toward communication central as Ratchet handed me my pack again.

"Still don't get it," Epps called out, "one of these days I'm going to be around for the entire thing and either die laughing or realize that the lot of you have weird ass senses of humour."

"When that day arrives, Epps," Ratchet stated with a grin. "You will die laughing at just how perverse a sense of humour it takes to put up with us."

"Then how the hell...?" Lennox demanded, trailing off and looking at me as Ratchet set me down on the floor.

"I was raised by a unit of five soldiers," I stated blandly, "There is not a single joke in this world that I have not heard."

"Oh really? Then what did the blond's right knee say to her left?" Jacobs called out from beneath an enormous box.

"Nothing!" I called back, onlining the pack and delicately lifting the box of instruments from Jacob's shoulders. "They've never met!" There were dozens of laughing groans throughout the bay.

"Is that why you dyed your hair?" Epps shouted over to me.

"I happen to be naturally brunette!" I shouted back, directing the nanites to wash my hair bleach blonde on a whim. "Besides, blonde makes me look like an angel."

"False advertising," Ratchet added as the men hooted with laugher.

I stuck my tongue out at him and carefully picked out every box of med-bay equipment and parts, delicately adding them to my flight load and following Ratchet back to the Med-bay as the nanites darkened my hair again.

I closed my eyes and directed every piece to it's natural place as Ratchet laughed softly.

"Last down, first up, now go to bed," he rumbled down at me.

I disconnected the pack and stretched, catching view of a screened off berth.

"What've you got there Ratch?" I asked curiously.

"Whatever excuse will keep you from peeking," Ratchet replied with a grin.

"So it's my body?" I smirked up at him. He laughed.

"Yes it is, and you don't get to see it until it's done. Bad luck to look at your body before you take it over as your own." Ratchet stated firmly. I looked up at him uncertainly. "It's true!"

"Okay Ratch, I won't look," I chuckled. "Who'd'a thought, superstitious Auto-bot. Now I've seen everything."

I crawled up on an empty berth and sat down, looking around myself in bemused fascination. This place was huge.

"Well now what do I do?" I asked with a frown.

"Now, you go settle into your personal quarters and report back here when you get back from christmas celebrations, we're getting a new shipload of vehicles that need fixing." Ratchet grumbled.

I laughed and swung over to land on the Medi-bot's shoulder.

"See you in the morning Ratch, don't stay up too late," I pecked a kiss on his chin and jumped onto his hand, letting him set me down on the ground.

"Be off with you!" he grumbled, I flashed a grin at him and heard his laughter as I wandered around the corridors, checking out my new home.

I made it down another corridor before stopping dead.

No way. I began laughing softly and shook my head. Well, that'll be fun. I wondered what Optimus knew about this place when they'd selected the rooms.

I wandered into my common room and smiled at the decorating job Sarah had managed. A generous kitchen, fireplace, enormous coffee table that on second inspection was an asian dining room table. Comfortable sofa, two chairs, a half dozen enormous cushions. The stark white of the walls were broken by black shelves and a smattering of red and blue vases. I wandered across the room and looked through the screens.

"Oh, my, god," I whispered. Someone knocked on the door adjoining Optimus' quarters.

I walked over to it and opened it cautiously.

"Don't do that!" I laughed. Arcee looked at me curiously.

"Don't do what?"

"Knock, if you're coming in through Optimus' quarters don't knock." I grinned. "Now who the hell told Sarah to give me a hammock?"

"That one was me," Flareup giggled, "although you might want to take a look at the bed Cee and Chrome picked out with her before you decide to always sleep on the hammock."

"This way!" Chromia sang cheerfully, dragging me toward the screens and sliding a panel open on a bed made of dreams.

"Oh you are kidding me!" I gasped.

Enormous circular wooden frame, queen sized bed.

"And if you don't make that bed rock at least _once_ while we're here I will be _very_ upset with you," Arcee murmured in my ear.

"You evil, wonderful femmes," I moaned appreciatively. Chromia giggled.

"Now," she stated with a smirk, "your first lesson, dear spark, is that Optimus has a few dozen processors that he would _love_ to let you blow out. Don't you_ ever_ be shy about jumping your bot's interface cables..."

* * *

(RPOV)

Ratchet watched his apprentice wander out of the med-bay and looked around the area with a smirk. Now _this_ was a proper med-bay. He walked toward his spark-daughter's new body and knelt down, opening his spark chamber and sending his prayer out on a stream of energon.

::. Primus.:: he called out silently. ::. Grant us the knowledge to heal, give our beloved Kae the strength to power her new body. Grant me the patience, optics and steady hand to build her strongly.::

He rose and uncovered the blank form, thinking of his assistant. Her temper and patience. Strong and delicate hands. An image flashed through his processors, he grabbed hold of it and smiled, onlining a welder and hacking her iPod, listening to the music she usually listened to as she worked. He noted with surprise moments later that his motions were being governed, moving to the beat of the music. Just as she did... it would truly be a shame for her to lose the fluid, graceful way she moved... Ratchet smiled and worked on her legs. After a few hours he pulled away, looking down at the blank form in understanding.

Because above all else, their Kae was patient, exalting quality over speed.

He knelt down and prayed again before he covered the empty body carefully and drew the curtains around it.

It was late, he would recharge and begin again in the morning.


	76. 74 Calling in Favours

**Chapter 74 - Calling in Favours**

* * *

(WPOV)

The screens finally shut down.

Optimus vented a sigh and looked at him. Will steeled himself to get reamed out, an unfortunate habit of his, but it was better than listening to the bot's angry voice unprepared.

"I will bid you good evening, I think, Major," Optimus rumbled gently.

Will snorted to himself.

"Night Optimus," he nodded. Optimus nodded to him, and Will couldn't help but admire the inherent regality in that nod. After spending so much time around the bots, he couldn't help but feel that he was missing something when it came to the Prime. Especially since Arcee was technically a baroness. Optimus turned and walked carefully, if rather heavily from the communications room.

Will couldn't help but sigh. As big as he was, in body and spark, nobody could be expected to bear the weight of the world alone.

Optimus sure as hell seemed to be trying to do it, though.

Will looked around at the Communications room with a sigh.

It was a great setup, absolutely, it was the politics involved with _being _in this room that irked him to no end sometimes. They'd just _got_ here and the politics were already becoming irritating.

He realized that he was fully prepared to sink into a full pity party if he wasn't careful.

"Um... Major?" Jolt of all people called out quietly.

"Jolt?" Will asked worriedly.

"Nothing like that," Jolt stated quietly. He fell silent.

"Jolt?" Will asked curiously.

"I was wondering if... if I could..." the bot started shyly. Will immediately paid attention, outside of duty, it was rare for Jolt to speak at _all_, let alone to _him_.

"If you could?" he asked gently.

"If you guys would mind if I took the ceiling tiles down," Jolt blurted out quietly.

Will looked up at the roof.

Completely sans tiles.

"Uh..." he started.

"In my quarters, I mean..." Jolt stated quietly. Will looked at him for a long moment.

"May I ask why?" he asked quietly.

"They look... the grid..." Jolt stammered softly.

"Bad memories?" Will asked quietly, Jolt looked at him gratefully. "Do you think you'll be able to take them down and put them back up when we leave?"

"Absolutely Sir," Jolt nodded.

"Well then I have no problem with it," Will shrugged.

"Thank you, Sir," Jolt nodded before turning back to scanning the frequencies.

Will watched the bot for a long moment, insatiably curious, but it was Jolt. Close mouthed bot extraordinaire. Of course, for what little he _had_ said, there was definitely reason behind his behaviour.

"Right, well, I'm going to try to catch a few winks," Will shrugged.

"Night Major," Jerry nodded to him.

Will looked at Jolt again and shrugged, making a beeline for his own quarters.

"They look like the grate I slept beneath as a captive," Jolt stated suddenly. Will whipped around to stare at him. All of the humans did.

"You..." he choked.

"I am whole again," Jolt stated with a firmness none of the humans had heard from him before. He reached up and covered his chest with a hand. "I am whole, a free bot, serving beneath my chosen Prime. I will not allow my shame to cripple me any longer." Jolt turned and looked at Will. "I apologize, Major, but it's true, the crosshatching of the ceiling tiles look like the grate I slept beneath as a captive."

"Fuck, don't worry about replacing them," Will stated in a shocked tone. "_Shoot the damn things!_"

Jolt stared at him and laughed softly.

"No," he shook his head wryly. "I know better than to shoot a ceiling, this is a very damp planet you inhabit, Major. I may dislike the memory of my grate, but we _all_ dislike damp quite a bit _more_."

He turned back to his post, scanning the frequencies again.

That though, that was one hell of a bombshell the bot had just dropped on him.

Jolt had slept under a friggen _grate_ as a captive for damn near two _centuries._

Wow. So much for a decent pity party.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus walked back toward his quarters with heavy steps.

The politics continued, even if the world had calmed. There was still a cry for he and his unit to be asked to leave. He understood it, understood the point of view and sighed.

"They will never leave the earth alone," he rumbled quietly to himself. He stopped at the med-bay to see his Medical Officer kneeling once more beside a blank form. He averted his optics quickly, it was bad luck to look upon a blank form before the spark was ready to enter it. He heard the sounds of Ratchet rising and closing the drapes around the form before he dared glance back into the med bay.

"Optimus," Ratchet murmured.

"Is everything alright?" Optimus asked quietly.

"Just fine," Ratchet grinned, clapping a hand on Optimus' shoulder. "Go make sure Kae's sleeping will you?"

Optimus snorted and laid an arm across the Medi-bot's shoulders as they walked down the corridors, being careful to not step on any of the soldiers wandering tiredly to their new quarters. Will waved up at them tiredly before stepping through the door to his own.

"Strange happenings," Ratchet stated finally.

Optimus nodded, the doors to his personal quarters opened. He could hear the faint strains of Mikaela singing, a sweet, beautiful sound.

"Yes, if we get asked to leave we can bring her with us," Ratchet chuckled.

Optimus glanced at the bot and realized that he was smiling again.

"Behave," he rumbled, fighting to straighten his face.

"Sir," Ratchet stated with a broad grin, "we have private quarters again, the absolute _last_ thing you should be ordering right now is my behaving." he glanced at the door to Kae's room. "Especially seeing as it is now medic's orders for you to _misbehave_." he smirked.

Optimus snorted as the gruff older bot wandered into the quarters across from his. Arcee was smirking from the medi-bot's berth.

::. I did not see that.:: Optimus sent the transmission wryly.

::. Did you want me to take video?.:: Arcee shot back at him with a smirk.

Optimus couldn't stop the rumbling laugh as the doors closed.

::. He knows the rules.:: Ironhide added with a low laugh.

::. And that is?.:: Mikaela's voice murmured.

::. You want the video from a bot's room you cough up the video from your own.:: Chromia stated smugly.

Optimus chuckled, he could hear Mikaela laughing both over the transmission and in the room next to his. He onlined his holoform and knocked on the adjacent door.

"Don't _do_ that!" Mikaela called out with a laugh.

"Don't do what?" he asked, poking his holoform's head in the door.

"Don't bother knocking," Mikaela said over her shoulder. She was sitting cross-legged on her couch, "Did you know that entire wall there rolls up to face your quarters?"

Optimus jumped and scanned the schematics along the walls.

"I'll be a glitch," he rumbled. Mikaela laughed and set her sewing aside, Optimus looked at it in interest as she stood up, waving a small book with a grin.

"And what is that?" Optimus rumbled, grinning at the stance she had dropped into.

"This, my beloved guardian, is a lovely little book containing the codes you would be using to _open_ those doors," she smirked.

Optimus walked toward her with a grin. She darted out from under his holoform's hands and fled to the other side of the couch.

She stood, the stance of an unprepared, innocent victim.

"You'll also note," she smirked, "that there's the added bonus of a closed feed surveillance system, which I'd rather like you to shut off, or turn on at your convenience, I don't know, just how kinky are you Optimus?" she asked in a sultry, teasing voice.

"However you want me to be," he rumbled with a smirk. "Do I get to know those codes? Or are you just being a spike tease?"

"If you want the codes you're going to have to come get them," she smirked.

Optimus cocked his holoform's head to the side and blinked his holoform to stand behind her. She ducked out of his reach again.

"Cheater guts," she smirked. Optimus began laughing and blinked his holoform twice. First behind her then in front, snaring her.

Kae looked up at him, her chin resting lightly against his chest.

"How do you intend to get away from me now?" he rumbled softly, running a gentle hand up her back and along the nerves he knew drove her crazy with just the right pressure.

"Optimus," she whispered, pressing against his holoform a bit more tightly. She turned her head and pressed her ear to his chest. "You're worrying again," she murmured.

"How in Primus name do you always know that?" Optimus rumbled, suddenly irritable again. The conversations he'd had previous running back to the front processors.

"My father used to ask me that, and I'd tell him that it was the way he held his head," Mikaela stated softly. She pulled back slightly to look up into the holoform's eyes, canting her head to the side. "Of course I was lying every time I said it. Dad was almost as guarded over his body language as you are, love."

Optimus looked down at her with a frown. She smiled at him gently and drew his holoform to the door, walking through and climbing up onto his berth to curl up beside his head.

"I'm sorry," she murmured, "I don't know why, it still feels weird talking to your holoform instead of you. Now what's been grinding your processors?"

Optimus let his outtakes blow a long gust of warm air. He onlined a holoscreen to float above his optics so that Mikaela could watch the conversations he'd just finished having with a number of heads of state.

She listened in silence for a long time.

"Kae?" Optimus rumbled softly.

"I need to make a phone call," she said quietly, standing up and walking along the edge of his berth.

"To whom? The CIA? They haven't been answering lately," Optimus rumbled irritably.

Mikaela snorted as the mech rose and offered her his hand. She smiled and sat comfortably in his palm as he walked toward communication central.

"Who are you calling?" Optimus asked curiously, Lennox chose that moment to walk back out of his quarters. His hair rather ruffled and a scowl etched onto his face.

"Who's calling now!?" Lennox grumbled, he looked up at Optimus in surprise.

"Mikaela needs to make a call," Optimus rumbled, he frowned and set Mikaela down to walk beside the irritated Major.

"I think you're going to need to hang on the line for a minute," Will grumbled as Kae stepped lightly onto the floor and walked beside him toward communication central. "We've got _another_ call coming in from god only knows who this time."

"It's the bloody CIA," one of the techs said irritably from the door.

"Who?" Kae asked patiently.

"The CIA," Jerry repeated himself.

"No, I mean the man or woman on the other end of the line, not the agency they're representing." Mikaela said with a patient smile.

"Um, our Liaison, Greg Daniels," Jerry frowned, plopping down into his seat.

Will sighed and punched the button.

"This is Lennox!" he called out in a patient tone.

"Ah, Major, good, listen, I don't have much time to talk, but I just got back from speaking with the director and that's a no." the liaison's voice called out in an officious tone. Optimus bit back the threatening growl and settled for crossing his arms.

"Right, so, I believe that was everything," the Liason continued, "if you need to ask anything else you know where to reach me." the phone clicked, the tech rolled his eyes and put the receiver back in it's cradle.

There was silence for a minute.

"Officious son of a bitch!" Lennox shouted finally. "Ask for a bit of co-operation on a mutually beneficial piece of work and _nothing!_"

Optimus let out the irritated growl that was blocking his vocal processors.

Mikaela let out a positively evil smirk and held her hand out for the phone.

Will and Optimus looked at her in consternation.

"Little bit of trust, gentlemen," she said sweetly. "Call the public line for the CIA, if you would please, Jerry."

The man looked first at Will, then Optimus.

"Public line?" Will asked with a frown.

"Trust," Mikaela said with a smile.

"Oh hell, fine, you can sit on hold for ten hours like the rest of us," Will shrugged. Jerry handed Mikaela the phone. She punched the speaker and held her finger to her lips.

"This is the public line for the Central Intelligence Agency," the mechanical voice stated placidly, "if you know the extension for the person you wish to call, please enter it now."

"Operator please," Mikaela called out in a sweet voice.

The phone cut out for a second and rang again.

"CIA, can you hold?" a female voice asked perfunctorily.

"Of course Linda," Mikaela said with a bright smile. She held her finger up to her lips again as the music began playing. It cut out a moment later.

"Hello?" another woman's voice asked quickly.

"Hey," Mikaela said quickly, "I need a message to go to Barry, tell him Caledonia's _Angel_ needs to talk to him."

"Yes Ma'am, right away," the woman's voice said hurriedly. The phone line went quiet.

Mikaela cracked her knuckles, stretched her arms over her head and promptly collapsed down into a vacant seat, looking at her watch. She held her hand over the phone when the tech made to seat it back in it's cradle. Will watched in shock as the line remained quiet, rather than beginning to beep.

A full two minutes went past before she nodded, hanging the phone up. She sat back and closed her eyes.

"Beautiful silence," she said with a smile, "so much better than elevator music."

"What the hell was that?" Lennox asked in shock.

"The joys of being born deep," Mikaela snorted, "I'd explain it, but in honesty I don't even believe the stupid shit myself." she pointed to the phone just as it began ringing again. Jerry the tech answered.

"Sir!" he said in a shocked tone, "Right away sir!" he hung up the phone and turned to stare at Mikaela.

"That was the Director of the CIA, he's requesting video conference in two minutes!" he turned to his laptop immediately and began typing hurriedly.

"How the Fuck!?" Lennox demanded, staring at Mikaela.

"Like I said, you wouldn't believe me," Mikaela laughed, she pointed to the screen as it came alive. Optimus watched in shock as she resumed a relaxed stance, sitting comfortably in front of the screen.

An older man's face appeared immediately.

"Angel!" the Director said with wide eyes. "Good gods, I never thought I'd hear your voice-code again!"

"Barry how have you been?" Mikaela asked with a small smile.

"Same old, what can I do for my favourite baby girl?"

"I need to ask a favour Barry," Mikaela said in a sad tone, "is the line secure on your side? There's a bit of chaffing."

"Yes, and the recordings are being... fuzzed as we speak," Barry stated punching a button on the desk in front of him.

"Good, I need to ask a couple of things," Mikaela stated quickly, "First off, why the hell did Harrison show up on a top-secret base just in time to put a gun to the Major's wife's head?_ Nobody_ was supposed to know where I am, let alone that I'd potentially cave. I've been through _way_ more than my quota of handlers!"

"Oh gods it was that _damned_ parade," Barry groaned, reaching up to pinch the bridge of his nose. "I can't believe what the hands have been doing lately, your name got leaked, or rather, your father's did and they traced you. And they bloody plotted your movements for a full seven slow miles! I'm frankly astonished _you_ survived, let alone the information. Nobody knows Major Lennox is your handler though, I think they simply targeted him because he ran to you on the route. You gotta train your handlers better Kae."

"He wasn't even my handler at the time," Mikaela frowned.

"It's a real trick trying to train the people around you when you're covert," Barry nodded with a low groan.

"Yeah well, shit happens," Mikaela sighed, "either way, I've been outed now, did you get a copy of the reports?"

"I did, I'm so sorry, Kae." Barry stated sincerely.

"Thanks," Mikaela said sadly, "anyway, couple of things I guess, would you bring the reports down? I want to make sure you've got good copies."

Barry glanced at his watch and punched the button.

"You're in the old house now yeah?" he asked curiously.

"Yeah, this place is dreadful, Barry!" Mikaela complained immediately. "What the hell is it with you guys and Old Victorian shit? I swear to god if I see another rat I'm going off grid!"

"Yes yes alright Angel," Barry stated in a consoling tone, "I'll be there in an hour, okay?"

Mikaela put on a perfectly put upon sigh and agreed.

The line went dead.

"How does that help?" Will asked with a frown, "you had the Director of the CIA on the phone and you didn't even bring up anything new!"

"He'll be here in an hour," Mikaela said with raised eyebrows, walking back along the catwalk toward Optimus.

"He what?" Lennox asked in shock.

"Barry, the director of the CIA," Mikaela said patiently, "he knows precisely where we are. This is an old CIA complex after all."

"How the hell do you know _that_!?" Lennox shouted. Mikaela turned around and looked at him in surprise.

"I _trained_ here," she said with raised eyebrows. "In fact, I'm astonished that you set up communications in here, that air-duct up there used to be the prime spot for getting in and out of base undetected."

Mikaela promptly slid down the ladder and wandered toward one of the laptops. She began scanning random articles.

Optimus stared at his spark-mate and began to laugh. Mikaela glanced up at him with a small smile.

"You didn't think that book _actually_ had those codes did you?" she laughed softly.

"_That_ is why this place seems so familiar," Optimus mused aloud. "_You_ remember it."

"Hey!" Mikaela grinned, she quickly stood up and walked over to the air-vent. "I wonder how well they cleaned this place out!" she ran up the corner of the wall and caught hold of a pipe, shimmied over to the vent and lightly pulled it off. She crawled in and laughed.

"Not very damn well," she shouted out, emerging victoriously with a battered cardboard shoe box. "The time capsule's still here!" she dropped down with a broad grin.

"Time capsule? Training?" Will asked in an astonished voice.

"When we were ten, Barry got our names in for the special children's camp." Mikaela explained with a small smile. "Mostly the ambassadors' kids and whatnot, where they 'officially' trained us how to watch our backs and get away from potential kidnappers. Really it was Barry's excuse to get Tinny and I in here for the CIA contract briefing."

She opened the box and pulled out a variety of children's souvenirs. She picked up a small, silver locket and cradled it.

"We put the things that we didn't want the kidnappers to have in this box, and put it in a safe place," she said with a sad smile, opening the locket.

There was a picture of a smiling woman with two girls in her arms and two small braids of hair.

"It's nice to see you again, mum," she whispered, lightly stroking the hair before closing the locket and fastening the chain about her neck.

Will reached toward her and she opened the locket again.

"Wow, you really do have a lot of your mum in you," he murmured.

"Born ambiguity except for my eyes," Mikaela chuckled. "Did you want to use my quarters? I should probably put some coffee on."


	77. 75 Barry

**Chapter 75 - Barry**

* * *

_"__Did you want to use my quarters? I should probably put some coffee on."_

(OPOV)

Optimus looked down at his spark mate in shock.

"What?" she asked with a small smile, "I'm right beside you, and if you want we can leave the 'new technology reveal' open so that you can talk face to face with Barry instead of using your holoform. Or whatever you like."

She looked around at the men with a small smile.

"That. Sounds like a brilliant idea. Would someone bring him in?" Will asked with a grin, looking around at the grinning techs. Mikaela laughed and began walking.

"Born deep?" Optimus prompted with a small smile.

"Born to two semi-retired spies," Mikaela laughed ruefully, "I'll let Barry tell the story, dead or not I still don't know mum's full status, it's entirely possible that her name is still being used by another agent."

Optimus opened the doors to his quarters and led the way through, settling down onto his berth while Kae wandered into her quarters with Will behind her. Optimus onlined his holoform and followed, chuckling when she immediately set up the coffee pot and pulled out a few simple baking ingredients, starting in immediately on cookies.

Will flumped down on her sofa and stretched out.

"Wake me up?" he mumbled.

"You've got it Will," Mikaela laughed softly, in minutes the Major was out cold. Optimus leaned his holoform against the counter, watching as his spark-mate put her new kitchen through it's paces. She glanced at her watch and punched the coffee machine on just as a few sheets of cookies came out of the oven, turning the timer off before it even had the chance to ring.

Will rose automatically the second the coffee pot was three quarters full.

"Coffee," he stated in a much brighter voice.

There was a knock on the door. Mikaela glanced around for a half second before calling out "Come!"

"Director Matteer," Jerry announced with a grin. "He came in through the air-vent."

"I'm glad you found the box Kae," Barry grinned at Mikaela. "But did you really have to set up communication central right on top of the entrance?"

"Don't look at me!" Mikaela laughed. "This was all set up by the time I got here."

"Eh," Barry shrugged, he turned and looked at Jerry. "Jerry was it?" he asked calmly.

"Yes sir," Jerry nodded attentively.

"Listen, this is a fairly tight-knit unit yes?"

"Yes sir..." Jerry frowned slightly.

"Excellent, would you be so kind as to _very_ quietly inform the men on guard that the Director of the CIA gives them full permission to screw with the Liaison when he arrives in around twenty minutes? Quietly mind."

"Hells yes sir, how long you want them stalled?" Jerry grinned viciously.

"Oh, I'd like a good forty minutes with our Angel, but make it quiet," Barry smirked. Jerry threw him a grinning salute and wandered back down the corridor.

"Well? You called me down Kae, posterity introductions!" Barry grinned at the Femme.

"Oh right," Mikaela chuckled. "Major William Lennox, this is Director Bartholomew Matteer, head of the CIA. Barry, Will, Will, Barry." The two men shook hands before Mikaela turned to Optimus, lightly touching Barry's arm. "This is the Holoform Avatar of Optimus Prime, leader of the Auto-bots." she announced calmly.

"Barry," the man stated calmly, offering his left arm to Optimus.

"Optimus," he rumbled, threading his left arm into the man's and finding a cautious man. "I admit myself surprised," he stated calmly, "you offer my own greeting, but I do not recall sharing much on the methods of reading it."

Barry grinned.

"You're an honest man, but that statement alone says that Kae taught you how to read a man's handshake. Does he tailor it much?" he looked at the Femme.

"Not really, no," Mikaela smiled, "he doesn't have to. Do you have the papers before your official boys get here?"

Barry laughed and offered the femme his briefcase.

She grinned and accepted it, sitting down and rapidly leafing through the pages.

"Is it all there?" Barry asked worriedly.

"Most of it," Mikaela muttered, she dragged a pad of paper and pen toward herself and began writing.

Optimus raised his holoform's eyebrows and read over her shoulder.

"You used to whack me anytime I did that," Barry commented, settling down beside the Femme.

"That's because every time you did you'd mutter censorships in my ear. Optimus already knows most of it," Mikaela murmured, flipping a couple of pages as she read and wrote at the same time. "I'm actually surprised Will isn't reading this as well, he was my handler cleaning it up after all." she shoved the bare bones report toward the Major as he leaned forward.

Optimus settled his holoform on her other side, sitting in silence for several minutes as Mikaela wrote down and corrected the missing information in the file. Will read the report quickly, sitting back and whistling when he was done. He rose and grabbed the plate of cookies and a few mugs of coffee, Mikaela accepted hers with murmured thanks, never ceasing to write.

"So you actually _did_ memorize it," Will commented finally. Mikaela nodded.

"I did, the chips are the hardcopy and more readily accepted, but I did memorize each report in the event that I had to destroy it," she murmured.

Barry sat back comfortably and sipped at his coffee. Mikaela flipped a final page, wrote notes on it and signed 'Angel' at the bottom with a flourish. She quickly went back and numbered each page before folding it and handing it to the Director.

"I know you've already gotten my reports from the past few months for the military, so I won't bother writing it again," she said patiently.

Barry nodded to her firmly and tucked everything into his briefcase.

"That thing doesn't have much room for it's size," Will stated with a frown.

Barry snorted and turned the briefcase over, opening it again to reveal an entirely different set of folders. He closed it again with a grin and set it down beside himself.

"Her uncle Brick made this thing for me years ago," Barry chuckled at Will's grin. "Best briefcase I've ever had. _Nobody_ makes these like they used to. Now, Angel could have come in anytime to go over those papers, but she called me out here for a couple of things, which means you've got a beef. What's happening?"

"I'm thinking your Liaison is trying for a 'mine promotion," Mikaela stated calmly, "He gave the 'I spoke to the director' speech."

"Which is usually bullshit, yes," Barry nodded, he leaned back on the sofa and looked at Optimus and Will. "Sope, we'll start from the top. Fill me in with the assumption that I don't know anything."

Optimus couldn't help but grin, he liked the man already.

Mikaela smiled and patted Optimus' knee, rising and moving back into her kitchen as the Major made his reports. Optimus turned to look at her curiously when she didn't return.

"That girl is drawn to a kitchen like a moth to a flame," Barry stated comfortably, not even turning around. "I think she memorizes things by cooking specific foods."

"It keeps my hands active so that I can concentrate," Mikaela murmured with a smile.

"That and it puts you in the background where you can observe everyone unimpeded." Barry added with a smirk. Optimus chuckled. Barry turned to him with a smile.

"I'll give her this, though," Barry stated, "I'll let her have my back any day, _especially_ in unfamiliar territory."

"Agreed," Optimus chuckled while Will grinned.

"Anyway," Will finished with a small grin, "We've been having a bit of difficulty with your Liaison, he's been giving us dead-end phone numbers. We need the CIA's co-operation, with technology and information sharing to _mutual_ benefit but we keep getting negatives back, from you apparently."

"Mmnph, so you've been getting the speech after all," Barry grunted. Mikaela was giggling softly in the kitchen. Optimus turned to look at her curiously.

"The left hand truly doesn't know whether the right is dipping into it's pocket or jacking off," she said in a quiet voice.

"They're doing both," Barry snorted as Will barked a quick laugh.

There was another knock on the door.

"Ah, here's the paperwork," Barry stated blandly, Optimus glanced at the Major to find him smirking.

"Come!" Mikaela called out patiently, Optimus noted the way she lightly caressed the knife beside her on the counter. Two somewhat bedraggled men walked through the door under Chance's guard.

"Ah, Greg, Jason, excellent timing," Barry stated urbanely.

"Director," the liaison said immediately. "So sorry we were late, interesting guards you have here Major," Greg stated, frowning at Lennox.

"Excellent security here, no?" Barry said calmly. "Right, you have the paperwork pertaining to the bid for inter-agency co-operation?"

"Right here, Sir," Jason stated with a small smile, he walked forward and set his own briefcase down on the table, opening it and pulling out a multitude of files.

The Director flicked through them for a moment before handing the duplicates out. Mikaela had her eye on the liaison, who was squeaking somewhat in his spot.

Out of the corner of his optic, Optimus watched as his Kae pressed a cup of coffee into the man's hand with a warm smile. He accepted hesitantly and went to sit in an armchair.

"Now then, Greg, it would seem that a few of your memos to me have gone awry," Barry said patiently, looking through the files calmly. "I most certainly don't recall signing that, for one." he held up the paper in question.

Greg squeaked for a second before clearing his throat.

"It must have slipped in among some other documents," he stated calmly, "perhaps it was signed amid another set?"

Optimus caught Mikaela biting her lip in the kitchen out of the corner of his eye. Once the men left he was definitely going to pick her brain on the myriad of details that she no doubt saw.

"Ah Greg, do you know just how many agents have tried that excuse in the past forty years?" Barry asked sadly. "Someday one of you will come right out and say, 'yes, I figured that that was what you would want so I went ahead and forged your signature to try to save you some time.' But the truth is I read every single piece of paper that's been handed to me Greg. So now what do we do?"

"You have my apologies, Director," Greg said in a defeated tone, "I got caught up with several reports that wound up on my desk which seemed more important at the time."

"What is more important than co-operation?" Barry asked mildly.

"Sir I don't know if..."

"This is a perfectly good time," Barry stated in the same calm tone.

"Sir, I have found reason to believe that a CIA operative has gone rogue," Greg stated quickly. "A female who goes by the name 'Angel,' she wounded three and killed one of our men when they tried to bring her into custody."

_Steady Optimus,∂_ Mikaela murmured below the human's hearing range,_ ∂Don't give up the game just yet.∂_

Optimus wiped any emotion from the holoform's face and assumed a stance of listening intently. Mikaela was still patiently puttering about in the kitchen.

Will glanced at Optimus and took the cue, sitting patiently and watching the drama.

"Is that so," Barry stated calmly, "what intel do you have on this Angel?"

"We believe that she is a young woman, somewhere in her mid to late twenties, dark hair, dark eyes and fair complexion. We believe that she has information which in the wrong hands could cause devastation to the status quo." Greg reported.

Behind the men, Optimus watched as Mikaela shrugged silent agreement.

_Try to not watch me so obviously,∂_ she coached him softly. He turned and watched the men around him, hiding his grin.

"What precisely did you have in mind, gentlemen?" Barry asked in a perfectly neutral tone.

"Give her a medal?" Jason murmured with a small grin, "she did get rid of Harrison after all..."

"She's a danger to society!" Greg almost shouted, "we need to get _rid_ of her!"

Optimus almost laughed aloud as Mikaela touched a fist to her heart.

"Unfortunately Greg, Angel is my personal operative," Barry stated calmly. "Her intel has already reached where it's supposed to be. Was there anything else?"

"Yes, there is," Greg said in a flat tone. He pulled out a recorder and turned it on.

_"__What you see is what you get, once this is all finished up I have no doubt that I'm going to be needing a new employer. Have you taken Barry out yet?"_ Mikaela's voice asked cheerfully on the recording.

"We believe that you're her target, if not her first then high on the list," Greg stated in an interesting parody of concern. Barry turned around in his seat to look at Mikaela.

"Are you really going to kill your godfather Angel?" Barry asked in a hurt tone.

"Why the hell would I do that Barry?" Mikaela asked with wide eyes. "You did your best to keep the lot of us _safe_." Greg shot to his feet with a gun in his hand, pointing it at Kae. Will was on his feet the next second, drawing his own sidearm and blinking in astonishment as Greg's shoulder seemed to grow a kitchen knife. Greg dropped the gun and was immediately surrounded by angry men.

Mikaela went right back to her baking. Optimus relaxed his holoform again, perching an ankle up on his knee. Jason looked at him curiously.

"Optimus is kindly saving me an extra fifteen pages of paperwork," Lennox snorted.

"Major, could I impose on you to take this man into custody?" Barry asked in a calm tone, lightly picking up Greg's weapon in a handkerchief and tucking it into his briefcase.

"Of course, Director," Lennox replied urbanely, "I'll have Ratchet take a look at him. Would the CIA like to come pick him up in the morning?"

"Oh whenever is convenient for you," Jason piped up blandly.

"Our doors are always open to you," Lennox smiled. He walked to the door and poked his head out into the hallway. "Lieutenant!" he shouted. "Code Yellow, please."

"SIR YES SIR!" Jacobs' voice bellowed.

"The absolute epitome of efficiency," Barry stated blandly.

Optimus glanced over to see Mikaela biting her lip and blushing furiously. Optimus caught her eye worriedly. Her eyes were sparkling with suppressed mirth, she averted them quickly. The dear little Femme.

In a matter of minutes Jacobs had escorted the former Liaison from the room, Jason following along on his way back to the office.

Mikaela lasted precisely five seconds past the door closing before she burst out laughing.

"Really!?" she asked incredulously, "he tried to pass away forging your signature by turning _me_ in? I got nothing _left!_"

"What a douche," Will smirked.

"Total douche," Barry agreed, grinning broadly.

"Director, it's been incredible to meet with you in person, one question," Will grinned. "Are you actually her godfather?"

"One of 'em," Barry chuckled, he turned to glare at Kae. "Of course only _that_ brat would ask a personal favour that actually turned out well. I still owe you what, ten?"

"That's a nice, round number," Mikaela stated with a small smile.

"What's the actual number?" Barry grumbled.

"Do you want the actual favours, or the number of times that you've said 'I'll owe you one?" Kae grinned at the man.

"Both," Barry groaned.

"You owe me eleven, but you've said it like, thirty times Barry. I swear you keep getting me to do this that and the other thing just because you know that I rarely if ever call you in on them," Mikaela laughed.

"Eleven it is," Barry chuckled.

"Ten, you came," Kae grinned, "and you didn't use the 'I'll think it over and get back to you' lines either, so I don't even have to call in the other twenty nine to make you fix it."

"Well, say the magic words Angel," Barry laughed.

"Do I have to?" Mikaela asked plaintively.

"You know the rules, a favour isn't a favour without the order, _say it!_" Barry grinned.

"Barry your men are being assholes and giving my people grief. We need co-operation, not another bloody dick measuring contest. Fix it!" Mikaela commanded. Optimus grinned.

"That's my girl," Barry chuckled, he rose and held his arms out toward her. She walked toward him with a bright smile before pulling back with narrowed eyes. Barry laughed, took a step forward and folded her into a hug. She squeezed him back before they broke apart. "Alright, let's get the paperwork said." Barry chuckled, he stood straight and faced Optimus and Will.

"Prime, Major, our Liaison seems to be rather tied up for the next several years," Barry stated in an official tone, "So for the interim I would like to assign Agent Banes to your disposal, she's young but well versed in diplomacy."

"I'm glad to hear it, Director," Lennox replied in the same official tone, "Agent Banes and I are already well acquainted, I look forward to working with her, and you." Will offered his hand. Optimus rose and stood beside the Major.

"Thank you, Director," he said seriously, offering his hand. Barry grasped it firmly, a perfectly neutral handshake.

"It was good to meet you in person," Barry said genuinely.

"Likewise," Optimus rumbled.

"I think that should do for the officially worded report," Barry stated with a broad grin.

"And if it isn't we can just lie a little bit later," Mikaela stated with a perfectly straight face. "My report will be on your desk Monday morning," she added, nodding to Barry.

"I'll have to make sure you're still in the system," Barry said thoughtfully. "You _should be_."

"Alright, I'll go in Monday, if my report is on your desk I'm in the system, otherwise I'll be there Tuesday," Mikaela snorted. "Old rules?"

"Excellent," Barry grinned at her. "Prime, Major, Agent, I know my way out." he nodded to all of them and walked out the door, briefcase in hand.

"Like I said, you wouldn't believe me even if I told you," Mikaela stated calmly.

"You're in the CIA's system already?" Lennox asked with a laugh.

"He scanned me in at a month old, theoretically eyes don't change," Mikaela snorted, walking back into her kitchen, she pulled down a jar and filled it with the cookies. She set them on the counter and froze.

"Aw hell, that prat made me _Liaison!_" Mikaela complained. "I _hate_ doing reports! They depend on other people. Bugger." she glared at the coffee pot.

"I vote!" Lennox yawned, "that we meet back here in the morning and go through the paperwork over fresh coffee."

"If it is alright that we seem to have commandeered your common room for a war room," Optimus added, looking at Mikaela.

"Alright," she sighed, "just so long as you don't tack maps up on the walls, I want to get my deposit back on this place."

Will stared at her for a long second before howling with laughter.

"Wrong Kae, that's just _wrong,_" he laughed. "And if it turns out that you actually _are _renting this place for us I hereby put in my application to be your personal aid."

"Sorry Will, you're still a Major, take a cookie," Mikaela chuckled. She wiped the counter off and pulled a box out from under the sofa, settling down with her sewing again.

"Ah well, see you in the morning," Will yawned, walking out the door, "sweet dreams, good recharge. Stuff."

"Night Will," Mikaela smiled, already working needle and cloth with patient hands.

Optimus settled down beside her and glanced around, hacking into the room's climate control. He turned the lights down slightly and started the fireplace. She glanced up at him with a small smile.

"You realize that there would be hell to pay if either the human Auto-bot Ambassador or CIA Liaison was caught on camera having inappropriate relations with the leader of the Auto-bots," she said with laughter in her eyes.

"Which makes it rather interesting that I've deactivated the cameras in the room." Optimus rumbled, reaching over and running light fingers along her jawline, her eyes closed as she leaned into his touch. "Besides," he added, leaning in to whisper in her ear. "Among Cybertronians, it is _very_ much encouraged that a guardian have a relationship with his reliant. A further asseveration for the trust we share."

"Oh good," she chuckled, turning her head slightly to press a gentle kiss to the sensitive skin beneath his ear.

"So as my Ambassador, will you tell me what my CIA Liaison observed of the men that were in the room?" he asked with a smile.

"Just how many more identities are you going to tack on me?" she laughed softly, "yes I will, do you just want me to tell you or are you going to holoform the conversation again so we can walk around and I can point out the different facial expressions?"

Optimus grinned and moved to sit on his Kae's other side.

Ghosts of Barry and Will flickered into being

_"__They're doing both," Barry snorted as Will barked a quick laugh. _

_There was another knock on the door. _

_"__Ah, here's the paperwork," Barry stated blandly, Major Lennox was smirking._

"Alright, so there," Mikaela chuckled, "that's your first sign that Will and Barry are going to be the best of friends. They've got each other's measure now, Barry even gave Greg a heads up on that, he didn't catch it though."

Optimus chuckled and let the holo play through. He caught Mikaela's meaning as she pointed.

_"__Excellent security here, no?" Barry said calmly. "Right, you have the paperwork pertaining to the bid for inter-agency co-operation?"_

"Double warning there," Kae chuckled. Optimus snorted, watching the drama play out again and listening to her random comments. So much more fun.

"Why did you give him that coffee if you don't like him?" Optimus asked suddenly, watching the ghost of his Kae press the coffee into the former liaison's hands.

"It clutters his hands up and gives me an extra couple of seconds to throw a knife as he drops it. Should it come to that." Mikaela stated calmly. "It's also a good way to check and see if he recognized me. Which he didn't."

_"__Now then, Greg, it would seem that a few of your memos to me have gone awry," Barry said patiently, looking through the files calmly. "I most certainly don't recall signing that, for one." he held up the paper in question. _

_Greg squeaked for a second before clearing his throat. _

_"__It must have slipped in among some other documents," he stated calmly, "perhaps it was signed amid another set?"_

"Horse shit," Mikaela snorted, "_everyone_ knows Barry reads every single piece of paper that gets handed to him. He made that mistake the first year he was director, and it almost killed one of his agents."

"So he reads everything now?" Optimus asked with a smile, upping his respect for the CIA director another notch.

"Yes he does," Kae grinned, leaning back in the sofa. "He taught us how to speed read and sneak in and out of this place."

"Mmm," Optimus hummed softly, reaching over and delicately plucking the sewing from her hands. "It occurs to me that I have yet to thank you properly for fixing this."

Mikaela shot him a wry smile as he scooped her up in his holoform's arms and carried her back to himself.

"For your own safety, my beloved," he rumbled gently in her ear, "I believe we should have an understanding. I do tend to toss and turn in my recharge cycle if I am not in disguise, I do not wish to inadvertently-"

"Squish me?" Mikaela chuckled, "You're right, I'd make a bit of a mess in pulp form..."

"Mikaela!" Optimus rumbled in shock.

"What?" she looked up into the holoform's eyes with absolute innocence written all over her face.

"You could fool that liaison, but you are not fooling me," Optimus rumbled down at her with a smirk.

"What do you mean?" she asked innocently, squirming out of the holoform's arms and quickly ascending the berth to curl up in the space above his shoulder.


	78. 76 Politicking Before Christmas

**Chapter 76 - Politicking before Christmas**

* * *

(MPOV)

"You are most certainly _not_ that innocent," Optimus smirked, extending a hand to lightly stroke a finger down my side.

"Nope, not by a long shot," I agreed with a laugh, I fought back a yawn unsuccessfully. "So if I get lonely not being able to hear your spark is there a spot around here that I can sneak into?" I asked tiredly, curling up a bit closer to his cheek.

"I had intended on holding you captive in my spark chamber until the circus started," Optimus rumbled just as tiredly. "But if you wish, just remember to rouse me before crawling into bed with me."

"Deal," I murmured, I stood and pressed a gentle kiss to his faceplates again. "Get to your recharge my beloved."

Optimus smiled gently, curling onto his right side and onlining his holoform.

"Get some sleep, my Kae," he rumbled gently, pressing a warm kiss to my lips.

I smiled up at him as the holoform winked out and Optimus' spark resonations softened into slumber. On silent feet I walked back into my own quarters and sat on the sofa, picking up my sewing. With patience, I began working the bear's face, making it soft and kind. A pale brown velveteen patch formed his nose. Body, arms, legs, head finished, I picked up a cream ivory linen handkerchief, the one I'd pilfered from Will and set to embroidering it. There was a soft knock on the door when I'd almost finished.

"Come!" I called out softly. Will wandered in and hovered at the door.

"I hope I'm not disturbing you," he murmured with a small frown.

"Not at all, come in," I murmured soothingly. He wandered into the kitchen and grabbed a cookie, coming to sit beside me on the sofa. "What's bothering you, Will?"

"How can you tell something's bothering me?" he asked curiously.

"It's the way you hold your head," I murmured automatically.

Will sighed and sagged into the sofa.

"I'm worried," Will stated quietly.

"About?" I prompted him calmly, continuing to embroider.

"Well, first off, you used up a favour from the Director of the _CIA_ for us," Will sighed.

I laughed softly.

"That's the least of them," I murmured, "I trust you Will, so I'm going to tell you what I did to earn the favour from Barry that got him here tonight."

"Are you allowed to do that?" Will asked in shock, staring at me.

"Not all of them, but this one I _can_ tell you," I smiled. "There were several covert ops in our area, and some not so covert. Barry did fly me to a few places as well, but I won't detail those. No the favour I called in was when one of his agents got blown, I was the closest one, so Barry called me and said, 'Angel, I need you to build a distraction so I can quietly get my man out of the area."

"What'd you do?" Will asked with a grin. I began laughing.

"Well, it was stupidly easy. I got into the blood territory and slim jimmed six cars." I grinned.

"That's it? You unlocked six cars?" Will asked curiously.

"I walked down the middle of the street, head down and unlocked six cars, one two three four five six," I laughed, bobbing my hand up and down. "And thirty-two seconds later, forty men burst out of the bar, guns out and howling. Instant riot. The guy got away clean, there were too many faces on the ATM and traffic cameras to even catch a _glimpse_ of the two faces that didn't look at the cameras and got the hell out of there. I met him at his car, sans keys so I broke in, hotwired it and drove the guy back to headquarters."

"How the hell?" Will laughed.

"Well, the _owners_ of the cars happened to be the rival heads of gang activity. They were meeting to discuss business." I giggled. "Driving absolutely unmarked cars. Do me a favour, Will, if you ever decide to drive an expensive car, don't bother with the unnamed, just get yourself a Beamer or a Jag or something."

"What the hell would have happened if you got caught?" Will demanded suddenly.

"Caught by who?" I asked with a small smile. "Caught by the cops? Public mischief. Caught by the bloods? Rape and death if they didn't immediately recognize me as Cal Banes' girl, if they did, then I'd be held hostage to force dad into the gang."

I carefully tied off the last thread and cut it, folding the handkerchief and setting it among the rest of the sewing.

"That's one hell of a favour," Will growled softly. I laughed.

"Don't worry about it, Will," I said gently, "It's just part of the job."

"I'm still your handler, aren't I," Will asked quietly.

"If you don't want to be, I'll understand," I stated calmly, "Lord knows I've been through my share. You do have a hell of a lot to lose."

"I'm okay with the dirty work," Will said immediately, "I just don't want to have to shoot you..."

"You won't have to," I shrugged, "that's the duty of a handler whose agent has been caught. I don't get caught."

"You were in jail," Will protested with a snort.

"Yes, I was, Liams put me there," I sighed. "I could have called Barry, but getting me out would have meant compromising Dad, Brick, Rig... Jail isn't that bad, I'm allowed to say it now, when he found out, Barry paid Jenny Wong to watch my back out of his own pocket. Set up a life insurance policy for her, the works. She died in my place." I murmured. "It was getting everything back together again once I was out that was hard. All for naught."

I looked at Will and patted his shoulder as he looked at me with sad eyes.

"Get some sleep, Will, it won't do to show up at home for Christmas without the energy to play with your baby girl," I smiled.

"One more question?" Will asked softly. I nodded.

"Are you upset that we keep tagging designations on you?" Will asked worriedly.

"If you make it difficult for me to get my reports put together I _will _be." I snorted. "Go, sleep," I glanced at my watch, "We'll meet back here at oh nine hundred and get the politicking out of the way before Christmas."

Will grinned and caught me in a one armed hug.

"You're the best, Kae, you know that right?" he laughed.

"Shh," I grinned, "don't fill my head with so many compliments, my ego is big enough as it is being a teenager."

Will stood up laughing, throwing a 'night Kae' over his shoulder as he went.

I stood and picked up the heavy bracelet of neural-fibres Jetfire had given me and integrated them into my system, I directed them to make some stuffed animal's eyes, taking care to match Will's hazel. I looked down and smiled at the molten glass as it quickly cooled, they sparkled with gentle humour. Perfect. Patiently, I finished the bear, inserting eyes, weights and magnets before stuffing it. The seam on the stomach took extra time, I used heavy cotton thread that would rot somewhat faster than the polyester that held the rest of the bear together. Will's embroidered handkerchief delicately nestled in the bear's heart.

Satisfied, I hugged the bear, smiling as it hugged me back. I plumped him to sit on the sofa and grabbed a fast, hot shower before curling up in my hammock.

* * *

(WPOV)

Will walked back down the corridor. A few hours proper rest, a hot shower and he felt like a new man. He kept expecting chaos to reign again.

Things were going too well, Kae was a surprise once more, it explained a lot though, CIA agent from the cradle. Weird, and a little bit wrong.

But at the moment? He'd take it.

He knocked lightly on her door again, precisely 09:00 and heard her soft 'come.'

Will opened the door and gasped slightly, there was an enormous, gorgeous teddybear sitting cheerfully on the sofa. Kae wandered out from behind one of the screens, idly brushing her hair and walking on silent, bare feet across the floor to her kitchen.

Will glanced over and caught sight of a fresh pot of coffee.

"Did you sleep at _all_ last night?" he asked with a laugh.

"I did," Mikaela chuckled, "Good morning Optimus, good recharge?" she asked the holoform as it onlined behind her.

Will grinned and winked at the holoform, turning to go after the coffee. He glanced over his shoulder, pointing at the cookies as Mikaela chuckled and waved her hand for him to go ahead.

Oatmeal, definitely good enough for a before breakfast nibble.

"Every evening that you offer me counsel, is a night that I am gifted a proper recharge cycle," Optimus murmured. Will turned around to see the endearing sight of the young woman gently ensnared in the holoform's arms.

"So cute," Will grinned at them. Mikaela giggled as Optimus planted a gentle kiss over her carotid.

"Alright Casanova Prime," Mikaela teased the holoform gently, "Let's get the paperwork done so it's out of our hair for Christmas."

"I will not take offence to that because you have never _met _Casanova Prime," Optimus snorted. "I _dare_ you to ask Chromia about him. To this _day_ we cannot decide if she was his conquest, or he was hers."

"Knowing Chromia? She makes conquests, not the other way around," Mikaela laughed, turning in the holoform's arms and hauling herself up to press a kiss to his jaw.

"To work!" Will grinned, "If we get this stuff finished up we can roll out this afternoon, I most certainly wouldn't mind going to pick up a present for Anabelle."

"And I need to wrap this," Mikaela smiled, giving the enormous bear a gentle stroke.

"Who's that going to?" Will asked curiously.

"Anabelle," Mikaela shrugged, she gave Will a gentle smile, "a little one can never have too many stuffed animals."

"_Seriously!? _Kae this thing is incredible," Will stated in an awed tone, delicately picking up the bear and noting it's weight with some surprise. It felt just a little bit alive. Warm, soft, with a gentle face and smiling eyes. He looked a bit more closely at the eyes, hazel. That was just cool.

"Give it a hug," Mikaela grinned at him. Will obeyed curiously and burst out laughing as the bear seemed to hug him back.

"How much did this thing cost you!?" Will asked in a stunned tone, cradling the bear as it hugged him. Pure awesome.

"Um, ten hours," Kae shrugged. "It used to be twenty, but making eyes with neural fibres is way the hell faster than doing the glasswork by hand. I just need to find a big box for him to fit in." Kae began laughing softly as she gathered the paperwork on the coffee table, dragging an enormous cushion over and sitting on her knees. "Twenty bucks says Anabelle'll adore the presents for five minutes and immediately begin playing with the box."

Will snorted and gently set the bear down, flumping down onto the sofa beside Optimus' holoform. Kae began writing calmly, scribbled for a second with the pen and frowned at it.

"Another dead pen, bloody hell," she growled, rising and fishing out another. She started on a fresh sheet of paper and began writing. Will glanced at it and did a double take.

"That's the old standard format for reports," he stated with a grin.

"Mmn hmn," she nodded, her hand flying over the paper, "this is my initial report as your new CIA liaison, so any formal beefs that you had with Greg, a bare bones of precisely what you would like the CIA to provide, and what you are willing to offer in return." She flipped the page and looked up at Optimus and Will seriously.

Will looked at her for a moment and nodded.

"We, representing NEST operations are still a rather new operation, as such we don't have very many contacts world wide as yet. We request the CIA's help for the gathering of information, and that they pipe us any information they may already have on possible Auto-bot, Decepticon or other extraterrestrial movements."

"In return, we will gladly come to the CIA's aid, should they need extra firepower, backup, or if something in one of their own missions goes awry. Technology that they may be interested in, identification scanners and listening devices far stronger than what we've come across." Optimus continued calmly. "Our primary goal is to aid in whatever way we can for the preservation of life and freedom."

Mikaela nodded continually, writing at high speed. Occasionally, her language would change, and she would be writing in chinese.

"Alright, anything else?" she asked, looking up at the two of them.

"No, that's pretty much it," Will shrugged, "basically, we'd just like to co-operate. It's a lot harder to miss something if more eyes are watching." Mikaela nodded and jotted a few more things down.

"Okay," she said patiently, "did you want anything written down as pertaining to the former liaison, or will the fact that he's going to be in prison for a while suffice?"

"Prison's good, I don't want to clutter up Barry's desk," Will grinned.

Mikaela gave a low chuckle and sat straight.

"Alright," she stated patiently, "I can tell you right off the bat that the CIA generally prefers to keep situations among the family. We try to avoid needing noisy backup as much as possible. The technology will more than likely be well received, although I cannot promise that we will always be entirely forthcoming about the information. As you know, a great deal of the CIA's work is reliant upon her agents, and their protection is often ensured by keeping their various missions quiet.

"However, the matters of extraterrestrials have never truly been the forte of the CIA, so I cannot imagine too much trouble with the classified informations regarding as such." she grinned at Optimus, "Especially seeing as _you _lot have been classified for the past couple of years." she stretched for a moment.

"Alright, that's my CIA speech, I'll pipe this into Barry and try to be convincing. _Personally_ I don't see much problem with it, but the agency tends to have a mind of it's own."

"Give it some time," Will stated urbanely, "it takes a bit of time and negotiation, but I'm sure that in time we may come to be viewed as the CIA's cousin in information gathering."

"Fair enough," Mikaela smiled, she flipped a few pages and began writing again.

"What're you doing?" Will asked curiously.

"Putting down the good draft," Mikaela murmured. Optimus read over her shoulder silently, smiling at her word usage and the positive outlook in the report. Occasionally, she would quote either he or Will, the context remaining good. A few minutes and she set the pen down, frowning as she read the report.

"I _think_ that should do it," she murmured, "I'm going to have to make sure that I keep the roles of Ambassador and Liaison as separate as I can, or politics will force Barry to replace me as liaison." she pursed her lips, read the report again and nodded. She picked up the pen again and froze. "Barry introduced me as Agent Banes right?" she looked at Optimus curiously. He nodded.

"Right then," she gave a half smile and signed her name with a firm hand.

"That's not very long," Will frowned.

"It's Barry, give him a long report and he gets grumpy. Remember that he reads _every_ piece of paper that's set on his desk. Short reports get results." she grinned.

"I'll take your word for it," Will snorted. "Was there anything else we needed to get done before rolling out to my place?"

"Yes, I need to wrap your daughter's gift," Mikaela stated calmly, rising and stroking the giant teddy bear.

"And you still need to eat something," Optimus rumbled in an amused tone.

"Oh not you too!" Mikaela laughed, looking over her shoulder at the holoform. "Between you and Ratchet I'd swear you're trying to make me fat – and if you say more for you to love I _will _hit you."

Will burst out laughing as Optimus' holoform closed his mouth, shooting Kae an absolutely innocent look.

"Don't play a player Prime," Will laughed, "Right, I'm going to go pack, you good to come stay with us for four days Kae?"

"I would be honoured," Mikaela smiled, walking toward the screens. There was a knock on the door. "Come!" Mikaela called out.

"Hey Kae is Will! there you are," Epps grinned. "What's the schedule man?"

"Paperwork is squared away, we'll leave when the slowest is ready," Will grinned.

"Are you guys doing the church thing?" Mikaela called out from behind the screen.

"Nope!" Will called back. "Just grace over the table."

"Right, I'm packed then," Mikaela grinned, hefting a duffle bag over her shoulder as she walked back through the screens and wearing entirely different clothing.

"How the hell did you do that?" Will asked with a laugh.

"Run organization," Mikaela shrugged, "my room, my dorm room, even my _tent_ had the exact same setup, when you need to run, you do _not_ need to be searching for what you need to pack."

"Why would you do that?" Optimus asked with a frown. Mikaela looked at the holoform for a second before setting the duffle down.

"I can't change my base codes overnight, Optimus," she said gently, "I'm conditioned to run. Originally, my duty was to take Tinny and get her out of the area at the first sign of real trouble." she closed her eyes and touched her wrist as Optimus' eyes widened. "If I ever run, you know damn well it won't be from you," she added softly.

"You just..." he started in a shocked tone. Kae smiled and the holoform strode forward, snaring her in a bearhug.

"It's limited," Mikaela murmured, smiling, "I can't hear you through it, but you know how far I go without my iPod."

"What'd you do?" Will asked curiously.

"Mikaela sent me a spark-specific location ping," Optimus rumbled with a grin. "A single modification and there will never be a time when I cannot find her."

"What's the mod?" Mikaela asked quickly, looking up at the holoform with a grin.

"I'll leave you two to it," Will laughed as Optimus beamed down at his Kae.

"What time do we roll out?" Mikaela asked quickly.

"Oh, half an hour good?" Will grinned.

"Sure, that should be enough time to hunt down a box," Mikaela laughed. "You behave," she added, grinning up at Optimus as the holoform promptly wrapped himself around her again.

"Give me a good reason for him to behave," Epps laughed.

"You mean besides the fact that I'll be staying in his sleeper?" Mikaela asked mildly.

Optimus let loose a burst of deep tones and clicks, the broad grin on his face a translation all it's own.

Mikaela smiled and answered in what sounded like the same language, just... stronger... almost more formal. And sexy at the same time.

Optimus promptly groaned and pulled her more tightly into the holoform.

"You are going to be the death of me, my Kae," he rumbled tightly.

Kae laughed and squirmed in his arms, reaching up to kiss his jaw.

"Not if I have anything to say about it," she lilted sweetly, "I'm _keeping_ _you_. To work!" she announced cheerfully as Optimus laughed and released her. She bounced out of the room with a grin, scooping up duffle and bear mid-step.

"Man, you gotta get a ring on her finger," Epps laughed, whacking the holoform before Optimus winked it out, there were the sounds of his body rising the next door over.

"All in good time," Optimus rumbled with a broad grin, walking carefully behind Will and Bobby.

"Your time or our time?" Bobby called up over his shoulder.

"Both," Optimus snorted, "Bear in mind that I courted Elita for a millennia, and was engaged to her for another. Of course, ours was arranged."

"Seriously? Arranged marriage?" Will asked curiously.

"An arranged bond, a bonded guardian is often stronger, and on occasion it was possible for two bonded to merge entirely on the battle field." Optimus rumbled calmly. "It is similar to marriage, but not entirely. Elita was still free to interface with whomever she wished. As was I."

"Did you two... I'm sorry, is it rude for me to ask?" Will corrected himself quickly.

"It is... delicate, but not rude to ask," Optimus rumbled patiently. "And no, I had never found an energonic signature close enough to my own to merge entirely with another."

"Had, past tense," Epps grinned up at Optimus.

Will cocked his head and stopped, looking up at the big man as a particularly smug tone resonated from his chest. His holoform onlined beside Robert.

Smirking like the cat that had got the cream.

"I was not sure at first," Optimus admitted calmly, speaking strictly through the holoform. "But when Kae... passed..."

"And you held her in your spark chamber," Will prompted him gently, the raw pain in those eyes was heartbreaking. Optimus nodded.

"She merged with me entirely while her body was being re-built. It was a terrifying moment, if a spark is not strong enough, it is possible that the stronger of the two could accidentally overlay the gentler. Kae..." Optimus got a dreamy expression in his eyes. "For a moment, Kae wove herself around and through me. Strong enough to hold her own, and gentle enough that there was never any danger of overlaying each other."

"So she's the running beauty queen?" Epps chuckled.

"She is perfection." Optimus smiled, offlining the holoform again and striding carefully toward the entrance bay.


	79. 77 The Temple

**Chapter 77 - The Temple**

* * *

(OPOV)

"Are you guys doing the church thing?" Mikaela called out from behind the screen, the sounds of her changing and packing at her normal high-speed drifted through the flimsy barrier.

"Nope!" Will called back. "Just grace over the table."

"Right, I'm packed then," Mikaela grinned, hefting a duffle bag over her shoulder as she walked back through the screens and wearing entirely different clothing.

"How the hell did you do that?" Will asked with a laugh.

"Run organization," Mikaela shrugged, "my room, my dorm room, even my _tent_ had the exact same setup, when you need to run, you do _not_ need to be searching for what you need to pack."

She was ready to run.

"Why would you do that?" Optimus asked with a frown. Mikaela glanced at the doors leading toward his quarters before looking at his holoform. She smiled and set her duffle down, walking toward him somewhat.

"I can't change my base codes overnight, Optimus," she said gently, "I'm conditioned to run. Originally, my duty was to take Tinny and get her out of the area at the first sign of real trouble." she closed her eyes and touched her wrist. Optimus felt his eyes widen in shock, the implant Ratchet had left in her wrist shifted somewhat, sending out a signal. Directly to his spark. A blink of her vital signs. That signal could be so easily traced, except...

"If I ever run, you know damn well it won't be from you," she added softly.

"You just..." he started, fighting to control his voice. Kae smiled, she _knew_, Optimus strode the holoform forward and snared her in a bear hug.

"It's limited," Mikaela murmured, smiling, "I can't hear you through it, but you know how far I go without my iPod."

Nowhere, she went absolutely _nowhere_ without her music, and where her music was, along with her location? He would never have to guess her location, never have to try to find her to speak with her, ask her a question, or remind her of his love for her.

"What'd you do?" Will asked curiously, off to the side.

"Mikaela sent me a spark-specific location ping," Optimus rumbled with a grin. "A single modification and there will never be a time when I cannot find her."

"What's the mod?" Mikaela asked quickly, looking up at the holoform with a grin.

"I'll leave you two to it," Will laughed as Optimus beamed down at his Kae. The Major began walking toward the door.

"What time do we roll out?" Mikaela asked quickly.

"Oh, half an hour good?" Will grinned.

"Sure, that should be enough time to hunt down a box," Mikaela laughed. "You behave," she added, grinning up at Optimus as he pulled her a bit more tightly into the holoform's arms. Primus but he loved having her there.

"Give me a good reason for him to behave," Epps laughed.

Excellent man, Epps. Optimus thought musingly.

"You mean besides the fact that I'll be staying in his sleeper?" Mikaela asked mildly.

Optimus quickly onlined an extra processor as the first threatened to shut off.

∂You're going to stay in my spark chamber?∂ he asked with a broad grin, forgetting himself and speaking Cybertronian. Scrap it, he was allowed, now and again.

_**ΩYou've thoroughly invaded my chamber and claimed my spark as your own, my guardian, it is only fair to take every opportunity to hold the spark that sustains mine.Ω**_ She replied in the language of the Primes.

In the language that completely defied lying. It sounded so beautiful, spoken with her voice. She caressed it.

Optimus groaned and pulled her more tightly into the holoform's arms.

"You are going to be the death of me, my Kae," he rumbled tightly, sending up a prayer that she would be strong enough to inhabit her new body.

Kae laughed and squirmed in his arms, reaching up to kiss his jaw.

"Not if I have anything to say about it," she lilted sweetly, "I'm _keeping_ _you_. To work!" she announced cheerfully.

Optimus laughed and released her. She bounced out of the room with a grin, scooping up duffle and bear mid-step. His femme never stopped moving if she had the option.

Gorgeous.

"Man, you gotta get a ring on her finger," Epps laughed, whacking the holoform before Optimus winked it out, he chuckled and rose, striding to the door and waiting for the humans to catch up.

"All in good time," Optimus rumbled with a broad grin, walking carefully behind Will and Epps.

"Your time or our time?" Robert called up over his shoulder. Optimus snorted.

"Both. Bear in mind that I courted Elita for a millennia, and was engaged to her for another. Of course, ours was arranged." he added offhandedly. He thought of his haughty Elita 1, he missed her somewhat, but the pain was gone.

He had a femme that loved _him _now. He had his Kae.

"Seriously? Arranged marriage?" Will asked curiously, jogging Optimus back to the present.

"An arranged bond, a bonded guardian is often stronger, and on occasion it was possible for two bonded to merge entirely on the battle field." Optimus rumbled calmly. "It is similar to marriage, but not entirely. Elita was still free to interface with whomever she wished. As was I."

"Did you two... I'm sorry, is it rude for me to ask?" Will corrected himself quickly.

"It is... delicate, but not rude to ask," Optimus rumbled patiently. "And no, I had never found an energonic signature close enough to my own to merge entirely with another."

"Had, past tense," Epps grinned up at him.

That was Primus damned true, Kae's spark merged with his effortlessly.

Will cocked his head and stopped, looking up at him with his head tilted to the side.

Right, he could hear the tones now. Optimus onlined the holoform beside Epps, smirking at the grinning humans.

"I was not sure at first," Optimus admitted calmly, speaking strictly through the holoform. "But when Kae... passed..." he trailed off as his spark flared in pain of the memory.

"And you held her in your spark chamber," Will prompted him gently. Optimus nodded.

"She merged with me entirely while her body was being re-built. It was a terrifying moment, if a spark is not strong enough, it is possible that the stronger of the two could accidentally overlay the gentler. Kae..." Optimus trailed off in memory. "For a moment, Kae wove herself around and through me. Strong enough to hold her own, and gentle enough that there was never any danger of overlaying each other."

"So she's the running beauty queen?" Epps chuckled.

"She is perfection." Optimus smiled, offlining the holoform again and striding carefully toward the entrance bay. "I shall await you in the entrance bay, I should top up my fuel and coolants if we are not returning for a few days."

"Be with you in a bit!" Will called with a grin, ducking into his own quarters.

Optimus stretched, revelling in the height and strength of his bipedal form before shrugging into his truck form. He was rather fond of it, actually. Mikaela was carrying an enormous box, laughing as Lieutenants Chance and Jacobs occasionally poked it, or her, gently trying to off balance Kae. She was laughing, ducking and weaving around the Lieutenants, and Optimus couldn't hold back the bark of laughter as he noted that she was using a mild forcefield to keep the box balanced.

"That's cheating," Optimus rumbled, onlining his holoform with a snort.

"What, you mean this?" Mikaela asked innocently, levitating the box over her head and jumping into action, whacking Jacobs and Chance as they bellowed foul play. "You deserve it!" she shouted back at them, laughing along with the soldiers.

She set her load down beside him and ran her hands down his bodywork.

"So who all is coming?" Mikaela asked with a bright smile as Optimus promptly blinked his holoform and snared his Kae.

"Well, there's me," he kissed her forehead, "and there's you," he kissed her lips, "and there's Ironhide," he kissed her temple.

"And there's me," Chromia giggled, "shove over, I want in!" she bumped his holoform lightly and kissed Kae's other temple.

Mikaela giggled and caught Chromia's waist, planting a kiss on the holoform's cheek. She turned back and looked up at him with mischievous eyes.

"And there's Will," she murmured, hauling herself up and kissing him soundly as Chromia laughed brightly.

"That's my girl!" the Femme cheered as Optimus almost lost control of the holoform. Ironhide glanced over and laughed, transforming quickly and driving to park beside Optimus.

"What'd we miss?" Epps called out, walking toward the group with a duffle slung over his shoulder.

"Oh, Optimus being his normal sack-rat self," Ironhide's holoform shrugged, grinning as Optimus shot him a withering glance.

"I gotta pop in on Ratchet!" Mikaela stated suddenly, ducking out of the holoform's arms and sprinting to the Med Bay. Optimus darted his holoform after her and grinned as she covered her eyes before even walking through the doors.

"Ratchet?" she called out softly.

"Kae, you're not supposed-" Ratchet barked worriedly before cutting himself off.

"I've got my eyes covered, c'mere and give me a hug!" she demanded with a grin. The medic's holoform winked to life a moment later, guiding Kae back out of the med-bay before wrapping her in a hug.

"Four days requires a hug goodbye?" Ratchet asked in amusement.

"Goodbye nothing," Kae snorted, "I never say goodbye. Are you going to tell me I can't hug my spark-father when I'm going to be gone for Christmas?"

Optimus watched with a small smile as the Medic's normally grumpy expression softened into a gentle smile. Showcasing the father in the bot's protective circuits.

"I love you too ∂_Daughter∂"_ Ratchet stated softly, reaching up and cupping Kae's face. "Now get going, have fun, and be forewarned that if you don't eat properly you won't hear the end of it."

"Love you too, ∂_Father∂"_ Mikaela stated softly, reaching up and pressing a gentle kiss just beneath Ratchet's chin. "Get some decent recharge, don't spend the next four days working endlessly, or _you'll _never hear the end of it."

Ratchet enveloped her in a hug for a long moment. Finally, they pulled back, Kae smiled up at her mentor, who promptly pasted a grumpy expression on his face.

"Get going you," he rumbled in a tone very obviously trying to be irritable, and failing miserably.

"See you later Ratch," Kae grinned up at him, turning to head back to the entrance bay. "Save me some services, or I'll kick your assplates."

Ratchet burst out laughing again, waving a mockingly irritable hand at his spark-daughter as she trotted away.

::. We're keeping her.:: Ratchet stated over the primary.

::. No two ways about it.:: Optimus replied, grinning. ::. Arcee?.::

::. Yeah boss?.:: Arcee trilled cheerfully.

::. You are under orders to kidnap Ratchet and hold him hostage in his quarters if he doesn't get enough 'rest'.:: Optimus smirked.

::. He's back!.:: Ironhide rumbled gleefully.

::. Yes yes, just don't scar the humans.:: Optimus snorted.

::. No promises.:: Flareup murmured in a wicked tone.

Optimus offlined his holo to see Mikaela fussing over Chromia, already loaded into Ironhide's box in deference to the snow.

"What the scrap are you doing with _that_!?" Chromia's holoform demanded.

"Because I don't want you getting cold!" Mikaela stated firmly.

"This isn't the first time I've seen snow," Chromia stated, rolling her eyes.

"Okay, but if you get a cold don't you _dare_ hide it and let it get worse," Mikaela ordered. A few of the bots jumped to hear the soft touch of the voice of command beneath the young Femme's tone. "Bee did that, and I spent a solid week nursing him back to health, driving in cold weather is miserable, driving while you're sick is even worse."

"Why weren't you fussing over Optimus like this?" Chromia asked curiously, "he was in _Siberia_ for a while."

"Optimus has a block heater," Mikaela stated gently. "It's part and parcel with a diesel engine, you're a B-King, I can't plug you in to keep you warm. Hence the scrapping electric blanket," she added firmly as she walked toward Optimus.

"And she _was_ fussing over me," Optimus added with a snort, "I half expected her to start carrying a fuel quality tester."

Off to the side, Mikaela blushed and glanced away.

"Kae?" Ironhide looked at the femme curiously.

She sighed and dug into her duffle, pulling up a small black case and opening it.

"Fuel tester," Chromia giggled, wrapping her arms around Kae. "You're an absolute dear-spark, you know that right?"

Kae laughed, hugging Chromia's holoform back for a moment.

"Alright boys and bots, let's roll!" Will called out with a broad grin, walking into the hanger with his duffle slung over his shoulder. Optimus grinned and picked up his Kae's luggage: duffel, box. Had to admire a Femme who travelled this light, most of the stuff in that bag was for the bots tagging along.

"So if you tested the diesel and it wasn't good enough what did you intend to do?" Optimus asked, looking at his Femme with a grin.

She looked up at him guiltily and touched a heavy bracelet on her wrist. Optimus laughed as the disguised neural fibres unwound themselves and slid into her wrist, a few tendrils waved gracefully through the air. A tiny ball of energon began to form, growing and shrinking until it morphed into a fuel cell.

"Now what do you plan on doing with that? It is strong enough to run the complex for a month." Optimus laughed as she offered it to him. "You would have me overloading for three."

"Oh! I don't honestly know," she shrugged, grinning. Kae glanced around for a moment and spied Sideswipe.

"Hay Sides!" she bellowed, holding up the fuel cell.

"You cooked us dinner before you left?" Sideswipe hollered back with a broad grin as she hurled the fuel cell to her brother. "Holy shit! Look at this thing!" Sides grinned, flicking the cell around for a moment before palming it. "See you in four days, Little Sister," the bot grinned before wandering toward the Central.

Optimus delicately handed Kae her iPod as he made sure it was still receiving the Primary transmission.

::. Guys!.:: Sideswipe was calling out with a broad grin. ::. Kae's trying to make us fat!.::

she wonders why I'm constantly trying to get her to eat.:: Ratchet snorted.

::. Still wondering.:: Mikaela murmured over the transmission.

::. Because every time you do that – wow, that's an impressive cell, especially for your size – you use your own energy to produce the energon, the more you eat, the more you produce, I very much doubt you're going to get fat, not if you continue to discharge energon like this, thanks for dinner, by the way.:: Ratchet grinned.

Optimus opened his door and Kae climbed in, cuddling into his seat.

Yes, he was definitely keeping her.

* * *

"Optimus?" Kae asked suddenly, "Could we turn here for a minute?"

"You going to catch up with us?" Will asked over the radio.

"Yeah, there's something I need to do," Mikaela murmured as Optimus took the exit that lead toward Kae's shop.

"Kae, they burned it, I don't know what you'll find," Optimus murmured softly.

"Ironhide got into the Temple, but he didn't get into the Buddha," Mikaela stated softly.

Optimus turned into the drive, onlining his holoform to stay close to his Kae as she surveyed the damage the fire had done.

"My door held," she murmured finally, walking into the shop and down into a service pit, climbing through the wreckage of a burned out car. Optimus followed her closely, and watched as Ironhide pulled up beside him. Men and Bots scampered after Kae.

"Kae!" Will shouted, "this thing looks ready to fall! Where are you?"

"I'm in the pit!" she called back quickly, counting the enormous, cut out stones, finally, she pulled out a knife and popped a stone out, hauling on the handle concealed beneath as the soldiers picked their way down into the pit.

"Please work," Mikaela whispered, turning the handle. The opposite wall popped open. Kae immediately turned and scampered through the crawlspace, Optimus close behind.

He stood and stared.

"The temple," Ironhide murmured.

"Everyone get along that wall," Mikaela murmured in a commanding tone as she walked toward the glass statue sitting benignly on the far wall.

"That thing's intense," Ironhide rumbled with a broad grin, pressing Will and Chromia against the wall as Optimus followed suit with Jacobs and Epps.

Kae knelt and blew on the floor, removing the dust from the cobblestones. She rose and placed her feet precisely on two of them, kneeling down gracefully and bowing to the Buddha. There was a dull clunk as the stones sank.

It was a shock when a moment later, she shot backwards, grasping a handle that shot from a gap between the stones. Round, razor sharp blades shot out from the wall behind the Buddha, precisely where the soldiers had initially been standing.

"Holy crap!" Will shouted as Kae flexed to her feet and pressed the handle firmly into the statue's stomach. Another section of wall slid open, revealing a shrine.

Kae sank down again, murmuring a prayer in Mandarine before she delicately picked up the tiny statue, wrapping it in rich red silk and tucking it gently into a heavy leather satchel along with a couple of ancient seeming scrolls.

Two large trunks were pulled from beneath the shrine, she opened one and tucked the satchel into it, along with a sword.

Optimus watched his Kae intently, her body language was flinching away from the second trunk, but she still picked it up, carrying it in silence. Optimus quickly picked up the first trunk, following his Kae.

"This place is..." Jacobs murmured quietly.

"Our temple, our dojo," Mikaela whispered. She looked at the glass buddha. "Paddy made that buddha for Chen Sho, spent months sculpting it. We built the shop around this place, it was our sanctuary." she pointed to a beautiful cross on the wall. "That was Rig's place, Brick carved the cross, and Paddy set the gems and gold."

"Sarah would love that thing," Will murmured softly. Mikaela gave him a weak smile and took the cross from the wall, kissing it gently before handing it to him.

"You can't possibly-" Will started in a shocked tone.

"Every piece that I can send to a good home, is a piece that won't be destroyed," Kae murmured softly. The soldier's eyes widened in shock.

"Whomever you lot are, you are trespassing upon sacred territory!" a voice shouted from outside the sanctuary.

"Who's there?" Mikaela demanded in a harsh tone, her hand on her sword. A middle aged man entered the sanctuary and stared.

"Angel!?" Sabre asked in a shocked tone.

"Sabre!?" Mikaela shouted, just as shocked.

"I'm so sorry Angel!" Sabre stated immediately, "I set up the tripwire to keep this place safe, I didn't know you were back in the area!"

"I needed to come back, one last time," Kae whispered. Sabre nodded and looked at the trunks.

"You're moving them?" he asked softly.

"I don't know what I'm going to do with them," Kae murmured, "they're going to tear this place apart in a month or so." Sabre nodded sadly.

"I'd hoped to get everything to safety," he murmured, "Their memories should live on. Will you give me the permission to move the rest of the artifacts? The monastery will care for them."

Kae nodded sadly, setting the trunk down and going to the glass statue. She bent around it and touched it's stomach one last time, speaking softly in Mandarine.

She pulled another handle and another section of wall slid down.

"If they wind up on the black market, I will hunt you down," Mikaela stated in an icy tone, turning to look at the man.

"I swear to you, upon my honour as an assassin trained by Master Chen Sho," Sabre stated firmly. "The artifacts will enter the protection of the monks."

"Thank you, Sabe," she murmured.

"Until we meet again, Master Chen Mikaela, be well." Sabre murmured, bowing deeply.

Kae nodded, touched the man's forehead gently and turned, picking up her trunk and shimmying back out.

"Sabre?" Will asked with a raised eyebrow.

"The original," Sabre nodded firmly.

"You got some balls dude," Jacobs chuckled.

"I serve the Chen dynasty," Sabre stated firmly, "as such, Master Chen Sho's artifacts will be preserved. The living master has left, with all due respect, I would suggest that you do so as well."

Jacobs turned, bowed to the Buddha and squirmed out of the crawlspace behind Will. Optimus levitated the second trunk behind Epps before all three holoforms winked to the other side.

"Kae?" Optimus asked softly as he loaded the second trunk into his sleeper.

"Optimus?" she asked curiously.

"Are you alright?" he murmured, reaching up to cup her cheek.

"I'll be alright." she nodded calmly before forcing herself to grin at him. He looked at her for a long moment and pulled her close, wrapping her in an enveloping hug.

"They'll be safe now," she whispered into his chest.

"Master," Jacobs stated quietly behind Kae. She swung around, her body language flinching and wary. Jacobs looked at her for a long moment before bowing deeply.

"Sabe outed me, that's low," Mikaela snorted, she walked over and gently touched Jacob's forehead. "Let's get going, the spirits have left this place, for which I am grateful."

"Onward!" Will grinned at her. Mikaela laughed.

"Don't we still have to go get your baby girl's present?" she grinned at him. "C'mon, we gotta go just for the sheer enjoyment of watching Ironhide try to find the perfect gift."

Chromia promptly caught Kae in a bearhug.

"That's my girl!" she trilled cheerfully. "C'mon! _We_ are leaving the menfolk to their devices!"


	80. 78 Weapons Master in a Mall

**Chapter 78 - Weapons Master in a Mall**

* * *

(MPOV)

I shot a wry look at Chromia.

"Christmas shopping," she stated blandly. Winking at me. I fought and lost against a smirk as her meaning caught hold.

"Excellent!" Jacobs shouted with a broad grin. The lot of us turned to look at him incredulously. "What? I've got three sisters waiting for their Christmas presents." he smirked at us. "Gonna see them new years."

"Oh that I've got to see," I snorted.

"Good, you're coming with me," Jacobs grinned. "Just for the priceless expression on their faces at seeing Mikaela Banes in public."

"You're a horrible person," I told him patiently.

"I really am," Jacobs nodded sadly before he burst out laughing again. I rolled my eyes at him and climbed up into Optimus' cab.

"Last one there carries the packages," Ironhide rumbled over the radio. Anyone could hear that smirk. "Or are you afraid your old Weapons Master can still whip that youngling tail of yours Optimus?"

"_Ironhide!?_" Will asked in a shocked tone.

"That's my bot!" Chromia trilled cheerfully.

Optimus glanced at me curiously. I grinned at him.

"Name the course," Optimus growled, I couldn't help the vicious grin that caught my face, matching his as his engines snarled to life.

"Here to the mall," Ironhide barked gleefully. "Mark!"

"Set!" Chromia trilled.

"Set!" I called out, snapping my seatbelt in place as Optimus thoughtfully tied the trunks into place.

"Set!" Jacobs bellowed, closely followed by Epps and Will.

"GO!" Ironhide and Optimus bellowed simultaneously.

From a standstill, Optimus was reversing at high speed, spun a donut and was on the road as Ironhide howled with laughter.

"Holy fucking shit _Optimus_ what the _fuck_!" Epps was bellowing.

"_That was fucking awesome!" _Jacobs howled.

"Coming Ironhide?" Optimus rumbled gleefully.

"What! You thought I was throwing the game?" Ironhide shouted back, passing us as Chromia whooped.

Optimus laughed and sped up somewhat, cheerfully pacing Ironhide.

"Gotta do better than _that_ kiddo!" Ironhide called out gleefully, shooting ahead.

"Shortcut, Kae?" Optimus rumbled softly.

"That's cheating," I murmured with a snort.

"I had planned on carrying the parcels anyway, let them enjoy their victory," he rumbled with a low chuckle.

"Offroad?" I murmured softly, narrowing my eyes.

"Bring it," he grinned viciously.

"Slow down a little," I murmured, scanning the side of the road. "Old road, left seven hundred feet." Optimus slammed his brakes on and cut left, A moment of brush and the old road lay open in front of us. "The old woodcutter track," I grinned. "Leads directly to the highway. No lights, No cops. Bypasses having to go to the overpass, and shaves off three quarters of an hour. As the crow flies."

"Perfect," Optimus rumbled with a snort, accelerating down the road. I heard an extra processor online as his holoform turned to look at me with a smirk.

"How many boys did you bring this way?" he asked curiously.

"Not one," I stated cheerfully. "You're the first. Mind, I did come here a lot."

His holoform stared at me, wrestling with his expressions. I could hear a quiet hum of lust resonating from his spark. Lust and confusion.

"Pun absolutely intended," I added, shooting a wicked glance at him. "Two miles and to the left is a little lane-way. One hundred feet from it is a secluded clearing. Private. Perfect to have a bit of fun." I glanced up and noted that we were still on the straightaway. I began running my hands over the seat.

"Playing dirty, are you my Kae?" Optimus rumbled, his holoform smirking at me. I gasped at the fire in the holoform's eyes. "Just how kinky are you?" he murmured. "How much will you allow me to do to you?" I sighed somewhat as the holoform rose. "Tell me your fantasies, let me hear you say it." he whispered in my ear.

"Use me, violate me," I whispered, looking guiltily at him the next moment. My eyes widened at the pure, animalistic gleam in his eyes.

He slowed somewhat and the seatbelt constricted lightly, bands caught my wrists and ankles. I gasped as the seat moved back somewhat and the holoform winked to crouch in front of me. "Did you think me incapable of multi-tasking?" the predatory gleam in his eyes softened. "Only if you want," he added in a whisper.

"Safeword is Starscream," I whispered, taking Chromia's lesson to heart.

Optimus grinned at me, the expression on his face vicious the next moment as the seat shifted under me somewhat. Cables creeped up my legs, tickling, teasing the sensitive spots. I began wriggling somewhat as they slid up the insides of my thighs, a flush of damp warmth seeping from my core.

"Impatient," he rumbled softly, trailing a gentle finger down my throat, the next second, a strong hand tore my shirt open. I began moaning softly as the cables danced over my inner thighs, creeping higher to caress my hips.

"Too high," I whispered desperately.

"Mmn, not high enough," Optimus growled softly, a hand flicking the button open on my jeans, his hand flew up and pinched my nipple. I gasped as the cables dragged the cloth from my skin, leaving my bare arse against the leather of his seat. "Much better," he purred, fingers dancing over my core. "Look at you, you're so wet my Kae. Is this for me? You're going to come for me whether you want to or not." he growled softly. "Make it easy on yourself, spread your legs."

I smirked slightly and shifted my knees closer together. Optimus began growling softly, wrenching my legs apart and diving. I began gasping, begging as his tongue lashed the most sensitive areas, energon swirling around in my system.

I barely registered passing the little laneway as critical mass hit, I bucked and strained against the bindings as I screamed my pleasure. The seat jerked back the next moment, laying me tightly controlled on my back as the holoform of my beloved guardian rose and thrust into me in one motion.

I forced my eyes open, loving the unguarded look of pleasure on his face as he thrust almost brutally, pounding himself into me until a surge of energon flashed through us. The holoform froze, watching me carefully as worry began resonating through my beloved's spark again. I squeezed my knees around his hips, smiling up at the holoform.

"Shall we get out of the area before the energon signatures attract attention?" I murmured. The bindings released themselves, and I brought my arms and legs up, winding myself around the holoform.

Optimus grinned down at me, pressing a gentle line of kisses down my neck as we made a sharp right turn onto the highway. Binder cables delicately slid my jeans over my legs, and gentle hands buttoned my shirt.

"Now you're spoiling me," I murmured, kissing my way along his jaw.

"I do so love spoiling you," he rumbled contentedly, the holoform moving to sit in the driver's seat again. I glanced at my watch and pointed to the overpass as we approached it.

"Ironhide will be coming down off of that one," I smiled at him.

"He is five minutes away from it." Optimus rumbled gleefully.

"Well, two thoughts," I giggled. "We can go hide in the parking lot or sit here for five minutes and let him get a head start."

We looked at each other for a long moment.

"Head start," we echoed each other gleefully as Optimus delicately moved to the side of the road. We sat waiting with bated breath... well, _I _sat with bated breath, Optimus sat grinning and silent, hiding beneath the overpass and gleefully listening to the radio. Finally...

"Where'd Optimus go?" Epps was calling out.

"He's got his femme in cab, they probably pulled over for an interface," Ironhide snorted. "Don't tell them I said this, but it's awesome to see that kid back in the saddle. Too focused, Kae is probably the best thing that's happened to him. Ever. He _needs_ the distraction of a good femme."

"Why is focus bad?" Jacobs asked curiously.

"He's hyperfocused, therefore unfocused," Ironhide rumbled. "Like trying to find something, and focusing entirely on finding it, but you can't see it for looking."

"You can't find it until you stop looking," Will chuckled, Ironhide came in sight, driving down the ramp and onto the highway.

"I never _could_ stop looking," Optimus rumbled in amusement, taking off like a bat out of hell and passing Ironhide. "Going to have to do better than _that_, my trusted weapons master."

"You little Glitch!" Ironhide roared, laughing the next moment as he harried after us.

"Using Kae's superior knowledge of the roads is cheating!" Chromia trilled indignantly.

"A leader takes the knowledge of _all_ of his unit into account for the sake of efficiency." Optimus rumbled gleefully. "Look at that, I was right again. As were you of course, but that most _certainly_ does not mean I _pulled over_."

Ironhide promptly began hooting with laughter, passing us on the highway.

"You can go faster than that perfectionist!" he taunted Optimus gleefully.

"Just for that you are carrying the parcels," Optimus rumbled indignantly, my eyes widened as he began accelerating again, easily bypassing the speeds his non-sentient counterparts would tear apart at. Ironhide fell back, hooting with laughter along with the soldiers.

"Mall exit in two clicks," I told him with a snort.

"Aaww," Optimus rumbled, rolling his eyes. "Right when I am having fun." he slowed and turned onto the exit as I laughed at him. He pulled into the parking lot and shut his engine down. I rose and tackled his holoform, feathering kisses along his neck and jaw as he moaned softly. I tugged the collar of his shirt down somewhat and left a hickey on the skin. He looked at me in confusion as I pulled back, smirking impishly at him as Ironhide pulled in beside us.

"Kae?" he rumbled curiously.

"Just leaving a placemark for later," I smirked at him before ducking out of the holoform's reach.

"I _am_ going to get you for that!" he rumbled with a snort as I deftly escaped him.

Chromia caught me with a bright laugh, holding me pinned.

"I've got her!_ Quick!_" she called out cheerfully. Optimus fairly ran his holoform around his truck form and snagged me from Chromia's arms, tickling me mercilessly.

"Chromia you traitor!" I squealed, laughingly batting at his holoform, trying to escape my Optimus. I could hear his spark humming pure contentment, he knew I most certainly wasn't trying hard.

"Come on lovebirds," Ironhide snorted, breaking in between us. "Gotta give each other time to miss each other." He caught Optimus by the scruff of the neck. "And the two of _us_ need to get some shopping done!" he added, grinning at his Prime.

"Very true," Optimus rumbled seriously, throwing an arm around the older holoform with a grin. Chromia promptly tackled me, grinning and dragging me toward the entrance. I wound myself around her, and we promptly broke into a run, laughing as we went.

"Right," she grinned at me, "we need to get some serious shopping done!"

"First stop, lingerie!" I smirked at her. She whooped and dragged me to the store. We spent a solid twenty minutes debating each other until Chromia spotted the perfect piece, dragging me over to a mannequin and pointing at a rich blue, strappy number.

"I really, really wish those diamonds were rubies," I murmured.

"Got you covered," Chromia murmured, smirking at me. "Buy it, I just need the raw material, it's way easier to hide stuff by simply breaking it down into it's component atoms."

"You, are the best person ever," I murmured, grinning at her. I glanced over and picked out a pair of nylons to match.

"Black?" Chromia murmured curiously. I turned the package around with a smirk. "Seams!" she whispered gleefully. "So that's your gift to Optimus. Now what?"

"Now I'm done, it's your turn," I grinned at her.

"I'm set," Chromia giggled. "Optimus and Ironhide are still debating each other, let's wander!"

"Pick out some knick-knacks for people," I grinned. We strode, arm in arm through the mall, chatting cheerfully and picking out little gifts for people.

We caught up to the boys and headed for the toys. Optimus and Ironhide cheerfully wandered through the aisles, dragging Chromia and I along behind themselves as they endeavoured to find the perfect thing for Anabelle.

"Come on Kae!" Optimus rumbled gleefully, winding his arms around my waist as I laughed at him. I hugged him, letting him drag me beside him a few paces before I escaped him and caught sight of something hilarious.

"Optimus!" I crowed, snatching up a tiny model truck, a Peterbilt 379. I grinned and held it up. "It's you!"

"I, am not that small," Optimus rumbled with a snort.

"Well I'm getting it anyway," I grinned, lightly palming the package.

"What for?" Optimus laughed. "you already have _me!"_

"Call it a piece of memorabilia for when you decide you're tired of me." I shrugged.

_**ΩNever,Ω **_Optimus rumbled softly, lightly cupping my cheek. I smiled up at him.

Ironhide crowed as he spotted his quarry, picking up a stuffed hippo and laughing as it made fart noises. Optimus snorted and towed me down a couple more aisles before he whooped, snatching up an absolutely adorable little outfit. It looked ridiculously comfortable.

"Good?" he rumbled with a grin, holding it up for my approval.

"Very good," I smiled at him. The dear bot.

"Males," Chromia giggled quietly to me as they proudly marched to the checkout. I nudged her with a grin as several women stared at our men.

"I don't see rings on their fingers," one whispered to her friend. I watched with amusement as Chromia bristled slightly, seeing other females eyeing her lover.

"We _are_ allowed to mark our territory on earth," I murmured to her.

"How?" she asked, her eyes narrowed. "On Cybertron we would offer challenges to them... fight with the challenged's chosen weapon..."

"Follow my lead," I murmured, winking at her and walking quickly after Optimus. I promptly wound myself around his holoform.

"Found you!" I grinned up at him, hauling myself up by his shoulders to catch his lips. He laughed and leaned down, kissing me gently.

"And this is for?" he rumbled softly as Ironhide eyed us curiously.

"Just marking my territory, earth style," I murmured back, smiling up at the surprise in his holoform's eyes. "You two are being scoped, by the way."

"And so you mark me as your own, I am honoured," Optimus rumbled gently the next moment, reaching up to cup my cheek. I cuddled into the circle of his arm, smiling as Chromia cheerfully bounced up to Ironhide the next second.

"There you are!" she stated brightly. "Did you find something nice?"

"Yes I did," Ironhide grinned down at her, leaning down to kiss the tip of her nose. "Have no fear my beautiful one, you shall not lose me."

Chromia promptly melted against him.

"I look better than that short one, don't I?" the woman murmured to her friend.

"Go for it, walk past," the other egged her on. Optimus pulled me a bit more tightly into his side as pure instinct had me bristling slightly.

"It is astonishing, really," he rumbled calmly, raising his voice slightly as he looked at Ironhide. "People speak behind our backs when they believe we cannot hear."

"Every race has it's flaws," Ironhide shrugged in counterpart. He snorted, "Remember Simfur?"

"I _knew_ you were waiting for her when you didn't accept the what? _Ninety_ propositions you received in Central?" Optimus chuckled.

"I was thinking more about the _triads_ going after _you_, youngling," Ironhide snorted.

I instantly felt better.

"I can't blame them, really," I smiled up at my Optimus. "You are the epitome of sexy, you know that don't you?"

"I _was _thinking of you when I chose this form," Optimus rumbled musingly, he looked up at the cashier with a smile.

The little girl was gawping at us.

"You... you're..." she whimpered, she turned to the cashier behind her. "Is that!?" she demanded of the boy.

"Definitely looks like Optimus Prime and his Ambassador," the boy grinned. He bowed haltingly to Optimus. "A pleasure to lay eyes on you, sir."

"Well shit, we done bin found out," Ironhide snorted as Will jogged toward us, grinning.

"Are you done can we go!?" he demanded, bouncing excitedly.

"Just as soon as I have paid," Optimus rumbled, smiling at the cashier as she hurriedly ran the outfit through, accepting the card with shaking fingers.

"Can... can I have your autographs?" she asked faintly. Optimus gave a low chuckle and delicately accepted the pen, drawing his mark and signing it with a firm hand. Wide eyed and grinning, the girl offered me the pen.

I laughed softly and signed my name with a flourish, drew my own mark and handed the pen over to Chromia. She grinned, signed name and mark and handed the pen to Ironhide. It was fascinating to see the marks written down; Chromia wrote with an absolutely beautiful script, flowing and graceful. Ironhide's writing followed his personality perfectly. Powerful, blunt, showing absolutely no nonsense.

"Look at that, serving with friggen celebrities now," Will laughed, ushering us out of the store, I noted with final amusement that the two women looked vaguely ill now.

"That. Just _completely_ made my day," I stated cheerfully.

"How so?" Optimus rumbled with a snort. "I did not sense any wish for recognition in you, my Kae."

"Recognition nothing," I snorted evilly. "I just liked the look on those women's faces when they found out you're not simply gorgeous, you're currently one of the most important figures in the media. And _taken._"

Optimus stared at me and burst out laughing alongside the menfolk.

"Oh, and by the way, Kae?" Chromia grinned at me. "That chick's got _nothing_ on you. At all. Did you _smell_ that _perfume!?"_

"Cotton candy," I told her with a low laugh. "Actually, that's a thought, I haven't got any perfume anymore. Catch you up?" I looked up at Optimus curiously.

"I am so coming with!" Chromia bubbled gleefully.

"I should get Sarah a bottle," Will mused.

"There are females here, you're helping me choose a scent," Jacobs told me calmly. Chromia whooped and picked her pace up slightly.

"You need no perfume," Optimus rumbled in my ear, I looked at him curiously. "Your scent is intoxicating. Why mask such a beautiful thing?"

"Mask no," I smiled at him. I began laughing as Chromia began sniffing around the aisles, grinning at the bottles.

"The only thing I can't make myself," she stated cheerfully, lightly nudging me.

"C'mere Lon," I grinned at the enormous african. He approached me warily. I crooked my finger at him imperiously.

"What're you doing?" he rumbled, looking down at me curiously.

"I need your neck," I laughed at him. He bent down and I took a deep breath of his personal scent. I thought for a moment and grinned, scanning the shelves for a long moment before pulling down a bottle of Lancombe. "Wrist," I commanded with a grin, dabbing the tiniest bit to the pulse point. "Rub it into your skin."

Jacobs obeyed with a frown as I hunted down the tiny jar of coffee beans. I stuck it in his face with a smirk.

"Breathe," I commanded. He took a deep breath and released it. "Now catch the scent at your wrist."

He obeyed and raised his eyebrows. "That's actually nice," he rumbled in a shocked tone. Chromia immediately caught his wrist and sniffed.

"Perfect, take that one," she commanded with a broad grin. Epps promptly dove for the coffee beans, taking a deep whiff as Will and Jacobs laughed at him.

"Gotta make sure you don't smell too pretty _Lonnie," _Epps stated blandly, smirking at the marine. They ducked at each other, laughing the next moment. Jacobs offered his wrist.

"Smells like moss or something," Epps snorted.

"Smells like the mangroves at night," Ironhide rumbled the next second. Chromia promptly squealed and ran for a bottle.

"You're right! It does!" Jacobs stated, jumping. He held his wrist to his face and took a deep breath. His face became blissful. "It smells like home." he rumbled contentedly. I laughed and hugged him, then quietly tucked the box into my basket. Chromia skidded to a halt, winding an arm around my waist with an enormous grin.

She was carrying a box. Already gift wrapped.

"I. Have got your christmas present." She announced seriously, looking at Optimus. "Don't even _try _to scan the barcode, I've completely deactivated it." she smirked at him.

"But-" Optimus rumbled beside me.

"Has what I taught you bin deleted youngling?" Ironhide drawled, giving Optimus a gentle shove. Optimus promptly rolled his eyes.

"Never argue with a Femme on a mission," Optimus rumbled with a snort. "However I think it best we leave before Ironhide next insists on a throw-down."

"If I don't see my favourite Hatchling soon I'm not gonna _announce_ the throw-down." Ironhide smirked.

"Catch you up," I murmured, kissing Optimus' jaw and making a beeline for the checkout. Chromia immediately wound her arm around my waist, matching my stride.

"You can thank me later." Chromia stated cheerfully.

"For?" I grinned at her.

"This," she murmured conspiratorially, lightly bouncing the box in her hand. "When mixed with your pheromones, smells _exactly_ like the guardian's falls."

I gasped and looked at her in shock.

"You brilliant, beautiful, gorgeous wonderful femme." I whispered. "Can I thank you now too?"

"You just did," Chromia smirked as I immediately set the box amid the four I'd picked out. "That one is for Ironhide, isn't it."

"Well... you and Ironhide," I murmured with a snort.

"Because mixed with the scent of his component parts, it'll smell like the bonding circle," Chromia told me cheerfully. "Which smelled incredible, by the way."

"How do you remember all of this?" I asked with a low laugh.

"Hey, I've got a few conquests of my own," Chromia stated with a perfectly regal tilt to her head. "I remember the information."

"Gorgeous creature," I grinned, winding an arm around her waist. I smiled at the cashier and quickly paid for the perfumes.

"Gift wrap?" I murmured.

"Got it covered," Chromia murmured, winking at me. "Waste not want not." I grinned and linked my arm with hers, making a beeline for Optimus' true form.


	81. 79 Decisions

**Chapter 79 - Decisions**

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus thought of something, he couldn't help but smile.

"What?" Mikaela asked, smiling at him.

"Can I give Anabelle my present to her now?"

"We aren't even _there_ yet," his Kae teased him gently. Optimus snorted softly.

"I mean when we arrive."

"You can let her choose which person's present to open before she goes to sleep," Mikaela chuckled.

Optimus grinned. He'd picked that outfit out, because it was precisely what she'd asked for. Something comfy and warm to sleep in, that didn't go over her head and hurt her ears.

She hated that.

"I love that smile," Mikaela murmured softly.

It made Optimus smile, because that tone meant she was smiling too. He couldn't feel her spark within his own yet.

But by the grace of Primus he would someday.

Which brought him right back to square one. He hadn't purchased anything for his Kae, not for lack of trying, he and his weapons master had spend a _long_ time wandering around the shopping centre.

It all seemed so... frivolous... he wanted to give his reliant something with true _meaning..._

::. Are you driving or reminiscing?.:: Ironhide sent with a baiting snort.

"Ruminating," Mikaela replied for him rather cheekily.

The fact that she was correct never failed to amuse him. His Kae knew him so well.

Ironhide began snorting behind him, his driving patterns becoming somewhat erratic.

"Did you wish to proximity me?" Optimus rumbled innocently as the humans began protesting Ironhide's vectors somewhat.

"Nah, Will, you drive for a bit," Ironhide snorted before he began outright laughing. "Alright Kae, what's he thinking about now?"

"We're _both_ thinking of the best way to rib you back, _just_ because you said that," Mikaela murmured with a snort, glancing at him.

Optimus grinned, one of his processors _had_ been contemplating that in depth for a moment, of course he was also thinking of what he was going to do with his Kae once they'd parked...

"Shouldn't you be concentrating on driving rather than trying to decide what you're going to do first?" she asked innocently. Optimus glanced at the road and lightly corrected his vector.

"Would you do me the honour?" Optimus rumbled innocently.

"I don't know the way," Mikaela laughed at him.

"I got that!" Will grinned, Ironhide promptly passed them.

Mikaela laughed and rose in his cab, not bothering to wait for him to offline his holoform. She sat in his lap and caught hold of his gearshift. As was his habit, he shifted his controls to fit his femme, and made to offline his holo.

"Keep it online," she murmured. Optimus stared at his femme for a moment, then groaned as she began teasing him mercilessly.

"What in _Primus_ name are you doing to him _now!?" _Ironhide demanded.

"Oh, nothing much," Mikaela lilted innocently. But her aft, her aft was pressed right over his spike, every shift of her legs causing that glorious aft to rub against him.

Every last available byte of processor power promptly focused on that sensation.

"Try and keep up!" Ironhide called out with a laugh.

Then, then Mikaela began driving him in earnest.

She could drive him _any day_, but _today..._

It was everything he could _do_ to bite back his moans.

"Mikaela! We're almost here, if Optimus is supposed to function it might help if you let him have his processors back," Ironhide told her seriously.

"He'll get them back eventually." Mikaela stated cheerfully.

Oh he was fragged. Best possible turn of the phrase. Mikaela's aft just kept teasing him, whatever this game of hers was, he wanted to learn it, wanted to learn the methods to get her _back._

Mikaela leaned back into his holoform's chest.

"This is for tickling me," she murmured in that Primus damned sultry voice. Then, then she flicked the steering wheel.

Causing his entire right side to vibrate as he sped over the rumble strips.

_∂Primus dammit Femme stop tormenting my body!∂ _he choked out, forgetting himself and speaking in common.

"Okay," Mikaela lilted cheerfully. A cool surge of energon flashed from her frame and directly into his.

In that moment he was intensely grateful that she was taking care of his vectors as he rebooted.

But that didn't stop his spark from it's musings. His spark had become somewhat vexed at his processor's stalling. It wanted Kae for it's own, to be joined absolutely to her. With his processors safely out of the way, his spark decided firmly, precisely what his gift to her would be.

* * *

(CPOV)

Ironhide was carrying her, and Will was taking care of the vectors.

Which gave Chromia ample time to watch as the Prime overloaded at high speed, Mikaela smirking broadly as the holoform winked out from beneath her.

::. Really?.:: she laughed at her sister.

::. Making up for lost time.:: Mikaela stated innocently, just between the two of them.

Chromia couldn't help it, she began giggling, watching as Mikaela continued to guide their Prime's body to remain on course.

Which was highly courteous of her, personally, Chromia would have simply slowed him down and made him keep driving.

She was evil like that sometimes.

But then Ironhide loved it when she did that. He said it got him all the hotter when she bossed him around.

Of course, sitting in his box – surrounded by their gifts to the humans – didn't really give her the opportunity. Chromia pursed her lips somewhat.

Then she grinned.

Her valve was soaked, a bot that said there wasn't a little voyeur hiding in all of them was a liar. She was still watching their Prime trying to sync his processors, which was puzzling. Either Kae had got him a _really _good reboot this time, or he wasn't trying very hard to sync properly.

Ironhide of course, couldn't really see that all that well...

Chromia smirked and shifted ever so slightly.

Her valve was soaked, she wanted Ironhide in her. So she quietly let a little bit of her lubricants drip into his box.

::. The scrap?.:: Ironhide rumbled with a snort the second he felt the liquid drop. Chromia waited, knowing he'd be analyzing precisely what the liquid was.

Sure enough.

::. Minx.:: Ironhide rumbled fondly, one of his cables began stroking her frame, searching for the source.

::. Master.:: she purred to him. Simply because he loved being recognized for his mastery of weapons. That cable slipped delicately into her valve, working her gently into overload.

She simply couldn't help herself, she loved the gruff, rough and ready mech, Will was driving anyway, she overloaded, pressing the recoil of energon right back to her bot through his cables.

"_Chromia_!" he moaned the next moment.

"What!?" Will's voice asked incredulously.

"I think I need to drive for a few minutes," Ironhide rumbled tightly.

Chromia smirked as the weapons master sped up somewhat, obviously trying to shake off the lust surging through his spark.

She'd assuage it later, she loved watching him squirm.

* * *

(IPOV)

Ironhide began working to shake off the lust the mischievous femme had firmly planted into his spark. He could practically feel her amusement at that. He found it rather funny, too, not that he'd ever admit it of course.

But she'd started it, so he had absolutely no guilt in scheming against her now. Ironhide quietly onlined an extra couple of processors

::. _Do_ try to not scar the humans?.:: Optimus rumbled finally.

"What the hell Hide?" Will asked with a snort.

"Chromia started it," Ironhide immediately defended himself. "She's leaking in my box."

"Oh... kay?" Epps muttered with a frown.

"Yeah?" Kae's voice called out cheerfully.

"No, other okay," Epps snorted.

Completely deflecting the conversation, brilliant femme.

"Aaww, don't you love me anymore?" Kae trilled.

_∂Of course I do,∂_ Optimus rumbled with a small smile.

Ironhide snorted rather gleefully at that.

∂_Saps,∂_ he rumbled, as he always did.

_∂This coming from a certain weapons master moaning at the very scent of a femme in his box?∂_ Kae shot at him cheerfully.

"When you're a bot and catching the scent proper of this femme you're gonna eat your words," Ironhide stated flatly, parking in Will's driveway.

Optimus pulled in beside him, shutting his engine down and winking his holoform beside him.

Grinning.

"What?" Ironhide demanded somewhat irritably.

"You said it in English," Optimus smirked at him. Ironhide nearly jumped out of his exo, immediately looking at the human males riding with him.

"Oops," he rumbled flatly.

Jacobs snorted.

The next second, Epps was struggling to choke back his laughter at the expression on Will's face.

Mikaela began whistling softly, looking at Chromia, Her holoform onlined, looking far smugger than she normally did.

"Better go inside Will, your comprehensions seem to come more easily when Sarah is holding your hand." Mikaela called out teasingly the next moment.

Will nodded, his face lighting up with a broad grin as the femme in question stepped out the front door.

Optimus immediately strode to his passenger door, reaching for his Kae. She stumbled slightly... that wasn't like her, she was normally far more graceful, except...

Ironhide smirked as Optimus' holoform idly caught his Kae, bearing her easily in his arms. And there it was again, just a little flash of it before the face straightened.

Pure, unadulterated joy.

"You did that on purpose," Ironhide told the femme cheerfully. Kae shot him a purely innocent look. That was just scrapping hilarious. Optimus looked entirely confused, and that just made it better.

"Explanation later?" Optimus rumbled softly to his Kae.

Oh as if.

"Maybe," Kae smirked at him.

Out of the line of sight from the humans, Optimus shot a small pout at her.

It was all Ironhide could do to not laugh at them.

"Saaapps," he rumbled gleefully.

"I don't _get it!"_ Optimus rumbled indignantly.

Ironhide surveyed them for a moment, Optimus had yet to set Kae down, he weighed his options: Leave his Prime to try to figure out what they meant, or spark _another _adorable moment.

He was on a roll with the adorableness today, and sparking adorableness meant Chromia points.

Chromia points were priceless.

"Kae fell on purpose," Ironhide smirked.

"Why?" the Prime asked curiously.

"Because I love it when you catch me," Kae murmured, pressing a kiss to his jaw.

Ironhide couldn't have stopped the grin if he'd wanted to, right in front of him, his Prime had returned to the balanced mech he'd once been. A look of absolute adoration in his optics.

"I will _always_ catch you," Optimus murmured tenderly, holding his femme a bit more closely. Ironhide nodded to himself and turned.

"Sarah!" he grinned, striding forward to catch his human friend's mate in a bearhug.

"Ironhide," the femme smiled, winding her arms around his holoform. "Is Mikaela doing any better?" she asked with a soft tone of worry. She was such a dear femme.

"Much," Ironhide nodded cheerfully. "Now where's my favourite hatchling?"

"Unka Ionhide!" was squealed the next second, and the tiny hatchling promptly scurried toward them, winding herself around his holoform's knees.

Ironhide grinned and lightly tossed the tiny femme into the air, catching and cuddling her the next second.

"Ab dub dub?" he asked her seriously. The way he always did.

Optimus was beside him the next moment.

∂_You should open my present to you first,∂_ the Prime murmured with a grin.

∂_Get me sleeping armour!?∂_ Anabelle demanded with a broad grin.

∂_I did∂_ Optimus rumbled with a smile, lightly touching her nose with a finger.

"Saaap," Ironhide rumbled again.

Anabelle promptly fell to giggling in his arms, bouncing around somewhat on his chest. It made Ironhide laugh, so he promptly got down to some serious bouncing, and making the hatchling squeal with laughter.

Yep. This was gonna be fun.

* * *

(MPOV)

"So do I get to use my legs?" I murmured with a small smile. Optimus _still_ hadn't put me down yet.

"Maybe," he rumbled with a snort, gently setting me on my feet regardless.

But that most certainly didn't stop him from winding a gentle arm around my waist, and I most certainly wasn't going to bring him up on such a thing.

However there were niceties to be attended to, I waited until Will was capable of releasing his wife.

"We never got to meet, properly," I murmured with a small smile, reaching out a hand to shake Sarah's.

"You saved our lives, Mikaela, you're family now, family gets hugs," Sarah smiled at me, lightly grasping my hand and pulling me into a hug.

I couldn't not hug her back, the dear woman.

"Kae," I murmured with a smile.

"Hmn?"

"Mikaela is my given name, call me Kae," I smiled at her as she pulled back.

"Everybody else does," Jacobs added teasingly.

I couldn't resist lightly punching him in the side.

∂_Tiny Giant!∂_ Anabelle's voice squealed the next moment, Ironhide promptly grinned and handed the child over. I smiled and bounced her somewhat, listening to her talking about her day before demanding to be handed to Optimus.

I laughed and handed the girl to my spark-mate, Optimus grinning as he found himself the centre of Anabelle's attention.

"Dinner's almost ready," Sarah added with a smile. "But are you sure you want to sleep in..." she glanced at Optimus.

"She tends to stay in his sleeper, even at base," Will snorted quietly.

"Doesn't it bother you at all that he's sentient, and you're staying _inside_ of him?" Sarah asked curiously. "It _still_ feels weird for me to sit inside of Ironhide..."

"Well you should quit that," Ironhide rumbled with a snort. "'Cause I don't mind, and Optimus adores having Kae sleeping with him."

I rolled my eyes at my Uncle, then promptly turned a grin at Sarah.

"Mistress of the kitchen: put me to work!" I demanded through that grin.

Sarah smirked at me, and shoulder to shoulder, we marched into the territory of mothers.


	82. 80 Christmas Past

**Chapter 80 - Christmas Past**

* * *

(MPOV)

"Hey Kae, what were your Christmases like?" Epps asked curiously, settling down onto the sofa with his coffee. "I mean, you guys were in hiding, you didn't have videos and things did you?"

I looked around with a small smile.

"Our Christmas was about family, Tinny and I would cook supper, the menfolk would all take care of deep frying the turkey." I laughed softly. "And we did take videos," I added. "I still have them, or rather, I got them back."

"That's what was in the temple?" Will laughed.

"Among other things," I smiled, "but that stack of DVD's are all memories."

"Do we get to watch one?" Optimus' holo asked gently, sitting down beside me and wrapping an arm across my shoulders.

"If you want, it would be nice to see them again," I shrugged. "I can't promise the language is properly clean though."

"Anabelle's in bed," Will grinned as his wife sat down close to him, "go on."

I rose and dug around in my duffle, emerging with one of the DVD's. I sat on the floor and looked down at it.

"This is the last Christmas we had, all of us together. Tinny edited it, cut everything together and burned one for all of us. The set in the temple were Uncle Sho's, I had to destroy mine when the mess started."

I rose and inserted it into the drive.

...

_"Tinny!" Mikaela's voice called out, laughing, "C'mon Tin, we gotta get the turkey in the oven before Rig finds out!"_

_"Oi! No oven turkey! I did not build that bastard fryer for you to kill a perfectly good turkey in an oven!" Rig's voice shouted out. "Mon! Cakes are on the griddle!"_

_There was bright laughter as the camera ran after Mikaela._

_"Breakfast and presents!" Cal shouted, there was thundering as booted feet came into view, running down the stairs._

_"Who had my name!?" Brick shouted. "You lot keep secrets better than dead men, who had my god's damned _name_!?"_

_"It's His son's damn_ birthday_ and you're still using His name in vain!" Paddy shouted back from behind an enormous barrel griddle. He began throwing pancakes through the air while Uncle Sho caught them on plates._

...

"Your uncle's a ninja!" Epps laughed.

"Yeah he was," I smiled. "Tinny cut out everyone eating though, it was a personal rule of her's: never eat while holding a camera. The sound of chewing grossed her out like _nothing_ else."

Everyone sat around in an enormous room, there were beaten up, but still clean couches, Tinny sat on a giant beanbag as I held the camera.

...

"Okay, Mikaela I know you got my name," Rig was saying, holding up a large box, "So I'm hoping that you didn't get me something expensive. You need to save for college."

"Oh just open it Rig!" Mikaela laughed.

"Tin! It was YOU!" Brick howled, holding up his own box from Tinny. There was the rustling of paper being torn and shouts of laughter. "NOW we're gonna get to the bottom of all this! What'd you get me baby girl? You little SHIT!" he held up an enormous, sleek leather jacket. "YOU stole my hides! Damn girl, this is incredible! You made this for me perfectly!" he slid into his new jacket and posed, crossing his arms and looking forbidding.

"You look like you just killed someone, broke out of prison and are staring down your next victim." Cal commented with a grin.

"Excellent!" Brick grinned, the very smile on his face immediately transposing the forbidding man into a giant teddy bear as his tiny wife beamed at him.

...

"That, that is who I want to be when I get to be his age," Jacobs stated in a soft, stunned tone. "I wish I could have met him now."

"He was the most Marine of the lot," I smiled sadly, Optimus scooped me up and pulled me tight to his side. "You know, you're already so much like him Lon." the video continued to play.

...

_"You got me boots and a necklace?" Rig asked curiously, looking in his box. "No, see, if you were a truly dutiful niece you'd come out to the house and shoot that bastard Jake."_

_Tinny flexed to her feet. A tiny female ninja._

_"Hey Paddy, throw that dvd in will you?" Tinny grinned as she took the camera. "I'll splice it in later, but I want everyone to see your reaction."_

_A curious irishman slid a DVD into it's player as the men gathered around the aged set._

_"Wait, wait wait that's the house!" Rig shouted, "you didn't blow up my house did you?"_

_"Wait for it," Mikaela laughed._

_"Okay... waait, that's the sniper! Tinny, did you tape this!? Cal! Cal! Get back in here Cal! Mikaela found the sniper! And you... NO! You're _shittin'_ me!" Rig was leaning toward the screen with a broad grin as Cal Banes squeezed himself in amidst his men._

_"Oh shit look at that! Cal you need to be proud of that girl, look at that time-stamp!" Paddy laughed. "You're up there _good!_" Paddy grinned over at a gently smiling Mikaela._

_"Oh OH here it comes!" Rig shouted, the men all leaned closer._

_"Wait for it..." Cal murmured, they sat frozen for a few seconds, then as one, everyone was standing. Rig and the men around him were howling with laughter, cheering and pointing at the screen, looking for all the world as though they were watching the touchdown of the century at the superbowl. To top it off, Rig started to do a touchdown dance._

_"Wait wait!" Tinny shouted, "Rig put the boots on!"_

_As one, the men looked into the box and began howling with laughter again as Rig scrambled into the boots and promptly began stomping about, dancing with abandon with the necklace making him look like a savage._

...

"Okay what were they watching?" Lennox laughed.

"I wish I could have shown this to you lot before, so you wouldn't be surprised by me." I laughed, pointing to the screen with a grin before pausing it. "Tinny cut it in afterward, if you don't want to watch I understand, but here's the back story. Old Jake is the alligator that took a chunk out of Rig's leg the year before, he's a smart old bastard gator that developed the trick of stealing Rig's kills when he hung it out." I pressed play amid several grinning soldiers.

...

_"Okay Uncle, I got your name for christmas this year," Mikaela stated in a quiet voice. "You've been bitching about Jake for years. I thought you were joking or I would have done this sooner, you know, before he bit you. Coming Tin?"_

_"Oh I am not going to miss this one," Tinny chuckled, training the camera on Mikaela as she carefully loaded the sniper rifle and crouched down in the mangroves. The tape skipped forward. It was an hour later, according the the timestamp. Mikaela hadn't moved. Her hand slowly came up and used hand signals to tell the camera to 'look over there' before it caressed the rifle again._

...

"What is it?" Will whispered, everyone sat silent.

"My record best shot," I grinned.

...

_The camera panned slowly to show a leg of meat slowly dripping blood into the water. A log floated close by before sinking, silence. Two minutes skipped by._

_It was a shock then, when an enormous gator fairly flew out of the water to catch onto the leg of meat, in milliseconds there was a puff of red near it's head, it fell back to the water and floated, belly up._

* * *

(OPOV)

The reaction from the soldiers around he and Kae was as good as it had been eight years ago, albeit muted, nobody wanted to wake Anabelle.

"That was an awesome shot!" Will grinned broadly. "So what did you do afterwards?"

"I made him into boots for Rig," Kae laughed softly.

"Justice!" Jacobs rumbled, punching his hands in the air.

"Oh hey what did you get?" Epps asked with a grin, looking at the screen.

"I..." Mikaela said softly, looking at the screen in fondness as her younger self delicately opened the paper on her box.

...

_"Uncle Sho, you painted this didn't you?" she asked with a fond smile, looking at the small asian man._

_"Rip it," the man grinned._

_"Absolutely not," she shook her head, delicately folding it and tucking it away._

...

Mikaela rose and knelt beside her trunk, pulling out the identical, beautifully carved chest in the video. Optimus watched his spark mate as she smiled gently, opening the chest at the same time and withdrawing a packet wrapped in silk.

...

_"Uncle! You didn't!" Mikaela exclaimed on the set, "Oh it's... Uncle it's so beautiful!"_

...

"My kimono, master's tunic and katana." Mikaela said in a tight voice from the floor. She gently untied the wrap and laid out the exquisite silk. "Uncle decided when he got my name that it was time for me to ascend, as he had." she sat straight and proud, looking at the screen as a silk clad Mikaela knelt before the man.

...

_"Remember Cricket, from this day forth you never draw your blade without drawing blood!" the Master commanded. "Draw your blade!"_

_Mikaela drew the razor sharp blade with a steely hiss, drew it across her forearms, wiped the blood away and offered it to Chen Sho. He took it and began speaking in Mandarine, an ancient ceremony._

...

"You are Master of all I know," Mikaela translated softly, "head of our sacred caste, bound to protect, bound to lead, bound to serve. Live in peace, die with honour. Create all that you can, destroy only what you must. Swear upon your blood, swear upon the eternal soul, swear to your blade that the blood it drinks will be only that of those who live for destruction. Teach others to protect, teach them to live and defend with honour."

_..._

_Mikaela sank into a graceful bow on the screen, her hands extended beneath her face. Chen Sho held the blade horizontal over her bared neck._

_"Thus does your blade choose your life or your service!" Chen Sho barked._

_And dropped it._

_A hand flew up and snatched the handle out of the air. The blade whistled as the camera blurred slightly, trying to keep up with the movement as steel flashed._

_Mikaela was standing on her feet, the sword in it's sheath across her back. She stood to attention, blood running down her arms and offering a bow to her now former Master. He bowed to her and pulled her into a tight hug._

_"Who's next!?" Sho bellowed, a grin on his face as the mood broke._

_"You are Daddy!" Tinny shouted, handing Rig the camera so that she could throw herself on her twin. "You did it!" she shrieked, "Kaelie I'm so proud of you!"_

_The tape continued, presents opened, and a final shot of five men laughing and ribbing each other as Chen Sho placed a turkey in a smoking fryer, throwing himself back from the hissing, spitting fat in lightning fast handsprings._

_"You're a fuckin' showoff!" Paddy slurred, appearing well into his cups._

_"And you're a drunk!" Sho shot back at him with a grin._

_"I am not a drunk! I am an irishman!" Paddy declared, holding up a mug of dark ale in a steady hand, his voice became smooth, sober. "If I were a drunk I'd be singing songs off-key and_ you_ would be on your third bottle of _saki!_"_

_"If I were on my third bottle, who would tend the turkey?" Sho laughed, playing up his chinese accent._

_"It's my god damn fryer!" Rig shouted._

_"And after what you did to the_ last_ turkey you will never use it again!" Brick rumbled good naturedly. "You can't even cook a cricket to save your life."_

_"Don't cook my sister!" a voice shouted._

_Tinny flew into the group the next second, single handedly toppling three of the men as they roared with laughter. Cal and Brick grinned at each other. Brick leaned down and casually picked up a shrieking, squirming Tinny, holding her upside down at arm's length as Cal tickled her._

_Mikaela's voice chuckled quietly in the background, obviously being the one holding the camera before the screen flickered again._

_"Mikaela," Tinny's voice said calmly. "Little sister, I know you're watching this video, and that means that someone who loves you is close by, so if that someone could please hold her from turning me off." Tinny's face appeared on the screen, looking directly at Kae._

...

Mikaela scrambled for the remote.

"I can't, not yet, I'm sorry Tin I can't do it." she babbled. Optimus very calmly picked her up and pinned her in front of the screen. "Optimus, no, please," she whispered, turning her head away from the screen in desperation.

"It _is_ time to listen little Cricket," Chen Sho stated firmly, standing beside his daughter. "We're both dead if you can see this, and if you are watching this it means that we have _all_ gone on to our next lives."

"Get the VFG, little sister," Tinny commanded. "If you love me at all, you will power it up and listen to what we needed to tell you."

"That's the worst thing Tinny," Mikaela whispered.

"Yes I know I'm doing the ultimate worst thing for a dead sister to do." Tinny said in a resigned tone, seeming to answer the young woman in his holoform's arms. "You need to hear us again, baby sister. Because you can't let the past define you anymore."

The screen went black.

"That, that was a bloody message from the afterlife," Jacobs whispered.

"I can't," Mikaela whispered, her voice tight.

"What can you not do?" Optimus rumbled in a quiet voice.

"I can't get the VFG, I can't do it," Mikaela babbled softly.

"What's the VFG?" Will asked in a soft voice. Mikaela coughed and sagged against Optimus.

"Rig invented it," she said softly. "V-F-G, Voice From the Grave, it's a one shot recording of everyone, each of us had a specific disc made for us. It's voice activated, if I used it it would mean I would have to have a final conversation with m – with my sister," Mikaela choked.

"How does it work?" Sarah asked quietly.

"It only really worked for us, because we knew each other's responses," Mikaela whispered, "the automatic response we had to each other."

"You had an incredible family," Sarah said in a soft voice, gathering Mikaela in her arms as the girl wiped away an errant tear.

"Some of the absolute best," she said softly, she gave a bit of a sniff then straightened her back, her head held proudly. "What do you say we get Anabelle's Christmas presents under the tree?" she smiled, the warm, loving smile Optimus adored as Will's Sarah practically beamed and scurried toward the stairs with the girl hot on her heels.

"She's a master," Ironhide whispered from his seat, still staring at the screen in shock. Optimus looked after the diminutive girl and nodded, the pride that she had chosen him causing his holoform's eyes to glow the richest cerulean.

"Dude, check out the big man's eyes!" Jacobs grinned.

"Do it!" Ironhide rumbled with a broad grin. "You know you want to, you've been bloody seesawing since you first saw her. _Do it you glitch!_"

Optimus looked at his weapons specialist's holoform, Chromia's tucked tightly into his side. He took a deep breath and nodded, wordlessly rising and heading to his truck form.

He could hear murmured conversations behind him as his holoform climbed into his cab and pulled out a tiny box.

"Where's he going?" Jacobs asked curiously.

"Gonna go get somethin', he'll be back," Ironhide rumbled with a grin.

"Where's Optimus?" Mikaela's voice asked a moment later, "out on the driveway beside you, yes I know that Ironhide, I mean did he offline his holoform." she added before Ironhide could even get his usual response in.

"Nope," Ironhide rumbled. Grinning.

"So Kae," Sarah asked with a smiling voice, "this Optimus and you seem to be quite fond of each other." Will burst out laughing.

"Can you imagine just how pissed off Galloway would be if she married the bot?" Will grinned, Jacobs laughed.

"Kae you should propose," Epps stated in a serious voice. "Good luck to the liaison to get these guys off planet if you married their leader! They'd have to let them stay until a manner of getting you to survive on Cybertron was figured out! Ultimate marriage visa!"

"But the trick is, which marriage ceremony would we use?" Ironhide asked mildly.

Blasted Bot would spill if he didn't get in there quickly, Optimus thought ruefully. He jogged to the door through the rain and walked in, leaving all moisture on the front stoop.

"Oh now look what you've done, Epps!" Sarah protested, "now you've put doubts in her mind. What if he actually proposed now and the only thing she could worry about is a bloody marriage visa?"

Optimus froze for a moment, worrying now.

"Optimus wouldn't do that," Kae smiled gently. The femme who knew him so absolutely.

His Kae.

* * *

(WPOV)

Will glanced at the door as Optimus' holoform walked in, courteously leaving all of the water outside.

"Optimus wouldn't do that," Mikaela said with a small smile. "He's not the sort to use people. If he decided to leave..."

"I would bring you with me," Optimus murmured, "but only if you wished to come." Mikaela glanced at Optimus and proceeded to blush furiously. "Marriage is a frail word," he continued softly, catching her eyes and stalking toward her slowly, "it's very binding words broken by death.

"Mikaela you are what keeps my spark burning. Everyday you remind me how to be a better Prime, a better person, by each action, every smile. Everything that you are improves us all." he knelt before her, paying no attention to the people around them as he reached up and touched his mark over her heart.

Will wound his arms around Sarah as Jacobs and Epps watched wide eyed. Ironhide of course, was grinning like a madman.

"You accepted me as your guardian, honoured me with your love, your trust. You have been a beacon of light and hope in my darkest hours. Now I kneel before you to beg for one last honour." he opened the tiny box and presented her with a simple, elegant ring.

"Mikaela Archangel Leanne Banes, will you choose me as your spark-bonded mate."

Mikaela stared down at him in shock, tears streaming down her face. Slowly, she leaned down and kissed his holoform lightly before turning and fleeing out the front door.


	83. 81 Christmas Future

**Chapter 81 - Christmas Future**

* * *

(MPOV)

"Optimus wouldn't do that," I smiled at Sarah gently. "He's not the sort to use people. If he decided to leave..."

"I would bring you with me," Optimus murmured behind me, "but only if you wished to come." I turned to look at Optimus in surprise, but caught in his optics I couldn't stop the blush. "Marriage is a frail word," he continued softly, walking toward me with the graceful, predatory stride that was so deeply _him_, "it's very binding words broken by death.

"Mikaela you are what keeps my spark burning. Everyday you remind me how to be a better Prime, a better person, by each action, every smile. Everything that you are improves us all." I opened my mouth to call him a flatterer and froze in shock as the holoform knelt down in front of me. My heart squeezed and felt as though it were stopping as he laid a gentle hand over our combined marks.

I stared at him in shock as he continued in that same soft, beautiful, hypnotizing voice.

"You accepted me as your guardian, honoured me with your love, your trust. You have been a beacon of light and hope in my darkest hours. Now I kneel before you to beg for one last honour." He held my eyes absolutely as a tiny box revealed itself in his hands. He opened it, and there, there was a ring. Simple, elegant, silvery and beautiful.

"Mikaela Archangel Leanne Banes, will you choose me as your spark-bonded mate." Optimus rumbled softly, looking up at me with hope burning in his eyes... no... his holoform's eyes.

I didn't want to marry a holoform. I leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to the holoform's lips before I turned tail and ran.

To hell with shoes, fuck umbrella. I knew my Optimus, he'd think I was rejecting him. I struggled with the front door for a moment... it opens _inward_... and pelted through the front porch. Friggen _screen_ door, too many obstacles between me and my beloved. Finally, _finally_ I was on the path and running.

Optimus. Dear, sweet-sparked, loving Optimus was sitting parked still, humming discordantly in shock. I threw on every ounce of speed I could coax out of my legs and hurled myself onto him. Not the holoform. _Him._

"Yes," I laughed, crying, stroking his metals. "Yes I will, Optimus."

His holoform promptly winked online beside me, gathering me into 'his' arms and holding me tightly. I looked up at him as he beamed at me.

"You will?" he husked.

"I will," I cried, "I will, oh Optimus I will."

"Why do you cry?" Optimus choked, cupping my face.

"Because I love you you daft bot," I laughed, pulling him... well, pulling myself tightly against the holoform's frame.

"And I love you," Optimus rumbled contentedly, nuzzling his face into my hair.

* * *

(IPOV)

Humans and holoforms stood dazed around Optimus'.

"But..." Chromia whispered as Optimus' holoform sat on the floor in shock, his face suddenly split into a wide grin.

Ironhide looked at him and burst out laughing, he rose and gestured everyone to follow, snagging the box from Optimus' hand as the holoform winked out. He glanced at the ring and noted that it was made of the Prime's spark chamber metals.

He had to give him that one, Optimus never did anything by half.

A group of soldiers and holoforms stood on the front stoop as a thoroughly soaked Mikaela sprinted to the Peterbilt and scrambled up onto his hood, curling against his windscreen and running her hands lightly over the metals.

"Yes," Mikaela laughed, crying, stroking his metals. "Yes I will, Optimus."

Ironhide straightened with pride for his niece. She had said yes. To _him. _

"You will?" Optimus husked through his holoform.

"I will," Kae cried, "I will, oh Optimus I will."

"Why do you cry?" Optimus choked, cupping his Kae's face.

"Because I love you you daft bot," Kae laughed, pulling herself tightly against the holoform's frame.

"And I love you," Optimus rumbled contentedly, nuzzling his holo's face into her hair.

"She said yes!" Chromia squealed, echoing Ironhide's thoughts, her holoform ran after Mikaela and climbed up with her, hugging her tightly.

"Then why..." Epps asked quietly.

"She wanted to say yes to him in person," Ironhide rumbled, grinning like a madbot again. "To him, not his avatar."

The femme had scrapping _style_.

"Does he really feel that way?" Sarah asked in a tear choked voice.

"Marm, that bot has been helmet over heel struts over that little femme since the day he met her." Ironhide rumbled as Chromia's holoform followed Mikaela and Optimus' holo, walking tightly pressed side by side back to the house.

"Well come on!" Sarah called out, "kiss for the humans you tease!"

Mikaela's eyes lit as Optimus chuckled, gripping her firmly and bending her into a kiss straight out of the movies. Ironhide's holoform chuckled and threw the box. Optimus caught it and with cerulean eyes locked on his betrothed's face, slid his spark onto her finger.

Chromia ran over to Ironhide and threw herself in his arms.

"About time!" she grinned, hauling herself up by his shoulders to plant a kiss on his lips.

"You know what this means right?" Ironhide grinned.

"New Years Challenge!" Chromia sang, dancing about.

"Oh you guys are going to like this," Ironhide rumbled gleefully, looking at the soldiers, he looked back at Chromia seriously. "We need to get her colours."

"She has 'em already," Chromia grinned at him.

"She _what?_" Ironhide rumbled curiously.

"Her master's tunic," Chromia sang. "Her colours. Silver with blue and red highlights."

Ironhide grinned and looked at the couple still standing in the rain. Dancing. He caught Chromia and tucked her into the circle of his arms again. She cuddled against him, making him smile.

"It's an incredible thing when you find the one who dances to the same music," Sarah murmured, tucking herself into Will's arms. The Major grinned and pulled her in a bit tighter.

Ironhide looked down at Chromia as she gently pulled away somewhat.

* * *

(CPOV)

Optimus simply couldn't let go of his Kae.

His Kae.

The Femme who guarded his spark. Chromia thought for a moment and nodded to herself firmly. She had absolutely no doubt Kae loved her Optimus, but she _did_ need to make sure that she understood what wearing a ring made of a bot's spark-chamber's metals meant.

Decision made, Chromia extracted herself from her lover's arms and looked up at him.

::. Distract Optimus for a moment.:: she told him calmly.

::. Do I get to know why?.:: Ironhide sent back in amusement.

::. I just need to be sure of something.:: she stated firmly. Ironhide's holoform's eyes sharpened somewhat in understanding. He nodded and jogged toward Optimus and Kae.

He threw his arms around the couple.

"If you're not careful, you're gonna get all this sugar in your fuel tank," he drawled gleefully. "And that'll spur one _pit_ of a Ratchet scolding." Chromia onlined a backup processor, devoted entirely to devising ways to make Ironhide one of the happiest bots in the universe for the next couple of days. Just for that, he deserved it.

"I will take the risk," Optimus rumbled with a snort as Chromia bounced her holoform forward and wound her arms around Kae.

"A moment?" she murmured, almost sub-vocally. Kae looked up at her curiously for a second before understanding flashed into her eyes. The dear little femme grinned up at her and moved slightly toward the porch.

One point, Kae. Chromia thought musingly as they walked to the porch.

"I vote," Ironhide rumbled with a grin, "that we get the rest of the presents under that tree and retire relatively soon. Chromia, I've got yours inside already," he added, grinning at her.

'Yep, definitely going to spoil him tonight' Chromia thought with an inward smirk. She shot him a smile as her lover dragged Optimus indoors, Sarah ushering the other menfolk in.

"Kae," Chromia said seriously, looking at the femme. The smile on her face melted instantly into a serious expression.

"What information am I missing?" she asked seriously.

Another point.

"That ring is made from the protoform metals of his spark chamber," Chromia stated seriously. Kae frowned. Chromia opened her mouth to make an indignant statement about that frown until Kae looked up at her in confusion.

"I can't access it," she whispered in a horrified tone. "Chromia, I know the knowledge is there, I can't find it, it feels important, mortally important information and I can't access it..."

Chromia sagged in relief and caught Kae in a crushing hug.

"Stop panicking," she murmured. "I'll tell you, when you have more space you'll be able to find the information. It's okay."

Mikaela shivered slightly and nodded, looking up into Chromia's eyes with desperation in her own.

"Please, _please _make sure I know how to not hurt my beloved," she whispered.

"Ironhide was right," Chromia murmured in relief. "You are the best thing to have ever happened to Optimus. Alright. You're wearing a ring made of his spark-chamber metals."

Kae nodded.

"You know how he's always calling you _his_ Kae?" Chromia stated with a small smile, relaxing into the chair and winding an arm across her shoulders. Kae cuddled into her, a younger sister. "He is the guardian of your spark. Think of the translations," Chromia coached her sister gently. "He is the guardian of your life force, with each level an increasingly strong connection." Kae was nodding, understanding so far.

"It's a comfort," she murmured, "a sense of belonging with the one who sustains me."

"He is the guardian of your spark, and that ring on your finger means that now, he is not only your guardian, but you are his as well. Rightfully, you may now call him _your_ Optimus. Yours is the spark that sustains his."

Kae paled beside her. Chromia jumped slightly, Kae's spark had flared.

"He..." she choked, she looked ready to cry. Chromia watched at the girl, patiently waiting for her to speak.

"He has entrusted his spark, his heart, his life, his soul to my care. He..." Kae looked up at her, wide eyed. "is there anything else I need to know before I go sob into his shoulder and cling to him without ever letting go?" she whispered.

Chromia beamed down at her young sister and pulled her into a hug.

* * *

(WPOV)

Will watched in amusement as Ironhide dragged Optimus' holoform back indoors.

"What?" he demanded with a snort.

"Chromia needs Kae for some femme things," Ironhide rumbled cheerfully.

"Huh?" Jacobs asked curiously. Optimus looked rather petulant at having been dragged away from his brand new fiancee.

"Stop that," Ironhide snorted, lightly cuffing him. "You'll get her back in a minute or ten, interspecies union, Chrome's probably making sure they both have the translations down pat. If you'd done it like a regular human you'd still have her wound around you."

That was confusing.

"What what now?" Epps asked blankly.

"That ring Optimus got onto her finger is made of his spark-chamber's metals," Ironhide grinned. "You never _did_ do anything by half, youngling."

Optimus was smirking now.

"Translation?" Sarah asked with a smile. Will beamed at his wife.

"Well, if for example, I gave Chromia a ring, or anything really, made of my spark-chamber metals for her to wear, by our tradition it means that she would become my spark's guardian. Her spark would be the one that sustains my own." Ironhide explained calmly.

That. That was intense.

"So..." Sarah asked, her eyes were shining. Will smiled and pulled her into his arms again.

"It's one of the stages we go through to become fully bonded spark-mates," Ironhide explained with a smile. "A bond that need not be broken by death, may I borrow a towel, Sarah? Kae's not a holoform yet, she's drenched."

"I've got it," Sarah beamed. "Story to continue, by the way."

"You got it," Ironhide chuckled.

* * *

(MPOV)

"He is the guardian of your spark, and that ring on your finger, means that now, he is not only your guardian, but you are his as well. Rightfully, you may now call him _your_ Optimus. Yours is the spark that sustains his."

My heart stopped, then thudded to life, pounding into my throat, my stomach. A tiny flush of knowledge indicated that it was my spark flaring, that was immediately and unceremoniously shunted to the side.

I was too busy trying to come to terms with the bomb Chromia had just so gently dropped on me. He was my Optimus.

_My_ Optimus.

"He..." I choked, I felt just about ready to cry. Chromia remained silent, watching me. "He has entrusted his spark, his heart, his life, his soul to my care. He..." I babbled softly. My Optimus. My sweet, gentle, loving, trusting Optimus. The beloved spark that sustained my own. There was nothing I wanted so much that second but to hurl myself against him, to... "is there anything else I need to know before I go sob into his shoulder and cling to him without ever letting go?" I whispered up to her.

"No, but pull yourself together for a minute, come say goodnight and get ready for bed. Which, by the way, you're using the present I got you. Tonight." Chromia grinned at me. "And if you're a truly dutiful sister you're going to let Optimus connect to Ironhide and I so that we get to enjoy how much Optimus is going to enjoy those gifts you got for him. Go change." she smirked. "I'll stall. They're in your bag."

"You, are the best, most wonderful gorgeous creature in the universe," I moaned softly, pulling Chromia's holoform into a crushing hug before scampering off. I made it to the door and realized something.

I was absolutely drenched. Sarah was at the door the next second, handing me a towel with a bright smile.

"Bathroom is this way, I know you're staying in your Optimus' sleeper, but I do believe you're going to want a shower first." she murmured, smiling.

"You're a lifesaver, Sarah, you know that right?" I murmured. "I'd hug you but I don't want to get you wet."

"Hug goodnight after shower," Sarah commanded with a grin.

"Bag!" Chromia stated gleefully, handing me a pretty canvas bag and giving me a light shove. I laughed as her holoform immediately caught Optimus'. "No!" she said with a smirk.

"What are you doing with my fiancee?" Optimus demanded. The look on his face was priceless, torn between a smirk and irritation.

"They're doing femme things," Ironhide rumbled with a snort.

"Get used to it," Will added from the couch, laughing.

I chuckled softly and scurried to the bathroom, locked the door and immediately laid out everything Chromia had packed into the bag.

Sexy lingerie, perfume, pyjamas, and my toiletries kit.

I made a mental note to spoil her rotten when we got back to base... headquarters. It was a matter of moments to shake my hair loose, I stepped into a warm shower and did a rapid, thorough scrub. Shampoo, conditioner, rinsed out absolutely. I spritzed a light mist of the perfume into the air and stepped through it before lightly tugging on the lingerie Chromia had decided on. I pulled the pyjamas overtop and shook my hair out, packed everything away and spritzed another mist of the perfume before it went back into the bag.

I walked out and caught Chromia's eyes. She nodded with a broad grin.

"Showered, bed," I smiled at Sarah. She grinned and hugged me goodnight.

"Night Kae!" Jacobs called out quietly, Epps waved at me from the stairs.

"Night boys, see you in the morning," I laughed softly. Chromia met me at the door, flourishing an umbrella as Ironhide and Optimus winked their holoforms out.

"Should I walk through the rain to get some off?" I whispered the second the door closed.

"No, you're perfect," Chromia whispered, she caught my eye and winked. "'Night' Kae." she smirked.

"You know," I murmured, lightly catching her wrist before the holoform offlined. "That electric blanket I have on you?" Chromia scowled somewhat. "You realize I built it out of neural fibres, right?" I asked innocently.

Chromia's expression was priceless as she worked her way through the meaning behind that statement. Warmth certainly. Warmth, protection and a perfect storage unit for energon. For her own use.

"Night Chrome," I murmured cheerfully, pecking a kiss to the holoform's cheek.

"Just how much did you know you little shit?" she asked me with a low laugh.

"Just enough to know that you'd enjoy a neural-cloak, however you chose to use it." I murmured, grinning impishly at her. She bent down gravely and kissed my cheeks before her holoform winked out. I climbed up into Optimus' cab and smiled.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus was beginning to get rather irritated at his Weapons Master as he and Chromia continued to play keep-away with he and his betrothed.

True, it was only twenty minutes, but it was his first hour of having a betrothed again.

He had his Kae.

And now, now she was finally walking toward him beside her newest sister, they were murmuring to each other again.

Curiosity finally overcame him and he focused his hearing on them.

"Just how much did you know you little shit?" Chromia asked with a low laugh.

"Just enough to know that you'd enjoy a neural-cloak, however you chose to use it," his Kae murmured, grinning at the holoform impishly. Chromia bent down gravely and kissed her sister's cheeks. Which of course left Optimus wondering what the Femme would decide to do with that cloak, until of course, his Kae was standing in his sleeper.

Then his circuits were fizzing with the sensory input.

She was wearing a perfume, just the lightest touch of the fragrance adding to her own scent.

She smelled like the guardians falls. Before the war, before destruction, she smelled of peace, tranquility, safety, healing. She smiled. That beautiful, loving smile that was meant for him, and him alone. He onlined his holoform the next second, reaching to pull his Kae into a tight hug, she held her hand out and lightly touched his chest.

A silent commandment. Stay.

Optimus watched with a contented smile as she carefully opened the front of the silken red shirt draped gently over her shoulders.

A processor promptly popped as it slid down the satin of her shoulders. The scent was stronger. His Kae and his home. He could die then and there and be content.

Stripped of her armour, she walked toward him and ran gentle hands up his chest.

"Chromia explained what wearing your spark-chamber metals means," she whispered, her arms twining around the holoform, pulling him close.

Optimus pulled her closer as he felt her spark flare. He pulled her toward her hammock and laid his beautiful Kae down, holding her close.

"Are you alright?" he asked her softly, cupping her cheek as tears began to stream from her eyes.

"You dear, gentle, perfect, loving, trusting bot," she whimpered. "I love you. I love you so much..." she began to cry softly, clinging to him and Optimus suddenly understood why.

Her concept of bonding to another had just been redefined. _She_ had been redefined.

"My Kae," he rumbled softly, nuzzling her neck gently. She stretched slightly and caught his lips with her own. A gentle hand reached up and cupped his cheek, the sweetest words whispering around and through him. Her voice burned forever into his memories.

_**ΩMy Optimus.Ω**_


	84. 82 Christmas Present

**Chapter 82 – Christmas Present**

* * *

(MPOV)

I covered Anabelle with kisses, early in the morning as she ran squealing toward me. Will and Sarah's little girl was just absolutely adorable. Optimus laughed as he onlined his holoform, looking at me with love in his eyes as I held the toddler on my hip.

I set her down with a gentle pat, directing her to run to her father. The next moment, Optimus' holoform had me wound deeply into his arms. I closed my eyes and sighed at just how right it felt.

_**ΩGood morning, my beloved,Ω **_I whispered.

"Every morning that you are here," Optimus whispered, pulling me a bit more tightly against him.

"Merry Christmas lovebirds," Ironhide rumbled cheerfully, onlining his holoform and grabbing the both of us in a bearhug the next minute. "Optimus, you need to make a run to the store."

"It's Christmas morning!" Will protested. "We have everything here already!"

"Yeah, but they're using all the sugar up," Ironhide grinned unrepentantly.

"Well then we'll just have to make a bit more," Chromia murmured silkily, I looked over at her as she floated diaphanously for a moment. Her holoform flickered into solidarity the next moment, looking drop dead gorgeous dressed as an elf.

I promptly escaped from Optimus and Ironhide's arms, tackling her holoform to the floor and covering her face with kisses as she squealed with laughter.

"_Never_ deleting that image," Ironhide rumbled quietly. Optimus was nodding avidly. Chromia and I exchanged glances and winked at each other, getting to our feet gracefully and striding to our menfolk shoulder to shoulder.

"You know the rules," Chromia murmured, smirking at Ironhide.

"What video do you want coughed up?" Ironhide snorted.

"Mmm mmm," I murmured, sliding my arms up Optimus' chest and pressing myself tightly against him. "The other one, the good one."

"Is there an earth parallel?" Optimus rumbled curiously. Even Chromia looked at me curiously.

"There is," I murmured, smiling at him and hauling myself up to his ear. "What happens in Vegas, _stays_ in Vegas." I purred, dropping my tone to a sultry one. I nipped his ear lightly and slid down his chest, catching Chromia's waist as she laughed.

"Score one Mikaela," she grinned as we surveyed the holoforms of our lovers, both frozen in masks of frankly _shocked_ glee.

Will came in, took one look at the holoform's expressions and burst out laughing.

"Alright, going by age!" Will called out gleefully, bringing in a carafe with Jacobs following closely carrying a massive tray of cups.

Optimus snapped a forcefield around the presents.

"_Optimus!_" I laughed at him, he looked at me curiously, presents still levitating.

"Half the fun is the sorting," Chromia smirked. Optimus stared at us for a moment before laughing, lightly setting the gifts down.

"Sit!" I commanded, shoving him into a chair, he flumped back and Sarah promptly plopped Anabelle into his lap.

* * *

(CaPOV)

Chromia couldn't help but grin at the expressions on Kae and Optimus' faces. She was smiling at him as the dearest look of pure, unadulterated joy touched Optimus'. Sarah was looking back and forth at the two of them, nodding fondly.

"Good," she stated softly, she turned to her husband and smiled. "You need to bring them by more often." Sarah smiled. "If Anabelle continues to learn Cybertronian while she's learning english she won't forget it."

Will was promptly beaming at his mate.

"Which reminds me, housewarming party!" Chromia trilled, grinning at Kae.

"I. Have that _completely_ covered," Mikaela stated with dignified pride. Chromia stared at her sister.

"You happen to be talking to the queen of party arrangements," Kae smirked at her. "_You, _however, are in charge of decorating."

Chromia whooped gleefully and hugged her newest sister.

"Presents!" she grinned down at her. Mikaela grinned and promptly dropped to the floor, shimmying under the tree.

"Jacobs!" she called out, handing the package to Chromia.

"I'll be back in a second," Ironhide rumbled suddenly, winking his holoform out.

::. What're you doing?.:: Chromia sent to him curiously.

::. Just thought of something.:: he rumbled with a smirk. ::. Don't want to spoil the surprise now do I?.:: he cut the transmission to Chromia's mild irritation.

"Chromia!" Kae grinned handing her a package. It was from Ironhide. She set it down in her pile and watched as Kae crawled over to her Optimus, settling down between his knees. He gently set Anabelle in her lap as she smiled at him, directing the baby girl to run to her father again. Ironhide walked his holoform back through the front door carrying another parcel.

"What's that?" Chromia asked curiously.

"To my niece," Ironhide rumbled with a small smile, handing the parcel to Kae, he moved back and settled down beside Chromia, lightly plucking the box from the floor and settling it into her hands.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus toddled the hatchling on his knees as she giggled, the two of them cheerfully watching the goings on around them.

∂_How do the days treat you, cherished one?∂_

_∂Good good,∂_ Anabelle babbled cheerfully. She squirmed around somewhat and cuddled against him, looking up curiously._ ∂How do I say to my mama and daddy?∂_

_∂Mama∂_ "Mommy" ∂_Daddy_∂ "Daddy," Optimus rumbled with a low laugh. _∂Go try to them,∂_ he added, lightly setting the little girl down in his Kae's lap. She immediately set the girl on her feet, balancing her for a second so that she could scamper to her parents.

"To my niece," Ironhide rumbled, smiling and handing a parcel to Kae. She accepted it curiously.

"Mommy," Anabelle stated slowly, smiling at her mother, she looked at Will. "Daddy." Optimus focused on them carefully as the major and his wife began instantly praising and fussing over their little girl, instinctively knowing the major would wish a more permanent memory than that of the mind.

"Provided translation?" Mikaela murmured, looking up at him in amusement. "You know you just gave Will the best present in the world." Optimus chuckled and scooped his Kae up, loving the way she squirmed into the circle of his arm, pressed tightly against his right. Supporting and supported. The lightest touch of the perfume lingered in her hair.

He wound his other arm around his Kae, burying his face in her hair even as she burrowed a bit more into his chest.

Nirvana.

"Okay, I totally have to see what Ironhide decided to give Kae," Jacobs rumbled, grinning at them. Mikaela laughed and obediently opened the parcel as Ironhide looked on with a small smirk on his face.

Optimus looked at her curiously as she froze, gently lifting a familiar trigger assembly from the box. She looked up at Ironhide, wide-eyed.

"What is it?" Epps asked curiously, leaning forward.

"_That," _Ironhide rumbled calmly, "is the trigger assembly from _my_ first cannon, given to me by Weapons Master Bladesing. For your new body, my niece, I will not have you defenceless."

"Hide," Kae whispered, rising and hugging him tightly.

"Translation," Jacobs murmured, nudging him lightly.

"Ironhide's first trigger..." Optimus rumbled quietly, he trailed off and smiled at the weapons master.

"Human phrase is that it's a hair-trigger." Ironhide rumbled, nodding at Kae. "But I know you, my niece, anything less is unworthy of you. That trigger taught me to wait, because when we fire, we shoot with conscience, we look into the optics of our opponent and make a choice. When it is the safety of the unit at risk, you do not need to be waiting for your cannon to fire."

Mikaela hugged the weapons master's holoform again, her eyes shining.

"Good bot," Chromia murmured softly, cuddling into him.

"The first trigger is what all of a bot's weapons are modelled after," Optimus explained to the still confused looking humans. "The most important piece of equipment, if a trigger fails, it does not matter how many times you send the command for a cannon to fire, it will not."

"I have had triggers fail, it is part of being a weapons master, it's my duty to examine all of the weapons and train the bots to use them." Ironhide rumbled calmly, "But never that one. In three hundred vorn it has never failed me, may it be as faithful to you, my niece."

"That's just awesome," Jacobs rumbled quietly as Kae gently inspected each piece and screw of the trigger.

* * *

(MPOV)

Anabelle tore into the mass of presents we'd brought her, squealing at each new discovery. And pretty soon she was playing with the enormous box I'd wrapped the giant teddy bear in.

Will had ecstatically taken pictures of his baby girl as she dragged all of her stuffies into the giant box and sat down, grinning as the enormous teddybear fell somewhat against her, the minute weights I'd sewn in wrapping her in a hug.

"Is that..." Sarah asked in a mildly worried tone.

"No, it's not an auto-bot," I laughed softly, "Brick was a leatherworker in his off-time, he taught me how to weight a stuffie to make it feel a bit more alive. There are a couple of magnets in it's hands, so that they're drawn together when they get close enough."

"That bear is..." Will grinned.

"Giving your little girl the bear hugs you want to give her every morning," I smiled at him, "she's still young enough that in her memory, _you_ gave her that bear to hug her anytime you couldn't do it yourself."

"How..." Jacobs asked in a gentle tone. In response I smiled, fishing out a picture of ten people. Five soldiers in their fatigues, and in the front, two tiny girls were sitting with broad grins as giant teddybears wrapped themselves around them.

"It's a bit confusing sometimes," I laughed softly, "the menfolk would have to go, sometimes, but in my heart I remember them always being close enough to give us hugs."

Sarah teared up as she and Will wrapped me in their arms.

"That's pretty awesome Kae," Jacobs rumbled with a grin as Epps clapped me on the back.

"But are you sure I can take the credit on that?" Will stated seriously.

"Will you've become family to me," I stated seriously, "and among the men I grew up with, no present really came from any one of them, they were from my father and every uncle. Paddy made us pieces of glass, whirligigs and prisms in our windows. Rig made us little mechanical things, Brick made my first set of leathers, but really each was from all." I turned to look at Anabelle with a smile, she was dozing in the comfort of the bear's arms. "That bear is giving your baby girl a hug from you, not from me, someday she's going to be confused, angry and hurt, and she's going to rip that bear, that handkerchief I stole from you is in his chest, embroidered to say 'no matter what, daddy always loves you.'"

Even Will was sniffing as he looked at her, snapping another picture.

Optimus enfolded me in his arms, tucking me deeply into the comfort of his closeness.

I cuddled against him and thought of something. Realization struck hard. My bear had always smelled like daddy.

"Will, you're always wearing swiss army," I said with a smile.

"Yeah? So?" he asked curiously.

"Sarah, every now and again, you might want to dab just the tiniest amount of his cologne onto the bear." I said with a smile, looking at the sleeping girl. "You know? I only just figured that out now, my bear had always smelled like daddy."

"That's your gift, isn't it?" Optimus rumbled softly. "You are not simply giving her a bear, you are giving her her father when he can not be here."

I shrugged lightly.

Will strode over and crushed me into a bear hug.

"That's how you turned out," Will whispered, "That's how your father stayed as a baby. They were out on missions, but they left you their love."

I smiled and hugged him back.


	85. 83 Levitate

**Song chapter today, sort of. It got stuck in my head so it gets stuck here. Mostly because the mental image refused to go away. Someday, when my scanner stops giving me fits I'll have my sketches up to go along with. But for now:**

**Chapter 83 - Levitate**

* * *

(MPOV)

I woke automatically and started at the new surroundings before memory returned, I laughed softly and rolled out of my hammock, wandering barefoot to the door, cocking my head to the side at the sound of Ironhide's voice grumbling something. I walked toward his voice and stopped at the enormous door, covering my eyes.

"I can't reach it either," Ironhide grumbled, "_Pitfire_, I don't think even _Optimus_ is going to be able to reach that."

"I could always levitate you," Ratchet stated.

"No."

"Oh come on, it's been _vorns _since I dropped you," Ratchet snorted.

"Still no." Ironhide grumbled.

"Am I allowed to look?" I called out curiously.

"Yes, but you should be asleep," Ratchet grumbled.

"It's three," I laughed, opening my eyes to see a mass of twisted wires spread out around the bots. "I'll go back to sleep in an hour, maybe." I could hear Optimus' familiar footsteps striding toward me.

* * *

(RPOV)

"What are you trying to do, anyway?" Kae asked curiously.

"Trying to set up central," Ironhide grumbled. "If Ratchet's building you a new body my niece, we're going to need a proper central this time."

"Optimus, can you reach that?" Ratchet added, looking up at the Prime as he wandered into the room.

Kae looked up to watch Optimus patiently reaching toward the frankly _impressively _high ceiling. "We could always levitate Ironhide," Optimus rumbled blandly.

"For the last time _NO!" _Ironhide growled. "Levitate Ratchet-"

"Only Kae's allowed to do that," Ratchet stated flatly. "One time deal because she didn't know how much I _hate _heights."

"Really?" Kae asked with wide eyes. "Did you want me to do it? I mean, so long as you promise to catch me if you lose control of the field..."

"Hah! Volunteer!" Ironhide bellowed gleefully as Ratchet grinned, handing her the pack. She strapped herself into it quickly and looked at the masses of wiring. Then up at the ceiling.

"So what, you just want them hung up or something?" she asked.

"Pretty much," Hide snorted, "we're going to run it through the building, hook up everyone's personal quarters into an energon collective."

Bumblebee promptly plunked down on one of the enormous benches, quietly playing a song and grinning. Kae looked over at him curiously, then grinned.

"Appropriate," she laughed.

"If I may?" Optimus rumbled with a broad grin of his own, holding his hand toward Kae as the chorus of the song began playing. Ratchet began laughing.

_"You know I can take you straight to heaven if you let me, you know I, I can make your body levitate if you let me, you know I can make your body levitate lev-levitate, you know..."_

"Let's do this!" she laughed and immediately began floating in the air, snapping her own levitation field around the mass, delicately lifting the wiring.

"What're these for, anyway?" she called down.

"EM field among other things," Sideswipe called up to her, "if you neutralize them it's fine!"

Kae began grinning as the energon in her system began reacting to Optimus', glowing beneath her skin. She reached out and caught the end of the fibres as they coiled, energon flashing along them. They began to glow, undulating amidst the fields.

_"You know I can take you straight to heaven if you let me, you know I, I can make your body levitate if you let me..."_

"Very pretty, my Kae," Optimus rumbled with a low laugh as Kae began to glow a bit more brightly. Ratchet watched in shock as the fibres untangled themselves before plunging into a proper weave. Kae was building a proper cathedral.

"There see? Like that!" Chromia stated cheerfully.

"She's remembering it," Optimus whispered, "I can see the images in her mind... she remembers the cathedrals..." The copper wiring began to glow alongside the neutralized neural fibres, twisting into intricate, beautiful designs. Kae was dancing now, controlling her field with the movements, beautifully in time to the music Bee was still quietly playing.

One of the neural fibres reached toward her, she grasped it lightly and fed it a massive surge of energon, they began growing, following conduits.

"Is she..." Ratchet whispered.

"She's hooking the rooms together," Optimus murmured in an awestruck tone.

"Into the berths if she's strong enough," Ratchet murmured. Kae smiled and directed the glowing, growing fibres into the connectors.

"What the fuck is that!?" a voice yelled outside the door. Ratchet jerked in surprise. Kae remained in the air, her arms outspread as she danced, glowing as brightly as the neural fibres and copper wiring, she and Optimus completely oblivious to their surroundings now as their energonic fields danced together.

Jacobs pounded into the common and froze, staring at Kae.

"Upgrading the wiring," Ratchet supplied blandly.

"It's Jacobs," Ironhide snorted, "We're wiring in the energon collective, it's not going to hurt anything, and we'll take it down when we leave the building."

"Oh, right, bit of warning next time, it's friggen creepy to see this stuff wandering around on the ceilings of it's own accord." Jacobs snorted, he looked back up at Kae. "Gotta admit though, _that's_ just cool."

Kae chose that moment to fall still, looking around herself with closed eyes.

"I think that's it," she murmured.

"That's the lot," Ironhide agreed with a broad grin. She promptly disconnected herself and curled up in Optimus' palm, looking around at her handiwork.

Ratchet smiled as Optimus cradled the tiny Femme as the treasure she was. She turned and looked at her Optimus with a wicked grin.

_∂Care to try it out?∂ _she asked rather cheekily.

Ironhide began laughing, reaching out a hand to steady Optimus, just in case.

* * *

**As always, reviews would be much appreciated. See you tomorrow folks!**


	86. 84 Tradition

**That was that, but now this is this, shall we return to a little bit of plot? Millions of thanks to my dear betas and readers. Once again, anything you recognize I do not own, nor do I get paid for it. It's just for a bit of fun. **

**Chapter 84 - Tradition**

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus roused his sleeping spark-mate with a gentle kiss. December 31st. Without even opening her eyes, she reached up and caressed his face with gentle hands.

"New year's eve morning," she murmured softly.

"Don't open your eyes," Optimus whispered, carefully picking her up out of the hammock and walking through the screens to the bathroom. Mikaela buried her face in his shoulder, wrapping gentle arms around his neck

"What are we doing?" she murmured with a smile.

"It is a new-year's eve tradition. To cast out the old year, we fight out the challenge, it is done with ceremony, and on occasion is used to decide our places in leadership."

"For the love of all that is holy don't put me in a cold shower," she groaned.

Optimus laughed softly and sat down lightly on the low, cushioned vinyl table.

* * *

(MPOV)

"No, not cold," he rumbled softly in my ear. A fine mist began to fall as the room warmed slightly. "It is tradition for a guardian to bathe with their spark-mate, to be purified together. Open your eyes."

I opened my eyes to look at him. He leaned down and caught my lips with his, lightly running his hand down my side.

"And this is tradition too?" I asked in a soft, wry tone as he pulled back.

"Why did you think we were so pleased to have a proper wash racks again?" he grinned down at me, I lifted up to straddle his lap.

"Something like this?" I murmured in his ear as he groaned, his hands clutching my arse. He smirked and leaned forward, picking up a bowl and pouring a small amount of the warm liquid over my back. He began massaging the musky, green smelling oils across my skin. I retrieved the bowl from his hand and poured some over his back, smiling up at him as he hummed. I stroked and massaged his back, leaning forward and lightly nibbling my way up his neck. He leaned back suddenly and gently pushed me to lay down on his outstretched legs. One hand rested gently on my thigh, as more of the oil was poured over my stomach. His hands skimmed gently up, cupping my breasts and lightly toying with my nipples.

* * *

(OPOV)

"Optimus," she whispered, arching into his touch, the gentle movement rubbing her coupling along the length of his spike. He hummed at the feeling and watched as she sat up slightly, reaching forward to run a strong, gentle hand up his spike. He moaned softly and ran a hand down her abdomen, loving the slick, slippery feel of the oil and massaging it into the folds of her core. She gasped softly, bucking slightly into his hand and rubbing his spike. She brought one hand up to steady his for a second before looking him in the eye.

Oh her eyes, Optimus thought with a groan, those mischievous, loving, piercing eyes that gazed into his soul. Who looked at him with love, and trust.

"Mikaela," he murmured, her free hand slid up his spike and gently, oh so tenderly guided him to her coupling. She arched slowly as his free hand slowly slid from her breast, sliding him slowly, torturously slowly into her perfection. She reached the limit she could from her prone position and suddenly sat up, driving him deep into her belly.

Optimus almost overloaded that second.

"Mikaela," he groaned, "Oh Primus Mikaela you feel so good."

She grinned down at him and slowly began to gyrate her hips, approaching, teasing at the rhythm that would bring him to overload. He pulled her face to his and pressed a tender kiss to her lips before nuzzling his way to her ear.

"Tell me what you like," he rumbled softly, and felt her spasm around his spike, he flicked his thumb slightly, grazing the neural knot of her sex, she moaned.

"You like it when I murmur in your ear," he rumbled with a grin, "talk to you while I touch you and you're stretched on my spike. Do you want me to tease you while I'm pounding my spike into your valve?"

"Optimus yes," she whimpered.

"Tell me what you want," he whispered. She moaned and pressed herself tightly against him.

"I want to feel you overload," she whispered in his ear, "I want to pound and grind myself onto you as you moan and roar in overload."

Optimus clutched at her arse as she began riding him, her arms resting lightly on his shoulders

* * *

(MPOV)

Optimus dragged me to his face, pressing a powerful kiss to my lips as I ground myself into him. I could feel his moans, the resonation of his spark carried through to his holoform. A clear, pure tone singing beneath my hands, becoming complex as he approached overload. The heat and friction driving me mad. His hands grasped at my arse again, inexorable strength quickening my pace on his spike. I broke the kiss first, arching back in a scream of pleasure as he roared. He pushed me down onto the table, pounding himself into me just this edge of pain. I throbbed around him, gasping and writhing as the orgasm was extended. His movements grew ragged, until a final, powerful thrust buried his spike deep into my body. He writhed above me, grasping my hands and pressing another kiss to my lips as he twitched.

"Beautiful," he gasped, "My exquisite, disorienting, stunning Mikaela."

"Optimus," I whispered, sliding my hands up his arms to run gently along his body and up his back. "My incredible, powerful, gentle loving Optimus."

He rolled to the side and dragged me to lay tightly pressed against his chest as the gentle misting rain rinsed away the last possible tension in our bodies.

Optimus stroked my skin gently, my neck pillowed on his bicep as we dozed in the perfect warmth and peace.

The water finally cooled a couple of degrees, I took a deep, relaxed breath and smiled up at the perfectly contented smile on Optimus' face. I squirmed up slightly and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips.

"The perfect way to be woken," he murmured, leaning forward to return the kiss. He rolled me to my back and hovered overtop of me.

"And infinitely better than a cold shower," I smiled up at him mischievously. He rumbled a gentle laugh, kissing my collar bone before rolling to his feet, I followed him, shutting off the mist and listening to the quiet hum of the purifier as it recycled the last of the water draining from the room. He stopped in my common room, turning to lightly cup my face.

"I will see you on the mats," he rumbled gently, leaning down to press a final kiss to my lips before his holoform winked out.

I hummed and stretched, lazily brushing my hair before there was a knock on the door.

"Kae! It's just us!" Chromia stated with a grin, walking through the door into my common-room with Arcee, Flare, Ironhide, Ratchet, Sideswipe and Bumblebee in tow. "Good, you aren't dressed yet!"

"Thank you for knocking," I said gravely, I stood naked in my living room and began laughing quietly. Chromia giggled and offered me a beautiful silver silk bra. I stared at in shock before slipping my arms into it. She hugged me as she did up the clasp and offered me a pair of panties, which I slipped into quickly.

"They're gorgeous Chrome," I murmured.

"They're your colours," she said with a smile, I looked up at her with raised eyebrows and took in her clothing. Pants and pink tunic, perfect for fighting. Sideswipe had a Katana slung naturally across his back. I looked at Bee's outfit and grinned at the yellow tunic and black pants. Ratchet was a surprise, he was wearing green.

"Paint job's going to match, finally," he rumbled with a broad grin. I glanced around and noted the styles of their clothing. Ironhide was in black and grey, loose fitting trousers and tank.

"Is..." I whispered uncertainly.

"Is it correct to wear your own colours?" Sideswipe grinned, "Absolutely, and wear your blades, we won't use them, but it is proper to wear them today."

I took a deep breath and smiled, Optimus had already bathed me. I walked to the beautifully carved cedar chest and knelt in front of it, bowing gracefully for a long moment before opening it.

I pulled out my master's tunic, unwrapping it gently and standing again.

First were the wraps, deep blue on my calves and ankles, holding two delicately sheathed throwing knives. Brilliant red crisscrossed my back, lightly binding my chest and holding another knife.

I gathered my hair up and clipped it back with the combs Paddy had made for me with their beautiful glass beads, slipped into silvery blue trousers and tied them delicately before wrapping the tunic carefully around my shoulders. It snugged into my waist, showcasing my figure but still allowing me to move.

I picked up the wide, exquisitely embroidered black belt and tied it around my waist before my katana settled across my back, sitting firmly in it's sheath. I stood straight for a long second before turning to the holoforms standing in my common-room.

"Wow," Bumblebee whispered. I smiled at him.

"That about sums it up, yep," Ironhide rumbled with a broad grin.

"You look incredible, Kae," Ratchet murmured, walking forward and enveloping me in a warm hug. I took a deep, shuddering breath and held my spark-father tightly for a long moment. I turned to Bumblebee with a smile, reaching for the holoform with open arms.

He grinned and caught me in a strong hug.

"So you gonna teach me some new moves sis?" he asked with a broad grin.

"You lot are absolutely incorrigible, you know that right?" I asked with a laugh.

"The new year is a time for learning, for teaching and for understanding," Ratchet stated in a quiet, learned murmur.

"Now are you gonna teach us how to defend ourselves or what?" Sideswipe's holo grinned at me mischievously.

I looked at him reproachfully for a second before burying my face in my hands.

"Fine!" I grumbled, "Fine! I have no idea what I could possibly teach you, but fine!"

Chromia laughed and glanced at my feet.

"Where are your shoes?" she asked curiously.

"I never wear shoes on the mats," I said calmly, walking toward the door. I slid on a light pair of sandals and looked over my shoulder at the grinning holoforms.

"Are you walking with or am I meeting you there?" I asked with a low laugh.

Chromia, Arcee and Flare immediately flocked around me, laughing and leading me to the mats as the male holoforms winked out.

* * *

(OPOV)

"Here she comes here she comes!" Bumblebee stated with a broad grin, his holoform winking into his usual place, the rest of the male holoforms winked into being. Optimus looked around at his unit with raised eyebrows. Bumblebee shot him a mischievous grin and pointed. Optimus turned and felt his spark pound against it's chamber.

Mikaela was pacing toward him, no longer fighting to hide the sure, graceful, prowling steps of a predator. He saw her and couldn't stop staring. His colours winked out of silver, she stood battle ready. Exquisite.

She looked at him then. Not simply his holoform, but him. She smiled at him, that beautiful, loving smile that belonged to the Femme who guarded his spark.

"Mikaela?" Optimus whispered as she walked up to his holoform.

"Optimus," she smiled. His name on her lips the sweetest sound.

"Okay fleshbag, I challenge you!" Skids called out with a grin.

"Same goes Bumblebee!" Mudflap added.

Mikaela looked at the holoform with raised eyebrows.

"Choose the style sis!" Bumblebee grinned, pointing to a row of dummy weapons.

"Hand to hand?" Mikaela said with a small smile, delicately unbuckling the sword from her back.

Bee rubbed his hands together with a grin, walking onto the mats and facing Mudflap. Mikaela paced into the spot across from Skids and executed a patient bow, her eyes never leaving his face. She turned slightly and stood calm, watching Skids' holoform as he stared at her.

"Go!" Optimus barked. Skids charged toward Mikaela. He was on his back in seconds with her fist hovering over his face.

"Holy mother!" Skids called out as Bee and Mudflap grappled each other for a moment before Bee got him into submission.

Mikaela bent down and pecked a playful kiss on Skids' forehead before flexing to her feet. Skids stayed on his back for a long second before looking at Optimus.

"Cave man, I cave, holy crap!"

Optimus nodded, giving the holoform an approving grin as his twin tried the same tactic with Mikaela. He was down in a second, staring up at her incredulously before howling with laughter.

"I gotta try that!" Bee grinned. "Challenge you sis!"

Mikaela laughed and faced Bee, bowing quickly before Optimus started them.

They fought back and forth for a second.

"From the shoulder, Bee," Mikaela said suddenly, darting around her brother's swings and tapping his body lightly with open hands, encouraging him. "It doesn't matter if it brings you lower, punch with your body, not your arm. It gives you force." She deflected a few of his blows and nodded. "Good." she smiled at him before dropping down, sweeping his legs out from under him and pinning him in submission. She bent down and kissed his cheek as he laughed.

"That's my big sister!" he grinned, rolling and catching her in a hug.

Mikaela rose with a grin and pulled her little brother to his feet. They walked toward the group with broad grins.

"I challenge you," Ratchet stated suddenly, walking toward Mikaela.

Mikaela nodded.

"Choose the style," she said calmly.

"Balance." Ratchet stated with a grin, grabbing a quarter stave and walking to stand on a narrow beam.

Optimus watched with pride as Mikaela walked calmly along the beam toward the grinning medical officer.

"Bets!" Ironhide rumbled softly.

"Ratchet," Arcee said quietly.

"I don't know," Lennox stated with a frown, "Kae's not wearing shoes, and she walks around in four inch heels without even thinking about it."

"Go!" Optimus shouted.

What followed was a display of acrobatics that almost left the bots in the room moaning. Kae's stave whistled through the air, holding a defensive position so quickly she was almost on the offence.

And she and Ratchet carried on a cheerful conversation the entire while.

Optimus watched with raised eyebrows as Ratchet began on a signature sequence that always left his opponent on the floor. The only thing that kept _him _balanced was knowing the sequence _himself_. Three moves in Kae did the impossible, somehow kicking at Ratchet's face with a foot firmly on the beam and sweeping his ankles out from under him with the staff.

Ratchet fell off the beam. Kae stood on her hands for a second before dismounting lightly, Ratchet howled with laughter as she reached down and pulled him to his feet.

"How in Primus name did you do that?" Ironhide demanded.

Kae turned with a surprised look in her eyes.

"Slow it down, I'll explain it," Ratchet chuckled, "I've been trying to get these glitches to try something like it for vorn."

Mikaela laughed and faced Ratchet's holoform, she took a deep breath and nodded.

"That's it? There was some sort of..."

"It's harder to do it slowly," Kae chuckled, hopping back a step and bending slowly forward. One leg came up behind her, overextending into a split near Ratchet's head.

"Now this is distractionary," Ratchet stated with a broad grin, catching her ankle gently and bouncing her back and forth for a moment as she giggled.

"Which distracts away from the fact that I'm still active down here," Kae laughed, spinning her quarter stave and lightly bumping Ratchet's ankles.

"Can you imagine what that would be like to..." Arcee murmured to Optimus. Optimus crossed his arms, watching his Kae. "Oh right," she grinned up at him as he smirked, "You already _have_ haven't you?"

Mikaela was laughing, still standing split in the air as Ratchet told her precisely where her muscles should be for optimum force, her pant leg finally fell down her leg to show a brilliant blue wrap and gorgeous dagger. And beneath that, a long, tapered, smooth leg.

"How do you plan on getting out of this now?" Ratchet asked with a laugh, holding onto her ankle.

"You mean in real life or right now?" Kae asked cheerfully.

"Both," Ratchet grinned. In a moment, Kae had somehow spun, bent back, caught Ratchet's ankles and taken him straight onto his back. Kae went down with him, landing with one calf resting lightly beside his head. Her hand slapped her calf before two fingers touched Ratchet's throat.

"Aand you're dead," she grinned down at him. "Sorry Ratch, I still love you though. Can I be your assistant?"

Optimus couldn't have stopped the grin that emerged on his face as he watched his spark-mate tease the laughing medical officer if he'd wanted to. She bent down and pressed a kiss to his chin before flexing to her feet and pulling him to his own again.

She walked off the mats and stood beside Arcee as they watched the holoforms challenge each other. Sideswipe ruled on the mats, going down only to Ironhide and Ratchet.

"Little sister! Challenge you." Sides grinned, looking at Kae.

She laughed and quickly disarmed herself, laying three daggers and sword down gently on the edge of the mats. She walked forward and bowed to Sides.

"Choose," she said with a smile.

"Swords," Sideswipe grinned, tossing her a wooden dummy. She hefted it for a second before spinning it about and sinking into a crouch.


	87. 85 The Real Challenge

**Well, I figure at this point I may as well take a leaf from a few other author's fics, primarily because this is truly the only place where I can address the guest reviewers. Nothing bad mind you :) however:**

**Susan: thank you, as for Kae's alt-form? If I can get her to survive that long I have a very good idea of what she's going to be. :) The cathedral I shall attempt to explain or give a visual of, however my recent attempts at doing so have become quite the rambles. **

**Autobotsoldier1: Seven times? Really? I am honoured. **

**Xireana and Angel: for your continued support I am truly grateful. **_**  
**_

_**And to my dear, wonderful Beta Bee4Ever, my eternal gratitude for your patience for my spazzy brain. If you have not yet popped over to view Bee's writings? Do it. You shall not regret such an action. **_

**Chapter 85 – the Real Challenge**

* * *

(MPOV)

"Go!" Optimus shouted, I could hear his grin. I straightened slightly and began to circle Sideswipe, observing, measuring him. We darted together and began dancing around each other at high speed, defence and offence back and forth. I couldn't stop the grin that hit me anytime I was fighting a skilled opponent.

Gods it was fun. I saw a tiny opening and swooped in. His sword went flying, in a second I had him on his back with my own sword at his throat.

Sideswipe grinned up at me and brought up a strong punch, knocking my sword from my hand. I flexed off of him and stood ready for hand-to-hand.

"Well done Sis, now let's see what you can actually do," Sideswipe grinned at me, sinking into the defence. I straightened and gave the evidence of not being prepared. "I'm not falling for it, come at me little sister!"

I rolled my eyes and walked toward him, Sideswipe frowned, tracking my movements. I feinted coming in high and dropped, springing up feet-first and planting both feet square into his chest. He landed hard on his back with a loud oomph and stared up at me in shock as the ball of my left foot rested lightly on his throat.

"Holy CRAP!" Epps shouted behind me.

"Sorry," I said with a small frown, reaching down to pull him to his feet. He spun and knocked me down, flexing to his feet and trying to get me into submission.

I twisted and got him down again, catching his wrist, flipping him onto his stomach and holding him in gentle submission, increasing the pressure slightly as he tried to twist out. I held him for a moment longer before standing and backing off. He jumped to his feet and turned to face me.

"Again!" he growled, I dropped into a defensive stance.

He came at me and we began sparring back and forth as holoforms and soldiers both watched us. Sideswipe began to fight with a snarl, and I began to fight myself. Fighting to not hurt him.

"You're holding back, and you'd better stop it or I _will_ kill you!" Sideswipe snarled at me. I dropped onto my back and took him hard in the sternum with both feet, throwing him well back. I flexed to my feet and backed off several paces.

"Then you're going to have to kill me, brother," I stated firmly, grabbing my wrists behind my back and standing firm.

"Sideswipe!" Optimus barked. The holoform straightened and crossed his arms.

"Little Sister you stink of fear," Sideswipe growled. "What the scrap are you afraid of? You'll give up your life to save a _holoform?_ _I'm not real!"_ he promptly waved his hand through his own head. "We dial back our pain settings, Stop. Holding. _Back_."

He came at me and began throwing increasingly fast punches. I ducked and dodged them, never once releasing the death grip I had on my own wrists. Finally, I dropped and took out his legs, rolling and planting a knee in the middle of his back.

"Stop," I gasped, "Just stop a minute." I could feel myself shaking. I knew by the sting that my nails were drawing blood from my wrists.

"Kae, Sideswipe's holoform has been fully dialled back from his form," Ratchet announced patiently. "You may kill him with no harm."

"No, absolutely not no," I growled, squeezing my eyes shut and trying to direct the energon flashing through my system to consume the adrenaline in my blood.

"Why?" 'Hide asked curiously, walking toward us.

"Each kill becomes easier, it doesn't matter if it's necessary or not, each kill is becoming easier than the last, I know my programming, and I will not cater to my addiction to the power. It's not happening. No." I babbled quietly.

"Kae, it's alright, we kill each other's holoforms constantly, the trick is remembering it's not really us." Ironhide murmured in my ear. "Sideswipe is parked safely two hundred feet away and you know it." He raised his voice to the level that the soldiers could hear it. "Alright you two, take a break and Chrome and I will show you how it's done!"

I stood up and walked, trembling in the circle of Hide's holoform's arm to stand beside Optimus. Ironhide grinned and jerked his head to Chromia. She giggled and pranced toward him.

"Gonna kill me lover?" she asked teasingly.

"Let's see if any of Kae's skills have rubbed off on you yet," Ironhide drawled, they walked to the middle of the mat and proceeded to beat the living shit out of each other until Chromia was laying on the floor, her head backwards. Her holoform winked and she was standing again. Grinning at Ironhide.

"I don't know how you always manage to get me with that one," she laughed, winding herself around her lover's holoform again. "That's what? The sixth time you've snapped my neck?" she giggled as Ironhide pecked kisses all down her neck.

I closed my eyes for a second, taking a deep breath.

"We all know your gentle heart," Optimus rumbled in my ear, "and we've all seen you kill, not one of your shots misses it's target."

I shuddered and crossed my arms, Optimus wound his own tightly around me. I leaned back against him automatically.

"But we also know you adore showing off from time to time," Optimus continued in my ear with a low laugh. "This is how we train without hurting each other, every time you take one of us down we learn something, and you will be joining us with your own holoform in time. Go on." I pulled back to look into his smiling eyes, then at a grinning Sideswipe.

"You're sure," I asked in a sceptical tone.

"Bring it Little sister!" Sideswipe grinned. "How many times can you kill me in five minutes?"

I frowned and looked at Ironhide.

"Bets?" I asked with a small grin.

"Three!" Bee shouted.

"One!" Sideswipe grinned, ducking at me as we walked to the centre of the mats. There were numbers being called out all around us.

"Ten!" Optimus rumbled suddenly.

"Cutting it fine love!" I called over to him. "Where's the timer?"

"Go!" Optimus roared.

I ducked into Sideswipe and hit three points before coming up directly behind his defences, a strong punch and hit and he was down on the ground.

"ONE!" I shouted, backing up to let him re-set.

"That's playing dirty!" Sideswipe growled.

"Decepticons don't play clean son!" Ironhide roared gleefully. "_Get him Kae_!"

"Right, you wanted to learn this strike you learn it now," I stated coldly, walking toward him with my hands down. He frowned at me. I jumped forward, deflected two shots and killed his holoform again. "TWO!"

He flexed to his feet and charged toward me. I took the ground and tore his throat out with two fingers*. Blood splashed across my face and arms, the surprised look on his face burning itself into my mind.

"_Fuck!"_ Jacobs bellowed as the holoform collapsed. I straightened and forced the ice to return to my blood.

"Three," I stated softly, backing away to let him re-set.

After five kills I leaned over and planted my hands on my knees.

"Kae you've hit him like, ten times, there's no way you're tired!" Lennox called out.

"Tired no, seriously _seriously_ grossed out." I groaned. Sideswipe jumped me, I spun, broke his neck and almost threw up. I forced myself to cool again and sat waiting, watching Sideswipe as he jumped to his feet, righted his neck and charged toward me. I sighed and killed him three more times before I had to run to the edge of the mats, violently throwing up into a bin.

"Time!" I groaned, pushing myself to my feet and turning to face Sideswipe again. He was standing and grinning at me. Shaking his head.

"You have another twenty five seconds to kill him again." Optimus rumbled with a low laugh, I promptly turned around and threw up again.

"You're pushing me way the hell away from powertrip kills, I don't know whether to thank you or kick you." I groaned, retching again.

"I challenge you, once you've finished up," Optimus rumbled, "so you can probably do both."

I looked over at him with a frown.

"If you think you're going to go ten kills against me too you're out of your auto-bot mind." I grumbled, heaving myself to my feet and facing Sideswipe.

"I just want to see somebody get her into submission now," Ratchet stated with a grin.

I sighed, took a deep breath, squared my shoulders and pelted in full charge at Sideswipe. He went low, trying to anticipate me. I feinted dropping, sprang up and flew over him, catching his head and using it as leverage to control my own descent. I landed lightly on the other side, Sideswipe fell down.

"Rule number 17," I stated in a calm tone. "Do and expect the unexpected."

"Ten times, five minutes." Ironhide rumbled with a frown.

"I want to know how you keep getting in!" Sideswipe grumbled, righting his head again.

"You're too used to your weapons," I shrugged. I walked to the edge of the mats and caught the water bottle Chance threw at me, taking a long drink.

I took a deep breath and forced down the rising bile of having killed my brother. Ten times. My muscles sang with adrenaline, ready to go, ready to keep going.

"Let's go Kae," Optimus rumbled at me firmly.

I took a deep breath, walked to the centre of the mat and faced him. We stood, facing each other for a long minute.

"Oh god I can't do it!" I moaned, burying my face in my hands. "_Fucking_ personal attachments. _Damn it." _I straightened and looked at the ceiling.

"Uncle, forgive me," I whispered, spun and pelted toward Optimus, a second of observing him and I threw three blows, got inside his defences and faltered. I wrapped myself around him and kissed his jaw.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus glared down at his spark-mate.

"Kissing me to death is not going to work," he rumbled. She sighed and backed up.

"Fine," Mikaela snapped, "I am _not _going for kill-shots though. I've got enough nightmare material for months after killing Sides. You want me to kill your holoform you're going to have to wait until I _am_ one. And, you know, not so attached to the fact that I'm still human and killing the human forms of my _family!_"

"Scrap, she's right about that one," Bee said suddenly. "We've got these set for human configurations. Sorry sis, it's kinda hard to not consider you, just... you know... a bit weird that you're always using your holoform instead-a using the regular transmissions, or standing up and talking to us face to face. That's a processor tangle in itself." he crossed his eyes and made a face at Kae, she stared at him for a long second.

Ratchet snorted back a laugh.

"Just go to submissions," he rumbled with a grin. Optimus frowned. "Oh come on, Optimus, you honestly expect your _fiancee_ to kill you?"

"I expect my fiancee to teach us how to defend ourselves, her fighting styles are defeating ours, and you have not yet broken out in a sweat." he frowned, looking at his Kae.

"And what do you mean we're too used to our weapons?" Sideswipe asked, looking at her with a frown of his own.

"I fight under concealment," Mikaela stated firmly, "Assassin's strikes, things that security cameras miss. Dirty hits. I don't lose my temper, I don't see red and I don't get hot and sweaty. I was trained to kill and not care beyond not getting caught. Moreover I was trained to kill well-protected people. Sniper shots, tracking, getting into high security buildings. Putting on a new face. Becoming a new person."

Optimus strode toward her and looked into her eyes as she began burying her grief behind the iron shutters.

"But the Kae you have shown me, is the Kae you are," he rumbled softly, reaching up and cupping her face as the anger faded from her eyes. "And the Kae you are, is a protector above everything else. Now do as your Uncle commanded you."

She straightened and looked him in the eye with an incredible fire.

"You want to learn, fine. I'm not going to take anymore flack." Mikaela stated with ice in her tone, she turned and looked at the group.

"I caught Sideswipe with the same hit five times, you aren't learning by getting your ass whipped. Drop into stance." Mikaela commanded, stepping back from Optimus and walking toward Sideswipe.

She took three quick steps and dropped, kicking up from the ground and freezing.

"Where are your hands?" Kae demanded, somehow managing to stay frozen, her arms alone supporting her weight inside of his defences. She flexed back, landed on her feet and crossed her arms, looking at him with a frown. "you're fighting with weapons you don't have. Stop grasping for the gun you don't have and _fight_ with the fist you _do_."

Sideswipe crossed his arms with a frown.

"In fairness you're going to have to re-teach me how to fight when I'm a bot," Mikaela grinned at him. Sideswipe stared at Kae and burst out laughing.

"Alright, I've seen you do the sequence, time to learn." he grinned.

* * *

(RPOV)

"I still want to see Kae and Optimus do against each other," Ratchet murmured.

"Challenge!" Arcee shouted with a grin.

Mikaela looked at Optimus with worried eyes.

Optimus grinned and sank his holoform into a starting stance.

"To submissions," he rumbled with a grin. She smiled and walked toward him, her head tilted to one side.

"Submissions, plural, you know me too well love, but I haven't yet seen you fight," she sank into her own stance with a grin. "Let's get to know each other, shall we?"

Optimus laughed and strode toward her, flashing a few light punches, which she deflected easily, lightly tapping his stomach with an open fist. They circled each other, both grinning. Kae cocked her head to the side with a coy look.

And then they went at it.

Perfect synchronicity. Every blow deflected, and neither was trying.

"Open it up!" Bumblebee shouted. They began dancing with each other, Optimus would have her locked in his embrace and she would break out. He would get her on the ground and she would flip him onto his back. Every now and again they would slow down, Kae would be holding him in a gentle submission and delicately kissing his face or neck.

In truth it was frankly erotic. Mikaela's pheromones seemed to kick it up a notch every time Optimus got the upper hand. And anyone with ears... well, Kae's ears, could hear the deep tone of lust slowly increasing it's frequency in Optimus' spark.

They finally wound up on the floor. Kae was laying on Optimus' back, their arms intertwined.

"She got him into submission!" Sideswipe howled.

"Then why isn't he kicking out?" Ironhide rumbled. Kae seemed to struggle for a second before laying on top of him again.

"Only _you_ would manage to leave the _both_ of us in submission. What are the _fricking_ odds?" she grumbled before laughing. "Do we call it a draw or are you going to have to get me into solitary submission to keep your Primely brass ones?"

Optimus burst out laughing at the reference.

"I am okay with a draw," Optimus chuckled. They broke apart and rose, Optimus wound an arm around her waist and bent to murmur in her ear. "But I _am_ going to revisit that, _later._"

She shuddered and lightly whacked his chest. The well-concealed glance she shot him was immediately betrayed by a pulse of that deep tone emerging from the Prime's chest.

Will was rubbing his ears, looking around.

Ratchet couldn't help the laugh that broke out of his normally stern demeanour. Arcee shot him that same glance and he felt his own spark pound against it's casing.

Will looked around and seemed to pinpoint the source of the noise and looked around himself, finally looking at a blushing Mikaela and at the way Arcee was eyeing Ratchet.

"Now what?" Mikaela asked with a small smile, looking up at Optimus with her arms lightly wrapped around his waist.

"Now teach us your style," Optimus rumbled, pulling her tightly against his chest for a second before shooting pleading eyes at her.

"How?" she frowned, "it took me _years_ to figure my style. _I_ don't even know my style."

"You said you were trained to use assassin's strikes," Will stated with raised eyebrows.

"I was trained the strikes, yes, but to use them they need to be ingrained, and once you learn them you can't _unlearn_ them." She stated sadly, looking at Will. "But I learned the strikes, Shao Lin, Tai Chi, Accupuncture, and judo." Mikaela listed off calmly. "Along with breakdancing, gymnastics, and Yoga. I fight by instinct, how do I teach that?" she asked curiously, looking at her Optimus.

"At three in the morning, when most of us are asleep you do this intense sequence," Chance called out, "Even when you're injured, you get up and you do that sequence every night unless you know someone's watching you. Teach that!"

Mikaela stared at him.

"Insomnia," Chance grinned. "Every now and again I like watching surveillance tapes in the hopes that it'll be boring enough to fall asleep to. Without _fail,_ you wake up at oh three hundred, walk to the mats, do that sequence, wander around for a minute and go back to bed. And _I_ wanna learn it." he smirked at her.

Kae took a deep breath, nodded and closed her eyes, walking to the centre of the mats. "Sideswipe, you know this set." she murmured, her eyes were closed as she danced slowly through the set she did anytime she was worried or stressed. Ratchet thought for a moment and stared in shock.

"You do that anytime you get aggravated enough to hurt something!" he stated loudly.

"And it took Uncle Sho damn near a _decade_ to get that behaviour pounded into my head," Mikaela added with a snort. "Mind, it was Tin..." she trailed off and stopped, standing stock still to look at the clock. "It was eight years, this minute, that Tinny was taken." she whispered. The group fell dead silent as she stood, soundless, tiny and alone. Her eyes were ancient, lost in memory as she stared at the clock.

Ratchet did the only thing he could think of.

He walked forward and crushed Kae into a hug.

"It's time to fight away the last of the past, Kae," he rumbled softly. She straightened in his arms and looked at him for a long moment before nodding. She walked away in absolute silence, picking up knives and sword without stopping.

"What'd you say?" Will asked in a shocked tone.

"That it's time to fight away the last of the past!" Ratchet stated with a frown, looking at the door Kae had walked through.

"Last of..." Will frowned and turned to Optimus. "You don't think..."

Optimus was staring off into space.

"She has gone into storage and gotten the trunk she has not opened yet." Optimus rumbled. His holoform offlined the next second as he transformed and stood, walking toward his private quarters with everyone in tow.

* * *

*Yes I know it's impossible to tear a throat out with two fingers. It's a movie people! and she's killing holoforms besides! :P


	88. 86 VFG

**Chapter 86 - VFG**

* * *

(OPOV)

For the first time, Optimus hacked into the surveillance cameras in the building to watch his Kae's movements. She was walking with determination. And fear.

"Last of..." Lennox murmured beside his holoform, "You don't think..."

"She has gone into storage and retrieved the trunk she has not yet opened." Optimus rumbled, watching her movements. He saw her destination and offlined his holoform. Somehow, he knew she would want _him_ there, not simply his holoform.

She was kneeling in her quarters when he onlined his holoform beside her. Her eyes were closed and the screen sat in front of her. Unplugged.

"Tinny knew I would be here," Optimus rumbled softly, hesitantly reaching a hand to touch her shoulder gently. Her hand slid up to twine her fingers into his holoform's. He saw his ring on her finger and rubbed it lightly, spinning it on her finger with a small smile.

She gave a choked laugh and stood, looking at his holoform.

"I am right outside," he told her with a small smile. She began laughing properly.

"Only you," she whispered, reaching up to kiss him lightly.

"Have you decided on how you are going to inform Galloway?" Optimus grinned down at her mischievously.

"I thought I'd use a fraction of the truth," Mikaela smiled up at him.

"And that is?" he asked, picking up her trunk and carrying it into his private quarters through her door.

"That I fell in love with a person strong enough to love me. A bot who sees every last one of my flaws and looks past them." she murmured.

Optimus set the trunk down lightly and turned, wrapping his Kae tightly in his arms.

She clung to him for a long time.

"Kae?" Chromia asked softly. Mikaela took a deep breath and looked up at the soldiers and Auto-bots slowly crowding into Optimus' quarters.

"I guess," Mikaela murmured, "I guess it's time you met my family." she gave a weak smile and took a deep breath, reaching out and touching the trunk. Chance ran an extension cord from the wall and offered her the plug. Kae's smile strengthened somewhat as she accepted the power. She inserted a disk into the drive and knelt in front of the computer as the screen came alive.

"It's about _time_ little sister," Tinny's voice said immediately, grinning at her sister.

"Can you blame me? Tin?" Mikaela asked softly.

"I guess not," Tinny shrugged. "But still, eight years? You're cutting it close, _nobody's _voice stays the same for long."

"How on earth..." Lennox choked.

"You've got people with you!" Tinny shouted victoriously. "Please please tell me you've got a lover close by, of course you do, or you wouldn't be talking to me. Is he cute? Ooh ooh! Alien! C'mon sis! Tell me you've found them!"

"Yeah I did, Tinny," Mikaela laughed ruefully, "and I'm engaged to one of them. Oh I wish you could have _met_ them Tin."

The tiny asian girl on the screen cheered.

"Quit hogging the screen you little squirt," Brick rumbled cheerfully, picking Tinny up and plunking down beside her as the camera panned back slightly.

"Brick," Mikaela choked out behind a sob.

"Yeah, kinda thought I'd be the last to go," Brick rumbled softly. "That's always the worst part, isn't it? The waiting. 'Course you were always better at the waiting, that's why we chose you for the messenger. I just wish it hadn't made you the pallbearer little girl.

"Just remember to build Barry a new suitcase if he's managed to kill the one I made him there. There's no doubt that man's still alive, it's Barry."

"Yeah, he really could be on his deathbed and still kick our asses," Mikaela murmured with a low laugh.

"Except yours," Brick chuckled. "You remember what I taught you baby girl, the best lies are the truth."

"Because nobody can prove you're wrong." Mikaela replied softly. "I remember uncle."

"Good. Aw Kaelie, don't forget to let people in, now and again. Mary's got people to stand behind her, and you know Old Wolf and his boys'll be around if you need them. Just don't let Wolf marry you off to one of his boys, hold out little girl, find the good one who's strong enough to face up to your temper and loves you for who you _are_, not who you might turn out to be. It's no good to love a dream."

Mikaela sniffed and nodded.

"You'd like him, Brick," she whispered.

"That's my girl," the soft eyed man murmured gently. "Keep smiling Kae, it makes the world a better place." the man rose and another sat down in front of the screen.

"Provide proof that this is Chen Mikaela Banes or this recording will self destruct in thirty seconds." Paddy stated in his irish lilt.

"Oh fuck off Paddy, quit being such a bloody tosser!" Mikaela laughed.

"I _never_ should ha' taught you that," the Irishman laughed softly. "It's bad enough you know how to swear in American and Mandarine, let alone in me beloved Irish tongue. Have you been keeping up your Guelga?"

"Yes Paddy," Mikaela said gently, "I'll not let your songs die."

"Good girl," Paddy smiled gently, "kip some milk on the windowsill for me will you? Be a good neighbour to the faeries."

"Says the man who was always drinking the milk on the windowsill," Mikaela laughed softly.

"Yes well," Paddy snorted, "don't you _dare_ let the children grow without knowing that there are things in this universe greater and more important than money and logic. Keep the songs alive, álainn, keep your heart gentle. Spade the shit into the gardens and never let them tell you different."

"I will, Paddy," Mikaela whispered, there were tears streaming down her face again as the man blew her a kiss and rose.

"Quit crying Cricket, you're alive, which means the lot of us are too." Rig stated immediately. "We've got you for our legacy, and there 'aint no _better_ than you. Don't cry for us, laugh. We lived, and we live on in your heart. There ain't nothing better."

"To the end of days, Rig," Mikaela whimpered.

"Hey you," Rig said with a grin, "go see the wonders, you know the ones I mean, if they managed to bury me under one of those little white crosses make sure I'm still wearing the boots you made for me. I'm so proud of you girl, you remember that, no matter what course you take in your life, we're proud of you. I know Sho's hidden this thing for you to find, which means a few more of the discs survived. Do me a favour, take the tech specs off of the blue disc marked October 31. Happy belated birthday, baby angel, I hope they come in handy. Fix 'em, make 'em better and a piece of me will be in this world forever. Tell Barry he's a bald assed rat bastard and that momma sends her love. Say whatever the _hell_ you want, and swear as much as you can get away with. Try everything once except for those fucking cocktails the street boys bandy about and put hotsauce in your coffee the morning after. If you haven't already, beat the _shit_ out of Harrison for me."

"I killed him," Mikaela told the screen softly.

"Excellent!" Rig howled. "I _told_ that bastard he'd get his come uppance! I hope you sent him to hell with that glare of yours Cricket, because of all the places in this universe, that is _precisely_ where that child killer is goin'. Keep singin', Cricket, when you're singing, all is right in the world." the man winked and rose, making way for Chen Sho.

He sat silently for a long moment, somehow looking directly at Mikaela.

"You know your duty, daughter of my heart," he said softly. Mikaela promptly sagged onto the floor, sobbing. "Do not isolate yourself, Little Cricket, we are not made to be alone," Chen Sho stated gently, "remember the beauty in the world, not just the pain. Never say goodbye, it is a fool's word. Stay away from the middle areas, beautiful soul, we will see each other again."

He rose and left the screen. Cal Banes sat down.

"Say it aloud, Kae," Cal said gently. "We can now. Look up at the stars and know that I love you. Stand firm on the ground and fly through the air. Remember to breathe, stop the world before you take the shot. Never hesitate, and never regret. Remember us but live in the present. Keep yourself free to love." the man smiled at his daughter. "Pizza, pasta, or to the lions baby girl. Don't eat anything I wouldn't."

"Okay daddy," Mikaela whimpered as Tinny took the screen again.

"You know I'm editing this, little sister," Tinny said gently. "So I need to ask you to find something out for me. Is the moon there? Or do we see a shaded part because we expect it to be there? I never told you while we were alive, I had a mission too. And seeing as you're actually _listening_ to this it means I'm right. There's absolutely no way we can't afford to send another person to the moon. The numbers are being played, sis, something's up there, and someone doesn't want us to find it."

"What do you mean?" Optimus rumbled with a frown. The face on the screen turned to look at him with intelligent brown eyes.

"You're here because Kae trusts you, and if you're one of them you'll probably be interested. Certainly you're open minded seeing as you're talking to the recording of a dead girl. Look into the conspiracies, because behind every lie there's a grain of truth." The girl turned back to look at her sister. "I'll see you in our next lives, little sister," she said softly before the screen went dark.

"Tinny?" Mikaela whimpered softly, Optimus looked down at his beloved as she sat wilted on the floor.

Optimus onlined his holoform again and enveloped his Kae in it's arms as she sat silently, a single, final tear falling to sparkle on the floor.

"That..." Lennox stated softly.

"That was the last of her old life, saying goodbye," Jacobs rumbled, Optimus turned to see the man standing with his arms wrapped protectively across his chest. "Fitting, really, it's new-year's eve."

::. Everyone, bring it in.:: Optimus murmured silently, gently. Every last one of his earthbound unit onlined their holoforms and crowded close, surrounding Kae with the warmth of softly humming sparks.

A moment later Kae straightened slightly, sniffing and wiping her tears away quickly. She looked up at Optimus for a moment.

"Do I get to challenge you back?" she asked softly.

"Yes you do," Optimus rumbled with a gentle smile.

"Yes!" Chromia shouted gleefully. "C'mon girl! Guys against girls in the general melee!"

Optimus straightened in shock, staring at the Femmes.

"Determines who gets to wear the pants this year," Flare murmured with a broad grin. Mikaela snorted and rose gracefully to her feet.

"And every year you let them win, don't you?" Kae murmured, flashing a frankly wicked look at the fiery red-head.

"Can you blame me?" Flare smirked.

"I believe we had a pact," she stated with absolutely innocent eyes. The femmes began hooting with laughter, snagging Kae and escorting their newest sister back toward the mats.

The human and Auto-bot males sat in silence for a long moment.

"I don't get it," Will stated finally.

"Yet another thing Humans and Auto-bots share," Ironhide drawled with a snort.

"Universally, females are impossible to understand," Chance laughed.

Optimus snorted.

"You don't count," Ratchet told him blandly.

"And why is that?" Optimus asked with a grin.

"Because _your_ femme let you know precisely _how_ to chase her."

"They all do!" Jacobs stated with a frown. "You just have to, you know, _listen_."

* * *

(APOV)

"I'm sorry," Mikaela said immediately.

"What the scrap for?" Chromia asked with a smile.

"For letting us see you cry?" Arcee asked gently.

"For letting us meet the people who raised you?" Flare piped up calmly.

"Girl, perfect timing, and I'm sure as hell not being sarcastic," Chromia stated firmly.

"New years is the time for learning," Arcee stated gently, picking Kae up and cuddling her gently, "all things, not just fighting. We've learned of the people who created you, dear sister, you've allowed us to share with you the wisdom of your elders, and allowed us to share your grief of their passing."

"None of us were _ever_ made to be alone," Chromia smiled, reaching over to lightly stroke the tiny human femme's cheek.

"Family is important," Flare stated gently as Kae smiled weakly. "Now are you gonna teach me how to catch your big brother's optic or not?" she demanded with a grin.

Kae began laughing weakly, her strength increasing as Arcee whizzed down the corridor toward central again.

"Alright, and just because it's you three I'm going to let you cheat and learn it all in one go, instead of spreading it out like Uncle did me." Kae laughed. Flare whooped and onlined her holoform beside the girl.

"Right," Kae smiled, "I'm going to do the full sequence, go ahead and scan me, figure out where my muscles are and I'd imagine that by the time the boys get back we'll be dancing together."


	89. 87 The Master

**Chapter 87 – The Master**

* * *

(SPOV)

Sideswipe followed the senior officers back toward central, tossing jokes back and forth with Jacobs. Fascinating human, Jacobs, he was quiet in his own way, soft spoken, but he still gave warnings out before he blew up on you.

The femmes were dancing together, going through Mikaela's sequence in slow motion. Mikaela was walking around them, gently correcting the occasional stance.

"Share!" Ratchet called out with a grin, onlining his holoform.

"We've got it scanned in!" Arcee called back with a grin.

"Kae's letting us cheat!" Flare added with a laugh, piping the stances and corrections directly across the primary.

Optimus onlined his holoform again to stand beside the girls with a small grin as they closed the stance.

"Again," Mikaela smiled gently as holoforms onlined around her, and a few soldiers tore shoes off to join them.

"If we're learning stuff, you want to teach me how to ride?" Lennox asked with a grin. Mikaela looked at him for a long second before smiling.

"Let's see how you do in the stances, first," she chuckled. "Chrome, you've got it down, do you want to stand in front of the soldiers so they can copy you?"

Chromia giggled and moved in front of the soldiers.

They began to move, slowly, Kae's voice dropped to a hypnotic level, soothing, calming.

"Remember," she stated, "use every muscle as you move, resist your own movements and you build your strength." she walked around everyone, gentle hands correcting stances and hands. Bee, the twins, and the soldiers were still moving in slightly jerky movements. Kae gently took Bee's hands in her own and guided his motions.

"Smooth, gentle, graceful," she murmured gently, "the mighty oak stands firm in the earth, but his inability to bend to the wind is his greatest weakness. Be the grass, Bee, bend with the wind. Make it your ally."

Sideswipe watched in shock as Bumblebee's movements became smooth, graceful, his stances slowly integrating the knowledge streaming from Little Sister Kae. She smiled her approval and moved to Mudflap, taking his hands and lightly changing his stances.

"A roaring fire quickly uses his fuel," she murmured, "He is flashy, loud and rapidly targeted. But an ember lays in wait, growing hot and strong, a single puff of air unleashes his fury. Then nothing may stand in his way."

Mudflap stared at her as his motions became smooth, his energies directed inward in a pattern Sideswipe had quietly despaired of him learning.

"What's all this slow motion stuff do anyway?" Skids asked curiously. Mikaela smiled and stepped backward into an open area as everyone stopped to watch.

"Watch again," she murmured, beginning her sequence again, moving slowly, gracefully with her eyes closed. "Nature's gentle touch, that nurtures our hearts and bodies moves slowly. Graceful and gracious." Kae's movements were slow, gentle. Sideswipe watched interestedly, she looked like she was dancing as she spoke the name of each stance. She closed and straightened.

"Fluidity of water, solidity of earth, gentle caress of the air and warmth of the sun." she murmured gently. It was a shock to all, then, when her motions sped to almost blur as she fought an invisible enemy.

"Your stances are perfect!" Sideswipe called out in shock.

"Drill perfection, ma-bo, teach your muscles, ai-cha, and they remember, lo-ha, where they must be!" she trilled between strictly controlled blows. The very names of the stances began to blur together as she danced her way through at high speed. A few moments and she stood stock still with her stance closed. Anyone could see the battle readiness in that stance now. Preparation to snap into action once more.

"Nature's fury, the water flows, tirelessly eroding the strongest stones, the solid earth shakes, erupts, toppling even the most balanced, the winds roar, the fires burn. As fast as a mind is," she stated sternly, "when you must think of where your muscles should be it slows you down. When your muscles know their duty, when your body has learned it's capabilities the fight becomes entirely in the mind."

"Where the mind goes, the body will follow," Sideswipe stated softly, remembering the words of his master.

"Precisely," Mikaela smiled at him gently. She got back into the beginning stance. "Again," she stated patiently.

Optimus grinned and copied her stance, the soldiers and youngsters enthusiastically following suit, dancing slowly through the stances as Kae gently corrected the increasingly few mistakes.

"Alright, now one at a time, apply it," Mikaela stated calmly.

"Is this how you keep going?" Lennox puffed. "Slow motion and I'm out of breath!"

Mikaela chuckled and walked over to him.

"Re-train your lungs," she commanded calmly, "breathe with me."

She took his hands and delicately guided him through the stances, Will's eyes widened as he caught his breath in motion. Mikaela closed his stance and backed up.

"C'mere Flare," Mikaela smiled, the Femme grinned and pranced toward Kae. "Now, go through the sequence."

Flare smiled and slowly began to dance, Sideswipe's eyes widened as Kae danced around her in an entirely different sequence, allowing her blows to be deflected.

Sideswipe filed that image away for later.

"Faster," Kae grinned, Flare sped up somewhat, dancing through the sequence again and again as Kae matched her, quietly chanting "Faster... faster..." until Flare caught her newest sister hard in the chest, knocking her flat onto her back.

"Good!" Kae grinned as Flareup stared in shock.

"You taught me to beat you?" Flareup gasped.

"Perhaps," Mikaela laughed softly, flexing to her feet, "try it."

Flare hesitantly walked forward as Kae sank into a defensive position. They sparred for a few moments, and Sideswipe couldn't help but admire the Femme, she tried hard to get her newest sister into submission. It was a shock entirely when Kae completely switched styles and brought the Femme down gently. She looked Flare in the eye with a gentle smile.

"Remember to never become completely invested in any one style," she said gently, "for every strike there is a defence, and for every defence there is a counterstrike, but there is no defence against surprise."

Sideswipe couldn't help but nod approvingly at that, it was absolutely true.

Flare grinned and dragged her sister down, kissing her soundly. And _that _was also an image that was definitely _never_ going to be deleted. _Ever._ Flare flipped Kae and had her on her back in moments.

"Gotcha!" Flare grinned down at her sister.

"You did," Mikaela laughed brightly, "Although normally you'd have to buy me dinner first," she promptly twined herself around Flareup as the femme giggled, Sideswipe couldn't help but feel a bit jealous about that, he definitely wanted to be in Kae's place now.

They rose quickly.

"Alright," Mikaela stated in a calm tone, "Flare, you know the routine now, go practice with Sides," she crooked a finger at Bumblebee as Flareup trotted over to Sideswipe with a grin.

He would _definitely _have to thank Kae for that later.

* * *

(FPOV)

"Alright, now one at a time, apply it," Kae stated calmly. Flare shot a concealed glance at Sideswipe's holoform. He was watching Kae intently. Flareup thanked her lucky star again that Kae was already engaged to their Prime, or no doubt she would be her strongest competition.

"Is this how you keep going?" Lennox puffed nearby, he was red in the face. "Slow motion and I'm out of breath!"

A good man admits his weakness, Flare thought approvingly.

Mikaela chuckled and walked over to him.

"Re-train your lungs," she commanded calmly, "breathe with me."

She took his hands and delicately guided him through the stances. The Major's eyes widened as he caught his breath. Flare made a mental note of the pace of her breathing, and when she did it, it was a muscular reflex in them, after all. She thought a moment and breathed with them, noting the inputs, a slight increase of power. Fascinating in it's own way, really. Mikaela closed his stance and backed up.

"C'mere Flare," Mikaela smiled, Flare grinned and promptly pranced toward their youngest sister. "Now, go through the sequence."

Flare smiled and slowly began to dance her way through the sequence, it was an entirely different shock when Kae danced around her in an entirely different sequence, allowing her blows to be deflected. Flare scanned Kae's blows as she aimed them, gleefully remembering each stance that deflected it.

Kae turned with her, and Flare noted that Sides was watching them avidly.

"Faster," Kae grinned, Flare sped up somewhat, dancing through the sequence again and again as Kae matched her, quietly chanting "Faster... faster..." until a brand new shock shot through her processors. Flare caught her newest sister hard in the chest, knocking her flat onto her back.

"Good!" Kae grinned as Flareup stared in shock.

"You taught me to beat you?" Flareup gasped.

"Perhaps," Mikaela laughed softly, flexing to her feet, "try it."

Flare hesitantly walked forward as Kae sank into a defensive position, she wasn't certain she wanted to be able to beat her sister Kae. The mate of a Prime should be the strongest of the Femmes, after all. They sparred for a few moments, Flare slowly speeding up until it was obvious that Kae was still damn good in a fight, Kae was grinning at her, and thus spurred on, she tried hard to get her newest sister into submission.

It was less of a shock entirely then, when Kae switched styles and brought her down to the mats gently. She looked Flare in the eye with a gentle smile.

"Remember to never become completely invested in any one style," she said gently, "for every strike there is a defence, and for every defence there is a counterstrike, but there is _no_ defence against surprise."

Flareup thought about that for a rapid second, storing it away in her permanent forward memories. No defence against surprise... Flare grinned and dragged her sister down, kissing her soundly. Surprise.

Hopefully she wouldn't be upset.

Flare flipped Kae and had her on her back in moments.

"Gotcha!" Flare grinned down at her sister.

"You did," Mikaela laughed brightly, "Although normally you'd have to buy me dinner first," she promptly twined herself around Flareup as the two of them giggled. Her sister wasn't upset, beautiful sweet creature. Flare flicked her optics to observe Sideswipe's holoform, noting the mild look of jealously on the holoform's face. Excellent, but she didn't want to spur his jealousy _too_ much...

Flare got up and pulled her smiling sister to her feet.

"Alright," Mikaela stated in a calm tone, not even looking at Sideswipe, "Flare, you know the routine now, go practice with Sides," she turned and crooked a finger at Bumblebee as Flareup trotted over to Sideswipe with a grin. The jealousy on his face had morphed into him trying to conceal a smirk.

Perfect.

Her sister's tactics to offhandedly shove the two of them together were absolutely perfect. She would _definitely _have to thank Kae for that later.

::. Now _that's _impressive.:: Chromia sent to Flareup on their private sisters channel.

::. I know right?.:: Flareup sent with a silent grin ::. _All_ her.::

::. We'll have to remember to spoil her for it.:: Arcee sent with amusement.

::. Absolutely.:: Flare smirked, shooting a sultry, suggestive look at Sideswipe as she bowed to him.

* * *

(OPOV)

Ten minutes to midnight, Optimus walked toward his femme with a small smile. Ratchet, Ironhide and Sideswipe flanked him as the Femmes flanked his Kae.

They bowed respectfully to each other.

"GO!" Bumblebee shouted out with a broad grin. The assembled bots and soldiers cheered as the two groups collided, Optimus wasn't paying attention to that, though.

His holoform's eyes, his optics were only for his Kae as she sparred with him, deflecting his every blow even as he redirected hers.

An even match, an equal.

Gods but she was perfect, matching him blow for blow as he opened himself up. He began struggling to keep up even as her face began to redden slightly, the finest sheen of sweat showing on her face. Her eyes sparkled, and her pheromones were intoxicating as he challenged her, their styles switching constantly.

Come tempest ice or pitfire, he would have her screaming his name tonight.

All movement ceased around them as they danced, time stopped. Optimus pushed himself just a little bit faster and finally caught his Kae in a partial submission. One that she could have broken out of at any time.

Sound returned.

"FIVE... FOUR... THREE... TWO... ONE... HAPPY NEW YEAR!" was shouted around them. Kae reached up and dragged his face to hers, kissing him soundly even as she squirmed slightly in his arms.

Optimus felt a few processors pop as he noted where she had wound up.

She had placed herself even more deeply into his submission.

That process kicked another rapidly into gear, his arms snapped in to crush her there, he nipped at her lower lip and followed her, deepening the kiss until the catcalls finally registered. He backed away from her slightly and noted the wicked twinkle in her eyes.

"Get a room!" Bumblebee shouted, laughing gleefully.

Optimus snorted and promptly picked his Kae up as she laughed, tossing her over his shoulder.

"Yes _Sir_," he rumbled to his scout with a smirk. He turned and promptly carried his laughing Kae toward the doors.

"I didn't see that!" Ironhide bellowed gleefully.

"Did you want me to take video?" Mikaela asked in a sultry, teasing tone well below human earshot. Her eyes caught and held his optics absolutely, saying in a single glance precisely what would be _on_ that video.

Optimus promptly lost control of his holoform as his processors instantly shut down.

* * *

(IPOV)

Optimus' holoform winked out from beneath Kae as his processors shut down before they could short. She landed lightly on her feet as Ironhide and Ratchet rapidly transformed to catch their Prime.

"Earth to _Optimus_!" Ratchet shouted, howling with laughter and lightly tapping Optimus' helm with a finger.

"Get 'em synced boy, or you're _never_ gonna survive her as a _bot_!" Ironhide gleefully rumbled in counterpart.

"What the hell just happened!?" Will bellowed, obviously torn between shock and mirth.

"Kae blew his mind!" Chromia shrieked gleefully, running over and catching Mikaela in a bear hug along with Flare and Arcee.

"That's my girl!" Arcee added brightly, laughing and hugging her sister.

Optimus visibly shook himself as he struggled to sync his processors again.

"I learned from the best," Mikaela murmured in that same wicked tone, twining herself deeply into the grasp of her sisters.

Optimus' spark hummed back to it's normal tone as he onlined the holoform again, striding over to collect the Femme that had already blown his mind once this evening. Chromia grinned and gave Kae a little shove as the Prime's holoform wound an arm around her waist. Kae smiled and tucked her head into his shoulder.

"I am going to get you for that," Optimus rumbled in a mildly threatening tone, a shade away from the tone that would have had a lesser bot cowering.

"Promise?" Mikaela asked in a sweet, gentle tone. No fear. The perfect femme for him. Optimus groaned as the holoform began losing it's form and scooped her up in his hands, obviously giving up on the holoform altogether and carrying his femme back to their quarters.

"So cute," Chromia murmured to him.

Ironhide grinned at the thought and promptly picked the gorgeous Femme up, cradling her in an arm as he began walking to his quarters.

"As always," Ironhide rumbled gently, looking at Chromia. He didn't have to finish the sentence. She knew he would never force her.

She smiled up at him.

He could definitely get used to that.

* * *

(MPOV)

I relaxed in Optimus' hands as he carried me to our quarters, debating whether or not I should throw another shot at him.

"Have mercy," Optimus rumbled with a snort, glancing down at me, "Ratchet and Ironhide are not close enough to keep me from falling on you."

I began laughing helplessly, and obediently waited until my Optimus was a few steps from his berth before I scrambled up his arm and wound myself into his chest before he could stop me.

"Then I'll simply have to wait until you're close enough that the fall doesn't hurt you," I murmured, letting the vibrations of my voice tease the crystalline metals of his spark chamber. Optimus groaned and covered his chest plates with a hand, leaning heavily on his berth.

I began lightly running my hands over the living metals of his frame, and teasing the binder cables that snaked, prehensile and eager toward me.

"Don't you dare shred my clothes," I added with a snort, climbing back out of his chest after he rolled heavily onto his berth. "Stay put," I commanded with a smirk, and slowly untied my belt.

"Kae," Optimus rumbled, onlining his holoform. "May I?" he asked softly, taking my hands and gently bringing them to my sides. I smiled as his hands gently unwound the belt from my waist. He folded it delicately and laid it on the shelf he'd placed on the corner of his berth for me.

His hands were gentle, soothing as the silk slid from my shoulders, his lips feathering kisses across my skin the second the silk left it bare. I watched in bemused amazement as he folded it properly, laying it beside the belt. I reached for the ties to my pants and he caught my hands.

"Aah aah," he chided me softly, shooting me a gentle smile. "I have been envisaging this from the moment you stepped into the central."

I laughed softly and let out a sigh the next second as his hands slid down my legs, gently guiding my feet from the pants. I stood obediently still as he delicately set the pants onto the shelf beside my tunic. He knelt and gently began on my wraps, pressing a gentle kiss to my calf the second the silk left it bare.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus ghosted his holoform's fingers over his Kae's skin as he undressed her. He took his time, memorizing every inch of the beautiful creature who had chosen him. He rose and stood before her, gently removing the delicate clips that held her hair in place. Freed, it fell to her waist in heavy waves, he extended a few binder cables and ran them through that glorious mane, it felt alive.

She stood, and Optimus felt an entirely new surge of passion for the tiny Femme as she looked at him,not the holoform,_ him_.

"It is an impossible choice," he whispered, offlining his holoform in favour of delicately stroking the satin of her skin with the cables. "For the universe I would not change you, for my own selfish desires I would change you to keep you forever."

Kae smiled at him, that beautiful, warm, loving smile that was meant for _him. _The smile that meant all was right with the world. The smile that defined the soul he would gladly die a thousand times over to protect. Mikaela reached up and gently stroked his cables, sending a delicious thrill through his processors. His mark shone on her chest as she delicately climbed up his arm and through his chest plates.

"I will leave this body for a stronger form, for my own selfish desires I will gladly change to keep you forever," she whispered, pressing a kiss to his spark chamber.

Optimus groaned and ensnared his exquisite Kae, a hand resting protectively over his chest plates as his chamber opened beneath her gentle hands.

Her spark joined his, merging completely, he offlined his optics and shut down his motor-reflexes, joining his Kae in the space that size did not matter.


	90. 88 Comparison

**Chapter 88 - Comparison**

* * *

(JaPOV)

Jacobs woke up irritably, his bed was warm, and his pillows in the _perfect_ spot for snoozing late into the day.

He just _knew_ that it was cold outside.

The alarm said it was eight in the morning.

His sisters were expecting him for brunch. Jacobs grinned. Kae had let him talk her into coming, or rather, Jacobs had pestered her, Optimus _himself_ had looked over at them and Jacobs had asked him along as well.

"I would be honoured to meet your family," the bot had rumbled gravely. Except now that he could hear their sparks, he could hear Optimus grinning. "Come my Kae, we do not have to hide from the world, we are betrothed and have never once been on a proper _date!"_

Kae had stared at her fiancee in shock for a long moment.

Optimus winked his holoform on and looked down at her with the best mix of innocence and mischief Jacobs had ever seen.

"You would deny your fiancee the chance to court you?" he asked, shooting Bee's trademarked puppy dog eyes at her.

That was _priceless_.

"Alright fine," Mikaela laughed. Jacobs punched his arms in the air.

So now, Jacobs grinned and swung out of bed, stretching and wandering into his shower. The fact that he had his own shower, in his own _quarters_ was intense. The bots were weird sometimes, but their insistence on what Optimus called the 'little luxuries in life?' Oh he could go along with those just fine.

He shrugged into his uniform and marched his way out of the row of apartments, down the stairs and into the immense corridor.

He knocked on Kae's door and heard her call out a 'come!'

Jacobs wandered in and grinned as she walked out from behind her screen, already dressed and idly brushing her hair.

"What do you think, professional hair up or casual hair down?" she asked with a laugh.

"With that suit?" Jacobs laughed, looking at the silvery pantsuit. "Hair up, definitely."

"The fact that you consider my clothes before saying that makes you the best brother ever," Kae laughed, picking up a rather pretty dagger from the counter.

She twisted her hair up into a chignon, military style.

Girl had _style._

"Optimus awake yet?" Jacobs rumbled curiously.

"Mmm, he's been awake since seven, but my bot loves laying around for the first hour of the morning," Kae laughed.

"So cute," Jacobs snorted.

"What?"

"You call him _your_ bot."

"Well... he _is_," Kae laughed as Optimus' holoform winked in behind her.

"Which gives me no little joy that you _say_ that," he rumbled, catching her in a gentle hug. "Shall we roll?"

"Yes we shall," Jacobs grinned.

Optimus laughed and winked the holoform out, the sounds of his body rising and his slow, careful steps reached his ears. Jacobs offered Kae his arm, which made her laugh, even though she delicately threaded her hand into his elbow.

She smiled and lightly sat in Optimus' hand, Jacobs couldn't help but stare at them.

"What?" Optimus rumbled with a smile, offering his other hand.

"That's just _totally_ become automatic for you two," Jacobs laughed.

The look that the two of them shared, a gentle smile at each other was proof in itself. So cute. Jacobs hesitantly settled himself into Optimus' hand.

"I am not going to drop you," Optimus snorted, standing and bearing them to the entrance bay. Jacobs jumped, Mikaela had shifted in Optimus' hand.

"Like this Lon," she smiled. Jacobs copied her curiously.

Optimus promptly transformed around them.

That. Was grounds for a _total_ freakout. There were moving, limb crushing parts coming _really _close to his limbs. He liked his limbs uncrushed.

"How the hell do you do it?" he demanded of Kae.

She looked at him in amusement.

"He is _very_ good at what he does," Mikaela stated with a smile, leaning comfortably back in the seat and delicately crossing her ankles.

Jacobs shook himself somewhat.

"No offence there, Optimus, but that's just freaky."

"Sorry," Optimus chuckled. "I'll put you down next time."

Jacobs nodded in relief then grinned as Optimus got into gear, driving out the doors.

"Which café?" he rumbled cheerfully.

"The peacock," Jacobs snorted.

Optimus laughed and went north, how the bot always knew where things were was beyond him.

But sure enough he pulled up in front of the Peacock, his holoform winking online to help his Kae from his cab.

Jacobs couldn't help but laugh at them.

He looked around and couldn't see his sisters yet. That was a given, the Jacobs girls were never on time if they could help it. So he snagged a table, flopping down and laughing again as Optimus held Kae's chair.

"Laying it on a bit thick aren't you?" he rumbled with a snort.

"Simply because I am on a different planet, does not mean I should act uncivilly," Optimus rumbled airily.

"Fair enough," Jacobs snorted.

Then of all things, his sisters actually made it, halfway on time. He grinned and rose, waving at them frantically.

The squealing was enough to wake the dead, but that didn't really matter, they were his sisters. Mikaela was laughing softly as she watched their enormous group hug.

"Oh my _God!_" Janice shouted. "You brought your friends along? _Who's the hottie!?_"

"The hottie is a holoform, and he's also engaged," Jacobs snorted, giving his sister a gentle shove. They settled at the table and his sisters promptly gawked at Kae and Optimus.

"In the event you haven't noticed, we _weren't_ actually raised in a barn," Jacobs snorted, grinning at the two of them.

Mikaela burst out laughing. Optimus looked confused. She rested her hand over his, he looked down at her.

"I'll explain it later, dear-spark," she smiled.

"I'll hold you to that," he rumbled with a smile.

"I know that voice! That's Optimus Prime!" Lori shouted. The Café promptly exploded. Kae rolled her eyes.

"See? Are you _sure_ we aren't hiding?" she asked with a laugh. Optimus rolled his eyes.

Jacobs couldn't help but feel a bit embarrassed at that. He'd honestly forgotten just how _loud_ his sisters were, he'd have to apologize later.

"Never mind," Kae smiled. "Hi, I'm Mikaela, you're Lori, Janice, Annette. It's nice to meet you in person, Lon is always talking about you."

Kae to the rescue, nobody could smooth things out better than her. Jacobs noted with a smile that her hand was still resting gently over Optimus'. That seemed to calm him.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Optimus flip that hand, threading his fingers into hers. And as he did that, her eyes would sparkle.

The two of them visited for a good half hour.

"We should probably roll out," Mikaela smiled after a time. "Let you guys catch up properly."

"Oh thank you!" Annette sang, reaching out and catching Kae's hand with a broad grin.

"I'll catch a cab back," Jacobs grinned at them.

Mikaela smiled and rose with Optimus, shooting him a wink out of the sight of his sisters.

Talk about graceful exit.

* * *

(MPOV)

I could feel Optimus' unease, surrounded by loud and busy people in the cafe. People were staring at him, and not all of them nicely. Automatically, I kept my hand gently over his, supporting him silently. His hand turned to thread the holoform's fingers into mine.

I loved it when he did that.

I kept up a bright, cheerful chatter with Jacobs' sisters.

"We should probably roll out," I finally stated with a smile a few minutes after it would be polite. "Let you guys catch up properly."

"Oh thank you!" Annette sang, catching my hand with a grin.

"I'll catch a cab back," Jacobs grinned at us.

I smiled and rose with my Optimus, shooting Jacobs a wink out of the sight from his sisters. Optimus kept my hand in his as we made our way out of the busy cafe.

"_Thank_ you," he rumbled in relief. I smiled and reached up to cup his cheek.

"Did you want to go for a walk?" I asked him gently.

He led me back to himself in silence. I listened to his spark worriedly, he sounded quite upset about something.

I got up into his cab and stroked his seat gently.

"What's wrong my beloved?" I asked gently.

"I apologize, my Kae," Optimus rumbled softly. "Not only have I spoiled our day out, but I have found myself caught with memories of vorns past."

"Let's go home," I murmured softly, caressing the seat.

My Optimus drove in silence, and it broke my heart to hear the grief resonating through his spark. We drove into headquarters and I shook my head as Will walked toward us.

Optimus drove straight to his quarters, transforming and delicately depositing me on the ground. He laid down on his berth and rested a hand over his face.

I observed him for a long moment then climbed up my ladder. He looked at me in surprise as I curled up on his chest-plates. I gave him a gentle smile.

"You thought I'd leave my beloved alone to grieve?" I asked gently.

Optimus vented a sigh and reached up, running a gentle finger down my back before his hand rested over me.

"I love you," he murmured softly.

"As I love you," I replied gently, running my hand over his finger. "Now what's grinding your processors?"

"They were like Elita," Optimus choked softly. I looked up at him and immediately squirmed through his chest-plates, going to stroke his chamber, leaning against him gently.

Silent, the listener.

"They were so much like my Elita, haughty, vain, caring only of appearance, of..." he broke off. "Not of the one you are, the one whom you appear to be. They love the lie."

"I'm right here," I whispered.

His spark reached out almost desperately and I caressed it gently. The second he touched me, I knew what he needed. But first.

"You vaporize this outfit and I will be most upset," I murmured.

Optimus snorted, his spark solidifying just enough to shoot that dear, wry glare at me.

"It is unkind to make me laugh," he rumbled with a pout.

"Indeed, who am _I _to threaten you with upset Kae," I snorted. "My point stands, you may do whatever you want with _me_, but if you shred this outfit..."

"Promise?" Optimus rumbled with a snort. His spark was already humming smug happiness, the deep, clear tones of lust slowly increasing.

"Promise," I murmured, smirking at him. I quickly wriggled out of his chest-plates and stripped, folding and tucking away the pantsuit and jacket.

The garter-belt, seamed silk stockings, and strappings across my back and breasts however. Those stayed.

Except the knife, the knife went on the shelf too.

I didn't need it. Here.

The holoform had me pinned against his side the next moment.

"How about now?" he whispered against my neck.

"I don't seem to be wearing an outfit, now do I?" I murmured.

"I smell you," he growled softly. "I smell you needing me as much as I need you."

"Safe-word is Starscream," I whispered in his ear. He moaned softly and lifted me to lay pressed against his chest.

A hard thrust and he was buried deep inside me, tearing a shocked cry of pleasure from my throat. He looked at me worriedly for a second.

The dear bot.

"I _told _you," I gasped, writhing against him. "Safe-word is Starscream, now for Primus sake Optimus, do you _realize _just how good you feel there!?"

"I do?" he rumbled with a low smirk, grinding his holoform's hips into mine. "Is it me that you enjoy, or the appearance of this holoform over your body?"

He withdrew as quickly as he'd thrust.

"_Optimus!" _I whined, I couldn't help it.

The only person capable of firing me up like nothing else had done just that.

That spike had been inside me. Now it was gone.

I wanted it back. NOW.

"Tell me what you want," Optimus demanded, the holoform was glaring at me. I listened to his spark, unsure now.

"I want _you_ to fuck me Optimus," I growled softly. "Spark to spark, as your holoform, split me in half on your spike, just so long as it is _you._"

Optimus' holoform pulled back, staring at me in shock, I followed him, catching his holoform and pressing it against his own chest.

"I have seen your spark as you have mine, you know my secrets, you know _me_." I growled softly. "Just as I have learned some of you my beloved, and of anything, I know your kinks, I know your gentle-spark and your love of pinning another down to make them overload as many times as their body can _handle_."

I pinned the holoform roughly, nipping at his neck.

"I don't like your holoform," I whispered. "Know this, Optimus, and know it's the truth. The holoform is handy, it's something approximately my size, standing in to take everything that I want to do to _your _body."

Optimus moaned.

"I adore twining with your spark, but still I am afraid of becoming too rough with it, because no matter how rough I am with your holoform I will _never_ willingly hurt you." I whispered, pressing myself tightly to the holoform. "Love me, rape me, stroke me, abuse me, I will take every inch of you, the good, the bad, the gentle bot, the demanding Prime, I want you, all of you, and most of all, I want you back _in me! NOW!"_

* * *

(OPOV)

Kae squirmed through his chest-plates, leaning against his spark chamber, holding, stroking him.

His spark reached out almost desperately for her, he needed his Kae, the femme who knew him so well. He wanted _her_.

"You vaporize this outfit and I will be most upset," she murmured.

Optimus snorted, she had broken his mood. He glared at his Kae.

"It is unkind to make me laugh," he rumbled with a pout.

"Indeed, who am _I _to threaten you with upset Kae," she snorted. "My point stands, you may do whatever you want with _me_, but if you shred this outfit..."

_That_ sounded _incredibly_ promising.

"Promise?" Optimus rumbled with a snort.

"Promise," Kae murmured, smirking at him. She quickly wriggled out of his chest-plates and stripped, folding and tucking away the pantsuit and jacket.

Optimus couldn't help but stare at her regardless, she was wearing a fascinating set of straps beneath those clothes. Straps that held up thin stockings, there was a line down those stockings, they gave his optics something to follow.

Those lines led to a well rounded aft, he knew that aft, it was soft, with strong muscles beneath it. He frowned slightly as his optics traveled up to see a knife between her shoulder blades. But she took it out of those straps, lightly tossing it to the shelf and turning to look at him. Those eyes were filled with lust, he could smell her.

She was looking at _him_ with those eyes.

Optimus winked his holoform online and pinned her to his side the next moment.

"How about now?" he whispered against her neck.

"I don't seem to be wearing an outfit, now do I?" his Kae murmured.

"I smell you," he growled softly. "I smell you needing me as much as I need you."

"Safe-word is Starscream," Kae whispered in his ear. He moaned softly and lifted his Kae to lay pressed against his chest.

A hard thrust and he was buried deep inside of her, tearing a shocked cry from her throat. He looked at her worriedly.

"I _told _you," his Kae gasped, writhing against him. "Safe-word is Starscream, now for Primus sake Optimus, do you _realize _just how good you feel there!?"

Oh he _did_ now...

"I do?" he rumbled with a low smirk, grinding his holoform's hips into hers. "Is it me that you enjoy, or the appearance of this holoform over your body?"

His own words, torn from his spark shocked him. He withdrew as quickly as he'd thrust.

"_Optimus!" _Mikaela whined, leaning against him helplessly.

But he was trapped in his own thoughts again, what... what if she...

"Tell me what you want," Optimus demanded, glaring at his Kae. He needed to know, he needed to hear her say it. That she wanted _him._

She looked at him in shock for a moment.

"I want _you_ to fuck me Optimus," Mikaela growled softly, anger and lust were making her eyes so dark... "Spark to spark, as your holoform, split me in half on your spike, just so long as it is _you._"

Optimus pulled back, staring at her in shock, she came after him, throwing his holoform against his own chest.

"I have seen your spark as you have mine, you know my secrets, you know _me_." Mikaela growled softly. "Just as I have learned some of you my beloved, and of anything, I know your kinks, I know your gentle-spark and your love of pinning another down to make them overload as many times as their body can _handle_."

She pinned the holoform roughly, nipping at his neck.

"I don't like your holoform," Kae whispered. Optimus, already reeling in shock, was hit with another one. "Know this, Optimus, and know it's the truth. The holoform is handy, it's something approximately my size, standing in to take everything that I want to do to _your _body."

Oh _Primus..._ _That's_ how she felt!?

Optimus moaned.

"I adore twining with your spark, but still I am afraid of becoming too rough with it, because no matter how rough I am with your holoform I will _never_ willingly hurt you." she whispered pressing herself tightly to the holoform. "Love me, rape me, stroke me, abuse me, I will take every inch of you, the good, the bad, the gentle bot, the demanding Prime, I want you, all of you, and most of all, I want you back _in me! NOW!"_

That was the most glorious command.

He wanted to obey that command, body and spark.

She said she wanted _him,_ she'd _have him._

Optimus reached for his Kae with his binder cables, winking the holoform off altogether. Kae fell against him as the holoform disappeared. He smirked as she squeaked, her hands bound by two of the cables. He lifted her.

"You want every inch?" he rumbled silkily, he began teasing every sensitive point on her body but the one she wanted. He let his expression gentle, looking at his Kae with love as she sat suspended above him, writhing in his cables.

"Oh god Optimus _please!"_ she cried out, her hips were twitching toward him. He wanted her spiked. But as small as he could size himself...

"Safe-word is Starscream," he whispered.

Kae nodded and cried out as he began working that tight, soaking valve of hers.

He scanned her constantly, smirking as she began overloading, so she enjoyed it.

He pressed a second cable into her, teasing her first, going slowly, making sure she was okay. Her legs spread further, and he brought her close to his face.

"I'm going to stretch you, my Kae," he whispered, ceasing the movement over her most sensitive areas "I'm going to stroke and stretch you until you can fit on my spike, is that what you want, my Kae?"

"About _scrapping_ time," she moaned, and writhed, trying to get the movement back.

Optimus was quite happy to obey, working his Kae as she writhed and gasped around him. She looked incredible like that, he wanted to know what she would feel like on his spike.

A third cable, such a tiny creature and yet she had the room for it.

Fascinating. If he could just make it that little bit deeper... Kae flinched slightly, and Optimus sighed sadly.

"Oh god, Optimus don't stop," she pleaded.

"I am hurting you-" he started.

"Three cables, you pinched me," she moaned, "A little more, just a little more _please!"_

Optimus grinned and lightly pressed himself into her, as she asked. She began gasping, her hands wriggling against the restraints.

"Ah ah," he murmured with a smirk. "Tell me what you want, my beauty."

"I want to come, please make me come," she _whimpered_,he _loved_ making her whimper like that.

"I want you on my spike," Optimus rumbled with a smirk, withdrawing the cables as his Kae cried out in need. "Relax your muscles."

Kae went limp in his cables, letting him reposition her. She looked down as he finally_, finally_ released his spike from behind his codpiece.

Just as prehensile as his cables, a thicker, _far_ more sensitive one. Kae was staring at it, reaching for it.

He began to tease her with it, somewhat, running it along her body. One of her hands finally got itself free, reaching out and stroking his spike.

Optimus grasped at the berth, the first touch of another in vorns, her flesh tingled against it. But then she was kissing it, stroking it and-

"Oh _Primus!"_ Optimus practically shouted. That mouth, that mouth and glossa of hers was wrapped around his spike.

That did it, he needed her valve.

Now.

She moaned as he set her on his abdomen, she stayed there, shaking on her hands and knees, her hair was inching it's way through the chinks in his armour, teasing his sensor nets.

"Kae," he husked, grasping at the bench and looking down at her. "Kae impale yourself on me so I don't hurt you."

Mikaela smirked and backed up on her hands and knees before turning to look for him.

He was already fighting the resizing algorithms, his spike wasn't worried about thickness at the moment, but length... even with her kneeling on his abdomen, he'd reach her head if he let that go.

Except she turned around and started teasing his spike again.

"_KAE!" _he shouted, losing the battle. His spike lengthened.

"Now that is promising," she murmured wickedly, and promptly began running her entire body down him. "Get back down here."

Gentle hands pulled his spike back parallel with his abdomen, and that tight valve teased the tip of it.

"Kae," Optimus moaned.

"Optimus?" she murmured, kissing his abdomen as she teased his spike.

"Just so you know, it _is_ normally far thicker," he murmured.

"Reassurance that you're going to spike me every chance you get when I'm a bot?" she murmured, dancing the vibrations of her voice along his spike.

The most incredible of tortures.

"Kae impale yourself!" Optimus ordered desperately. "If I do it I may hurt you!"

"My dear bot," she murmured gently before that valve was surrounding him.

Bliss was a tight valve around your spike. Nirvana was a tight valve that _throbbed_ around your spike, even as the gorgeous creature moved on it.

Optimus began moaning with his Kae, practically begging his own body to calm enough to let Kae take the lead. He didn't want to hurt her.

...

Although...

Optimus smirked to himself and relaxed his body, a rapid sync of his processors and he began shifting under his Kae, lowering his spark chamber as his his armour relaxed and opened.

He reached for her with his spark, he wanted to feel her, feel what she did.

Valhalla was a tight valve around your spike, and a femme that reached for your spark with her own, even as she kept moving on his spike. Optimus twined himself around his Kae, caressing the smooth, supple flesh of her with the essence of his self.

He reached through her body for her spark.

A touch, a single touch and he was overloading, spark consciousness blasted to the stars.

And she was there, his beautiful, perfect Kae was right there beside him.

The Well.

"If this was the well, we wouldn't need bodies," his Kae whispered.

Optimus smiled, and twined together, dropped into a recharge.


	91. 89 Frequencies

**Chapter 89 - Frequencies**

* * *

(MPOV)

"I really, _really_ want to know what you guys talk about," Jacobs half grumbled, lounging on the human catwalk in central.

"What, you mean the morning pep-ribbing?" Ironhide snorted.

"Alright," Sideswipe grinned, ready to start the action. "Ratchet, help me translate it."

"That, is a_ terrible_ idea," I chuckled immediately as Ratchet snorted back his own guffaw.

"Why?" Epps asked with a grin.

"Because Sideswipe is a predator, and Ratchet is a medic," I laughed.

"Which means _you_ have to translate it," Ratchet smirked down at me as I casually walked to lean against my spark-father's leg.

"That's an even worse idea," Bumblebee piped up cheerfully.

"Why?" Epps looked at Bee curiously.

"Because my big sister actually knows what it means, she's both." Bumblebee smirked.

"Bee-ee!" Jacobs called out in a mockingly whining voice.

"It's a language thing," Bumblebee laughed, "every caste has it's own frequency, and they're separated according to compatibility."

"The ultimate simplification is that on one end of the scale are the uber killers," I grinned, "On the other side are the healers. One works for death, one works against."

"So the speed that I say Good... good..." Sideswipe stated blandly.

"Means a shit ton of work for me to clean up the _mess_ he made of everyone else," Ratchet grumbled. "_I'd_ roughly translate it to _massacre_."

The soldiers stared back and forth between the mechs.

"How do you keep it straight?" Jacobs asked in an awed voice.

"We speak common," Bee shrugged with a grin, "the amalgam of all the frequencies."

"Otherwise none of us would have a single _scrapping_ idea of what Bee says," Ironhide added with a snort, giving the scout a light shove as I laughed. "It's one thing to respect tradition, it's entirely another to make your primary language _scout_." The weapons specialist settled onto a bench with a contented groan and nodded to Will as he swung down to sit on his shoulder.

"What's your primary language?" Epps asked curiously, looking up at Bee.

"Scout," Bee announced proudly, "=_Spoken-at-high-speed-for-short-burst-communications-over-long-distances. Top-that.="_

"What'd you say?" Chance asked curiously, "It sounded like what, two words?" he looked at Ratchet. The mech shrugged.

"Bee's showing off," I giggled, I couldn't help it. "He said 'spoken at high speed for short burst communications over long distances. Top that'."

"_Holy crap!" _Jacobs laughed.

"If you think that's bad, wait until you get Prime in on the conversation," Ironhide snorted as Optimus strode in.

_**ΩShould I be worried, my beloved Archangel?Ω**_ Optimus rumbled placidly as Ironhide jumped.

"No my beloved Optimus," I smiled up at my guardian, "Oh crap, I said that in english didn't I?" I frowned slightly.

"Getting backlogged again?" Ratchet snorted.

"Oi! You try switching though six frequencies in the space of five minutes with only one processor running!" I shot back at him with a grin.

"No see if I did that, I'd be swearing, not laughing," Ratchet grumbled.

"Is that why you're always grumbling?" Ironhide asked innocently, "We could always stick with english for you, old-timer."

"What, and let the humans know just how many times you can insult someone in the space of thirty seconds? We'll be shooed off planet before you can draw your cannons!" Ratchet shot back at the bot.

I grinned and lightly took my place on Optimus' shoulder.

"So am I allowed to ask how the hell that works?" Epps called up to me with a laugh.

"How what works?" Optimus rumbled curiously.

"How you two..." Epps frowned and began gesturing vaguely.

"How they interface?" Ironhide snorted, "well do we have to explain the birds and the bees? or-"

"Leave me out of that one!" Bumblebee called out with a broad grin.

"It's the size thing that's got me," Jacobs rumbled with a snort.

"That's the easy part," Chromia piped up gleefully as she leaned against Ironhide. "She's small enough to fit inside his spark-chamber, their sparks can merge without them accidentally becoming misaligned."

"It's getting them apart again that's difficult," Ratchet added with a snort.

"Can you blame the bot?" Arcee asked in an innocent voice.

"Yeah I can," Ironhide rumbled gleefully, "he's the first pick for a first guide, he knows damn well how to keep himself from getting tangled up!"

"It's the cables, gotta be, it's just not a good _idea_ to have more than eighteen," Sideswipe added with a broad grin.

"Wait what?" Will asked with wide eyes. Optimus glanced at me.

_**ΩShall we?Ω **_he asked mildly.

_**ΩAfter you, beloved,Ω**_ I stated with a grin.

"Oi! That's cheating!" Sideswipe called out with a laugh.

"What is?" Will grinned.

"Speaking the language of the Primes," Ratchet snorted, "the rest of us can't even come _close_ to comprehending what they're saying."

"But she sounds so erotic when she's speaking it," my Optimus rumbled placidly.

"Shame, Optimus," Ironhide snorted. "That's taking kink to an entirely different frequency."

"Share!" Chromia demanded in counterpart.

"How do I translate it?" I murmured with a small smile.

* * *

(OPOV)

"Take your time," Optimus rumbled, letting a broad grin cross his face, "you are young, we do not mind."

"Oh you're playing that card are you?" Mikaela shot back at him, her grin spread to reach her eyes.

"It is the burden of the elders to have patience," Optimus rumbled placidly.

"Decrepit," Kae shot at him.

"Hatchling," he rumbled back immediately.

"You weren't saying that last night," she drawled, her voice dropping to a sultry level.

"That is true, but then the only thing you were _screaming_ last night was my _name_," Optimus rumbled with a deep, smug smirk as the humans howled.

"Which I am most certainly going to get you back for," Kae purred.

"Promise?" Optimus parroted her response.

"Aw yeah, he's back," Ratchet grinned.

"All is right with the world when Prime's getting laid," Bumblebee added cheerfully.

"Video Femme!" Arcee demanded with a broad grin.

"You know the rules," Mikaela shot back at her with her own grin.

"What rules?" Will called out.

"You want the video from a bot's room, you cough up the video from your own," Ironhide rumbled with a broad grin.

There was silence for a moment.

"That's fair," Jacobs nodded.

"Alright, we have work to do," Optimus rumbled calmly, watching his unit with a smile.

"What are your orders Captain?" Bumblebee played the soundbyte cheerfully.

"You have been waiting two months to play that clip, haven't you" Optimus rumbled with a snort, looking at his scout.

"More fun this way," Bee grinned.

"Alright, Bumblebee, Sideswipe, you have patrol today, please do not destroy anything or get pulled over for speeding tickets – no, no high-speed chases either."

"Aaww," Bee grinned.

"Jolt."

"Communications!" the bot called out with a small smile.

"Ratchet."

"Same thing we do everyday," Ratchet snorted, "'Mon Kae, we've got a new shipload, courtesy of that guy you found."

"Clutches," Mikaela snorted, casually walking down Optimus' arm onto Ratchet's shoulder.

"Ironhide, you and the femmes are on training duty."

"Right, c'mon you lot, simulator day," Ironhide rumbled with a broad grin, he looked at the femmes.

"Let's get some size going, shall we?" Arcee called out with a grin, Chromia and Flare promptly began cheering, whizzing to their dominant sister.

"Now," Arcee stated calmly. Binder cables stretched limb to torso as they combined into one unit.

"Now that's just cool," Will stated with a grin as Ironhide rose with the human still lounging on his shoulder.

"You should see them in action like that," 'Hide snorted, "gorgeous, deadly creatures."

"Amen!" Mikaela called out, cheerfully clinging to Ratchet as the mech rose and headed for the Med bay.

Optimus watched his unit cheerfully heading for their duties before rising and following the technician to communications. The first few hours of his day were calm, peaceful, dealing with calls from the various military commanders whom more often than not treated him with respect.

However, just past the human's first duty-shift rotation, General Moreshower was striding toward him with a desperate look in his eyes. Galloway gleefully following behind.

"General, Director," Optimus rumbled calmly.

Galloway shoved his way forward, climbed up the communications central catwalks, and began ranting again. Optimus glanced at the General again, the man standing with a disturbing expression on his face beside one of the enclaves of human technicians before turning his attention to the ranting Director.

::. Kae, could you come to communications?.:: he sent over the primary, hoping she had her iPod in one ear.

::. I'll get her.:: Ratchet sent back immediately, a moment later Kae's voice was added.

::. What's wrong?.:: she asked immediately.

::. Director Galloway is ranting, but General Moreshower seems upset.::

::. I'm on my way.:: she stated instantly, and minutes later she strode in through the door, Galloway never even noticing.

"General? Are you alright?" Kae asked softly.

"Mikaela!" he jumped, looking at her in shock, glancing up toward Galloway. "I don't suppose there's _any _possibility of announcing to that _idiot_ that you're engaged to marry Prime there or something?" he murmured softly, "I'm almost _certain_ he'll resign if you out-smart him again..."

Mikaela glanced up at Optimus with a twinkle in her eyes, Optimus noted that she was still wearing his ring, he gave the appearance of being focused entirely on Director Galloway again.

::. Shall we?.:: Mikaela sent silently.

::. Please?.:: Optimus murmured gleefully. Chris Moreshower looked at Mikaela as she kept her eyes on Optimus, touching her iPod with one earbud still in. She glanced at him and offered him the twin.

The brilliant, beautiful Femme.

::. Good afternoon General.:: Optimus sent to the iPod with a snort. ::. Just murmur, I can hear you just fine, I might note you have yet to congratulate my ambassador, she is engaged.::

"You're what!?" General Moreshower shouted, startling Galloway out of his rant.

"Engaged," Mikaela smiled shyly, offering her left hand.

"Congratulations!" Chris shouted, grabbing the Femme's hand and dragging her into a hug while Epps, Lennox and Jacobs all hid laughing grins behind yawns, coughs and a sneeze. "Who's the lucky bastard that snared you!?"

* * *

(WPOV)

"Oh so we're finally going to be rid of you then," Galloway sneered. Will buried his face into a hand. The man truly had no idea whatsoever. Idiot.

"I will thank you to be more civil to my fiancee," Optimus rumbled sternly, turning to glare at Galloway. The man paled. "She has shown you nothing but courtesy despite your continually far fetched and uncouth accusations, and has done a great deal to aid you in keeping your position as the liaison between myself and your President."

"Why the hell would you agree to marry a bloody _machine!?_" Galloway practically shrieked, opting to ignore Optimus altogether and fairly running down the catwalks to get into Mikaela's face.

"Whoa! Bad move!" Will shouted. Too late.

"Are you some kind of freak, or a complete _idiot!?_" Galloway bellowed, standing toe to toe with Mikaela. The only part of her that moved was an eyebrow. Will couldn't decide if he wanted to watch or look away before seeing the human get squashed by the girl's rather overprotective fiancee.

"Judging by the prime specimen of humanity that you believe yourself to be," she began calmly, "I chose the better man. I might remind you, Director Galloway, that you are the _only _person in this room that has not been trained to kill on some level, so I would suggest that you choose your next words wisely."

"How do you intend to consummate your wedding then?" Galloway sneered at her. "I know, you're going to impale yourself on his stick-shift and-"

"Can I slap him yet?" Mikaela interrupted mildly, turning to look at Moreshower curiously.

"I think you'd better, or _I_ _am,"_ the General growled.

"That would be your second warning," Mikaela added patiently. Optimus glared down at the Director, and Will couldn't help but admire the sheer restraint that had to take.

Personally, _he_ wanted to just shoot the idiot and be done with it.

Galloway was red in the face, snarling. He reached toward Mikaela's throat, and Will had his hand on his gun the next second.

Pointlessly of course, the next moment, Galloway was on his knees with Mikaela gripping his hand ruthlessly.

"Hands to yourself, Galloway," she snarled softly. "The Auto-bots have been designated as citizens, _people, _Director, and there is absolutely no law declaring that two people cannot be wed. My father gave his blessing before he passed, and you will not interfere with us."

"Let me go!" Galloway shrieked, "this is assault on a Director! I'll have your head for this!" the man stood up and began retreating toward the entrance bay, ranting the entire way.

Finally, _finally_ communications central stood in silence.

"Well, that went well," Mikaela lilted cheerfully, walking over to sit in the hand Optimus offered. The mech deposited her lightly on his shoulder.

"Well now what?" Moreshower called up with a groan.

Mikaela smiled.

"The only precedent we have for sentient inter-species unions are borne by _hollywood." _she laughed. "Although I might note that _Spock_ was half human, the son of an ambassador come to think of it. And rather popular among that generation."

Every last human in the Communications room stared at her.

She had pure innocence plastered on her face again.

Will burst out laughing.

"Damn she's good," Moreshower snorted, he looked up at Optimus. "Congratulations on snaring the Angel, Prime, I do have a few things to discuss with you, if you don't mind."

"Not at all, General," Optimus rumbled patiently, "Shall I come down, or would you care to join us up here?"

Will grinned as the General laughed, ascending the catwalk and leaning comfortably on the railing.

"Unfortunately I'm supposed to ask if you're ready to upgrade our weapons technology yet," the general shrugged. "But judging by that scowl you can't keep off of your face I'm going to ask instead that we _skip_ the inevitable reaming out and get down to the _actual _business."

Optimus watched the General warily for a moment.

"Hey, I already _know_ your answer is no," Chris Moreshower snorted. "I'm just advising you that I'm supposed to ask, so if you don't mind, I'd like to say that I asked and got the usual answer. Saves time."

Optimus snorted and glanced at his Kae.

"And if the wording isn't enough for the reports, we can always lie a bit later," she smiled at him.

"And then you advise us that lying is wrong while we are writing reports," he told her calmly, raising a brow ridge.

"White lies," General Moreshower grinned. "So can I write in my report that you reamed me out, again, about futilely asking about weapons technology?"

"That should be safe, yes," Optimus nodded, chuckling.

"Right then, down to the actual business," Moreshower grinned.

"I'll leave you to it," Mikaela stated in amusement, standing on Optimus' shoulder and pressing a gentle kiss to his jaw.

"I am made desolate in your absence," Optimus rumbled softly.

"You know where I live," Mikaela stated in amusement.

"True," Optimus rumbled, nodding and so obviously _desperately _trying to keep the smirk off of his face.

It was frankly adorable.

He turned and gently deposited his Kae on the ground before facing the General again.

There was silence for a moment.

"I'm sorry," Chris stated quietly.

"For?" Optimus prompted him calmly.

"I seem to have gotten you engaged to a fleshling," Moreshower stated quietly.

Will bit back a snort of laughter, almost impossible while staring into Optimus' patented, benignly calm expression.

"But you have gotten me engaged to one of the most beautiful of your people," Optimus rumbled contentedly. "I fear that I may need now apologize for taking her from the list of court-able females to your race..."


	92. 90 Dates

**Chapter 90 - Dates**

* * *

(MPOV)

"Is it official yet!?" Flareup demanded, catching me in an enormous hug near the end of the day. Her timing was perfect, actually, too perfect, I'd just finished the jeep.

"Which one what now?" I asked with a laugh as the girls holoform's wound themselves around me.

"Do we get to take you out or not!?" Chromia demanded with a broad grin.

"For Primus sake Chromia!" I laughed.

"What? You're not in hiding anymore," Arcee laughed. "Come on, I don't give a damn if you're doing the wedding thing for the sake of politics, anyone with half a processor could figure out that that ring on your finger was there before you announced." she grinned down at me unrepentantly. "And as such, it's a proper wedding."

"Yes yes, point stands, if you three want to go out clubbing, don't try to fool everyone saying it's a staggette," I snorted.

"But you need to celebrate the last of your single hood! Come on girl, you have next to no conquests!" Flare pouted.

"True, but I have no need of conquests, I have the bot of my dreams," I stated placidly.

"You dreamt of marrying an auto-bot," Chromia snorted, staring at me with a smirk. I promptly began whistling and turned back toward my service.

"NO! NOW you gotta spill!" Arcee trilled, winding her arms around my waist.

"Alright fine, but if you rat me out I _am_ going to kick your assplates, the lot of you," I snorted, turning and leaning against the jeep. "I used to dream about marrying a truck."

The girls stared at me and began laughing.

"Shut up!" I laughed, "given the options that I had for conquests, at least the bloody truck is reliable!"

"Oh so reliability!" Chromia grinned.

"That's Optimus, definitely," Arcee murmured, nodding.

"Oh come on Kae!" Flareup wheedled at me. "You're a Femme! I know you are! Don't lie I've seen you naked. _Gush_!"

"Gods fuck," I murmured, leaning against the jeep and thinking of my Optimus as he walked, his optics... I snapped myself back to the present and glared at Flare. "Come off it, _you've _known Optimus for several _vorn_ longer than I've been _alive."_

"Yeah, so?" Chromia asked cheerfully.

"And in fairness, we do have to make sure that you really _do_ love him," Arcee added quietly. I looked at her with a smile.

"I will follow him through this life, and the next to the end of days," I stated with quiet dignity. "There is no other way, his is the spark that sustains my own."

"Duh, _why_," Flare grinned.

"It's in the way he moves," I murmured finally, leaning against the jeep. "The graceful, sure steps of a predator. And his eyes, his optics, they're so gentle, so beautiful and kind..."

"Oh wow, she's got it _bad,_" Chromia snorted.

"Yep, definitely need to get her out on the town if she's freezing in memories." Flareup laughed, lightly whacking me in the side.

"Oh, you mean the way you do over Sides?" I shot back at her with a grin.

"That's different," Flareup stated in a mockingly snippy tone. "Sides and I are just having a bit of fun."

"Oh? Then why were you having me tutor you on catching his optic?" I grinned.

"You tell on me-" Flare started indignantly.

"And what? You'll kick _my_ assplates?" I laughed. "Side note Flare, I don't got none!" I promptly pulled my pants halfway down my arse and shook it at her as Arcee and Chromia hooted with laughter.

Flareup snorted in amusement then shrugged.

"Anyway, I thought he'd be the one, he is one, but not _The _one," she shrugged.

Immediately I reached for her holoform.

"What's this for?" She looked down at me curiously.

"Uh... out of line? He's not the one?" I asked in a confused tone.

"So? He's a nice conquest, he knows he's not the one, and I'm not _his_ one either," Flare shrugged genially. "Doesn't mean we can't have fun in the meantime," she added, winding herself seductively around me. I lightly gripped her arse for a moment.

"Should I be jealous?" Optimus rumbled placidly behind me, a second before the two of us were due to burst out laughing. I looked over my shoulder at him with a grin.

"That the femmes are trying to convince me to have a staggette?" I asked cheerfully.

"Are you trying to steal my fiancee again?" he rumbled with a snort, onlining his holoform among the femmes'.

"Little bit," Chromia grinned, "Fine, how about the stipulation that we go out once we've convinced the menfolk to go out?" she shot at me.

"Now _that _I can do," I smirked, hitching my pants back up and walking to his holoform.

"Club night!" Chromia sang, dancing around.

"Yes yes, but what is the purpose of a 'staggette'?" Optimus rumbled with a snort, winding me deeply into his arms.

"Stag for males, staggette for females," I grinned. "It's to send out the last of one's bachelorhood with a final hurrah. And traditionally arranged by your best man and the bride's maid of honour. What's the news on Galloway?"

"He is lobbying against us for all he is worth, which is not really all that much at this point," Optimus snorted. "The fact that your father _did_ in fact give me his blessing seems to have cut a great deal of the ground from beneath his feet."

I hummed softly and cuddled against him.

"Hey Kae!" Ratchet called out.

"Yeah Ratch?" I called back, turning in Optimus' arms.

"Have you seen where I put that Primus damned ah hah! Found it!" Ratchet corrected himself, picking up a finger and beginning to re-attach it to a servo.

"You have an eidetic memory," Optimus rumbled with a frown.

"Are you telling me you've never misplaced something?" I asked with a snort, looking up at him.

"Well, this morning I woke and could not find my fiancee..." Optimus rumbled musingly.

I began laughing and squirmed around in his arms, reaching up to kiss his jaw.

"What does she look like?" Chromia piped up cheerfully.

"Well, she has these incredible eyes," Optimus rumbled, "the sort of eyes that can offer in turn the fury of a Valkyrie and the love of a lifetime. Her body is lithe and muscular beneath satiny skin..."

"Flatterer," I murmured.

"Truth," he rumbled down at me with a gentle smirk.

"He's got it bad," Arcee murmured with a gentle smile.

"Optimus! Ratchet!" Ironhide bellowed from down the corridor.

"Med-bay," Optimus rumbled, poking his head out the door. "Why are you yelling?"

"Cause he's got human passengers!" Will bellowed from Ironhide's shoulder.

"You could just put the primary on speaker," Optimus snorted, looking at the weapons master with amusement in his optics.

"Yeah, but are you actually _listening_ to the primary?" Ratchet snorted. I dove for my iPod and plugged it into one ear, laughing the next minute.

Jolt, Bee, Sides and the twins were deeply involved in a truly, _hair_-_raisingly_ bawdry debate, which required a great deal of laughter. Optimus' holoform's face blanked slightly for a moment before he snorted back his own laughter. The twins seemed to recognize that he could hear them, shutting up a second later.

::. Are you still concentrating a processor on your duties?.:: he sent to them in amusement.

::. Yes Sir.:: Bee sent cheerfully.

::. Then you might take into account the perspective of Chromia when she is in the mood for making conquests.:: Optimus sent to them with a snort.

The primary promptly began howling again as the Femmes added their voices to the debate. I hugged his holoform tightly, laughing with Ironhide.

"Anyway!" Will called out with a broad grin. "Bachelor party!"

"You know technically you're supposed to wait for a date for the wedding before you plan the bachelor party," I called up to him with a laugh.

"Five days!" Ironhide called out with a smirk.

"Tonight," Optimus rumbled with a small smile, reaching with his holoform's hands to cup my face.

"Optimus!" Arcee stated indignantly.

"What?" he rumbled, looking at the Femme in confusion.

"You're rushing things even by human standards," she stated patiently.

"But it's still sweet," I murmured, reaching up to kiss his jaw again.

"Besides," Chromia added with a smirk, "She's going to be a bot soon, running _both_ traditions she has yet to get a few conquests under her armour."

"Ugh!" I groaned, "_Fine!_" I wriggled out of Optimus' arms and stalked toward Chromia. She stared at me in confusion until I spun her into my arms.

"Ha wha oohh..." she moaned as I began whispering sweet nothings in her ear, pressing delicate kisses along the line of her neck. I glanced up to see Ironhide watching me intently.

"Now considering that I have found a bot whom I love to distraction, and who loves me in return, why would I wish to return to my hunting grounds of shallow and empty imbecilles?" I murmured in her ear softly. "I know my skills, I can make you moan, beautiful creature that you are, you are a proud auto-bot and far pickier of your targets. Did you consider the fact that you have spoiled me, goddess?"

Chromia hummed as I slid my hands along her stomach. One gliding toward her spark, the other lower. I could hear her spark humming, the soft, deep tones of lustful interest.

"Oh and Chrome?" I murmured in her ear.

"Hmm?" she sighed.

"Conquest, NOW can I marry my Optimus?" I grinned, lightly balancing her on her feet again. I still held her hand gently as she sorted her holoform's balance again.

"What!? Oh you little shit!" Chromia squawked, laughing the next second.

"You're teaching me that," Ironhide rumbled firmly.

"Make you a deal then, Hide," I smirked, he stood with crossed arms and narrowed eyes, staring me down.

"Name it," he drawled sternly. I matched his stance and held his eyes.

"You teach me the fine points of shootin', I help you refine your seduction skills," I drawled back at him. I knew I looked a ridiculous figure, tiny human barely making it to his ankle; it was all I could do to keep my face straight.

He stared at me for a second and burst out laughing, his holoform winking online and dragging me into a hug.

"Alright fine," he rumbled cheerfully, "Just for that you can add me to your conquest list."

"Yay!" I laughed, "that brings my list to..." I frowned, thinking for a moment.

"What _is_ your number?" Chromia asked curiously.

"Thirteen? No..." I muttered, I crossed my arms, frowning.

"What?" Arcee murmured curiously.

"What are the conquest rules?" I asked curiously.

"What now?" Flare asked cheerfully.

"Well, I mean the first eight who claim to have slept with me were friggen easy pickings," I stated with a frown, "So was Trent, Sam chased after me like a madman..."

"So your total is two, both auto-bot," Arcee chuckled. "You don't make conquests, you allow yourself to _be_ a conquest."

"No wonder it took you two so bloody long to interface," Ironhide snorted, whacking at Optimus.

"It only took two years," Optimus murmured with a snort. "We met, did not see each other alone for two years-"

"Then you came to my rescue," I murmured, winding my arms around the holoform's waist. "My very own knight in shining armour."

"My lady," he rumbled, pulling back and lightly taking my hand, kissing my palm.

"Sickeningly adorable," Ironhide snorted.

"Thank you," Optimus rumbled blandly, he shot a quick wink at me before scooping me into the holoform's arms. "Now where were we, my damsel?" he rumbled softly.

"Oh, your damsel in grease stained coveralls?" I snorted.

"Perhaps my damsel in distress?" Optimus rumbled with a broad grin, carrying me back toward himself.

"Sir knight I am in your arms, what is there to be distressed about?" I lilted sweetly.

"My damsel in dangerous orns?" he rumbled placidly.

"Your damsel in arms?" I stated with an absolutely straight face.

Ratchet snorted back a laugh as Optimus froze, staring down at me.

"If that is so, where is your gun?" Optimus shot back at me with a grin. With an absolutely straight face, I threaded my arm down and grabbed the holoform's crotch.

"Right here." I murmured, dropping my voice into a sultry tone. The holoform promptly blinked out and I landed on my arse.

I stared up at Optimus incredulously and laid down, laughing as Ironhide quickly got beneath him, keeping him on his feet.

"Victory!" I crowed, stretching out on the floor.

Optimus immediately brought his holoform online to lay over top of me.

"You are on your back, that constitutes victory?" he rumbled silkily. I smirked up at him and flipped him to his back.

"I do believe it is," I murmured, grinding my hips into his and stretching to press a gentle kiss to the side of his throat.

"Yeah we definitely have to call it hers," Ironhide snorted. "Now come off of him Kae, before you kill your fiancee."

"But it would be the absolute best way to die," Optimus rumbled with a deep, contented sigh. I laughed softly and swung myself upward, supporting my weight on my arms and leaning down to catch his lips with my own.

"So when do I get to lay absolute claim on you?" he rumbled cheerfully, his hands reached up to grasp my arse.

"You already have," I murmured, smiling gently before flexing to my feet, pulling him to his own.

"In the meantime, I now _desperately_ need you in my berth," Ironhide rumbled, lightly picking Chromia up.

"Oh thank Primus," Chromia sighed, cuddling into her lover.

"I still kinda need a date," Will stated, still blushing furiously. "For the politics."

"We still need to figure out which tradition you wish to follow," Optimus rumbled with a grin, winding his holoform around me.

"Why do I have to choose the tradition?" I laughed softly.

"Because I truly do not care which one we follow, only that I get to keep you," he murmured, his face pressed gently into my hair.

"You're talking to a femme who never expected to _live_ long enough to marry," I laughed, "make Chromia decide."

"White wedding!" Chromia sang. "With all the trimmings!"

"I thought you were my friend," I stated with a snort. "Bad luck to wear white when you're not a virgin."

"Then you can wear this one," Arcee sang, beginning to shift her clothing.

"NO!" Will bellowed, immediately running to stand in front of Arcee, shielding her.

"Major!?" Flare asked incredulously.

"_Ridiculously_ bad luck for the groom to see the bridal gown before the wedding." Will grinned. Arcee squealed and caught him in a bear hug.

"Oh well if you're in on it too, can Anabelle be flowergirl?" I asked with a grin.

"Oh Sarah's going to _die_ when she finds out!" Will laughed.

"Then don't tell her!" Ironhide rumbled immediately.

"No, she's going to be incredibly happy about it," Will explained quickly.

"So white wedding, we need time and date," Ironhide smirked at me.

"That's all Optimus," I grinned, looking up at him. His optics dimmed slightly.

"June, if you are amenable, I should like to be bound to you at precisely eight sixteen in the evening of the twenty fifth," he rumbled a second later, my treacherous eyes began to water slightly.

"Kae?" Ratchet rumbled gently.

"You'll go to stand at the alter at seven thirty-eight," I whispered. "The first time I laid eyes on you, as you entered the atmosphere."

"You remember," he rumbled softly, the holoform caressing a tear from my cheek.

"Always," I whispered, I turned to look at Ratchet. "Will you escort me down the aisle, _∂Father?∂_

His holoform winked online the next second, enfolding the both of us.

"Yes I will, _∂Daughter of my spark_,∂ he choked.

"Will you stand with me, Will?" Optimus rumbled suddenly.

"Yeah, yeah I will," Will nodded, grinning at him. "Kae, seeing as you're Buddhist and marrying an Auto-bot, maybe you should ask General Moreshower to officiate."

"Brilliant Will!" I laughed, I turned to look at the Femmes. They were all biting their lips and bouncing.

"Well you're all standing with me, but I have no idea how to choose between the three of you to be my maid of honour," I stated with a low laugh. "And we need to go dress shopping, _stat_!"

"We'll just have to trade off maid of honour," Arcee grinned. "Flare you're mine."

"Chrome you're mine," Flare grinned.

"Kae you're mine," Chromia grinned.

"'Cee you're mine!" I sang, extracting myself from Optimus and Ratchet to throw myself on her.

"Which means I'm in charge of your staggette night," Arcee grinned, enveloping me in a tight hug.

"Sorted Will," I beamed at him.

"June twenty five," Will grinned, "I'm going to go tell Moreshower."

"Ooh ooh, lemme come with! I gotta ask him!" I grinned. Optimus leaned down and lightly scooped me into his palm.

"Ask me what?" Chris asked curiously, walking in in the nick of time. "Optimus, I'm sorry, politics wise I need to know when you two are getting hitched."

"Why would I put a hitch on my Kae?" Optimus rumbled curiously, looking down at me in his palm.

"Slang for married," I laughed.

"The twenty fifth of June," Optimus rumbled immediately, smirking.

"Would you care to join us for dinner?" I asked with a broad grin.

"I can't," Chris stated apologetically.

"What, got a hot date tonight?" Will grinned.

"Oddly enough I do," Chris snorted.

"Well I'll drag you to dinner later and ask you now, will you marry us, Chris?" I asked with a gentle smile as I sat comfortably in Optimus' hand.

"Yes I will, who's walking you?" Chris grinned.

"That would be me," Ratchet smirked.

"Well then that makes my life a bit easier, Cole _Westfield_ of all people has been riding _my _ass," Chris snorted.

"He wants to draw up the guest list?" I asked curiously.

"Yes he does," Chris snorted. "I think he wants to try to make it up to you for getting you shot during the parade. The President gave him permission to make it the wedding of the century."

"I'll have to call Old Wolf," I stated calmly. "I know he'll want to come, and Mary, Jean..." I began mentally comprising the list. "Of course the seating arrangements are going to have to be non-traditional, and I need to sort out the menus, which means I need to talk to Cole and figure out what all dignitaries are going to be there if he's hammering in the political angle... Oh gods and the seating arrangements at the reception need to be sorted out with absolute precision!" I stated in a horrified tone, feeling the beginnings of a monumental headache.

Optimus smiled down at me, cradling me close to his spark.

"Cold feet already, my Kae?" he rumbled softly in a deeply amused tone.

"Too bad we can't simply elope," I snorted, crawling up to his shoulder and cuddling against his cheek.

"You are _not eloping!_" Chromia squawked indignantly. "And you are not allowed to stress out over all this either! That's our job!"

"It's your job to get stressed out over my wedding?" I snorted.

"We are your sisters," Flareup stated with immense dignity.

"And I am your maid of honour," Arcee added proudly. "It is therefore _my _job to keep you from stressing, your job to think about where you want to be bound, and _Optimus_' job to take you to his quarters post haste to remind you precisely why you're marrying him in the first place."

"Done," Optimus rumbled cheerfully, turning toward the door as I began laughing.

"I already know why I'm marrying you," I murmured, climbing across his chest to plant a gentle kiss to his jaw. "You are my Optimus, and I am your Kae."

"So cute," Chromia giggled from Ironhide's arms as Optimus vented a deep, contented sigh, reaching his hand up and gently touching my back.

_**ΩMy Kae,Ω**_ he murmured softly. I felt my spark flare in response to his, our souls reaching through the ether toward each other.

"What's that flash?" Chris asked curiously.

"Spark flare," Arcee stated with a small smile.

"Which means?" Will asked wide eyed.

"You know how when you look at Sarah, your chest fills with warmth, and you can feel your heart beating?" Ironhide rumbled with a small smile. Optimus and I smiled as his spark flared, a soft glow emerging from his chest as he looked at his Chromia. "It is the same thing," he rumbled gently, caressing her cheek.

"However among our race, you can see your lover's soul as it reaches for you," Chromia added in soft counterpart, craning her neck slightly to press a gentle kiss to her lover's jaw. Ironhide turned his head with a smile and caught her lips with a tender, featherlight kiss.

"At the risk of disintegration, it needs to be said," Will stated with a small smile. "That. Is absolutely adorable."

"Mmn, optics off," Chromia murmured in a sultry tone. "I lay claim to this one."

"I am honoured," Ironhide rumbled, smiling at his femme. "Shall we?"

"We shall," she smirked at him. "Good evening," she added, nodding to humans and Auto-bots as Ironhide carried her out of the med-bay.

I smiled as the present humans watched them with raised eyebrows.

"Translation?" Ratchet rumbled congenially.

"Please?" Will asked with a grin.

"Chromia has marked her territory, Ironhide," Arcee smiled. "Which means that if hypothetically, another bot or femme wished to catch his optic, she will challenge them."

"Hand to hand, to surrender or death," Flareup added with a smile.

"So the women fight for the men?" Chris asked curiously.

"It is considered more..." Optimus began thoughtfully, he looked at me.

"Decorous, in better taste," I put in calmly. "Of course I highly doubt a challenge would be necessary, it would be nullified the second Ironhide indicated a lack of interest in the opposing femme."

"However there is no strict ruling on the gender of challenges," Optimus added calmly.

"How's that work?" Will prompted him. Optimus looked at him and rumbled a low laugh.

"Would you care to adjourn to the central?" he rumbled with a smile. "If you wish to hear every spoken and unspoken law and tradition dictating our courtship and bonding practices, it is going to be a very long night."

"Cybertronian night or Earth night?" Will grinned up at us.

"Depends how in depth you prompt Optimus," Ratchet snorted.

"Can I beg you to take up the conversation tomorrow night?" Chris asked with a broad grin. "At the moment I'm now torn between my date and learning."

"You up for a good long night of chatting tomorrow?" Will grinned up at us. "I know Jerry, Jacobs, Epps and Chance are going to be fuming that they've missed out on this much already."

"After the evening repast?" Optimus rumbled in amusement.

"Done!" Chris crowed. "See you tomorrow boys bots and femmes."

"Good evening, General," Optimus rumbled, smiling.

"I'm gonna go spread the word around then," Will grinned. "Good recharge you lot," he waved and made a beeline for the door.

Optimus turned and began striding toward our quarters.

* * *

(OPOV)

"It is considered more..." Optimus began thoughtfully, he wanted the right translation. He looked at his Kae.

"Decorous, in better taste," Mikaela stated calmly. "Of course I highly doubt a challenge would be necessary, it would be nullified the second Ironhide indicated a lack of interest in the opposing femme."

He loved it when she understood what he wanted to say.

"However there is no strict ruling on the gender of challenges," Optimus added calmly.

"How's that work?" Will prompted him. Optimus looked at him and rumbled a low laugh.

"Would you care to adjourn to the central?" he rumbled with a smile. "If you wish to hear every spoken and unspoken law and tradition dictating our courtship and bonding practices, it is going to be a very long night."

"Cybertronian night or Earth night?" Will grinned up at us.

"Depends how in depth you prompt Optimus," Ratchet snorted.

"Can I beg you to take up the conversation tomorrow night?" Chris asked with a broad grin. "At the moment I'm now torn between my date and learning."

"You up for a good long night of chatting tomorrow?" Will grinned up at them. "I know Jerry, Jacobs, Epps and Chance are going to be fuming that they've missed out on this much already."

"After the evening repast?" Optimus rumbled in amusement.

"Done!" Chris crowed. "See you tomorrow boys bots and femmes."

"Good evening, General," Optimus rumbled, smiling.

"I'm gonna go spread the word around then," Will grinned. "Good recharge you lot," he waved and made a beeline for the door.

Optimus turned and began striding toward their quarters.

He had a femme to attend to.

Mikaela was looking at him in amusement.

"What?" he chuckled, glancing at her. Just a glance, proximity sensors or not, he still had to watch where he was walking. But his Kae understood that.

"I love it when you sound like that," Mikaela murmured, running a gentle hand across his cheek.

Which felt incredible. She had such gentle hands.

Optimus hummed contentedly, and Mikaela smiled a bit more.

"When I sound like what?" he rumbled teasingly.

"When you sound so happy," she murmured, scooting to rest her cheek to his temple.

And that felt even better.

* * *

(RPOV)

Ratchet watched the dispersal of people from his med-bay with a small smirk. Except Arcee then chose that moment to shoot one of those wicked, practically carnally commanding glances at him.

He froze in place for a moment, staring back and forth between his spark-daughter's body, and the femme whom he truly intended to bond the second he had the courage to ask.

Arcee smiled and wheeled toward him, reaching up to his shoulders.

Ratchet obediently lifted her to his chest and smiled as she pressed a kiss to his jaw.

"Don't spend _all_ night working, beloved consort." she commanded with a smile.

"As my beloved wishes," Ratchet smiled at her, kissing her gently. His spark flared toward her's and a thought occurred. "Will you help me with our Kae's body?" he asked. It was a shock for him, he hadn't sent the command for the request to be spoken.

Arcee looked at him wide-eyed and nodded, evidently understanding that he hadn't sent the command.

"Who?" she whispered.

"Whomever it is that desires our Kae to be reborn," Ratchet murmured in an awed tone. "Whether the All-spark or Primus I don't know, Optimus is capable of such an override, but I have _never_ seen him employ it."

"We already know his signature," Arcee nodded, wide eyed. She smiled. "Well, shall we continue on?"

Ratchet grinned and set Arcee down, the two of them striding to the berth and kneeling down, sending up a prayer together before beginning work on their daughter-sister's body.

Arcee was smiling as she surveyed the body, instantly wheeling to her abdomen and beginning on a circuit that Ratchet couldn't help but admire. Complex and simple. He returned to his work on her hands, making them strong, and precise enough to be perfectly gentle.


	93. 91 Seeker, Sounder and Technician

**Chapter 91 – Seeker, Sounder and Technician**

* * *

(WPOV)

Someone was knocking on his door again.

"Who is it?" Will called out groggily.

"It's Jerry! Director Matteer is here!" the tech called out apologetically.

Will rolled out of his bed and opened the door.

"Director, what can I do for you?" Will asked groggily.

"I'm afraid I need to speak to you and Angel," Barry stated quietly. Will was awake in moments and gesturing the man to follow him. He knocked on Kae's door. No answer.

"What time is it?" Will asked, rubbing his eyes.

"Three thirty," Jerry stated quietly.

"Mats then," Will yawned, walking toward the central. Sure enough, Kae was slowly dancing through her stances, her eyes closed.

"Who am I to kill?" she asked, not even opening her eyes.

"We've come across echos," Barry stated quietly, handing her a file. She scanned the papers and pictures calmly.

"I'd best wake Optimus," Kae stated calmly, walking out the door with the men following close behind. "Do you see that signature there?" she asked, handing Will the file. He scanned it with a frown and jumped when she pointed to an errant heat signature.

"What is that?" he frowned, looking closer at it.

"That's why I'm waking Optimus," Kae stated grimly. "_That_ looks very much like a burrowing scout hiding underneath the radio chatter."

She walked placidly into her quarters and through the adjoining door to Optimus'. Will winked at the director and Jerry and politely turned his back on them.

"Optimus," she whispered before her voice morphed into the string of deep tones and clicks that Optimus certainly seemed to adore, and Will actually found rather beautiful now.

"Do I have to get up?" Optimus rumbled groggily the next moment.

"I think just your holoform will do for now," Kae murmured consolingly. Will turned around to watch as Optimus rolled carefully to his side, making sure to not crush his Kae. The holoform winked online a second later as Kae slid down the ladder. Will handed him the files and the holoform quickly flicked through them.

"Prime calling Jetfire," he rumbled a moment later, seeming to look well into the distance.

"Jetfire responding," the scotch seeker replied instantaneously over Prime's speakers.

"What is your position?"

"I'm jus' coastin' o'er headquarters now, what are the co-ordinates sir?"

Will grinned as Optimus listed off the co-ordinates and Jetfire gave an ETA.

"We should adjourn to communications," Optimus rumbled a second later, his holoform winked out and his body rose, offering Kae a hand. She settled into it with a smile and clambered up to his shoulder a moment later. Will jogged out of the enormous bay doors with the director keeping pace with him easily as Jerry raced ahead.

"Good... morning Director, do you never sleep?" Optimus rumbled calmly a second later, striding carefully behind them.

"Rest is for the dead," Barry stated cheerfully.

"And now I know where you got _that_ from," Optimus snorted.

"It's a handy credo from time to time," Kae stated defensively with a low laugh.

"Prime!" Jerry called out. "I didn't know if you wanted us to call Jetfire with our lines or yours!"

"We will use my frequency," Optimus rumbled intently. "As secure as your line is, I am uncertain who else may be using your satellites."

"Aye sir," Jolt grinned, extending a fibre to Jerry the next second. The man grinned and directed him into the computer proper.

"Bringing up Jetfire," Jolt intoned cheerfully as the screens came alive.

"Two minutes to co-ordinates," Jetfire murmured softly, "sending visuals now."

"Gods I wish I could just hire your lot," Barry muttered quietly. Will snorted.

"You did," he murmured. "You didn't think that it's a one-way street? We did specify a willingness to provide backup to your lot."

"I didn't know that meant surveillance too!" Barry stated with wide eyes.

"Co-operation," Optimus rumbled placidly.

"Awesome," Barry whispered, looking at the massive holo screens.

"Switching to infrared and energonic signatures," Jetfire rumbled. "Oh! I knew this spot was familiar! That's _Gouger_, the pit is _he _doing awake?"

"Status!" Optimus commanded sternly.

"Looks like he's settin' in a mine there, permission to infiltrate?"

"Permission granted, be quiet," Optimus commanded.

Jetfire landed lightly and strode toward the signature. The bot unearthed himself a second later, scuttling toward Jetfire. Will listened intently as they began speaking Cybertronian.

"What're they saying?" Barry whispered. Optimus turned and lightly set Kae down on the catwalk, she leaned toward them and began whispering a rapid fire translation, pointing to the readouts on the screen, indicating who had spoken what.

"Jetfire! When'd you wake up? - Couple of months, you? - Bagh! Always awake, active a month, by that little scrap-eating Starscream. Now 'e's tryin' ta make me dig 'im a complex, in scrapping sandstone! With no proper lubricant or enough energon! - Loyalties! - Fagh, if there be a Prime alive, let me swear to him - Gouge is grumbling-" Kae added quietly, "I'm sick o' this. Kin offline me if'n ya like, 's better than puttin' up wi' these little rips what call themselves the new order. Not lastin' much longer I'm not."

"Orders Prime," Jetfire rumbled in english.

"Bring him back," Optimus rumbled patiently.

"Right oh, you coming Gouge?" Jetfire snorted.

"I _ain't flyin_!" Gouge growled. "'s the frequency?"

"Opening frequency," Jolt called out.

"Righ'! Who's this then?" Gouge's voice called out, much clearer.

"Optimus Prime," Optimus growled.

"Yeah, bot or con?"

"Bot."

"Good. What're yer orders Prime, you helpin' them humans out yet?"

"We are."

"Good, they listenin?" Gouge called out curiously. Optimus looked at Will.

"Yeah, we are," he called out curiously.

"Good. You got a good coalmine nearby? Funny creatures you are, done saw some o' you tryin' t' dig beneath the flat, useless you are. Lemme do it."

"Er..." Barry murmured, frowning at the co-ordinates.

Mikaela quietly leaned against his side. He looked down at her.

"Thirsty Lake?" she murmured.

Will grinned as Barry immediately dove at the computer.

"Mr. Gouge?" he called out curiously.

"Yeah, who's this?"

"Director Barry Matteer, if you will allow Jetfire to fly you one hundred miles, we have a particularly small complex that I would gladly allow you to re-model. There are several coal seams nearby, and I will gladly supply you with whatever fuels and lubricants you wish."

"Mmnph. Yer a human?"

"I am."

"How many o' yall am I supposed to deal with?"

"At the complex you'll only be dealing with Gramps. He'll more than likely leave you to your own devices save for a bit of gossip." Barry called out.

"One. Good. Fine. You drop me Jet and I'll bury you." Gouge growled, transforming in front of Jetfire.

"I 'ent dropped you yet, coward," Jetfire snorted. "Co-ordinates."

Barry listed them off cheerfully and the feed cut out. Optimus looked at him with amusement for a long moment until Barry looked at him curiously.

"You realize that he is going to build an anti-grav hive do you not?" Optimus rumbled with snort of amusement, lightly depositing Kae back on his shoulder.

"What's that?" Barry asked blankly. Optimus and Jolt began laughing as Optimus brought up a holoform. Barry just stared at it for a long moment.

"So you call it an anti-grav because..."

"Gouge's kind swim through the ground, clearing out tunnels regardless of gravitational pull," Optimus rumbled with a snort. "It will likely be smaller than this, but that is the general shape."

"But I'd be able to put a flat floor in those bubbles right?"

"We frequently did so, yes."

"Then it's perfect!" Barry enthused. "I _want _it! _Nobody_ could break into my castle if it looks like _that!_" Will stared at the director and burst out laughing alongside Kae and the bots.

"Hey! That's the schematic for Teletran!" Jolt grinned. "I _knew it!"_

Optimus shot the communications bot a mildly withering glance.

"The fact that as Prime I remember the schematics for every major city-complex and several of the smaller ones has nothing to do with it?" Optimus rumbled with a smirk.

"Scrap it," Jolt grumbled, disconnecting from the computers.

"Whaat?" Will asked with a laugh.

"We're still trying to figure out which hatchery Optimus onlined in," Jolt grumbled.

"It does not matter," Optimus rumbled placidly. "I am first a Cybertronian."

"Do I get to know?" Mikaela piped up curiously. Optimus turned his head carefully to look at her.

"...perhaps," he rumbled with a smirk, "Was there anything else this morning, gentlemen?" he rumbled politely.

"Nah, _I'm_ going to go to bed in a minute," Barry laughed. "Sooner if Will is kind enough to let me crash here."

"Welcome to," Will chuckled. "We'll put you in the guest quarters."

"I shall bid you good recharge then," Optimus rumbled calmly, turning to return to his quarters with his Kae still lounging comfortably on his shoulder.

"What's the catch?" she laughed at her Optimus.

"If you can find it in my spark as I ravage you, you get to know," he rumbled cheerfully as Jolt howled with laughter.

"Oh! Challenge _accepted_," Kae laughed, squirming on his shoulder to sit closer to his cheek as the doors closed behind them.

"Good god," Barry choked.

"What does god have to do with it?" Jolt asked curiously, lounging against the catwalk.

"How... how..." the director muttered.

"Very, very carefully," Jolt answered the director with a shit-eating grin. Will sat down, laughing at the scandalized look on the older man's face.

"You _know_ they're engaged," he laughed.

"Yes, but still, how..."

"She fits in his spark chamber," Jolt shrugged.

"Yeah but how does that work?" Will asked curiously, looking at the bot. "Everybody keeps saying 'she fits in his spark-chamber' but what does that _mean?_"

"Well..." Jolt began, and trailed off. Will stared at him as his optics took on a tinge of pink amidst their normal blue, his faceplates glowing a little.

"Are you blushing?" Will asked curiously.

"Ratchet's better at the explaining bit," Jolt grumbled. "Someday I wanna see _him_ get embarrassed about something... anyway... you know what our sparks look like..."

"No, actually," Jerry stated quietly.

"Really?" Jolt asked curiously, looking at the human in shock. "Well _that_ one is easy... actually, hey Lena, wanna interface?" the bot grinned at her shamelessly. He brought his holoform online, leaning against the railing beside the female officer. He blushed and looked down. "I mean, only if you want, and it doesn't have to be sexual..."

"Do I get to keep my clothes on?" Lena asked curiously.

"Well yeah, sure, I mean I'm smaller than Prime, so I can't actually fit you in my spark chamber like he can with Kae. Can only _imagine_ how intense _that_ feels..."

"So we'll pretend that it isn't sexual for the sake of learning," Lena grinned at him. Jolt grinned right back at her, gently taking her hand and leading her to himself. Will watched fascinated as the bot's chest plates slid open and bared a glowing sphere.

"Right, that's my spark-chamber, which I guess you guys know already," Jolt's holoform stated patiently. "It's about as sensitive as... your guys' faces, or I dunno, back of your legs maybe?" Lena reached out and ran a gentle hand down the chamber. Jolt groaned and the chamber opened beneath her hands as his holoform winked out.

"Are you okay?" Lena asked in a shocked and worried tone.

"That feels really, really good," Jolt murmured, leaning against the catwalk and into her hands. "Right, that's my spark-chamber, but this is my spark," he whispered as a diaphanous light reached tentatively out of the opening, it coalesced somewhat.

"May..." Lena whispered, reaching tentatively toward the light. It reached for her and lightly caressed her hand. It was her turn to moan softly. "Gods Jolt, that feels incredible," she murmured, Will looked at her eyes curiously and found them blank.

"Lena?" he asked worriedly.

"I'm still here, but... I'm... also..." she mumbled.

"Here," Jolt whispered gently, the sound seeming to emerge from the light, "go back to your body, Lena, just like that." the light gently unwound itself from her hand and receded into the chamber again.

Lena blinked and stared at Jolt for a long moment.

"Thank you," she whispered in a soft, humbled tone.

"No," Jolt murmured with a smile, "Thank you, your hands are very gentle."

"Wait, you said Optimus can fit Kae _inside_ his spark-chamber!?" Lena burst out the next second, her eyes as wide as dinner plates.

"Yeah, can only _imagine_ how intense _that_ feels, for _both _of them," Jolt snorted with a broad grin. "Lucky bastard-bot."

"Okay we saw, now explain," Lennox grinned at the tech bot.

"It... it was..." Lena murmured with a dreamy expression in her eyes. "I mean Jolt was a total gentleman, but even with just my hand touching his spark, it felt like he was massaging my back and shoulders... I don't..." she trailed off in thought.

"You were a bit tense, I figured you could use a back rub," Jolt shrugged.

"I honestly think I could drop off and sleep for hours now," Lena laughed softly, she reached up and touched her shoulder. Will watched with amusement as her eyes bugged out again. "How'd you get the tension out without even touching me!?" she asked wide eyed.

"Well, I did sort of touch you," Jolt shrugged with a grin. "Your muscles react to what your nerves tell your brain. I told your nerves that you were getting a relaxing massage, which relaxed your muscles. It does the same thing. That's how I control my body, how _I_ feel things."

"None of us, are _ever_ allowed to tease Kae about marrying Optimus," Lena stated firmly. "I can completely understand why now."

"_Why!?_" Jerry demanded with a broad grin.

"Because just _touching _Jolt's spark was a complete out of body experience," Lena grinned. "I actually think you've ruined me for human companionship, Jolt," she laughed at the bot. "If a hand can do that, I can completely understand if Kae decides to say she's addicted to a bit of Prime lovin'."

"You know where my quarters are baby," Jolt winked at her unrepentantly.

"Temptation your name is Jolt," Lena murmured.

"In other news," Will coughed, blushing right beside Barry and the rest of the techs.

"Oh right, humans are uncomfortable with sex, sorry," Jolt stated immediately. "It's kinda hard to remember that when you guys are talking about sparks and interfacing. You _are_ allowed to call out TMI you know."

"Nah, we asked for it," Jerry shrugged. Will looked at Lena curiously.

"What'd it feel like?" he asked softly.

"It... it felt like..." Lena murmured. "I don't even know how to describe it, for a moment, it was like _I_ was the holoform... or... in another place, and Jolt and I were the same size... and I could hear his thoughts a little, bits and pieces of information alongside the feeling of hands massaging my back and the absolute knowledge that in no way did he want to hurt me. It... it's..." she smiled gently. "It was simply incredible, there aren't enough words, it's just simply incredible." Lena reached out and laid a gentle hand over Jolt's. "Thank you."

"Anytime," Jolt smiled, reaching a gentle finger to cover her hand on his. "It's been a long few vorn without someone to touch my spark."

"What does it feel like? For you?" Will asked wide eyed.

"There isn't a parallel," Lena and Jolt said at the same time, they grinned at each other.

"You _did_ manage it!" Jolt laughed.

"I felt what you felt!" Lena grinned. "It was like... gods, there's no parallel."

"She touched my spark, my soul," Jolt shrugged. "Maybe you should ask Kae, she's damn good at translating, especially when the two of 'em are on the same frequency."

"Oh! I need to call Gramps," Barry stated suddenly. Jerry grinned and waved him over.

"You good for the rest of the hour Lena?" Will asked worriedly as the tech yawned slightly. "Did you want to knock off a bit early?"

"Nah, I'm good, but thanks," Lena grinned, plopping back in her chair. Jolt grinned and settled back into his spot, his optics dimming as he resumed scanning the frequencies.


	94. 92 The De-Tour

**Chapter 92 – The de-Tour**

* * *

(MPOV)

Will knocked on my door. Right on time. I smiled and called out my usual 'come,' setting a plate of cookies on the table.

"Morning Kae," Will called out with a grin, snagging a cup of coffee as he flumped down on my sofa.

"Morning Will, I appreciate you taking the time out of your busy schedule for me," I told him teasingly.

"Oh, right, because working with the CIA with you as the liaison is such a strain," Will laughed as Optimus' holoform winked online. Will looked at him with a snort.

"Weren't you in the med-bay?"

"I still am," Optimus shrugged. "Ratchet cut the controls to my legs again."

Will snorted as I laughed, settling down on my cushion.

"Right, let's get started. Any beefs with me?" I started perfunctorily.

"Nope," Will grinned.

"Any beefs with the CIA?"

"Well, you guys are being a bit slow with the information, but like you said, security of your agents is paramount, I can totally understand that," Will nodded.

"However we would like to propose the beginning of our information and technology sharing in earnest," Optimus rumbled calmly, I began writing, not even looking as I nodded to him.

"Such as?" I asked calmly.

"Well, Barry said he wants us for a bit of surveillance work, Bumblebee and Sideswipe are getting bored with scouting the city, and Jetfire is always happy for a diversion. If Barry can think of some assignments for them I would find myself quite appreciative, having highly trained scouts and predators sitting bored does not bode well," Optimus rumbled with a laugh.

I laughed softly and kept writing.

"True, Bee _was _getting quite antsy with his curb duty," I murmured.

"Besides that, I have noted that the security on the CIA's computers is still vulnerable to attack. Now, I know of nothing that can keep _me_ out when I want to see something, but I can certainly make it _difficult_ for myself and impossible for humans," Optimus continued calmly. I couldn't help but grin.

"Barry's tech crew are going to love you," I murmured.

"Other than that, another request for any information they may have picked up on Decepticon movements," Optimus shrugged calmly, I smiled at him.

"You're being quite patient today," I murmured.

"Impatience only breeds more of it's kind," he rumbled with a snort. "I am still quite appreciative that you have the Director himself coming here from time to time. And I am _more _than grateful that he has provided a place for Gouge."

"May I write that down?" I asked gently.

Optimus waved his hand as a go-ahead.

I quickly wrote everything down and looked up at them.

"I believe that that is everything," Optimus rumbled calmly, looking at Will.

"Yep, jeeze, here I was hoping it would take longer, I'd rather work with Kae than Galloway," Will snorted.

"Indeed," Optimus rumbled, nodding agreement. I laughed at them and sketched out my report, translating the shorthand, Cybertronian and Mandarine into english. I slid it over to Optimus and he scanned it quickly.

"Rough draft," I stated calmly.

"More than adequate," he rumbled with a smile, he grimaced.

"Are you alright dear?" I asked gently.

"Ratchet is tapping my helm for my attention," Optimus grumbled.

"Alright, I'm going to write my good draft down, I'll stop by the med-bay on my way out," I smiled at him, standing and pressing a gentle kiss to his jaw. He caught my lips for a second before we backed away from each other.

"Major," Optimus nodded to the man before winking the holoform out.

"Oh, rather than having a beef with you, put in that your efficiency in our meetings is a blessing to me," Will grinned at me.

"Flatterer," I snorted.

"Truth, you've got coffee and cookies for me and we're in and out in less than twenty minutes." Will laughed. "Right, are you all good? If I leave now I'm gonna be able to meet Galloway at the door, see if _that_ puts him in a better mood."

"Good luck," I murmured with a smile.

Will grinned and walked out my door.

I settled back onto my cushion and wrote out the good draft, glanced at the clock and zipped into my leathers, if Optimus' leg controls were offline it meant Ratchet was keeping him for a while, it had been an early thaw anyway. I delicately folded my report and tucked it into my inside pocket, picked up my helmet and began walking.

First stop, med-bay.

I walked in and couldn't help but laugh at the grumpy look on my Optimus' face. I set my helmet down and climbed up the berth to stand beside his face.

"I'm rolling out, love, I'll be back soon," I smiled at him.

Optimus promptly looked more irritable.

"Oh stop that," I laughed, "I'm not leaving the city and you have my transponder frequency. I'll be back before Ratchet has your legs back in your control."

"Oh, very well," Optimus grumped, reaching out and touching my face with an infinitely gentle finger. I kissed his finger and slid down the ladder.

"When do I get my assistant back?" Ratchet grumbled.

"Tomorrow morning first thing," I smiled at him. "If you have issue with it, you can argue with Optimus."

The two of them snorted as I picked up my helmet and made my way back out. Chromia was whizzing toward me the next moment.

"Are you going out on your bike?" she asked excitedly.

"I am," I nodded.

"Lemme come with!" Chromia demanded. "If only to ease your beloved's mind that you're unescorted!"

I laughed and reached out, patting her struts.

"Admit it, you're only going out in the hopes of spotting Ironhide," I told her with a grin.

"That too, and we've been cooped up in here!" Chromia pouted.

"I'll agree with that, let's roll?" I smiled.

Chromia whooped and transformed, I poked my head back in the med-bay.

"Chromia's coming with me, love," I called over to Optimus. "If you asked her to do it you already know, if you didn't know now you do."

Optimus snorted and waved a hand at me, relaxing somewhat on the berth.

So he didn't know. My bot trusted me enough to let me go out alone. The dear.

I jogged into the entrance bay and kicked my motorcycle into neutral, firing up beside an already revving and impatient Chromia. I quickly tucked my hair into the helmet.

"Hear me alright?" I asked her calmly.

::. Loud and clear, let's roll!.:: Chromia grinned. We both got into gear and rolled out, I waved to the soldiers as Chromia's holoform onlined just before she reached the doors.

We stopped at the stop sign, watched the traffic roll past then nodded to each other, taking off at high speed.

Chromia was wheelieing beside me, I couldn't help but laugh at her.

"And if you hit ice doing that?" I asked her with a snort.

::. Forcefield.:: she replied airily.

"Showoff."

::. A-yep.::

We began laughing, Chromia casually taking my flank as I made my way to the CIA headquarters. A cheerful half hour ride and I pulled around the headquarters, making a beeline for the underground parking.

"I don't know if you want to come with, stay here or roll," I told her with a smile.

"Oh I'll come with," Chromia giggled, blinking the helmet off of her holoform as I set mine in the helmet lock. We walked to the elevator and I pressed the up button, let it scan my eye and waited.

Three armed men ran toward us.

"Ladies- Oh! Hey Kae," the man snorted.

"They _still_ haven't gotten me back into the system!?" I demanded with a laugh.

"No! I put you into the system _personally _at the directors orders," Dave frowned, glaring at the scanner. "I think somebody's been screwing with you."

"Eh, figures," I snorted. "You mind?"

"Er..."

"She's with me," I smiled. "And we aren't even here to kill anybody today."

"Aaww... you sure I can't change your mind?" Dave asked with a grin as Jack and Bobby laughed.

"Well, I'm here to see the Director, so I think I'll take a pass on the killing today, maybe tomorrow," I stated, licking my finger and opening my invisible datebook. "How's four?"

The men laughed harder, and Dave scanned his eye.

"Alright, here, you know the drill," he snorted, keying in his password. I scanned my eye and watched as the elevator cleared me for entry. We stood and waited.

"Oh, well while we're waiting, Gentlemen may I introduce you to Chromia?" I smiled.

"Holy shit, you're one of those Auto-bots!" Bobby shouted, wide eyed and pointing with a broad grin.

"Well, my holoform," Chromia smirked, looking down at her body. "But you gotta admit, I outdid myself this time."

"Gorgeous," Jack nodded firmly.

"Aren't they just the nicest boys," Chromia grinned at me.

"They really are, so if I ever have to get you to do the delivery, this is Dave, Jack and Bobby, keepers of the keys to the CIA." I grinned.

"What the pit are good looking boys like you doing in the basement?" Chromia demanded with a grin.

"Heart problem," Dave snorted.

"I'm allergic to paperwork," Jack stated seriously.

"What other security job lets me carry around an M16?" Bobby asked innocently. Chromia laughed.

"And once again, thanks Dave," I smiled at him as the elevator door opened.

"Anytime," he grinned as Chrome and I stepped into the elevator. The doors closed and Chromia turned to me with a grin.

"How the scrap do you know _everybody!?_" she demanded.

"It's the first rule of alibis and getting around everywhere," I grinned. "Get to know and be friendly with the people who hold the _real_ power. They act silly, and they're great guys, but Dave Jack and Bobby are trained agents regardless, _nothing_ gets through that parking garage without one of them knowing about it. _∂And when they're your friends, they can give you a heads up if there's somebody trying to stab you in the back. They hear _everything_.∂"_

Chromia stared at me incredulously.

_∂But they didn't say anything!∂_ she stated incredulously.

_∂No, they said a lot,∂_ I stated sternly._ ∂Nobody but the higher ups are capable of removing me from the system. If Dave put me in there personally, it means he's absolutely correct, somebody's trying to get me killed.∂_

I looked up at the camera concealed in the elevator and shot a smiling salute to the men on security as the door opened again.

More men with guns.

"Leo, Noah, Danny," I smiled at them. "Bobby, Dave and Jack are still alive."

"Yeah... uh Kae?" Noah stated worriedly. I frowned.

"Order from somebody that I'm under arrest?" I frowned. "I'm delivering my report to the _Director_ for pete's sake!"

"Yeah... that's kind of why you're not dead..." Noah stated embarrassedly.

I sighed and held my arms out for them. Noah shot me a grateful look, patting me down. Chromia was mouthing furiously.

"Don't worry about it Chrome, the joys of being infamous," I sighed. "If you want to wink your holoform out and roll, this is probably going to take a while. Noah?" he looked at me curiously. "Would you mind calling Barry and telling him I'm here, cut through the stupidity?"

"Yeah, that's an idea," Leo sighed. "We gotta figure out who's screwing with you."

"This is screwing?" Chromia demanded.

Leo looked around cautiously.

"Discuss it in the quiet room," I stated firmly.

The men nodded and we walked down the corridor. My eyes were everywhere, looking for the anger behind the surprise in a pair of eyes.

Chromia stayed tight to my seven, glaring around herself somewhat.

_∂Play it cool, Chrome,∂_ I told her quietly. _∂I haven't spent this much time building bridges and alliances for this to go badly.∂_

"I hope so," she stated worriedly, crossing her holo's arms.

"Don't worry," I repeated myself gently, reaching to gently touch her hand. "They can't hurt you Chrome."

"It's not _me_ I'm worried about," she growled under her breath.

"Good chick with you, Kae," Leo murmured.

"One of the best," I smiled. Chromia's expression softened slightly.

We stepped into the quiet room, and the guards put their weapons down almost immediately.

"God, Kae we gotta figure out who's screwing with you," Noah stated flatly. "Screwing with one of us isn't cool."

Chromia looked at me.

"House rules, you screw with a fellow CIA agent, you're trying to get them killed," I stated firmly. "If you're pranking you're messing."

"Right," Chromia nodded, leaning against the table. "Can I ask how everybody knows you Kae?"

"Her daddy trained most of us how to shoot," Leo shrugged.

"That makes sense," Chromia laughed softly.

"Director is on his way," Danny reported quietly. I nodded to him gratefully.

"Alright, who have you been pissing off lately?" Noah asked worriedly.

"God, I don't even know. Galloway," I stated with a frown. "Greg Daniels might be reaching out?"

"No, Daniels wasn't popular enough to do that," Danny scowled.

"Can't rule him out though..." Leo murmured.

"I'm terrified that it's a wild card," I stated quietly. The men grimaced.

"Wild card?" Chromia murmured.

"Somebody pissed off at me for god only knows why," I told her calmly.

Chromia frowned. I patted her hand consolingly.

"Don't worry about it," Leo shrugged. "The only order to kill Kae that we'll follow is Barry's. And Barry ain't gonna order it."

"What am I not ordering?" Barry asked tiredly, walking into the quiet room.

"Kill Kae," Leo stated calmly.

"Huh, correct again," Barry stated mildly. "Who's trying to kill her this time?"

"Trying to figure that out, Galloway, maybe Daniels," Noah reported.

Barry rubbed his face tiredly.

"Hey Kae, how's _your_ week going?" he asked tiredly.

"Better than your's by the sound of it," I stated in a concerned tone.

"Well, let's do the walk, see if appearing together exacerbates or quiets this down," Barry stated tiredly.

"Are you alright Barry?" I asked worriedly. He looked at me tiredly.

"Getting too old for this shit." he stated quietly, Leo patted his shoulder gently.

"Well, let's see what we can do about easing your mind," I stated gently, Chromia looking at the man concernedly.

"Thanks for taking care of our Kae," Barry added, looking around at the men.

"Hey, we owe it to Banes," Noah stated quietly.

Barry smiled and offered Chromia and I his arms.

I threaded my hand into his elbow gently, and we promptly strolled the corridors, chatting idly until we reached his office.

"So, what reports do you have for me god-daughter?" Barry asked warily, settling down in his chair, I smiled and pulled the paper from my breast pocket. His eyes lit at how short my reports always remained. "You know me too well Kae," he snorted.

"Well, practically everything is in the report, but I'll wait for you to read it," I smiled.

His eyes flicked through the sheet and froze.

"Seriously, he wants me to find some assignments for his scout!?" Barry demanded.

"Only if you don't mind," I added hastily.

"Do you realize just how much of a blessing that is!?" Barry demanded with a broad grin. "He... well, you said two of them, which two?"

"Bumblebee and Sideswipe, they both get antsy when their continual assignment is 'stay in the city limits and report anything suspicious.' which means that they'll go days without getting to make a report and follow up." Chromia laughed.

"You're one of the bots?" Barry asked interestedly.

"Designation Chromia," she smiled.

"So what happens when the two of them don't get exciting assignments?" Barry asked with a chuckle.

"Oh, they start sulking, and when they start sulking they start getting into trouble," Chromia snorted. "Particularly if they can find _anything_ to do with racing."

"Well, what are their abilities?" Barry demanded with a grin. I sat back with a smile as Chromia beamed at the man.

"Sideswipe is a predator class master of stealth-"

"-Ninja-" I murmured in counterpart.

"And Bumblebee is a full fledged class one Scout." Chromia continued with a smile. "Both are highly proficient with their weaponry."

"They're hired," Barry grinned.

"Wow, and he hasn't even heard the sales pitch," I smirked.

Barry stared at me and began laughing.

"Do I get to haggle?" he asked with a snort.

"What are you putting on the table?" I asked immediately, narrowing my eyes.

Barry narrowed his eyes, leaning forward somewhat.

"Full alliance," he stated sternly. I leaned back and pursed my lips.

"We don't supply weapons," I stated coldly.

"No doubt," Barry stated with a frown. "That'd start the cold war all over again."

Chromia was looking back and forth between the two of us.

::. It's alright Chromia.:: I sent silently.

"Precisely," I stated quietly.

::. How the _Pit!?_.:: Chromia demanded.

"But on the line of defence, you're not going to provide an upgrade to our weaponry, however you will provide some training in the use of our _own _weapons?" Barry stated at the same time.

::. I have my neurals.::

"That has already begun within the NEST unit," I replied firmly. "However if your men are to begin training alongside our NEST unit _that_ will have to be discussed with Optimus Prime, Major Lennox and General Moreshower." I stated firmly.

::. Damn Kae! How the hell are you doing it with one processor!?.::

"So if I happened to drop by at around the right time..." Barry stated musingly.

::. Practice.:: "Oh, I might add that we're throwing an engagement party next friday," I smiled. "Black tie affair, tons of places to sneak away to talk..."

Barry took a sip of coffee and almost choked.

"Seriously!?" he demanded.

"Seriously!?" Chromia half-shrieked. I jumped and looked at her.

"Kae that's the best idea I've ever _heard_!" Barry howled as Chromia almost tackled me out of my chair.

"You're the best sister ever!" Chromia squealed.

"Wait until Cole catches wind of it!" Barry cheered. "I gotta call him, can I call him?"

"Do it," I smirked.

Barry snatched up his phone.

"Linda, get Cole," Barry stated with a grin. "Yep, on the phone, and book yourself a day at the spa?"

"I beg your pardon, sir?" Linda's voice asked curiously.

"Linda my dear, we have a black tie event to attend next friday," Barry stated cheerfully. "A celebratory of our Miss Banes being engaged to Optimus Prime."

"OH of course sir," Linda stated brightly.

"And _do_ wear the dress you chose for me to get for you for your birthday," he added with a bright smile. Linda began laughing, and Barry smirked, winking at Chromia.

She covered her mouth to stifle her giggles.

Barry put the phone down and Chromia began laughing.

"Next Friday!? Kae what am I gonna wear!?" she squealed.

"I don't know, I think you'd better call Arcee and Flare so we can go shopping," I told her seriously. Chromia promptly began kissing my cheeks.

Barry's phone rang.

"It's Cole," Barry grinned, punching the button.

"Oh my god _Kae!_" Cole shouted gleefully. "You're giving in!? You're having an engagement party!? _You gotta let me do the list!_"

"_Cole you need to give me a list!_" I shouted back with a laugh. "Next friday! Before Valentines day after New Years!"

"_You brilliant woman!_" Cole bellowed. "I need your number! _Now! Things need to roll!_"

I began laughing.

"306-588-0198 Let the texting begin!" I called back to him cheerfully.

Two seconds.

Kae! Cole texted me.

"Yep, that's me," I laughed.

"Excellent!" Cole cheered. "Director Matteer! Thank you for routing us!" Barry began laughing, Chromia looking over my shoulder with a grin as I quickly typed in a text.

Don't forget to save yourself an invite I sent to Cole with a smirk. Cole whooped on the phone just as Barry made to hang up. I smirked at him and held up my phone. Barry just laughed harder, shaking his head and hanging up the phone.

"See you next friday," I smiled at him cheerfully, standing up.

Barry grinned and settled into his chair, waving as he began in on his paperwork again. I strode out of the office and almost into a beaming Linda.

"What colour?" she demanded with a broad grin.

I looked at Chromia.

She pursed her lips and eyed me.

"Blue," she stated firmly.

"Blue," I smiled at Linda. She grinned and typed it into her PDA.

"See you friday!" she trilled cheerfully. I laughed and began walking, Chromia right beside me, beaming.

I stopped and smirked at her.

"What?" she grinned.

"You wanna do something fun?" I grinned at her.

"What?" she murmured with a smirk.

I quickly reached up and unzipped her leathers, showing off a nice bit of cleavage and quickly unzipped my own.

::. Shake your hair out.:: I sent to Chromia with a grin.

::. The braids?.:: she sent curiously.

::. No, let your braids out of the chignon.:: I sent back with a grin, releasing my own hair.

Chromia smirked and released her hair, a mass of braids spilled down her back. We glanced at each other and nodded.

"Go ahead and strut," I smirked at her, turning and striding down the corridor.

The open windowed corridor, and a good number of doors stood open besides. Chromia was smirking as we strutted down the public corridors, any number of the male population turning to stare at us in shock.

And awe.

I pressed the button to the elevator.

::. And hair up.:: I sent to her with a smile. I reached back, shook my hair slightly and began twisting it up to fit beneath my helmet. The doors opened as I slid the clip in place, precisely the same time that Chromia did.

The elevator doors opened, we stepped forward, into the elevator and I idly punched the button.

::. Aaaand turn.:: I smirked. Simultaneously, we made an about face, the doors staying open long enough for us to see a good third of the building's population staring at us.

The doors closed.

Chromia and I kept our faces straight right up to the point that the elevator opened into the parking garage.

Jack stood grinning at the door.

"And the winner is!" I grinned at him.

"Every single man who can get his hands on the video feed of watching you two disrupt four floors of the CIA just by walking through." Jack laughed.

"Anything good?" I asked with a snort.

"List of angry faces," Bobby called out with a laugh.

I accepted the high fives and straddled my bike as Chromia seated her holoform.

"I'll call Flare and Arcee when we get outside," she stated calmly.

We both grinned at each other and waved to the guards as our engines started up.

And we were off.

::. What do you think.:: Chromia asked musingly. ::. Fully formal, or semi?.::

"Oh..." I stated, pursing my lips. "I think-"

::. All units, two Decepticons spotted.:: Ironhide sent over the primary ::. Two Dires, there's never just two of them!.::

::. Let's roll!.:: Chromia sent grimly. In moments we were running top speed toward Ironhide's position. My neurals began forming a cannon, prepared to transform and fire in astroseconds.

::. Ironhide, what is your position!.:: Chromia barked out quickly.

::. Luring them out... ope, there's the third.:: Ironhide sent with a frown. Chromia took point and I raced after her.

Fifteen minutes, we were out into the farmland.

::. Coming at you girls!.:: Ironhide called out with a grin. My cannons formed and Chromia transformed the second we saw Ironhide. We split and drove around him, the larger bot transforming as I screeched to a halt with Chromia.

The three of us stood as the Dires transformed and ran toward us. Time slowed.

I took a deep breath and noted something.

The field beside us had been recently well manured.

One of the cons decided to focus on me. I idly looked it in the optics and brought a forcefield online, lightly picking it up and throwing it into the field. Ironhide bodily threw his as Chromia made to drive her's away with a few well-aimed shots.

The dire dodged them and tackled her.

Right into the field.

Scrap.

In moments I was running after them, pointlessly of course, Ironhide was there the next second, snatching the con off of Chromia and hurling it into the other two.

I stood back and watched with a smile as Ironhide promptly began thrashing the three of them for having the temerity to _touch_ his Chromia.

It wasn't long before they were retreating.

Ironhide strode back toward us as I stood over Chromia.

She stood up, looked down at herself and crossed her arms with a deep frown.

* * *

(IPOV)

Ironhide looked down at the sticky, smelly, disgusting muck splattered on him from feet to neck struts.

Disgusting. He looked around and did his best to bite down a snort.

Chromia was _covered,_ and by covered, as in helm to heel-struts _plastered_ in the stuff.

He failed to not laugh at it though.

Bad idea. Chromia was glaring daggers at him the next moment.

Scrap. He was gonna be recharging alone for a while.

::. Quick, demand how she does it.:: Kae's voice rapped out over his private comm.

::. What?.:: he rumbled back.

::. Action now, explanation later. Demand how the scrap she does it.::

"How the scrap do you do it?" he demanded of Chromia.

She looked confused.

"Do what?" she demanded as Kae's voice whispered his next lines.

"We're covered in Ratchet only knows what, runnin' low on energon and yet you're _still_ the most gorgeous creature I've ever laid optics on," Ironhide rumbled flatly, agreeing with Kae. Albeit he didn't think this was the time for flattery, more like falling down and apologizing for laughing. So he was shocked when Chromia's glare melted from her faceplates, in fact, _she_ melted, looking at him with love.

Astonishing.

::. Lesson one, Uncle, when it comes to flattery, timing is _everything_.:: Kae murmured in soft amusement.

_Ten_ points Kae.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus paced the entrance bay irritably.

Ironhide rolled in, covered in something that smelled absolutely _awful. _Chromia was plastered in it, riding in the Weapons Master's box. Kae rolled in after them.

Optimus stood and crossed his arms as the two bots transformed.

Mikaela looked up at him as she parked her bike.

"Why. Would you take Kae into a _battlezone?"_ Optimus rumbled flatly.

"We were closest," Chromia shrugged.

"It's not like she had the option to leave me behind," Mikaela stated with a small snort.

"Mikaela, you went into a battlezone unarmed!" Optimus growled at her.

"As if," Mikaela snorted. "The _only_ place that I go unarmed is your quarters."

Optimus jumped and stared down at her.

She smirked up at him and formed a cannon from the neural fibres that she played host to from time to time.

Well. Scrap.

Optimus vented an irritated sigh.

"And if I put forth that I do not wish you in the battlezones, even armed?" he rumbled down to his Kae. She looked up at him with a raised eyebrow.

"You really want to have _that_ argument?" she asked mildly.

Optimus reached up and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"Am I going to get anywhere with mentioning that I am your guardian, and your betrothed, I would like to be married to you _before _you get yourself killed?" he rumbled irritably.

Mikaela smiled at him.

"Now is the time you should be utilizing me the most," she stated sweetly, zipping out of her riding armour and hanging it.

"And why is that?" he demanded irritably.

"Because woe to _anyone_ who dares to try to _stop_ me from marrying you." Kae smirked at him. Optimus stared at her.

Chromia burst out laughing.

"Now, go tell your Weapons Master and his Chromia to go get cleaned up," Mikaela stated cheerfully.

"What in _Primus_ name!?" Ratchet bellowed.

Optimus whipped around to stare at the bot.

"What did you _do_! Why are you_ covered in that stuff!_" Ratchet shouted.

"Dirt?" Ironhide rumbled curiously, looking at his armour.

"No! Fecal matter!" Ratchet howled. "I want you in decontamination! _Now!"_

Optimus reached up and covered his face, desperately fighting down a snort of laughter as Chromia looked down at herself in horror. Ironhide reached down and picked her up.

"Decontamination," he rumbled flatly, carrying her toward the wash bays.

"And _you_! I sent you to the decontamination chamber hours ago, and you're _still_ covered in free radicals!" Ratchet added grumpily, glaring up at him.

Optimus shot him an innocent look.

"And take Kae with you," the medic added with a glare at her.

Mikaela tilted her head to the side, smirking at her spark-father.

Ratchet stared at her irritably.

"You're just looking for an excuse to keep me out of the med-bay." she stated calmly.

"Fine, yes I am," Ratchet snorted. "Do I seriously need to make it an order? My favourite assistant usually knows when one of our charges needs a full decontamination schedule before _I_ do..."

Mikaela began smirking broadly, matching Ratchet's expression.

Optimus looked back and forth between them. Confused.

"Coming Optimus?" Mikaela asked sweetly, walking into the wash-bays.

Oh.

Optimus grinned and followed his Kae after Chromia and Ironhide.

"Off, get it off..." Chromia was muttering, glaring at the washers and trying to wipe away the gunk.

"I got you," Mikaela murmured with a low laugh, picking up one of the pressure washer wands, she started it up and pointed it to the floor, testing the temperature for a moment before she began spraying Chromia.

The smell intensified.

"It'll go away in a few minutes," Mikaela stated calmly as the bots made faces. "Or rather, perhaps you should offline your olfactory sensors until I tell you it's safe."

That. Was a scrapping good idea. Optimus did just that, and by the relieved look on Ironhide and Chromia's faces, they had as well.

"How the scrap can you _stand it!?_" Chromia demanded.

"Practice," Mikaela shrugged.

"You make it a practice to smell this..." Ironhide rumbled, trailing off irritably.

"Shit?" Mikaela snorted. "No, however smell is smell, my olfactories aren't as inclusive as yours, for one, and part of my duties in the restaurants is to clean the bathrooms, and let me tell you, the men's bathroom _always_ smells _awful."_

_"_Worse than this?" Chromia grimaced, turning around to continue letting Kae get the gunk off of her.

"_Far_ worse, think about it, at the moment you're covered in cow manure, they're herbivores. Humans are omnivores, meat doesn't digest as nicely." Mikaela stated clinically. Chromia sighed in relief as the last of the manure was rinsed away and Kae turned to begin rinsing Ironhide off.

"Water," he grumbled irritably.

"Better than cow shit," Mikaela snorted. "Once you're cleaned up I'm going to shove the lot of you into the decontamination chamber proper, just keep thinking of the lubricant bath."

Ironhide promptly began smirking, even as Kae powered the crap off of him.

"Better yet," Mikaela stated gleefully. "Think of what Chromia looks like when she's floating in the lubricant bath beside you."

Optimus couldn't hold back the snort of laughter as Ironhide looked down at Chromia and somehow managed to smirk more broadly.

Chromia smirked right back at him.


	95. 93 Crossing

**Chapter 93 - Crossing**

* * *

(MPOV)

_§Carbon child,§_ Mico whispered in my mind.

Odd, I thought I was asleep.

"Mother?" I replied regardless.

_§Carbon child you will learn tonight,§ _she whispered. I opened my eyes... sort of to see a spark floating in front of me.

"So the usual," I snorted.

Mico smiled, we rose together and walked to the med-bay, a light scan showed it empty. I stopped for a second.

"Crap, you realize that the second I've raised the dead-"

_§Blame it on me, I am storing everything in your subconscious mind.§_ Mico chuckled. §_The disciple of Primus knows that I am here.§_

I rolled my eyes and walked the route that Ratchet never did. None of the bots did.

They didn't want to face him.

They couldn't.

I took a deep breath and went into Jazz's casket.

§_Grow,_§ Mico commanded softly. I thought for a moment and lightly brought Ratchet's neurals to the wall, growing them. Energon flickered around us.

A stasis unit, a womb.

The body was simple. The spark...

To find the spark required the mind, the memory. The traces of the soul. I lightly touched Jazz's mind, searching.

Surface memories, the last request... a message.

::. Optimus, fo' _Primus _sake yeh'd bettah hear this.:: Jazz's memory stated flatly ::. An' yeh sure as the pit burns bettah pay attention! If yeh can't save meh, yeh bettah destroy the followin' chip. O' course if yeh're listenin' it means yer _still_ goin' on – no... no yer someone else." Jazz stated flatly. "Who are yah, and what're yah doin' in mah mind."

"My name, is Prime Mikaela Archangel Banes, Earthborn child of Commander Calvin Robert Banes and Agent Eun Mi, All-spark Healer, Predator, Betrothed of Optimus Prime, Spark-daughter of Ratchet, Big-sister of Bumblebee. Gladly do I greet thee, Jazz."

Standing between the dimension of the living and the Well, Jazz stared at us.

"We ask but one question, Jazz, once you have finished asking yours." I smiled at him.

"Yeh speak'n questions?" Jazz demanded.

"Oh, what, you thought I wasn't going to tell you what the hell you want to know first?" I snorted. "I mean, come on, ask."

"Okay, what ah ya doin' in mah mind?" Jazz snorted.

"I want to know if I should bring you back to your body." I told him calmly.

"Wha' hap-n'd t' Optimus?" Jazz demanded.

"Optimus won the battle," I told him patiently. "He is currently in hiding."

"An' 'is relationship t' _yah_?"

"He is my guardian," I stated softly. "I bear his mark proudly above my own."

Jazz looked at me for a long moment and nodded.

"Do ah get t' live?" Jazz asked softly.

"If you wish," I nodded.

"Why?"

"Because you asked first of my intentions, and then of his wellbeing," I shrugged. "I have never truly met you, Jazz, but they miss you. But I need to know if you wish to return to your body. If I may ask more than one question?"

Jazz nodded, then froze.

"Wait!" he snapped out. "A few more. Aftah yeh ha' asked yeh're questions can ah ask more?"

"You just did." I smiled.

"Ho! Oh! Nice," Jazz snorted.

"If I may?" I smiled at him.

"Go 'head," he nodded.

"There is information which you need to know, Jazz, you will return, but you will be in stasis for a time, your body needs repair," I told him quietly.

Jazz nodded.

"Do you still wish to return?" I asked gently.

"Hey, if ah a'ways want t' be dead again, ah can jus' get dead," Jazz snorted. "'S boring up he'ah, nobody ta pestah."

"Pff, true," I laughed. "Was there anything else you wish to know before we return?"

"I'm good, stasis for a while, then 'm back," the spark stated contentedly.

I opened my eyes and felt a spark guttering under my hand. I snapped a levitation field to the stasis unit and brought Jazz back to himself.

"Rest," I whispered, reaching for the spark. Jazz hummed into deep, regenerative stasis. I reached for the body, and sent the command to the metals to cast away the dead.

They would be dealt with in time.

But for now, Jazz's armour released from his frame. I levitated it to the side and began sending a gentle, soothing current of energon along his frame.

Urging it to return to the place it was most comfortable.

I could feel myself running low on the ability to create energon, I pushed myself slightly and created a solid state cell strong enough to run the stasis pod.

Jazz slept, his body slowly healing.

I walked back toward my quarters... too far... too isolated.

I stepped into Optimus' quarters.

"Optimus," I whispered softly.

"Kae?" he murmured worriedly.

"Can I stay with you?" I whispered. Optimus chuckled softly and reached over, delicately running a finger down my back.

I climbed up his side and curled up beneath that hand.

I closed my eyes and peacefully met the darkness, Optimus' spark humming softly close by

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus smiled as he came online. He could feel his Kae's spark, so close to his own.

His betrothed.

He onlined his optics and looked down at his tiny, exquisite femme. Her eyes opened and looked up at him.

She smiled, that beautiful, loving smile that stole his spark every time he saw it.

"Did the sun come out, or did you just smile at me?" she murmured softly.

"This time, next year, let us be laughing together," he murmured.

"It's a date," she murmured with a smile.

"So when _do_ I get to lay absolute claim on you?" Optimus rumbled with a smug smile.

"That would be in approximately one orn," his Kae smirked.

Wait what?

"Engagement party, I'm multi-tasking." Mikaela stated with a small smile. "Your ambassador, your CIA Liaison, and your _fiancee_ have all conspired against Director Galloway and to your extreme benefit. Top that."

"Engagement party?" Optimus rumbled curiously.

"It's a party thrown to celebrate the fact that you're going to lay absolute claim to me," Mikaela stated cheerfully. "Politically speaking at any rate, it's also an excuse to get Will, Barry and Chris all in the same room with us, and because the President is in on the wedding, his attendance is also a probability, an excuse for you two to talk face to face. And _because_ it's an engagement party, it's neutral territory."

Optimus laid on his berth in shock.

The _potential!_ The chance to simply _talk!_

"What do I do?" he demanded with a broad grin.

"You be yourself," his Kae laughed at him. "Engagement party, you can glue me to your holoform's side or let me make the rounds and mingle. Hell, if you want you can hold my bloody hand for the entire evening."

Optimus was grinning like a mad-bot. He knew he was. What a thing to wake up to.

"I love you, my Kae," he rumbled through that grin.

"Well I'd hope so," his Kae teased him gently. "However on that note I have to get up and attend to the party things. Do you know if Chromia's awake yet?"

That was simple. Optimus sent a light, searching thought along the frequencies. Chromia and Ironhide were still deep in their recharge, Arcee was awake though.

"Arcee is awake, Chromia and Ironhide are not." Optimus rumbled calmly.

Mikaela beamed at him and crawled up his chest to press a gentle kiss to his faceplates.

"You're a remarkably handy person to have around, you know that?" she teased him lightly. Optimus grinned at his femme and carefully rose.

"Well I would hope to be so," he smiled. He delicately deposited his Kae on the ground and strode toward his door.

"Optimus?" she asked curiously.

"I shall return momentarily, or rather, dress quickly my Kae, we still have to get Ironhide back, remember?"

"_Ooh_!" Kae was running the next second, back through the open side of her living quarters in a minute, pulling a shirt over her head. She almost scrambled into his hand as he chuckled, lightly depositing her on his shoulder.

He strode to the Weapons Master's quarters and absently picked the lock. The doors slid open and he took a minute to just look at his old Weapons Master and his femme.

Completely devoid of their armour and sprawled together.

Adorable.

"Rise and shine lovebirds!" he called out with a broad grin, a few tonal shades away from a thunder. Ironhide sat bolt upright, covering Chromia and summoning a cannon before his optics were even online.

There was a moment of silence as Chromia sat, staring around herself somewhat blearily and Ironhide glared at Optimus.

"You really couldn't help yourself, could you, youngling rip?" he demanded with a snort.

"I really couldn't," Optimus rumbled in a mockingly saddened tone.

"I'm not on duty for another four hours," Ironhide complained.

"ENGAGEMENT PARTY!" Chromia squealed the next second, grinning at Kae.

"We need to go shopping! Stat!" his Kae called back with a laugh. Optimus couldn't help but smile as Ironhide smirked at the femmes.

"Action now, explanation later?" he rumbled with a snort.

"Yes my love," Chromia trilled, climbing up her lover to press a kiss to his jaw. Which made the weapons master smile.

In moments she was on her feet, then in her armour. Moments more and she was climbing up his leg. Optimus snorted and burst out laughing as Chromia caught his hand.

"Up!" she commanded with a broad grin.

Optimus lifted the femme to his shoulder, the way he always had on Cybertron.

Especially if there were several going the same way he was.

"HE'S BACK!" Chromia squealed, laying a kiss on his temple. Optimus was helpless to stop her as she scrambled across his back to wrap Kae in a hug.

He was too busy laughing.

* * *

(MPOV)

I couldn't stop laughing as Chromia scrambled around on my Optimus, he was watching her, laughing as Ironhide idly summoned his own armour.

"Let's go let's go let's go!" Chromia trilled gleefully, winding me deep into her embrace.

"Call Flare and Cee," I grinned. "I'm going to finish repairing my armour and I'll meet you in the entrance bay in five?"

"Done!" Chromia trilled, she jumped down from Optimus' shoulder and landed lightly, scrambling out the door.

Then back in again. She hurled herself on Ironhide and tackled him to the berth.

The fact that she could _do _that was crazy.

"Chrome?" Ironhide asked curiously.

"You need to badger Will into going out with you, Optimus, Ratchet, Bumblebee, Sides Jolt and everybody to pick out a suit," Chromia told him seriously.

"Yes Ma'am," Ironhide nodded seriously. "Do we meet up with you femmes for proper coordination?"

Chromia beamed at him and fell to kissing his face.

"We'll sort that out as the day goes. For now, there's work to be done!" she trilled gleefully, whizzing out of the room again.

I rose and kissed my Optimus' jaw before lightly jumping into the hand he offered. He deposited me on the ground and I was off running.

First stop, my quarters, I quickly zipped into my riding leathers, integrated my neurals, slid my knife between my shoulder blades and snatched up my helmet.

Chromia was already in the entrance bay as I jogged to my bike, her holoform grinning madly as Cee and Flare whizzed in after me. I noted the soldiers watching us curiously as the four of us grinned manically, they transformed and I kicked my bike into neutral, revving it up the next moment.

The doors opened and we were off, chatting gleefully.

::. Where to first!?.:: Arcee trilled.

::. The Café.:: I grinned ::. We have plans to make.::

::. Ooh ooh ooh!.:: Flare hooted ::. Like what!?.::

::. Like sorting out who's doing what, Chromia's already decided the party colour, but we need to sort out food, flowers, decorations, fully formal or semi-formal attire, the works...::

* * *

(APOV)

Mikaela took point, leading the way to a small cafe near the shopping areas. She parked and grinned at them.

"Which is also an excellent excuse for me to introduce you to one of the few things that every femme on this planet _needs_ to try at _least_ once," she added cheerfully.

Arcee laughed and followed the tiny femme with her holoform, her sisters close behind.

"And what is that?" she asked with a smile.

"Death by Chocolate," Mikaela snorted, getting into the small lineup. "Grab that table in the corner there, will you?"

"On it!" Flareup trilled. Arcee watched curiously as Mikaela eyed each of them in turn. She got to the front of the line and smiled at the femme behind the counter.

"Could I get four Death by Chocolates, one espresso, one black coffee, one Chai Latte, one orange blossom tea, one green tea with lemon and four glasses of water?"

The femme behind the counter smiled and typed that in.

"To stay or go?" she asked cheerfully.

"To stay, please," Mikaela smiled.

"And where will you be?" the little girl asked.

"Corner table," Mikaela beamed at her, she turned and lightly caught Arcee's arm, guiding her to the table. Arcee smiled down at her tiny, newest sister as they sat, grinning around themselves.

"Right, so now what?" Chromia asked conspiratorially.

"Now," Mikaela smiled, flushing a small amount of energon into her neurals and building a small holo-pad. "We plan."

The little femme behind the counter carried a tray to their table, placing plates of a dark brown concoction and five cups. Mikaela immediately claimed her usual coffee and the stronger smelling tiny cup of the same.

"Right you three, give those a try, swap around, if you don't like any of them we'll find you something else," Kae grinned at them.

"You ordered them with us in mind," Arcee stated calmly.

"I did, my best guess for your tastes, but it's still a guess," Kae shrugged, smiling.

"Which one did you get for me?" Flare asked cheerfully.

Mikaela immediately seemed to scan the three remaining drinks and portioned them out. Arcee caught her first concentrated whiff of the drink Kae set in front of her.

It smelled incredible.

Arcee took a delicate sip and couldn't stop her own smile.

"It smells so..." Flareup murmured softly.

"Orange blossom tea," Mikaela nodded to her with a smile. Flare smiled and took a sip, sitting back with her eyes closed.

"Bliss?" Arcee asked her teasingly.

"Perfection," Flare smiled.

"Now, plans," Chromia smirked, sipping at her own drink.

An excellent start to the day.

* * *

**Right, I know I've probably done a terrible job with Jazz's accent, for good reason, I hope. I have a lot of experience with Scotch accents, Brooklyn? Not so much. Sorry! Anyway, that's all for today folks, tell me what you thought!**


	96. 94 Engagement of Politics

**Chapter 94 – Engagement of Politics**

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus waited.

His Kae was sound asleep on his chest plates again, laying beneath his hand.

Their engagement party was this evening.

Brilliant beautiful femme.

Galloway was going to be there, but so was the President.

Will and his Sarah and Anabelle. Every bot, several of them bringing their own human... Optimus cycled his processors and looked down at his Kae contentedly, and all the while, he would hold her hand.

So close, he could feel her heart beating, a soft, gentle sound, all but masking the sweet hum of her spark.

No wonder they hadn't recognized it.

His Kae opened her eyes and smiled at him.

Optimus could go to the well content, so long as that smile was with him.

"Always," his Kae whispered softly. So close to his spark. She crawled to his face and pressed a gentle kiss to his jaw.

"So I get to hold you in my hand for the entire day?" Optimus rumbled softly.

"Taking advantage of the single processor I have running, which has not even come _online_ yet is cheating." she told him drowsily.

Optimus couldn't help but smile.

"This evening you," Kae stated with a low snort. "I have preparations to make, so unless you want to hold me in your hand in my shower, except you'd squash my shower, and most of my quarters in the process, and I need those for later."

Optimus snorted and sat up, his Kae already sliding down her ladder.

"You know, tradition states that before a celebration, a guardian and his reliant bathe together," he rumbled with a small smirk.

"Yeah well last one to the decontamination chamber," she stated flatly. Optimus frowned. What?

His Kae turned around and smirked at him.

Then took off running.

Last one to the decontamination chamber...

Does a thorough wash cycle on the other. Optimus laid back for a moment, smirking. It took Kae precisely five point four minutes to run from their quarters to the decon chamber.

It took him twenty five steps.

He rose and idly shrugged out of his armour, striding toward the doors.

As his opened, an armour-less Ratchet stared at him from the doors of his own quarters. Ironhide strode down the corridor, stopped, stared at the two of them and burst out laughing.

"I'm stashing my stuff at your place, youngling." he rumbled, idly shoving his way past Optimus and disengaging his armour in a corner. "What've I told you about leaving your armour all over the floor?" he demanded.

Optimus began laughing, he couldn't help it, today was a special occasion.

::. Calling all bots.:: he sent over the Primary, laughing ::. All bots, if they so wish, are ordered to the decon chamber, it is a day of celebration, after all. Armour is optional.::

::. He's back!.:: Bumblebee chirped gleefully.

The primary promptly began howling.

Optimus smirked and fairly sauntered to the wash bay.

He couldn't see Mikaela.

::. Already inside.:: Sideswipe sent to him with a snort, striding toward the corridor to store his own armour in his quarters.

::. You may use my quarters to stash your armour.:: Optimus sent to he and Jolt both.

::. On it!.:: Sides sent cheerfully.

::. Thank you, but my armour could use a wash...:: Jolt sent shyly, smiling at him.

He nodded to the technician and walked through the door, met by soft blue light and a vision to pop his processors.

Mikaela was already stripped down, sitting on one of the lower berths, legs crossed as she meditated. He immediately strode in and delicately scooped her up, sitting on the high berth and depositing her on his leg.

Her only movement was to facilitate him picking her up, and to squirm slightly on his leg into a comfortable spot for the both of them.

"I don't know why I like the light in here so much, but I do," she murmured softly, a hand lightly stroking his leg as she did.

"Because it's the light you thrive on, the light that damages filtered away," Ratchet told her, again.

Kae smiled and Optimus onlined his holoform, stroking his beautiful femme. She leaned back against his chest, humming in soft contentment.

"Saps," Ironhide snorted.

"Uh huh," Mikaela nodded contentedly, opening an eye to smile as Chromia cuddled against her mech. "Hi pot, my name is kettle."

* * *

(WPOV)

Will watched with a grin as his men all lined up well ahead of schedule.

Just in time to watch as the entire entourage of bots strode, laughing, out of the decon chamber. Completely sans armour.

Will was thankful, _again_ that Kae had fixed his hearing, size alone wasn't enough for him to tell that lot apart. Except Optimus, of course. But that didn't count, he towered. Bumblebee and Sideswipe were shoving at each other lightly, laughing their tailpipes off.

"Scrap! Humans! Run!" Bumblebee called out with a laugh. The little scout promptly picked his way through the amassed crowd, making absolutely sure to not squash anyone and took off jogging down the corridor.

Optimus was chuckling.

"Major," he nodded, "I shall return momentarily."

"Why?" Will laughed at the bot. "Everybody's going to be here in five hours, nothing's happening at communications."

Optimus looked down at him with a raised brow ridge.

"Then why is everyone lined up?" he rumbled curiously.

"Because it's a really good excuse to watch the lot of you wandering around naked?" Jacobs called out with a broad grin.

Optimus snorted, shaking his head.

"If you wished to do _that_, simply _ask_," the bot chuckled, wandering toward the corridor.

"_What!?"_ Will shouted after the bot.

"As nice as the armour looks, Major, it is not _that_ comfortable," Optimus snorted in amusement, already out of sight of the soldiers. "Besides, it _is _nothing more than an advanced forcefield holding it in place..."

Will glanced at his men surrounding him, a good number looking about as shocked as he felt.

"They're aliens, leave it at that," Epps laughed at him.

He could do that.

* * *

(MPOV)

Out of sight of the soldiers, I stayed in my Optimus' spark chamber, trying not to laugh as Bumblebee ran off, laughing.

Optimus strode to his quarters and smirkingly deposited me on his berth.

I laughed and slid down my ladder, scampering into my room and pulling out my dress. That got hung up. First came my day-clothes, I had preparations to make.

Central needed to be re-vamped.

Optimus said I could run the complex for a month with the cell I'd made. I wanted to try that out.

"Kae?" my Optimus rumbled curiously.

"Work to do!" I called out cheerfully, sprinting out through his quarters. I ran to the Central and scanned the area. Nobody around. I shut the doors and smirked to myself. Locking them.

It'd take Optimus hours to figure that lock out.

And with out a doubt, he'd _spend_ those hours trying to figure it out.

Sure enough, in fifteen minutes the door tried to open, made it an inch and closed again.

::. Kae?.:: my Optimus' voice rumbled curiously.

::. Working.:: I sent to him cheerfully.

The door tried to open again.

::. Why is the door locked?.:: he rumbled curiously.

::. Because it's a surprise.:: I stated blandly.

The door tried to open again.

::. How the scrap...:: Optimus rumbled with a frown. I grinned, and let him feel my grin.

The door tried to open again.

::. Quit trying to peek.:: I sent to him cheerfully.

::. How'd you do that?.:: Ironhide sent with a laugh, the door tried to open again.

::. Oh, Optimus will figure it out eventually.:: I sent back blandly.

Silence for a moment.

The door tried to open again.

::. Maybe there's a wedge behind it?.:: Ironhide rumbled curiously.

Nope.

::. ...No... it would be registering as such...:: Optimus rumbled musingly.

I snorted in amusement and focused again, growing the neural network and causing it to twine into a Cybertronian grand central. There were comfortable benches for the bots, and chairs and alcoves lining the walls.

::. Flare, Chrome, Cee, ready and waiting for you.:: I sent cheerfully.

::. But the door's locked!.:: Arcee stated with mild indignation.

::. So?.::

Arcee snorted, and in moments the femmes were rolling in.

Optimus took a step forward and the doors closed again.

"Now that's just cruel," Chromia giggled as Optimus grumbled a few choice oaths and continued trying to figure out the code I'd used.

"It's something for him to do rather than trying to fret," I chuckled.

"Mm, true," Arcee chuckled, bringing out bouquets of flowers from subspace. They got placed around, the buffet table set.

Done.

The four of us trooped out, the doors closed.

Optimus looked down at me with the most adorable mixture of consternation and amusement, Sideswipe, Ironhide and Bumblebee lounging against the wall and watching. I shot him an innocent look and let the girls whip me away to my quarters.

"So how did you manage it?" Chromia asked conspiratorially.

"It's keyed to his size," I snorted, "once he's stepped thirty feet from the door and stops _trying _to get in. He'll get in."

"You know he's never going to stop trying," Arcee snorted.

"Precisely," I laughed.

"Now _that,_ is sneaky," Flare giggled.

"Optimus," Arcee stated aloud in a fond tone. "Do you want to know the code?"

"No, allow me to figure it out," Optimus rumbled over the primary. I couldn't help the smile, he might curse that lock, but that sure as the pit burned didn't mean he wasn't going to enjoy the puzzle.

The four of us burst out laughing and started getting ready for the evening.

Twenty minutes later.

"Do I get a hint?" Optimus rumbled.

"I coded it with you in mind, beloved," I told him with a laugh.

Silence for a moment.

"Okay, try doing what you never do," Bumblebee stated with a frown.

Silence.

"Which is?" Optimus rumbled with a laugh.

"You never stop trying," Ironhide snorted. "Walk away, walk back."

"Too easy of a hint," I stated with a snort as Chromia deposited me on a chair.

"Whoaaaa!" Bumblebee gasped the next moment. A moment later, Optimus' holoform was kneeling in front of me, an awestruck look in his eyes.

"Is it okay?" I asked innocently.

"It is perfect," he whispered before thinking became incredibly difficult.

He was, after all, a highly skilled kisser.

"You! Away!" Arcee commanded after a moment.

"But..." Optimus rumbled immediately.

"This, is femme time. Out!" Arcee laughed at him.

"We will, however, continue this later," I smirked, pressing a final kiss to his holoform's lips.

He grinned and winked out, and I smiled at my sisters as we began in on the universal tradition of femmes: transforming from our day-selves, to the drop-dead-gorgeous appearance designed entirely to making our respective prospective mates, _stare._

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus onlined his holoform, wearing the suit that Arcee had chosen for him. He idly straightened the jacket as he stood, waiting with Ironhide, Ratchet and Sideswipe for their femmes to make an appearance.

"Are femmes _ever_ on time?" Sideswipe murmured.

"Are you expecting her to be?" Will murmured with a snort.

"Sort of?"

"Then no, on a special occasion, any female is going to spend an extra bit of time primping to ensure that they look as gorgeous in their own mind as we already know they are." Will smiled tolerantly as his Sarah walked in, toddling Anabelle on her hip and beaming at her mate.

Anabelle promptly held her arms out for her father, babbling cheerfully.

Optimus couldn't help but smile.

She was telling her father her plans for her conceivable evening.

Ironhide was chuckling at her plans.

The humans looked at them curiously.

_∂May I translate your words for you, cherished one?∂_ Optimus rumbled with a small smile, reaching out and gently taking the tiny creature's hand.

_"Good good," _Anabelle stated cheerfully, beaming at him.

"Anabelle says that she wants to spend the first bit of time while it is calm with her father, and then once everything has gotten busy she's going to make her rounds. She wants to see how many people will pick her up and hold her tonight." Optimus informed Will with a smile.

∂_Going to start making conquests cherished one?∂_ Ironhide asked cheerfully.

∂_Gonna see who we should be trusting,∂_ Anabelle stated seriously. She promptly wound her arms around Will's neck, laying her head on his shoulder. ∂_How do I say I love you daddy?∂ _she added quietly.

Optimus smiled at her, speaking the words, first in Cybertronian then English.

"I wuv you daddy," Anabelle stated comfortably.

Will turned slightly, ducking his head.

"As I love you, my baby girl," he choked softly. Anabelle glanced at Optimus.

∂_As I love you, my baby girl,∂_ Optimus translated softly. Anabelle promptly snuggled into her father.

∂_I'm catch a fast nap, wake me up when the fun starts,∂_ she mumbled softly, promptly falling asleep on Will's shoulder.

"She says she is going to catch a fast nap, and wants to be woken when the fun starts," Optimus translated with a smile.

"You get all of that from her?" Will asked softly.

"She really speaks Cybertronian?" Sarah interjected with a smile.

"Of a type," Optimus smiled. "Her speech patterns are close to those of our own younglings. So long as the intent is behind the word, I have processors to translate it."

"So if I said ab dub dub?" Sarah asked curiously.

"Then I hear you saying ab dub dub, there is no intent behind the word," Optimus smiled. "However spoken somewhat faster, in warrior's frequency it means how fare you. In Predator's frequency it means are you dead yet. Essentially the same context, but frequencies are frequencies."

"Then what does it mean in _your_ language?" Will asked with a grin. Optimus frowned in thought.

"There is..." he rumbled with a frown.

"There isn't really a translation, _**ΩSpeaktruth,Ω**_ the language of the Primes flows more. Where as Killspeak is far more abrupt." Mikaela stated calmly, Optimus turned to look at his femme and almost sat down on the floor. Almost, his Weapons Master had calmly caught hold of his holoform's arm.

"Kae," he whispered.

_**ΩMy Optimus,Ω**_ his Kae smiled at him, walking forward and delicately taking his hands.

_**ΩMy Archangel,Ω **_he rumbled softly, smiling and leaning down to press a gentle kiss to her lips. _**ΩEvery day, in my eyes, you outshine every creature. This night you are more beautiful than any who sought my eyes.Ω**_

"If you don't stop that, you'll make me cry, then Chromia will be furious that I destroyed the effort she made on my makeup." his Kae murmured.

But she still smiled and pulled herself up by his shoulders to press a lingering kiss to his jaw. Optimus contentedly wound his arms around his Kae.

"So what'd he say?" Will murmured, nudging Ironhide.

"No idea, language of the Primes. _Again_." Ironhide snorted.

"He's just being a flatterer, again," his Kae teased him gently.

"But we cannot lie in _**ΩSpeaktruth,Ω**_ and to flatter is to lie," Optimus rumbled with a small smirk.

"Only you," Kae smiled at him. They turned, and Optimus offered his arm to his beloved, smiling as she lightly placed her hand on his forearm.

"So what did he say?" Ironhide muttered to Kae.

Mikaela promptly began blushing.

"Ooh, that means it's _got _to be good!" Chromia murmured with a small smirk.

"Please?" Sarah asked cheerfully.

Optimus smiled.

"I said every day, in my eyes, you outshine every creature. This night you are more beautiful than any who sought my eyes," Optimus stated calmly.

"You never _did _do anything by half," Ironhide snorted beside him.

"Which is why he doesn't have enough conquests," Arcee murmured with a small smirk. "With a pickup line like that, he winds up with a life-mate first try."

Optimus snorted in amusement.

"What, like you?" Kae asked innocently.

"Mm, gorgeous as your mate is, my sister, I believe I shall retain my medic," Arcee stated airily. "He is _far_ more fun to yell at."

"Huh?" Will muttered.

"He doesn't fall over himself apologizing," Ironhide snorted, lightly whacking Optimus.

"Oh be nice. When people yell at my beloved it's because he stepped on something," Mikaela stated blandly.

"Is there _anything_ that he hasn't wound up stepping on?" Sideswipe put in cheerfully.

"Me," Kae nodded seriously. Optimus fought to bite back a snort of laughter.

"That's a bit harsh isn't it?" Will muttered with a snort.

"Optimus has a betrothed, tonight we celebrate that fact as humans. As bots? _We_ celebrate that Prime is now fair game." Flareup smirked.

"Fair game?" Sarah asked with a laugh.

"For the verbal kicking," Optimus snorted. "Essentially, up to the point that I will literally have to command it cease, once more, in every off moment they will be using me as cannon fodder for gossip."

"Except it's Optimus, he's not going to command it. Youngling rip." Ironhide snorted.

Optimus grinned as his Kae smiled, guests began arriving, and the night began.

* * *

(MPOV)

I smiled as I made the rounds, my Optimus' true body was sitting comfortably among the other bots, his holoform sitting with the President, the General, the Major and the CIA director. I'd excused myself from that conversation an hour ago, further politics demanding that I play the part of a hostess. Optimus would no doubt fill me in on what had been said later.

But by the look of that conversation, things were finally going to begin moving.

The femmes sparkled, garnering the attention of a good few males in the room. The fact that this was technically my engagement party? That didn't matter, I was quite happy to fade into the background, the politics were finally reaching the point of manageability. That was the real point of this party.

I felt a moment of melancholy, my human family wouldn't see me married and happy, hell, not even Victor was alive. I could practically hearing him laughingly advising me to poison Galloway, the man had been shunted to the side, and was getting quite tipsy at this point.

Easy target.

I shook my head wryly and briefly considered adjourning to my quarters.

But that wouldn't work, even if it was now three in the morning, and at this point I would be moving to the mats to run through my sequences, I had to remain to play hostess.

Besides, Anabelle was currently ensconced in the rocking bed, Ironhide, Chromia, Ratchet, Arcee, Sideswipe and Flare all taking turns keeping an eye out for her.

Sarah was looking somewhat tired and forlorn in a corner, I was immediately at her side.

"Did you want me to show you to the guest quarters?" I murmured with a small smile. "Or rather, would you prefer to simply use mine? I'll like as not stay with my Optimus tonight."

Sarah was immediately shooting me a grateful smile, delicately linking her arm with mine as we walked the circuit. The moment we were in the corridor she looked at me sadly.

"I can't tell which is the politics, and which is you," she murmured quietly.

"How do you mean?" I asked quietly.

"How much of this party..." she trailed off.

I began laughing quietly.

"You know? The entirety of this party is for the politics," I smiled at her. "The human style wedding, all of this hoo-hah, that's for the politics. Bonding to my Optimus, and knowing that eventually, there will never be a force to separate us, _that_ is me.


	97. 95 The Cat's Away

**Chapter 95 – The Cat's Away**

* * *

(RPOV)

Ratchet stood in the entrance bay, watching his spark daughter with pride of her composure. Mikaela stood in front of Optimus' holoform now, the two of them communicating silently, no frequency could pick up the messages in their eyes.

"You stay safe," she commanded firmly, finally cupping his face in gentle hands.

"I will return," Optimus rumbled firmly, leaning down to lightly touch his lips to hers. She kissed him back delicately.

"I'll be here," she replied calmly. She stood for a long moment, watching bots and soldiers both as they rolled out before turning to walk back to the med-bay.

Ratchet frowned slightly, he'd intended to work on her new body tonight.

"We got this one," Arcee murmured with a small smile.

"GIRLS NIGHT!" Flareup shouted with a broad grin

"Hawhaat!?" Mikaela called out in shock.

"C'mon, they aren't doing anything but getting on the plane tonight," Chromia stated with a grin, "We've got plenty of time to worry about the menfolk, tonight we stay together."

Mikaela smiled at them.

"You're keeping me away from the Med-bay so that Ratchet can work in peace." she stated wryly.

"That too," Arcee grinned.

"Alright fine, see you in the morning Ratch," she said, looking up at him with a laugh.

He chuckled and watched as the femmes whisked Kae away. He moved into the med-bay and knelt down beside his assistant's body

* * *

(MPOV)

I woke up automatically, swung out of my hammock and padded to the mats. For the first time in three months, the demanding sequences did nothing to calm me down. I paced the familiar corridors and heard Ratchet still working in the med-bay.

With a sigh I covered my eyes and walked in.

"Mikaela? What are you doing awake?" Ratchet asked worriedly.

"Can't sleep, is it okay to look?"

"Not really, no..." Ratch trailed off with the sounds of a frown.

"Mkay, I'll go... somewhere," I said quietly. I turned around and walked back out again to the sound of Ratchet's quiet laughter.

"Thank you Kae," he rumbled gently.

"See you later Ratch, get some recharge yourself alright?" I said gently, my back still turned to the bot.

"Alright Kae," he rumbled with a grin.

I walked the corridors again, the place was so empty with everyone gone on mission.

Finally, I walked into my common room and curled up on the sofa, sitting and staring at nothing. My hand drifted up to caress Optimus' mark.

"Kae?" Chromia's holoform asked softly, I turned to watch her as the Femmes rolled carefully in.

"I should be used to this by now, shouldn't I?" I asked softly, "the being left behind?"

"The first time a spark-mate has to leave is difficult," Chromia murmured, sitting down beside me and pulling me in tightly against her holoform. I wrapped my arms around her and cuddled into the group of girls.

"If it makes you feel any better, Prime has the flight platform you made," Flare said quietly, "they're going to be just fine."

"I'm alright," I said softly, "it's just too quiet, I can't hear him."

"You will, in time," Arcee murmured gently, "In the meantime, come on, we'll invade Ratchet's quarters, there's enough room for all of us to fit on the berth."

* * *

(APOV)

Mikaela laughed softly and rose. Their fourth sister walked on light feet across the corridor and into Ratchet's quarters. Chromia tucked her in between herself and Flare, she curled up and laid in silence for a long time.

"Kae?" Chromia asked softly.

"Chrome?" she replied curiously.

"Do... do you mind if..."

"You're being shy, Chrome," Kae murmured with a snort. "It's me, say it."

"Will you touch my spark?" Chromia whispered, Arcee stroked her sisters' faces, feeling their loneliness at the absence of their males. Kae rolled over to her other side and gently stroked Chromia's bared spark chamber as the femme hummed softly. Chromia reached a cable toward Kae, looking to connect to her and provide the same comfort.

"Don't worry about me, Chrome," Kae whispered. The femmes looked at her in mild astonishment, she sounded so gentle... _motherly_.

"But..." Flare murmured.

"My primary comfort is the sound of your sparks," Kae murmured with a smile as Chromia gasped softly, gently overloading as energon swirled from the tiny human. She smiled as Chromia dropped into instant recharge. Ratchet chose that moment to wander tiredly into his quarters.

"The cat's away?" he rumbled in a quiet, amused tone.

"And now the mice are lonely," Flareup giggled softly as Chromia shifted slightly in her recharge, cuddling against her as Kae did the same.

Arcee dropped into her recharge cycle curled against her Ratchet, thankful that he didn't have to be gone yet.

She onlined in a panic.

"Where'd Kae go?" Chromia shouted in shock, looking around wildly

Ratchet's optics onlined, he laughed softly.

He rolled to his feet and walked calmly toward the med-bay.

::. She's not here!.:: he sent in a panic. Arcee quickly jumped to her tires and stopped, she rolled quietly to Optimus' door, it hissed open softly.

::. Found her.:: Arcee stated gently.

Kae was curled up on Optimus' berth, one arm had snaked out to rest where he should be. She silently memorized that image and sent it to the bots on base before quietly backing out again.

::. That dear little Femme.:: Chromia stated quietly.

::. Her body's almost finished.:: Ratchet stated quietly. ::. All call, I'm going to continue working on it, I want it finished, give me warning if you're coming in.::

Arcee smiled at the thought, sending up her own prayer for the sweet femme. No matter what size she would be, the Femme would be a beautiful addition to their ranks.

* * *

(MPOV)

I stretched and walked into the Med-bay, smiling up at Ratchet as he waved an errant hand toward me. Today was going to be a quiet day, obviously. I immediately began working on a few of the services, honestly enjoying the clean atmosphere of Ratchet's preferred Medical bay. I glanced over my shoulder as Barry wandered in behind Jerry.

"Good afternoon, Director," Ratchet nodded vaguely, obviously concentrating on the servo he was repairing.

"Good afternoon, Ratchet," Barry nodded with a small smile. "I'm sorry, I was actually hoping I could steal you for a couple of days. My man in Montana reports that Gouge seems to have seen better days, which is 'Gramps' for he's got a few aches and pains. If he's to be in my employ, I'd like to make sure he's kept in good shape."

Ratchet looked up at Barry with mild astonishment in his optics.

"What?" Barry asked after a moment of silence.

"It is... refreshing... to see care for another after all this time," Ratchet stated finally. "However as first Medical officer, I need to remain here while my Prime and his troops are in the field. Kae could probably go," he added, looking at me.

"Trying to get rid of me Ratch?" I asked with a snort.

"The sooner I have completed your body, the safer I will feel," Ratchet snorted. "I doubt Optimus will mind if you are escorted by Jetfire."

I nodded musingly and glanced around at the tools I'd likely need.

"ETA?" Barry asked me with a grin.

"Well, I'll call Optimus, Jetfire will probably take a few minutes to get here," I murmured, absently accepting my energon pack from Ratchet.

"Kae?" Optimus' voice called out a second later, I jumped and grinned at Ratchet.

"Optimus, permission to go into the field for a couple of hours to tend to Gouge?" I called out with a small smile.

"Permission granted, Healer Archangel," Optimus rumbled through Ratchet's speakers. I could hear his smile. "Jetfire will escort you there and back."

"Thank you, Optimus," I smiled, looking at Barry. Ratchet rose and began collecting a few parts.

"Knowing Gouge's kind, you're going to need some new plate metals, some extra neural fibres wouldn't hurt, don't forget to neutralize them," he muttered, tossing the parts onto my workbench as I quickly packed them away. "Some new optical lenses, you know how to re-shape them... raw living metals, be careful while you're remodelling his joints, if he's gotten particulates in without the proper lubricants they're going to be rather worn down..."

"So I should add a bit more to the existing joint, rather than entirely replacing it," I began murmuring in counterpoint, delicately linking to Ratchet through my pack and memorizing his analysis of Gouge's form.

"Mmn," Ratchet nodded musingly, "Lubricant wise, if you can give him enough of a base charge he'll be able to modify twenty forty non-synthetic himself to his own preferences," I nodded in counterpart to Ratchet's instructions, adding a few last things to my haul of parts. "I think that's about it, be careful, daughter, type five behaviour."

I nodded with a frown and added a few more neural fibres to my haul, just in case.

"Type five behaviour?" Barry asked curiously.

"Burrowers are a somewhat more... elemental personality," Jetfire reported calmly, walking into the med-bay. "If they are badly damaged their protective circuits rule entirely, at which point they should be treated as a wounded, but still highly intelligent animal. Shall we go Granddaughter?" I nodded with a smile, following the seeker back to the entrance bay.

"Meaning?" Barry asked interestedly, walking beside me.

"It means that if Gouge has become more damaged than when I left him," Jetfire stated mildly, "Kae and I shall have to remember to approach him cautiously, to not corner him. Her smaller size will be an asset in this, she is far less threatening than I, unless she's pissed." Jetfire added with a low snort, winking down at me before he transformed.

I laughed and set my haul in the co-pilot's seat, turning to see Ratchet carrying several large jugs of oil into the entrance bay.

"Be careful, daughter," Ratchet repeated himself, looking at me calmly.

"I will Ratch, don't overwork yourself," I smiled, hugging his hand. He onlined his holoform to kiss my temples.

"Did you wish to come along, Director?" Jetfire asked politely, looking at Barry. "Gouge'll put on an excellent show of being grumpy, but when someone's providing for him, he'll gladly build you whatever you wish."

"Convey my greetings, unfortunately I need to stay here for another few days," Barry stated with a snort. "Gramps has my contact information if Gouge wishes to speak with me. Actually, if you'd kindly ask if I could visit Wednesday next week, if it's convenient to Gouge."

"Yeah, he's gonna like you," Jetfire snorted, offlining his holo. "Let's go granddaughter."

I laughed and buckled myself into his seat, relaxing in the cockpit and waving to the soldiers opening the doors for us. Jetfire blasted his engines the second we were clear, getting up and into the air in moments.

"Is there anything I need to know about Gouge in particular?" I asked once we were coasting.

"Aye, let me introduce you as my granddaughter, we'll go into the complex a dozen or so paces and announce ourselves before going to find him if he can't make it to us." Jetfire stated calmly. I nodded and relaxed into his seat, idly watching the co-ordinates showing on his screens.

"How are _you_ doing by the way?" I asked interestedly. "We haven't been flying together very much, is the new conversion unit working alright?"

"It's just fine," Jetfire snorted softly. "At this specific moment, I'm dated to offline one of your centuries from now, unless I get a repair on the transistor in me spark chamber, o'course I won' need _tha'_ for another fifty years or so."

"Good," I smiled gently. "But you know you're under orders to report to Ratchet and I if you have so much as a mild cold right? I'll not have you simply putting up with an ache if I can repair it."

"Aye," Jetfire chuckled, banking north somewhat. "Prime said the same damn thing, first time I went out scouting out of headquarters for him. Mark o' the true Primes showin' in yer optics. Proud to serve with you granddaughter."

I laughed softly and ran a gentle hand over the instrument panelling.

"Proud to serve with you, gran'da," I replied, automatically tightening my muscles somewhat as he began pulling stronger g's, circling around the hidden landing pad in the mountains. I looked around curiously as he transformed and landed lightly, holding me in one hand and my box of parts in the other.

"Jetfire!" Gramps called out with a broad grin, coming out of the tiny complex door. "'Bout time you showed up. Did you bring us a healer for ol' Gouger? He's movin' slower than I've seen him yet do!"

"I did Gramps, how's his temper?" Jetfire rumbled with a snort, lightly setting me down on the pad, I collected my box of parts and settled it onto my hip easily, smiling at Gramps as the old man beamed at me.

"Angel! You're a healer now?" he demanded.

"I am, daddy taught me well," I laughed softly, reaching out and hugging the old man.

"Excellent, c'mon then, Gouge ain't said it aloud, but y'kin tell he's hurtin' some," Gramps stated seriously, leading me toward the complex. We walked in and I couldn't help but laugh. The place was completely gutted, save for a small area which obviously served Gramps as a living area. "He's this way," Gramps stated, I looked a bit more closely at the dear old man, hearing the worry in his voice.

"You've gone and got fond of him, haven't you?" I murmured with a small smile.

"That I have little angel," Gramps nodded, "Gone out of his way he did, kept the foundations and structure sound in this old place, e'en as he started diggin' us a basement. Got boys comin' in next week, they're modernizin' the inside o' the old girl. She'll be shipshape again in a couple o' three weeks."

"Hold back a moment," Jetfire rumbled softly, ducking through the doors and striding toward the area Gramps had indicated. "Gouge!" he called out calmly. "Permission to approach."

"Per...miss..." a mechanical voice called out wearily, I canted my head to the side and began striding quickly toward the voice behind Jetfire. The sight I laid eyes on tore my heart out. Loose plates, spots of rust, crooked struts...

"Brung you my granddaughter, Gouge," Jetfire murmured gently. "What happened, did a weak spot collapse on you?"

"Aye," Gouge whispered. "How'd..."

"Gramps sent for us," I murmured, walking carefully forward and setting my kit down. I onlined the energon pack and lightly touched Gouge's side.

"Why're you callin' a fleshlin' yer granddaughter?" Gouge wheezed, looking up at Jetfire curiously.

"Cos we're proud to call her one of us," Jetfire murmured as I began scanning Gouge's systems and reading the damage reports.

"Your sensors got knocked out," I murmured, "That's why you got caught in that sinkhole. Why haven't you been recharging?"

"A digger what gets crushed don't usually make it to the surface, it's tradition for them to simply stay where they're being buried and offline." Jetfire murmured.

"Silly tradition," I murmured, calling a massive surge of energon and pressing it delicately into Gouge. He began looking far more alert. "Pull this in as a base charge," I stated calmly. "We'll take care of repairs in a minute."

"Aye, How'd you get here?" he asked curiously. "Jetfire flew you, yeah, but how..."

"Told you," Jetfire snorted, "Gramps here sent for us. Fleshlin's migh' not be good for too much there, can't shoot without an outside weapon, can't dig, can't fly, but kin be sure they're gonna put a bunch of us to shame fer compassion."

"Yeh," Gouge snorted, he rose and stretched somewhat, straightening out along the tunnel floor, I patiently began going over every chink in his armour, frowning at the sheer amount of crud he had stuck in.

"Right, I am unarmed, and friends are close by to stand guard." I stated firmly, "Please remove your armour to allow for medical attention."

"She knows the drill!" Gouge snorted, releasing the forces that bound the armour to his frame, I backed up slightly and patiently began levitating it out of my way. First things first I grabbed a few extra neural fibres, neutralizing them and connecting them to my pack, they began dancing gently along the burrower's frame, cleaning away the grit and grime as the burrower began humming cheerfully.

"Help any?" Gramps asked curiously.

"If Gouge doesn't mind," I smiled, "You can grab a few oil rags and start wiping his frame down behind me, I don't want any sand in his joints."

"Paradise right?" Jetfire snorted behind me.

∂_Amen∂_ Gouge snorted. "So who's payin' the Healer, anyway?"

"Barry, the guy you were talking to 'fore you showed up here," Gramps stated cheerfully. "He'll be the first ta admit he don't know all that much about you lot, but he'll also be the first to send help out if'n yer needin' it."

"He's the guy I'm building the complex for yeah?" Gouge rumbled curiously. I couldn't help but smile, fully alert, his voice sounded like a rockslide.

"That's the one," Gramps snorted. "Good leader he be, for all that he's a young buck. Y' coulda tol' me how t' maintain ya proper, Gouge."

"Old diggers don' bother with the maintainin'," Gouge mumbled. "We just dig 'till we die, an' lay in the ground fer the nex' generation to scavenge."

"Well we don't got no young bucks t' scavenge ya," Gramps snorted. "S' we're gonna have to stick with the maintainin' ya."

"Mmnph." Gouge simply mumbled as I picked out the last of the veritable concrete from his joints. I moved up to his face and gently began inspecting his optics. Two were cracked, one stuffed with sand, and three barely functioning at half-power.

"Did you want me to do your optics one at a time, or will you power them all down so I can do it in one shot?" I asked calmly.

"Jetfire, you got my back?" Gouge called out.

"Aye, you had me back at Teletran, I got yours," Jetfire rumbled over his shoulder. I smiled as the optics darkened, carefully unplugged them and laid them out on the ground, picking out new lenses and connecting to them, working them into the same shapes as his previous ones. They got plugged carefully in.

"Alright, online and diagnostic," I stated calmly, squinting at my work. Six lenses flickered on, flashing to a rather youthful hazel. Gouge looked around and his face plates shifted, becoming a rather humanoid face. "Well this is a sight for sore eyes," he grinned. "Look at that, gave me me eyes back." he looked over at Jetfire. "_Scrap Jet_, 'f I'd'a seen you afore I'd'a asked where you got the _work done!"_

"Aye, kin understand why I'm happily calling her granddaughter now eh?" Jetfire snorted, glancing over his shoulder.

"Yeh," Gouge snorted as I delicately removed any possible grit or grime from the chinks and joints in his face and neck. Cleaned, I walked over to my kit and opened up several packs of living metals, flashing energon through them and cleaning out any possible impurities.

"Did you want to integrate and form your repairs, or would you like me to do it?" I asked with a small smile as Gouge eyed the metals with an almost greedy gleam in his optics.

"I kin' do it," Gouge stated cheerfully, he turned to look at Jetfire, his optics narrowed.

"'S all yers," Jetfire snorted. "Kae already fixed me up, remember? She and the first Med Officer picked those out specific fer ya."

Gouge gleefully rose, scuttling toward me as I floated the neutralized, living metals on the energon filaments. His own cables extended toward me, and I connected to one, gently sending a constant stream of energon for his own utilization. The metals levitated around him for a long moment before shifting and integrating into his frame. He stretched again, moving far more easily.

"Right," I smiled. "We also brought you some twenty forty that you can convert however you want, lubricant-wise anyway. Let's see to your armour and blades, and we'll leave you be for a recuperative recharge."

"Spoilin' me, tha's what they are," Gouge stated cheerfully, crouching down and offering me a filling point. I grabbed the bottles and carefully began filling him up. "Rock distilled, yer medic's got good taste." Gouge mumbled. I listened with a small smile as the oils began running through his conversion unit. I picked up another bottle and raised an eyebrow at him.

"'S enough for now," Gouge grinned, "mind leavin' tha' behind though?"

"I have a few bottles to leave with Gramps, yes," I smiled at him. "Armour?"

"Please," Gouge sighed contentedly. I immediately walked to his plates and levitated them one at a time, cleaning and repairing each plate before I sent it to rest in it's proper place around the digger. When the last plate settled into place, Gouge summoned them to his form.

"Have I got them about right?" I asked worriedly. "No spurs in the wrong place?"

Gouge scuttled around for a moment and shook himself somewhat.

"Got a spur, fourth plate," he grunted, detaching the plate. I inspected it closely with a frown, it was absolutely smooth.

"If I may?" I stated perfunctorily, reaching toward him. He laid down and I quickly inspected his frame. "Got it, this one right here?" I asked, lightly pressing it.

"Yeh, tha's the one." he grunted. I sent my neurals to surround the spur and flashed it down, the nanites taking care of the rest. Gouge replaced the plate and shrugged for a moment. He began pacing, shaking himself and testing each joint.

"Can't find anything to complain about, can you," Jetfire snorted. Gouge glared at him.

"I _could_ complain about _your_ ugly face," the burrower retorted with a snort.

"Aye, and I can rightly complain about yours, I mean your repairs," Jetfire chuckled, turning to crouch down to Gouge's level. "I have learned something of my Granddaughter, she accepts nothing short of perfection in her own work."

"Systems diagnostic," I added in counterpart. "Have I missed anything?"

Gouge promptly scuttled around for another moment before his optics dimmed.

"Got a short in me depth perception," he stated with a frown, I crooked my finger at him and he obediently pulled back the armour protecting the back of his neck.

"That's friggen impressive," Gramps stated with a grin. "Wish brain surgery were that easy in _my_ form." Gouge snorted. I squinted at his neural fibres and read the symbols flashing in front of my eyes. I reached with a gentle hand through the dense fibres and found the burnt fibre by touch, my own neurals followed the path my fingers made, tweaking his wiring back to a proper functioning path.

I stood back and watched as Gouge performed another diagnostic and grinned.

"I haven't been in _this_ good a shape since Teletran," he commented cheerfully. "Jet, scan me, what's my dating now?"

"You seem to be good to run for another five vorn before repairs need to be made to your spark chamber," Jetfire stated a moment later, grinning at the burrower. "Figures, you're gonna live longer than me again."

"Five vorn huh? That's enough time to build a good thirty city complexes for this lot," Gouge snorted cheerfully.

"After you have recharged properly," I stated firmly. "I'll not have your repairs rejected for the sake of an eagerness to get back to work."

Gouge and Jetfire promptly stared at me.

"Congratulations, Jet, your granddaughter seems to be growing into a Prime," Gouge murmured, looking up at the larger mech. "Is that even possible?"

"Aye, believe she already is," Jetfire stated calmly. "We're waitin' 'till her casting though, fer the confirmation. Prime or not, she'll make a good bot."

"Agree with you there." Gouge snorted. His optics dimmed and a frown crossed his face. "EMP Jet, gettin' company," he growled the next moment.

"Kip the pack on, granddaughter," Jetfire rumbled softly, turning to watch the entrance.

"Hush that," Gouge muttered, "three walking, come away from the entrance." he immediately scuttled to the entrance and blades erupted from his frame, collapsing the front of the tunnel as Jetfire ushered Gramps and I to the back of the tunnel. I laid my palms against the rock and scowled, I felt deaf, surrounded by the stones.

"This way," Gouge murmured in the pitch black.

"Where are you?" Gramps muttered. Gouge promptly flashed a few lights along his frame, lighting up the dim tunnel.

"Mon,' got a bunker dug out already," Gouge murmured, "There's a fracture bringing fresh air in for you two." he promptly began scuttling down the tunnel as Jetfire grunted, shifting into a more compact form.

I followed Gouge in silence, helping Gramps keep his balance from time to time.

"Feel that?" Gouge muttered at one point.

"Aye, four, one big three small." Jetfire rumbled quietly.

"Five, there's a large symbiont piggybacking the large one," Gouge murmured.

"Take your word for it, you always were better at the stone sensing," Jetfire snorted.

"Will you teach me?" I asked softly. Gouge looked over his shoulder at me and nodded.

"When we get to the bunker, I'll show you," he rumbled gently. "Almost there. Gramps ride on my back, you are not conditioned for this anymore."

Gramps nodded, wheezing as I carefully helped him clamber onto Gouge's back.

"Ridiculous," Gramps wheezed. "Were that I were twenty year younger, I'd be _whippin'_ this young rip on this climb."

"I don't think less of you, Gramps," I laughed softly. "You're forgetting that I've read your documents, there's no doubt in my mind that you'd whup me. We age, it happens. Come fifty years in my own body and I'll either be twenty in my grave or so badly beat down I'll need a nurse to take care of me. You've _already_ whupped most of us for sheer _bloodymindedness_."

Gramps promptly began chuckling, looking at the tunnels interestedly as he lightly sat across Gouge's back.

"Where does the rubble go?" he asked curiously.

"Use it to shore up the weak spots, that Barry of yours picked a nice spot for a complex," Gouge snorted. "Got all the right stuff around here." He jerked his head toward one of the walls and I looked at it in shock.

"You make concrete?" I asked, wide eyed.

"Yup," Gouge stated cheerfully. "Hold tight Gramps, hittin' the slide." Gouge promptly tucked his legs in and skidded down a steep incline disappearing into the darkness. I could still hear Gramps whooping his enjoyment.

"I'll go after you," I told Jetfire with a low laugh.

"Aye, crushin' factors," Jetfire snorted, edging past me and disappearing down the slide. I followed after him quickly, lighting my neural fibres and gazing around in shock at the polished granite walls and roof flying past. Gorgeous. The incline tapered out, and I skidded into an absolutely gorgeous chamber.

"Love your work, Gouge," Gramps stated cheerfully as he slid off of the digger and wandered toward a little stream of water running down the rocks. He grabbed a sip of the water and promptly buried his face in it, coming up for air a long moment later. "Gotta love mineral water," he grinned at me. "Keeps you young."

I laughed at him and drank a handful of the water before walking around the enormous chamber.

"Gonna make this the hub I am," Gouge stated cheerfully, indicating a few tunnels leading out. "Double that entrance tunnel I think. Granddaughter, we might be here a while, waitin' for that lot up there to move along. Come along, let's teach you."

"I'll be over here, nappin'," Gramps snorted, wandering over to a ledge and promptly laying down. He was snoring in moments.

I smiled as Gouge and Jetfire both extended a binder cable toward me, connecting and slowly beginning to learn the secrets of sensing through any medium.

* * *

I listened to the hum of Gouge and Jetfire recharging, feeling the movements of the single bot that had been left behind above. I bristled slightly at the thought of a destroyer being left in one of my favourite places. Jetfire snorted, and his spark hummed back to his tones of alert watchfulness.

"Rolling out?" Gouge muttered, his voice blending with Gramps' snores. The old man started awake and looked blearily at me.

"Come visit, if you've a mind," he muttered, rolling over and going back to sleep. I smiled and looked at Jetfire.

"Aye, between the two of us we can take that one left behind," Jetfire rumbled quietly. "How do we get out of here."

Gouge lifted a claw and pointed out a tunnel.

"Take that one, goes straight up." he murmured. "Comes out in cover. Get rid o' that little one for us, I'll take Gramps up in the morning."

Jetfire nodded with a grin and transformed, opening a door for me.

"Be faster," his holoform grinned at me. I laughed softly and climbed into the single seat, we were off in a flash, driving up the tunnel at breakneck speed. I saw moonlight shining dimly through a hole for a moment before Jetfire was transforming around me, blasting into his flight form the second he was above ground.

"Let's lead them away a bit," he rumbled gleefully as I watched a flier take off and try to follow us.

::. Get back here! Coward!.:: a most distasteful voice snarled.

"Did you hear that? Granddaughter? He called me a coward!" Jetfire rumbled with a snort, slowing slightly. In moments he had circled, blasted an EM burst across the flier's frequencies and shot him down. We followed the flier to the earth.

"Jetfire! You bastard son of the unmaker!" the stranger bot snarled. "You will die, Jetfire, I promise you! You will burn in the pit double-crosser! The Decepticons are strong! You will all d-"

Jetfire silenced the ranting with a single shot.

"Sorry, did you want to hear more?" he asked in an amused tone, calmly collecting the flier in a forcefield.

"Nah, let's get back before Ratchet starts worrying," I chuckled. Jetfire snorted and took off, blasting to Mach two and coasting across the continent. We chatted idly until Jetfire leaned back, slowing and landing easily, taxiing into the bay.

"You're late!" Ratchet called out, scowling.

"Sorry father," I stated immediately, "we got pinned down by Decepticons, five to three, Gouge took us down to the bunker, and we waited them out."

Ratchet stared at me for a long moment and nodded.

"Good move," he rumbled finally. "Food, bed," he added, making a shooing motion with his hand.

"You know I'm tired when I'm not even going to argue," I snorted. "Good recharge, you two, thanks for ferrying me about, Gran'da." I smiled up at Jetfire.

"Thank you for healing my comrade," Jetfire grinned down at me. "I'm going back out, try to pinpoint where those other four went, see if Prime needs any backup, sleep well, granddaughter."

I smiled and waved at them, making a beeline for my quarters. I stood in the silence for a long moment and walked through to Optimus' quarters, curling up on his berth and falling into an uneasy sleep.


	98. 96 Mother Definition

**Chapter 96 – Mother Definition**

* * *

(MPOV)

I felt it before the SOS went off. Emergency. I was up and running toward the Med-bay as the Klaxon began blaring.

::. KAE.:: Ratchet bellowed over the primary.

"I'm right here! What's happening?" I shouted, catching the doorframe and flinging myself around it, straight for Ratchet.

"You're going to need your cover... clothes," Ratchet snorted, looking down at me and rolling his optics. I snatched up a pair of coveralls and fairly leaped into them before beginning to prep the med-bay under Ratchet's barked orders.

In a matter of minutes, we were ready.

"Who?" I demanded, bouncing and shaking as we waited.

"Bee," Ratchet stated worriedly. "Two minutes."

I waited anxiously until finally, finally Optimus rolled directly into the Med-bay, towing his trailer. It peeled back quickly and I caught my first sight of a horrifying scene.

Chromia was holding Bee together, Optimus disconnected from the trailer and carefully picked my little-brother up, depositing him gently on the berth.

"We need to go," Optimus growled, nodding to me. I jerked my head to him and quickly ascended the berth, nodding to Chromia as she passed off her handholds to me, hurling herself toward Optimus the second she was free. The two of them transformed at high speed and were out of the bay the next moment.

"Bumblebee?" Ratchet murmured quietly.

No response.

"Bee? Little-brother?" I asked softly.

"Kae..." Ratchet murmured in a choked voice. I didn't know why, I could feel my brother's spark still burning.

I turned to look at him sternly.

"His spark still burns, still clings to his body," I snapped.

"His spark chamber can't hold him long enough for me to repair it," Ratchet choked.

"_Try!_" I snapped, even as my brother began flickering.

_§Carbon child!_§ Mico barked in my mind _§Envelop your brother!§_

In an instant, the information flashed into my mind. With gentle hands I opened my brother's chamber and reached for his spark.

"_=Little-brother, come-to-me,=_" I chirped to him, lightly caressing his spark. I could feel energonic fields begin to cross my skin as I carefully pulled my brother free and brought him to the safety of my own spark-chamber... body...

In an instant, I was experiencing his emotions, out and out terror and grief.

"_=Calm-yourself-little-brother,=_" I murmured gently. "_=I'm-not-letting-you-go.=_"

Bee clung to me, whimpering in terror. I gently enveloped his spark with my own, cuddling him. With a single processor, I began multi-tasking as best I could.

"I have him stabilized, Ratch," I murmured haltingly. Ratchet stared at me for a moment then promptly flew to Bee's body, onlining welders and scrambling to repair him as I sank into meditation, focusing entirely on my twin.

I felt cramped in my own skin, so little room.

::. _=Big-sister=._:: Bumblebee whimpered in my mind.

::. _=Just a little longer, little-brother=_.:: I whispered, hugging him a bit more tightly.

He stayed silent for a long moment.

::. _=I shoulda blasted him=_.:: Bumblebee stated quietly.

::. _=Next time=_.:: I murmured in amusement.

::_. =If there is a next time=_.:: Bee murmured sadly.

::. _=Even Optimus has refused to blast a bot that needs killing-=_.:: I started in amusement.

::. _=That's not what I mean, and you know it=_.:: Bee pouted.

::. _=By the way? My spark is entwined with yours=_.:: I stated in amusement ::. _=If you go out, I'm going out with you=.::_

::. _=NO!=_.:: Bumblebee sobbed.

::. _=Which means we're not going out, right?=_.:: I finished with a smile, cuddling my brother and rocking.

::. _=But Kae!=_.:: he sobbed ::._=I don't want you to die!=_.::

::. _=Good, then don't die=_.:: I stated patiently.

::. _=But how'm I supposed to get back to my body!?_=.:: he demanded. I turned to look at him in amusement.

::. _=You're in my mind-space, how do you go back to your body?=_.:: I asked with a smile.

If there had been room, Bee would have plopped down in shock.

I began thinking of our favourite songs, playing them in my head. Bumblebee began drifting off, away from his awareness.

::. _=Bee!=_.:: I nudged him. ::. _=Stay awake, stay alert little brother=_.::

::. _=Can we play a game?_.:: he asked far more shyly than my little-brother ever had.

::. _=What game would you like to play?=_.:: I laughed softly.

::. _=Name the sound?=_.:: he asked after a moment. We giggled and I turned my attention to the sounds around us.

"She's been like that for hours!" Ratchet stated almost hysterically. "I finished repairing Bee's chamber an hour ago! She's just not responding!"

"Kae!?" Optimus' voice demanded. I opened my eyes.

"Hey... how's... things..." I murmured haltingly. Thinking, speaking, and cradling another fully formed spark was _hard_ with one processor.

"Mikaela, we're ready for Bee," Ratchet stated quickly.

::. =_Work with me little-brother=_.:: I thought quickly. We raised my arms toward Optimus.

"To..." I murmured. Optimus picked me up ever so carefully, depositing me directly on Bumblebee's spark chamber.

My dearest beloved always knew what I was thinking.

::. =_I get to live!?_=.:: Bumblebee chirped in my mind excitedly, reaching for his body with my own.

::. _=Slow down little-brother!=_.:: I commanded him quickly before smiling ::.=_No sense dragging my spark with yours into your body!=._::

::. _=Sorry Kae=_.:: Bee stated contritely. I smiled and carefully pressed my hands and torso as tightly into his chamber as I could, slowly, carefully releasing my little brother into his chamber with every ounce of energon that he could absorb.

I stayed for a long moment, warily watching his body as it came online, his spark catching hold of his chamber and integrating again. Tentatively, prepared at any second to absorb my brother again, I pulled back and watched his chamber close.

"Bee?" I asked in a weak, worried voice.

"Kae?" he whimpered back. "Please tell me you're all right Kae!"

"I'm in my body, are you in yours?" I demanded in that same, annoyingly weakened voice. I took a deep breath and felt my spark re-settle itself somewhat, I felt so empty, alone now. I felt wrong, irrational, I was back the way I always was. It took a long moment for me to clue in to the sounds around me.

"Kae... Kae?... KAE?... KAE!?" A gentle hand touched my shoulder, I leaned into it. It was contact, warmth. The hand moved up to cup my face.

"Optimus?" I murmured. "Why am I alone in my own skin?"

Beside us, Ratchet collapsed down onto his bench, his spark humming deep relief.

"SS syndrome," he sighed contentedly. "Thank Primus. That's your area, Optimus."

I looked dazedly up at my Optimus as he smiled at me, lightly collecting me in his hands and gathering me close to his spark. So close to that beautiful, rich sound I felt my own awareness returning.

"BEE!" I choked, looking wildly around for my little-brother.

"Right here," Bumblebee chirped softly, I looked over to see him cuddled tightly against my Optimus' side. "When you get lonely in your own body big-sister, you gotta say it, you don't hunch into yourself."

"Can the scolding wait until morning?" I murmured, cuddling a bit closer to my Optimus' spark chamber.

"It is morning," Optimus rumbled softly.

"Afternoon?"

"Alright," he rumbled with a low laugh, squeezing me in a gentle, full-body hug. I felt myself doze off.

* * *

I was awake in seconds, I felt as though I'd been struck by lightning.

"Sit Rep!" I bellowed looking around wildly.

"All clear," Optimus rumbled with a snort.

"That was just weird," Ironhide snorted. All of the bots were in the med-bay. I sat in Optimus' hand for a long moment, trying to sort out my brain.

"The fuck?" I muttered, rubbing my face tiredly.

§About time you woke up§ a female voice murmured in my mind. I jumped about a foot in the air. Optimus looked down at me curiously.

"Who said that?" I demanded.

§Are we really going to have this conversation? You know who I am,§ Mico stated in amusement.

"Who said what?" Bee asked curiously.

"Was the lightning really all that necessary?" I asked grumpily.

"That's what that felt like to you? No wonder you almost jumped out of your skin," Ironhide snorted.

"That should _not_ have felt like a shock," Ratchet stated firmly.

"Why are you deciding that _now_ is the best time to talk to me?" I demanded, staring into the middle space as symbols began dancing in front of my eyes.

"Because we have work to do," Mico borrowed my voice, I... she... we looked around at the astonished bots. My body began shifting into high gear, and then she was gone.

I sagged into Optimus' hand.

::. Are you still there?.:: I thought desperately.

§I need to be more careful with your body, hurry up and change, daughter, we have work to do§ Mico commanded firmly. Her voice stilled, the symbols in front of my eyes slowing to their usual, idle dance.

"I redact that, going insane?" I looked up at Optimus. "Not so much fun when it's a definable second personality."

Optimus snorted and held me a bit more closely as Arcee scrambled onto her tires and climbed up Optimus to cuddle me.

"What's this for?" I asked her curiously.

"Because you are a mother," Arcee trilled happily. I opened my mouth and closed it.

"And for the first time in two months, translation?" I asked pleadingly.

"You enveloped another's spark into your own body and maintained it!" Arcee sang, hugging me tightly. She looked sternly up at Optimus. "And you _will_ not scold her for it!"

"Arcee," Optimus rumbled sternly. "I am grateful to Mikaela for saving her brother, but that does not negate the amount of danger she placed herself in to do so."

"Yes, actually, it does," I stated coldly.

The med-bay froze.

Optimus glared down at me, lifting me to look into his optics.

"How am I supposed to protect you, when you make it so Primus damned difficult?" he demanded sharply.

"By understanding when I need protection, and when there are more important things involved than one life," I snapped back at him.

"Mikaela-" Optimus started angrily. I already knew what he was going to say.

"With all due respect Prime," I snarled. "It is neither your decision, nor my own what spark I will preserve, and you _will_ not interfere with my function."

"Mikaela your primary function is to preserve life, why does that not include your own?" Optimus snarled back at me. "Do you never consider that in saving one of us, we could lose you? What good are you dead-"

"I take calculated risks according to the information Mico provides for me." I stated coldly. "And she will return home whether I survive or not. Now put me down."

Optimus froze, staring at me in shock.

"Mikaela-" he started.

"Put. Me. Down." I growled at him, fighting to keep my temper in check. I had too much to contend with at the moment. Whether it was augmented by the All-spark's presence or not, I needed to retreat before I began yelling at a bot who didn't deserve it.

In silence, Optimus lowered his hand to the floor.

"I'm going driving," I stated coldly, forcing ice into my voice. "You have my transponder frequency, I'll see you later."

I snatched up my waiting helmet and leathers, zipping into them quickly and striding into the entrance bay.

I ignored the soldiers that blushed at my lack of clothing beneath leather, the neurals in my system shifted restlessly as I mounted my bike and took off in a full roar.

* * *

(RPOV)

"Put. Me. Down." Mikaela growled at Optimus. The med-bay was frozen in shock.

::. Let her go cool off.:: Bee sent over the primary worriedly.

In silence, Optimus lowered his hand to the floor, setting his Kae down.

"I'm going driving," Mikaela stated coldly, snatching up her leathers. "You have my transponder frequency, I'll see you later."

She strode from the med-bay in a true high fury, the sounds of her motorcycle starting up and screeching out of the bay a counterpart to her exit.

The bots sat in shocked silence for another moment.

"What..." Arcee began softly.

"The scrap was that?" Ironhide growled, looking at the doors.

"_That_ is Mikaela retreating before her temper gets the best of her," Bee shrugged, leaning back and looking around the med-bay.

"Elaborate," Optimus growled.

"Okay, you know how she never actually lets loose a real screaming fit?" Bee snorted, looking up at Optimus.

"That's not elaborating," Ratchet grumbled.

Bumblebee rolled his optics and onlined a holo.

...

Mikaela was standing the same way she had been in Optimus' hand. Fury was crackling from her stance.

But her face... her face was cold, neutral.

"Sam," she stated in the same icy tone. "I've got to get going, I'll see you later, alright?"

"I want to talk about this _now!"_ Sam shouted.

"Now is not a good time," Mikaela stated coldly. "I need to get to work."

Ratchet watched and saw the tell-tale signs in his spark-daughter again. Her shoulders were rigid, eyes narrowed.

She was holding herself in check.

"You don't go to work for another three hours!" Sam shouted at her. "You're just using it as an excuse to avoid the topic!"

"What topic," Mikaela stated coldly.

"_Us_ Mikaela! _Us!"_ Sam shrieked at her, he reached for her shoulders as though he thought to shake her. "You need to stop running and-"

Mikaela moved so quickly it could only have been her instincts kicking in.

"Let's get one thing straight, Sam," Mikaela stated icily, gripping his wrists as he knelt, shocked and appearing somewhat scared. "The Banes don't run, we will make a tactical retreat and if you piss us off enough, we're making that retreat 'cause your house ain't gonna be standin' that much longer." she tossed his hands away and straightened, turning and walking down the street.

Bumblebee beeped his horn softly to her.

"Better take Sam home," Mikaela stated quietly, never turning around. "I'll see you later Bee. Get your recharge."

...

"I followed her anyway," Bee stated quietly. "She went out to the bluffs and just stayed there for a long time."

"Her work?" Ratchet asked curiously.

"She lied, she was off shift," Bee shrugged quietly. "But after three weeks non stop, it was her first day off and Sam started the argument about what they were gonna do together. Not like for a date that night, he was puttin' pressure on her to take the next step in their relationship. Long after she'd concluded that he wasn't strong enough to handle her."

"She believes me-" Optimus started.

"No!" Bee stated in a shocked tone. "She ran 'cause she didn't want to yell at you! Even if you're right, which you are, she shouldn't'a put herself in danger to save me. She's gonna do what _she _wants, no matter _who_ tells her not to."

Optimus began fidgeting, frowning worriedly.

"Then..." Optimus rumbled worriedly.

"Then you just need to leave her be for a little while," Bee shrugged. "She knows how to hurt people, she just doesn't _like_ it."

"How long?" he asked softly.

"Usually she doesn't come back until she's cooled off, except this is her home, so she'll come back once she's back under control of herself," Bee shrugged genially. "If she's just in control when she gets back then it's still best to let her be for a little while."

"But why did she run in the first place!?" Ratchet demanded. "We've _all_ seen the two of them shout each other down!"

"Because Kae can verbally pick your weaknesses apart inch by inch, she just knows how. But she _really_ doesn't like doing it," Bumblebee shrugged. "If she thinks you don't deserve it, she's going to walk away before she gets so mad that it just rips itself out of her."

"How do you know this?" Ironhide rumbled curiously.

"I spent two years observing my sister, and now several hours inside her body." Bumblebee laughed. "Seriously, you gotta try it. Somehow there was enough room for the three of us-"

"The three of you!?" Ratchet demanded. Bee looked down.

"Bumblebee?" Optimus rumbled.

"Her spark, my spark and the All-spark," Bumblebee whispered. "I could feel her concentrating on so many things I don't even _know _how she manages it with just the one processor. All the while I was with her, she was playing our favourite songs, rocking the terror out of me, controlling energonic fields over her skin to keep us safe, and still keeping her body's functions active. There's so much knowledge in her I have no idea how she's not constantly backlogged. But the loneliness..." Bee trailed off in memories.

"Bee?" Ratchet asked worriedly.

"She's so alone in her own skin," Bee _whimpered_. Optimus automatically reached out and pulled his scout's frame close to his own. "My sister has been so alone, nobody to hold _her _to make the separation bearable, nobody to know her for _her _until you came along Sir. She ran because she doesn't want to hurt you. She loves you." Bee stated in a shocked tone. "I remember my sister's mind! _That's_ what she meant about weaknesses! She loves you so much sir! _You're_ her greatest weakness, if anything happens to you it'll destroy her. Please, _please_ take care of my sister," he looked pleadingly up at Optimus.

"With all that I am, Bee, you know that," Optimus rumbled gently.

"I don't just mean protect her body, her spark is alone, always alone, so long she didn't even notice the ache." Bee whimpered. "but now she feels the all-spark's loneliness too, she misses Primus, and Kae needs _you_."

"But you just told me to wait," Optimus rumbled worriedly.

"Until she's certain she's not going to lose control of her temper," Bee nodded firmly.


	99. 97 Machinations of the Scout

**Chapter 97 – Machinations of the Scout**

* * *

(BPOV)

Bumblebee casually watched his sister as she rolled in just after the sun had set. He looked into her eyes and saw a tiny amount of the anger still there. She was better under control now.

"Are you okay, Bee?" she asked softly.

Bee nodded, reaching for his sister.

The raw loneliness crossed her eyes as she strode into his grasp, he picked her up gently and hugged her close to his spark.

"_=You don't have to be alone,=_" Bee whispered.

"How else is there?" Mikaela asked softly. "I can't hold you in my chamber forever."

She hugged him for a long moment more before heading to her bed.

Bumblebee whittled away the hours, watching his sister as she walked to the mats, did her sequences and walked back to her room.

::. I've got scout duty for today.:: Arcee sent to him gently or not, you need to rest up a bit more so your spark doesn't slip.::

::. Thank you, Ma'-.::

::. What have I told you about calling me Ma'am?.:: Arcee sent rather sternly.

::. You're my superior.:: Bumblebee sent innocently.

::. Kae is my sister as she is yours.:: Arcee sent in amusement ::. We are now siblings once removed, stop calling me Ma'am and start calling me Arcee will you?.::

::. Okay Arcee.:: Bee giggled ::. Thank you for taking my scout duty today, it'll give me time to keep an eye on Kae.::

::. Make sure she doesn't wear herself out too much.:: Arcee commanded calmly ::. Absorbing and holding a spark is easy, battling after the separation is the pit.::

::. I will.:: Bee sent firmly. He felt Arcee nod before the sound of her rolling out caught his auditory receptors. Mikaela walked into the med-bay the next moment. She looked really down, tired and lonely.

"Hey little-brother," she murmured softly.

"Morning big-sister," Bee grinned at her.

"Are you alright?" she asked worriedly, looking at him.

"I'm resting up so my spark doesn't slip, but you're the one a bit more damaged than me," Bee stated seriously. Mikaela glared at him a bit, but you could see her struggle to do it before raw loneliness crossed her face again.

She sagged into herself and forced herself to straighten, smiling at him.

She began listening to her music, dismantling a servo and Bee frowned slightly at the list. Optimus walked past on the way to communications central, throwing a glance into the med-bay at Kae.

The first bad thing was that she didn't glance up, she _always _glanced up, Optimus seemed to take that to his spark and continued walking. Bee frowned at his sister.

She didn't look up.

Oh. Scrap. Miscommunication.

Kae was trapped in her own mind again, it didn't matter that her hands didn't still, she could do that stuff in her sleep. Bee frowned at her playlist again, it was the music she listened to when she was lonely.

::. How busy are you?.:: he sent to Optimus firmly.

::. Marginally...:: Optimus rumbled unsurely, he sounded a bit irritable.

::. Good.:: Bee sent firmly ::. C'mere. Now's about the time when everything can get fixed or you can leave it for several days and stick a wedge between you two.::

In moments, Optimus' footsteps resonated through the corridors again.

::. She does not even look at me.:: Optimus sent to Bee's private channel.

::. She's not looking up _period._ She's got trapped in her own mind again.:: Bee sent sadly, looking up at Optimus as he walked into the med-bay. Kae still didn't look up.

::. Now what?.::

Bee listened intently to her music for a long moment more, _that _was a good song.

"Some things, we don't talk about, rather do without, just hold the smile. Falling in and out of love, the same damn problem, together all the while, you can never say never, why we don't know when time and time again, younger now then we were before don't let me go, don't let me go..."

Mikaela began sagging into herself, fighting herself.

::. Online your holo and walk up behind her.:: he sent quietly as the next verse began playing. ::. Hug her... now! Offer a penny for her process.::

"Picture, you're the queen of everything, as far as the eye can see, under your command."

Optimus evidently heard the song, his arms winding around her just as the: "I will be your guardian, when all is crumbling, steady your hand," played.

Mikaela leaned back into Optimus' chest. Her automatic response to him.

"Penny for your process?" Optimus rumbled softly.

"I'm sorry," Mikaela whispered. "I'm not sorry that I saved my brother, I'm sorry that doing so put me in so much danger. I'll gladly accept the danger to myself, I'm sorry that I make it so hard on you..." she babbled softly.

Optimus promptly turned her around in the holoform's arms and hugged her tight.

Bumblebee nodded to himself with a smile as she began crying softly into Optimus' holoform's chest.

Everything was back where it was supposed to be.

* * *

(MPOV)

I barely noticed the music that was playing. The ache of loneliness was worse today, it felt so wrong. I was back the way I'd always been.

"Some things, we don't talk about, rather do without, just hold the smile..."

Except now I _knew _the loneliness was there, now.

"...the same damn problem, together all the while..."

Optimus didn't deserve the hell I put him through, my dear, gentle-sparked bot. His reactions to other's danger were the same as my own.

"Don't let me go, don't let me go..."

What was worse was that my focus was turned inward, and I couldn't get it back out. My back felt open, unguarded.

Vulnerable.

That was a dangerous thing, not knowing what was happening around you.

"Picture, you're the queen of everything..." yeah, right. Bull. "As far as the eye can see, under your command."

Strong arms wound around me from behind.

"I will be your guardian, when all is crumbling, I'll steady your hand."

Automatically, I leaned back against the strong presence of my Optimus.

"Penny for your process?" he murmured gently.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. "I'm not sorry that I saved my brother, I'm sorry that doing so put me in so much danger. I'll gladly accept the danger to myself, I'm sorry that I make it so hard on you..." I began babbling softly. The ache of loneliness was becoming painful. Losing him would...

Optimus promptly turned me around on the chair and held me tight.

My dear, gentle-sparked, loving Optimus. I buried myself into his chest, the motion that I knew deep down always made him hum in contentment.

In moments, his face was pressed into my hair.

"Never apologize for being yourself, my Kae," Optimus murmured gently.

I began crying softly, knowing that he didn't mind.

My dear, sweet, gentle-sparked bot. He pulled back slightly and wiped my tears away with gentle fingers.

"You know why I get irritated with you, for putting yourself in danger." Optimus rumbled gently. "But with all of the information crammed into your mind I am going to remind you again. I love you, my Kae. I will_ always_ love you, your presence makes me strong, and losing you will mean losing myself."

"I will wait for you," I whispered, reaching up to cup his cheek. "No matter what happens to us in this life, you will never lose me."

"Good," Optimus smiled, gently taking my hand and pressing a kiss to my palm.

"Sorry to break up the adorableness, but you're needed in communications," Ironhide rumbled from the doorway.

"Ironhide!" Bumblebee protested, "they were just getting to the good bit!"

I jumped about a foot in the air.

"No fear, my Kae, I will protect you," Optimus murmured softly. I glanced up at the mischievous gleam in his holoform's eyes and felt my own sense of humour swell again. Optimus pulled me to my feet and promptly dipped me into an all-consuming kiss.

"Go for a drive later?" I murmured, smiling up at him.

"You have but to ask, and I will be at your side," Optimus rumbled with a smile. I kissed his holoform again before he winked it out.

Which made him stop for a second.

"What is that for?" he asked curiously.

"I liked the first one so much, I wanted a second," I murmured with an impish grin.

The holoform promptly winked out from under my hands. But of course all that really meant was that a temporal forcefield lightly nudged him to fall squarely onto the berth.

Barely a crash.

In the silence I turned my chair back around and continued working on the servo.

For about one second.

Then Ironhide was howling, Bee promptly plopped down onto a bench beside me with a broad grin. He put the Primary on speaker.

::. All-call, Jolt, tell the humans to come talk to Optimus in the med-bay.::

::. quick why.:: Jolt sent back quickly.

::. Uh... Bumblebee and Kae are still recovering from the damages, Optimus is on standby for post traumatic spark emergencies.:: Ironhide rumbled quickly.

::. Welcome to doctoring youngling, you done me proud.:: Ratchet sent back to him.

The Primary was howling the next moment.


	100. 98 Assignments

**A billion thanks to Bee4ever, who has effectively become my source of perfect words for weird stuff, if you haven't read her work, particularly 'Life's a Gas' Do it. Now. And a billion more to FireRose, who smacks me for my occasionally horrifying mis-use of grammar.**

**Seriously, who teached me how to spoke? I dunno! Either way:**

**Chapter 98 - Assignments**

* * *

(SPOV)

Sideswipe was bored. He and Bee were doing their level best to behave, but Sides wasn't so much a scout as a... okay, scout around for a _little _while in order to find the people he needed to kill. Simple as that.

Except it seemed they'd done too good a job. _Nobody _showed up for him to kill.

Boring.

::. Optimus calling Bumblebee and Sideswipe.:: the Prime sent calmly.

Ooh! That was a change.

::. Sideswipe responding.:: he sent back immediately.

::. Bumblebee responding!.:: the scout chirped excitedly.

::. Please rendezvous at headquarters for potential assignments.:: Optimus sent calmly.

Potential assignments.

Scrap, _that'd_ beat aimlessly driving around in the hopes of spotting a con or something to report! Sides immediately sped up, turned a few times and sped toward their latest headquarters, Bumblebee hot on his bumper moments later.

They pulled in and transformed, looking at Optimus excitedly.

"Bumblebee, Sideswipe," Optimus nodded to them regally. Sideswipe couldn't help but admire the regality of the Prime, even when he was covered in slime, mud and Ratchet only knew what else that regality stayed the same. "I pray that I have not erred in not informing you of our discussions of you previously, however I did not wish to raise your hopes needlessly."

"But now you're gonna spill! What were you talking about!?" Bumblebee chirped excitedly.

Optimus visibly bit back a smile at the scout's enthusiasm.

"I do not profess ownership of you, however translations only allow the term of 'loaning out.' You are, as always, free to decline." Optimus rumbled calmly.

Which was blasted courteous of the bot. Sideswipe grinned to himself.

"So what's the mission Prime?" he grinned.

"For that, I direct your attention to Director Matteer," Optimus rumbled calmly. Sideswipe nodded cautiously and looked at the human standing beside Will.

All of the bots looked at him.

"Oh, that's me now?" the older human stated in surprise. "Ah. Right. Um..."

"Problem?" Sideswipe asked calmly.

"Well, I dunno, how the hell am _I_ supposed to give you two potential orders?" the human snorted.

"Our Prime has seen fit to allow you your say," Bumblebee told the man patiently. "Which means that Prime likely agrees with the potential missions, but still gives us the ability to say no. Say it." the scout finished with a shrug. Sideswipe nodded in agreement.

"Well, in the interest of co-operation between our two units, I've been needing a couple of spies lately." the human stated in a rather self-deprecating manner, Sideswipe promptly looked at him in interest. "Anyway, _currently_ I have a rather... testy... situation in Kazakhstan. At present, I don't know if the situation can be resolved peacefully or if shit needs to be blown up, and _frankly_ that's annoying the _hell_ out of me. Time is an issue." the man began in earnest, he began pacing slightly.

Sideswipe couldn't help but grin.

He and Bee were perfect for that kind of situation.

"Now, I know it's probably not the most ideal for me to send you two out with human agents..."

"Hey, if the humans can do the talking, and accomplish anything with the talking fine," Sideswipe grinned. "If shit needs blowin' up I'm your bot!" Bumblebee was nodding avidly beside him. "With all due respect, Director, let's cut to the chase. You want some backup with serious firepower close by for your agents, so that if the scrap gets scattered the only thing you need to worry about is a bit of cleanup."

"_Exactly!"_ the Director hooted. "Here's the only thing, I'm _terrified_ of sending you out with your hopes up of blowing shit up and going home with still-hot cannons!"

Sideswipe waved that away patiently.

"Better the _chance_ to blow shit up than standing around on your tires waiting for nothing to happen!" Bumblebee stated cheerfully.

"Oh! Well in _that_ case," the Director grinned. "First off, please allow me to welcome you to the ranks of the contract branch of CIA. At which point you now call me Barry, and I brought these for you." he opened his briefcase and pulled out a couple of licence plates.

"We've got those already," Bumblebee frowned.

"What, licence plates? No doubt. However you do not have _these_ licence plates, thereby stating that you are under _my_ jurisdiction and allowed to speed. Anywhere."

Sideswipe stared at the little piece of metal in the man's hand for a moment before that statement clicked in.

"Wait, those are licences to speed!?"

"_Anywhere!?" _Bumblebee howled.

"With great power, comes great responsibility," Optimus cautioned them gently.

"Huh? What's the point of being as beautifully built as you lot if you don't get to open it up every now and again?" Barry asked curiously.

"I _like_ him!" Sideswipe grinned to the Prime.

"Without a doubt," Optimus snorted. "Regardless, I expect you to carry yourselves with the proper comportment of Cybertronians."

Which was Prime for don't blow shit up... until it's necessary, then blow _everything up!_

Bee was bouncing beside him as he grinned viciously.

"When do we leave?" he demanded through that grin.

"Your plane leaves in three hours," Barry stated calmly, looking at his watch. "I took the liberty of hiring a carrier for you two, if I may ride with you to the airport I will introduce you to the Agents currently in charge of this investigation."

Bumblebee was transformed the next second, idling toward Barry with his door open. Sideswipe saluted Prime before transforming himself.

Optimus was smiling tolerantly at them as they drove out. Yeah. The Prime knew how to treat his unit. And _this_ was going to be a _treat!_

The drive to the airport was a quick one, Sideswipe onlined his holoform and walked to stand with Barry.

"Director," a man in a suit nodded, another beside him.

"Daniel, Jackson," Barry nodded to the men. "Luck is on our side, please allow me to introduce you to Bumblebee and Sideswipe, they will be your backup on this mission."

"Er..."

"Codenames?" the other asked curiously.

"Designations," Sideswipe stated calmly. "It is best that the majority of humans do not try to pronounce our names, slowing them down, or speeding them up changes the meaning."

"You got us _Autobots _for backup!?" the younger man demanded with a broad grin. Sideswipe nodded to himself, he and Bee would likely get along quite well. He turned to the more sober looking man.

They eyed each other for a long moment.

"So if we screw up you're there to blow it up to kingdom come?" the man asked firmly.

"Or drive you away from the mess at the speeds our non-sentient counterparts can only dream of," Sideswipe nodded sternly.

They eyed each other again.

"You chose that form, or was it chosen for you?" he asked, nodding toward Sideswipe properly.

"I chose that form," Sideswipe stated calmly.

"You got good taste in forms," the man smirked. "So what kind of destruction are we talking, one building at a time or do you think you can take out one then level the complex?"

Sideswipe gave the man a vicious grin.

"A warning shot, is _far_ more sporting," he growled through that grin.

"Jack," the man grinned, offering his arm.

"Sides," Sideswipe replied with a smirk, threading his arm through, the man trusted him well enough. This was going to be fun.

* * *

(BPOV)

"How do I give you the signal to blow shit up?" Danno asked curiously. Bee had been driving for three hours now, they were getting close, and the conversation had naturally turned to tactics.

"Well, we'd rather not blow the place up with you _in _it." Bumblebee shrugged.

They rolled through the gates, and Bee began scanning in earnest. There was a power signature here, but it was blocked. Armed humans were everywhere, but their weapons weren't gonna do much more than nick his paintwork. Not too bad then.

"I got a bad feeling about this," Jack muttered.

"Bee how's your holoform conversion?" Sideswipe muttered.

Bee grinned. That was a brilliant idea, he quickly onlined a holoform identical to Danno and lowered Danno's seat. Hiding the human.

"Jack, Danno, close your eyes," he commanded quietly.

"What're you guys doing?" Jack asked curiously.

"For as much time as we've spent with our sister Kae, we have learned of her human instincts," Sideswipe explained quickly. "If you feel something is wrong, your bodies will remain with us, while our holoforms of you will enter. You will control their movement and speech, we will take care of the solidification."

"That's brilliant!" Jack muttered, Bumblebee could hear the man's grin.

"Close your eyes," Sideswipe added with a smirk.

"That, is so cool," Danno stated cheerfully through the holoform, he turned and looked at himself. "Whoa!"

"Be careful doing that," Bumblebee stated cheerfully. "Even _bots_ freak out when they see themselves through their own eyes at a different perspective."

"How the hell can I still feel things? I'm a hologram!" Jack stated curiously.

"Holo_form_," Sideswipe corrected cheerfully, pulling into the place they were waved. "Stuff's happening, explain later?"

"Done," Jack nodded, getting out of the car.

"Initiating headquarter's uplink," Bumblebee murmured to Danno. "No worries about wires, we can see everything the holoform does."

"Cool," Danno murmured.

The two human's holoforms walked up to the doors and entered.

Danno surreptitiously scanned the area. Bumblebee did it in earnest. He felt Danno's shock at suddenly knowing the position of every weapon in the room.

::. Poker face dude.:: Bee snorted, delicately guiding the holoform to continue walking at Jack's shoulder before Danno took over again.

Seamless.

::. That is fucking awesome.:: Danno thought.

Bee smirked slightly and hushed himself in the background, watching the goings on as Danny stayed at Jack's shoulder. He contacted Jolt, updating their status and listening to the technician's updates.

The two humans spent a decent amount of time trying to calm the situation down, imploring that the weapons be put away, they were unarmed, after all.

The uplink came into full effect finally.

::. Bumblebee to Danny and Jack, poker faces, the uplink is fully activated, Director Matteer is on the line.::

::. Thank god, I want his thoughts.:: Jack thought.

::. You got 'em.:: Barry's voice stated flatly.

* * *

(MPOV)

Barry walked into the entrance bay.

He looked nervous.

I looked at him curiously.

"New advancements in technology and spying," he stated flatly. I snorted.

"You'll like this one then," I told him cheerfully as my Optimus strode toward us. Barry heaved a breath and followed me as I jogged lightly toward communications central.

"Do we get to do something fun?" Jolt called out curiously.

"Situation Reports?" Optimus rumbled calmly.

"Jetfire is currently over Egypt, coasting on the thermals apparently. The femmes are patrolling. Bumblebee reports they are almost in position, everyone else is at base." Jolt immediately reeled off.

Barry looked rather stunned at that.

Optimus remained quiet, as he always did.

Waiting.

Barry looked rather antsy about that.

"Hush," I murmured, nudging my shoulder against his arm. "When something happens, Jolt will report it within seconds."

Barry calmed slightly.

Sure enough.

"Bumblebee initiating full audio-visual uplink," Jolt reported aloud.

The screens came alive.

"Situation update, playing pre-recorded happenings during uplink time."

Barry began grinning slightly as the visual perspectives on two screens were labelled with Jack and Danny's names.

"Holoform conversion?" I asked calmly, looking at my Optimus.

He nodded calmly. I nodded and watched the screens.

"Means?" Barry murmured beside me.

"Bee and Sides made their holoforms look like Jack and Danny, your agents are still within their vehicle forms and controlling the holoform's movement and speech."

::. Bumblebee to Danny and Jack, poker faces, the uplink is fully activated, Director Matteer is on the line.:: Bumblebee's voice called out calmly.

Barry jumped about a foot in the air.

"Voices not activated outside of the holoforms. It's a voice in Danny and Jack's mind," I added softly. Barry nodded.

"Thank god, I want his thoughts," Jack thought, his patterns immediately translated for us, courtesy of Sideswipe.

Barry straightened.

"You got 'em," he called out flatly.

"You up to date?" Danny asked... thought flatly, allowing Jack the freedom to continue with the conversation in front of him.

"Just watched the past ten minutes," Barry called out worriedly. "Your thoughts?"

"They're holding something in reserve," Jack stated flatly. "Give me a few minutes, I want to know what it is."

The man in front of Jack smirked.

"Come, come see why you are going to deal with us, at _our_ price." he turned and the two men were roughly escorted into a back room.

I saw an enormous, glowing sphere.

"Scrap," Optimus rumbled softly.

"That's a Soaeletron!" Jolt exclaimed.

"Information?" Jack asked worriedly.

"It is an energy creator," Optimus rumbled immediately. "Essentially, a miniaturized sun within a gravity well. Highly volatile, highly dangerous, those we created on Cybertron required a mind to be connected to it at all times to maintain level balances. In the correct hands it proved to be an invaluable power source, in the wrong hands it is a devastating weapon. Bumblebee, please initiate full scans.

"Do you have a recommendation as to a course of action?" Barry asked intently, looking at my Optimus. I couldn't help but smile slightly.

"I do not have enough information at this time, if those men intend to use that device as a weapon, I would suggest Bumblebee and Sideswipe confiscating it," Optimus rumbled firmly. "I am unsure as to it's radiographical footprint, and how it will affect your people."

"Jack, Danno, play the game," Barry ordered, nodding to Optimus.

"What the hell is that thing?" Danno snorted. "Somebody's science project?"

"This, is our most recent weapon," the man smirked. "We call it the end of the nuclear race, the end of the nuclear stalemate."

"Judging by Bumblebee's scans that one _has_ grown powerful enough to level a city," Jolt added intently, scanning the readouts.

"Director?" Danno thought worriedly.

"Get every inch of information you can out of them," Barry stated intently. "If they look like they're even _thinking_ of turning that on and firing it, I want every arrest you can manage, and I want that thing wherever Optimus feels it will be safest."

I smiled as my Optimus jumped slightly, looking at the Director curiously.

"You have _far_ more information on that thing than I do, if it's a Cybertronian piece of equipment in our hands, that's your business, if humankind sorted out how to build it I want every piece of advice you can give me and the rest of the world on how to use it peacefully," Barry stated flatly, looking at him.

"Done," Optimus rumbled intently, looking at the screens again. "Bumblebee, Sideswipe, tactical report, do you require backup."

"Better get Jetfire in the air," Sideswipe stated firmly after a moment. "You don't mess around with a soaelatron in the area."

"Prime calling Jetfire-" Optimus started.

"Already on m' way," Jetfire rumbled immediately, sending his own visual scans. A third screen popped up, everything he could see and scan. "No offence, I couldn't help overhear soaeletron. This is _serious _scrap if the humans are building them now."

"Agreed," my Optimus rumbled seriously. He glanced at Barry again, and noted the man listening intently to his own men. He nodded and looked at me. "Kae, see if you can access any memories of the soaeletron from Mico, and cross reference them with the potential damage to your own frame."

That was a brilliant idea.

"Say it in Cybertronian," I commanded softly, scrambling for a pen. Jerry idly passed me pen and paper, and Optimus leaned intently toward me.

_Sunseed generator,∂_ he rumbled softly. Immediately, the symbols dancing in front of my eyes went crazy.

_§Be careful with this, spark child,§_ Mico's voice whispered directly into my mind. §_This causes great damage, and greater to your carbon frame. It must be properly controlled, contained!§_

I wrote her observation down quickly, continuing to write the information she passed before my eyes.

"Jetfire in position," my grandfather reported.

I began paying attention to the conversation again.

"So, where'd you come up with it?" Jack asked curiously.

"It was a gift from god to my mind," a rather haggard looking man stated in a dreamy tone. The men smirked at him, then turned their backs, facing Jack and Danno again.

I looked at the man's eyes. It couldn't be.

"Danno, give me a better look at the crazy man's eyes," I snapped out.

The agent's eyes flicked to the man for a moment, before focusing on the men in front of him again.

"Jolt, back up, freeze frame," I snapped out.

There, on the screen, was a man that was playing the game to the best of his ability.

"Kae?" Barry snapped at me.

"Protocol one, get him out of there," I hissed.

"The crazy guy?" Danno thought curiously.

"He's not crazy, he's drugged, he's been tortured, but he's not crazy. Facial recognition, Jolt, test against the name 'Joseph Iliac Geraldine.'"

"It can't be!" Barry choked.

A small screen winked to life in front of me.

Time had not done him any favours, but it was him.

"Code Red, get him out of there!" Barry snapped out the next moment. "I repeat, code red, get our man home!"

"Yes Sir," Danno and Jack immediately snapped out.

"One more thing?" Jack asked cheerfully.

"Go ahead," Barry nodded intently.

"So what do you intend to do about this?" Jack demanded finally, gesturing to the soaeletron.

"Why, I do believe I'm going to rule the world, I just thought your CIA director would like the heads up," the man stated cheerfully.

"_That's_ it!" Barry snarled. "Blow that _shit_ up!"

"Bumblebee Sideswipe, initiate manoeuvres Alpha five, scan for any additional prisoners, innocents, women and children." Optimus commanded sternly. "Jetfire, are you prepared to transport the soaeletron?"

"_Now_ yer _talkin!"_ Jetfire shot back, anyone could hear that grin.

"Yes Prime!" was immediately shouted back through the speakers.

"I see," Jack stated in a soft, grave tone, turning to walk away. "Message received, we'll pass that along."

"It requires only one to pass a message," the leader stated with a smirk. He drew a gun and shot Jack in the back. Right in front of Danno.

"Right about now, don't you think?" Sideswipe stated mildly.

"I do believe so," Bee stated with a grin. "Objections Prime? Barry?"

"_He shot my man!_" Barry howled.

"Nah, I'm good," Jack snorted. "Ow, out we get."

I couldn't help but grin as Bumblebee obviously took over Danno's holoform.

"Well, that was a _terrible_ move." my little brother stated cheerfully. The men were gaping at him, no doubt he'd morphed his holoform back to his own appearance. "Mr. Geraldine if you please?"

The dreamy eyed man immediately snapped into focus, sprinting for Bee.

The two of them promptly booked it out of there.

"Bumblebee, last scan, anybody we gotta worry about?" Sideswipe snarled, from his perspective, we saw Bumblebee's holoform wink out as he transformed and stood, Joseph Geraldine running to join Danny and a rather pale looking Jack.

"Negative, let's get to it," Bee smirked.

I couldn't help but smile as the two of them promptly began blowing shit up. Sideswipe was giggling slightly as he did. Bumblebee continuously scanned the area, glancing at the humans standing huddled and shocked, and the armed guards running for dear life.

Jetfire landed, straight through the roof.

"Oh now _that_ is stylish," Sideswipe shouted.

"Really? A bit blunt if yeh ask _meh_," Jetfire stated cheerfully. "Jetfire reporting soaletron retrieved, en route to thirsty lake."

"Thirsty Lake?" Barry demanded.

"Aye, Ol' Gouger and I used to take care o' these things, vorns ago, around the time Ratchet was toddlin' about in 'is hatchling frame come tae think o' it. Gouger built the safe enclosures for the devices, and I transported 'em. Permission tae carry on?"

"Granted," Barry squeaked.

"Granted," Optimus confirmed with a snort. "I will, however, be mentioning that to Ratchet."

"Hagh! He knows his age!" Jetfire laughed. "Righ' Jetfire to Gouger!"

"Gouger responding, _now _what do you want?"

"Need you to hustle up a soaeletron enclosure Gouge," Jetfire sent with a grin. "Quick now, 's only so long I can stay in the air with it."

"Hagh! Fine! Take the northwest tunnel, I'll be _finished_ by the time _your_ slow aft makes it here!"

I looked at Barry to see the man desperately trying not to laugh.

"Bumblebee, Sideswipe, status report," my Optimus rumbled intently.

"Hold up-" Sideswipe stated, anyone could hear that grin. "Bee, three!"

"Two!" Bee snorted.

"One!" they chorused, letting off a barrage of slow moving shots, they transformed in a hurry, burning rubber as the grav-controlled plasma shots drifted inexorably toward the buildings.

"In in in in in in in!" Bumblebee howled at the humans, his doors popping open. They scrambled into his car form and Bee took off, hot on Sideswipe's bumper.

Rear facing cameras showed the entire complex blowing up.

It was a rather extraordinary explosion. Sideswipe was howling with laughter as he drove back the way they'd come. Bumblebee was scanning everything.

"Quick quick quick Kae what's the human phrase for this?" Bumblebee shouted with a broad grin.

"I came, I saw, I conquered?" I called out curiously.

"Nah, we dined, and we dashin'!" Sideswipe hooted. "Metal to the pedal Bee!"

Optimus looked like he was fighting to not laugh at the two of them.

"Director, was there anything further?" he rumbled with a ghost of a grin on his face.

Barry looked around at the screens, at me, Jolt, Optimus and the tech crew.

"You lot, did _not_ see me jumping around in glee," he stated sternly.

"We what?" Will asked curiously.

Barry promptly began hooting with laughter, bouncing around on the catwalks.

"That. Was. _AWESOME!_" he howled.

Optimus began snorting, I covered my mouth to see the two of them at it.

"Right, so can I beg and plead of you lot to give us the low down on this soaeletron thing?" Barry demanded with a broad grin.

"Of course," Optimus rumbled calmly, nodding. "If your man can re-create the situation in which he built it, it is a human created technology. I _strongly_ discourage you from using it as a weapon, however."

"Do I get to ask why?" Barry asked wide eyed.

"Not controllable," Jolt grunted. "it doesn't have firing capabilities, it just blows up, and vaporizes everything in it's path. Uhh..." he looked pensive for a moment.

"What?" Barry demanded in a shocked tone.

"Trying to compute a good damage parallel," Jolt frowned. "Think..."

"There is no parallel, it would be simpler to show them," Optimus rumbled gently. Jolt nodded. My Optimus straightened, lightly touching his temple. "Bringing up archived data, soaeletron, Delta twelve-five."

I covered my mouth with a hand as a miniaturized city grew in the open space. It was a beautiful city, soaring arches and parks...

There were a few flickers in the centre of the city, then, then the centre simply vanished, a growing wave of empty, torn, destroyed space.

"We got lucky," Optimus rumbled flatly. "when we learned of the attack we evacuated the city. When the soaeletron blew, it took only the saboteurs and seven thousand holoforms."

"And the city," I whispered. Optimus looked down at me and nodded sadly.

Barry shuddered.

"Power unit it is," he stated flatly.

"Bumblebee reporting," Jolt stated quickly, looking up.

"Prime! Director!" Bumblebee's voice called out immediately. "Geraldine says there's another!"

"Another?" Barry stated flatly.

"Another whatever you wanna call it!" Geraldine shouted. "For gods sake Director, if you have _any_ friends at the Pentagon call them! We need to get it immediately!"

His face showed up on the screen.

"If you shoot me for _ever_ creating that thing I won't blame you," the man stated hoarsely. "But for Christ sake get it out of the hands of those maniacs!"

"I thought those were the heads!" Jack shouted.

"No! They were _puppets_, this has nothing to do with the east, the one that... guy? Pulled out through the roof was my _prototype_. MECH wanted to see what it did in the hands of terrorists and put it on the market, they threw me in as the broken inventor bonus."

"Do you have a location?" Barry demanded.

"No," Geraldine whispered hoarsely.

I covered my eyes with a hand and began walking.

"Kae?" my Optimus asked worriedly.

"It'll take too long to retrofit the drones with the proper scanners," I stated flatly, walking for the doors. "Jetfire is still en-route to Thirsty Lake and we need eyes in the sky _now._" I plugged my iPod into one ear as I reached the doors, without a doubt Optimus would want to continue the impending argument.

::. Kae, you killed yourself last time you used the flight deck.:: he rumbled flatly, right on cue.

"Ratchet re-programmed my pack to give me a readout of my vital signs and you know it," I informed my guardian calmly. "And the Fallen is dead."

::. How does that factor in?.:: he demanded irritably.

::. Because I was using the gravitational forces against him.:: I stated in exasperation ::. The gravity destroyed my systems, not the flight deck itself.::

::. You destroyed your neural network.:: Ratchet stated flatly.

"So I won't build such a big deck, I'm going drone size, not fighter," I informed my mentor, striding into the med-bay. Ratchet glared at me for a moment before nodding, handing me my pack.

::. I'm not going to go out of my way to kill myself, beloved.:: I informed my Optimus gently ::. I still have things to do.::

::. Like what?.:: he asked in a worried tone.

::. Well, marrying you is rather high on my priorities list, in case I haven't informed you of that lately.:: I told him with a smile, striding into the entrance bay and beginning to connect to the flight deck. ::. Ah crap, do you mind coming and grabbing your cannon? I don't want to leave it in the middle of the bay...::

::. Take it with you.:: he stated patiently ::. I do not wish you unarmed.::

I looked at the cannon for a long moment and snorted.

::. Love, you realize that your cannon is over three times my size?.:: I sent in amusement.

::. ... True...:: my Optimus snorted. I heard his footsteps resounding through the corridors the next moment. "However I do not wish you unarmed."

"I'm _not!"_ I laughed, building myself a bi-pedal frame and reaching for my guardian. I caught his shoulders and pressed a kiss to his jaw.

With that alone he looked like he was struggling to not smile.

"Communications," he ordered me gently.

"I'll be so close contact with you you'll be tempted to tell me to shut up," I laughed at him, striding to the doors and beginning to transform exo into a flight frame. Twin engines fired up and I was in the air.

::. Right, which continent are we talking?.:: I sent immediately.

::. Europe.:: my Optimus sent the next moment.

I nodded and tightened the frame around myself, scanning the airspace and staying well away from the other aircraft, in minutes, I was screaming across the ocean.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus watched with worry close to his spark as his Kae blasted into the air, she was correct, of course, they needed eyes in the sky.

He just wished it wasn't his spark-mate that had to do it. When she was out of sight, he turned and strode back into communications.

::. Right, which continent are we talking?.:: Mikaela's voice asked calmly.

"Mr. Geraldine, do you have a continent to narrow down the search?" Optimus rumbled immediately.

"Europe," the man immediately stated, looking somewhat more relieved. Optimus passed that to his spark-mate immediately. Barry was deep in conference with his contacts at the pentagon, and General Moreshower was on the line, waiting.

"Is Kae going to be in the air soon?" he asked worriedly.

"She is already in the air," Optimus rumbled with a frown.

"We can't spot her." Instantly, Optimus was _far_ more worried. She couldn't have already _crashed!?_

::. Kae!?.:: he sent in instant terror.

::. What!? What's happening? Who's hurt? What's wrong!?.:: her voice immediately demanded.

::. General Moreshower cannot find you on the radar.:: Optimus sent flatly.

There was silence from her for a long moment.

::. So you scare the hell out of me with the tone that generally indicates the world is about to end because General Moreshower can't spot me on the _radar!?_.:: his Kae demanded irritably. ::. Of _course_ he can't find me! I'm below 500 feet staying away from that jet aircraft!.::

Five hundred _feet_!? She could _hit _something that low!

::. Optimus, there is nothing but _birds_ at five hundred feet above the ocean.:: she sent flatly.

Oh. Right...

::. Sorry Kae.:: he sent quietly.

::. You're going to age yourself worrying so much.:: she sent to him in amusement ::. I'm going to get weird looks if I'm walking down the aisle to meet a man with grey hair at the alter.::

Optimus snorted in amusement, then jumped. The humans were shooting incredulous looks at him.

"We're talking potential mass terrorism and you _snort!?_" Barry demanded.

"No, Kae's teasing him again," Jolt immediately piped up in a defensive tone.

Barry rolled his eyes and nodded, turning back to the screens.

"Right, I'm entering European airspace," Mikaela's voice reported the next moment.

"How did you get over there that fast?" Moreshower demanded.

"I flew."


	101. 99 Alliances

**Chapter 99 - Alliances**

* * *

(MPOV)

Day six.

I thanked Primus, again, for the neural fibres Jetfire had given me. Despite Optimus, and Ratchet's ardent protests, I glanced at the chronometer and noted the one hundred and twentieth hour spent in the air being logged in the flight deck's mainframe. Five days ago, Jetfire had joined me in the airspace, the two of us splitting the continent between ourselves and scanning in grid formation.

I was over Russia now, having taken the northern latitudes in deference to Grandfather's extreme dislike of cold.

::. Jetfire to Archangel.::

::. Really?.:: I snorted. It didn't seem to matter how many times I told him to call me Kae – everyone else was over the radio – he insisted on calling me by my formal designation.

::. Get used to your name youngling.:: Jetfire snorted ::. Nae luckdown here, what's your status?.::

::. I've got nothing.:: I sighed, covering my last section of longitude.

::. We've covered the blasted continent, I think your lot are gonna have to do it the old fashioned way.::

I sighed irritably. He was right, of course.

::. Archangel to NEST.:: I sent with another sigh.

::. NEST responding, anything Kae?.:: Jolt's voice asked quietly.

::. Not a damn thing.:: I sighed ::. We're going to have to do this old-school, patch me through to Barry?.::

::. Yes Ma'am.:: Jolt immediately stated.

::. And quit calling me Ma'am.:: I added.

::. Would you prefer 'Sir?'.:: Ironhide's voice rumbled with a snort. My lifeline, where Optimus, Will, Ratchet and I had been arguing about how much time I was to be in the air at any given time, Ironhide had relentlessly teased me, helping me stay more alert.

::. Barry's asleep in guest quarters, under orders to not be roused unless we find it, he'll be awake in another two hours.:: Jolt sent apologetically the next moment.

::. That's fine.:: I sighed. Wow, I'd beaten _Barry_ in the staying awake contest. New record.

::. Get on home Granddaughter.:: Jetfire added ::. Catch some recharge, you're gonna need it if you're gonna pound ground for a while.::

I nodded tiredly to myself, murmuring an affirmative.

::. Optimus.:: I sent quietly ::. Could you get General Moreshower to clear me some airspace? I'm coming home.::

I could practically feel my Optimus' relief at that announcement, the moment the words were said, the airspace clear over, Russia, then the UK I turned west, blasting my engines as hard as they would go, another two hours and I caught sight of the Washington monument. I slowed down, five minutes and I was landing, two seconds after my feet touched ground I was in my Optimus' arms.

"Hey," I murmured weakly.

"Kae, you have run yourself down to nothing, again," my Optimus scolded me gently, turning and carrying me into the entrance bay.

"I know," I mumbled. He gently set me down beside the remainder of the deck and I disconnected, using up what felt to be the last of my energon re-integrating everything into the flight deck.

Optimus gently lifted me into his hands, bearing me gently to our quarters.

"I gotta report in," I mumbled. My body was aching, no longer distracted by operating the flight frame I could feel my muscles protesting having been practically immobile for the past six days.

"Barry, Will and General Moreshower already have your verbal reports, we have been monitoring your condition continuously."

"Mmn," I murmured, curling up in his hand. The only thing keeping me running now was the neurals.

"My Kae," my Optimus sighed gently, striding into his quarters and settling down on his berth. He lowered his hands to the ground and winked his holoform online, scooping me into his arms and carrying me to my human-sized quarters, straight into the shower.

"Mind reader," I murmured, burying my face into his neck. "I _know_ I stink when you carry me straight to decon." Optimus snorted softly and laid me down on the berth, wirelessly turning the water on as he carefully peeled me out of the clothes I'd thrown on six days ago.

"It never occurs that I am simply grateful that you are alive and allowing me to see to your maintenance?" he rumbled gently, tossing my clothes aside and beginning to run a soaped sponge along my legs. After so long spent in the skies it felt like pure, unadulterated paradise, especially with the way his holoform's thumbs dug gently into my muscles.

"Have Barry's men gotten anywhere with the groundwork?" I murmured tiredly.

"Mm, they have found several leads as to MECH's whereabouts, one base in the United Kingdom, which has been abandoned, as you know. Most of their warehouses appear to be in North America. For now, we are simply praying that MECH intends to use the soaeletron for power production."

"Has Jolt been running probabilities?" I murmured.

"He has," Optimus rumbled quietly.

His tone said it all, he was praying the technician was wrong, and knowing Jolt, the technician _himself_ was praying he was wrong. Optimus gave me a gentle nudge, and I obediently rolled over, moaning softly as his hands massaged the soaps into my back. I idly noted that they were the same scent as the perfume he adored, but frankly? I was simply too tired to tease him for it. Optimus seemed to notice that, leaning down and pressing a gentle kiss just below my ear.

"Sleep my Kae," he murmured gently.

"No doubt we're going to be right back at it in the morning," I murmured tiredly. Optimus sighed, the tone denoting his regret that I spoke the truth. I reached up and weakly caught his hand with my own. "It's going to be okay, my beloved."

"So long as you are with me," he murmured gently, stroking my hand before gently cupping my wrist. I smiled somewhat, allowing the neural fibres to go to his call, forming the heavy bracelet that was their alt-mode.

"Always," I whispered, falling asleep between one thought and the next.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus watched with a small smile as his Kae fell asleep between one word and then next, content that she was safe and whole. He delicately slid her neural bracelet from her wrist and pocketed them. He rinsed her body clean before shutting the water down and gently towelling her dry, she did not rouse as he lifted her into the holoform's arms, bearing her gently from the human-sized decontamination chamber and through the screens.

"Optimus- OH!" Will exclaimed, sitting on her sofa with General Moreshower and Director Matteer. He was covering his eyes the next moment, right beside the General and Director.

"I will return momentarily," Optimus rumbled in amusement, gently bearing his Kae to her hammock and laying her down. He cocooned her there, suspending the mosquito netting around her as she preferred when she was not asleep on his chest before walking back into her main area.

"I am _so_ sorry Prime!" Will exclaimed quietly, the three males were blushing furiously, it took Optimus a moment to understand why.

"Why your cultures find such discomfort in your own bodies is beyond me," he snorted softly, settling down in the chair he had claimed for his own.

"Oddly enough? Beyond _us_ as well," Chris Moreshower snorted softly, settling back into his spot again.

"What news?" Optimus rumbled quietly.

"Well, I've got every man and woman that has even the _remotest_ amount of training available poring over anything we can find on MECH's past movements," Barry stated tiredly. "I don't know what else to do, we've got the list of their old warehouses..."

"Galloway's being even more of a prick than usual," Will added grumpily, rubbing his face. "I am _infinitely_ tempted to sick Kae on him when she wakes up."

"Better the devil you know," Moreshower grunted irritably. He pursed his lips somewhat as Barry snorted quietly. "Mind, when you _do_ sick Kae on him, make sure Optimus video-tapes it, I wanna watch."

Barry's phone rang and he snapped upright, immediately lifting the cell to his ear.

"Matteer," he barked. Optimus sat back somewhat, politely ignoring the tiny voice emanating from the cell, eavesdropping was not generally his habit, after all.

Barry listened for a moment then grinned, then frowned. "We can't get _anything_ on their lines!?"

Optimus shifted forward slightly, Barry glanced at him, and the light of an idea lit his eyes.

"Hey Optimus, how are _your_ lot at tapping phone lines?" he asked curiously. Optimus smirked slightly, utilizing the trick Jazz had once taught him.

"How do you mean, Director?" he asked calmly. Through the Director's phone.

"How the _hell_ did you _do that!?" _Barry shouted in shock, staring at his phone. "This is supposed to be a secure line!"

Optimus snorted and morphed his holoform into a scale model of his proper form.

"Call it a quirk of our race," he rumbled placidly. Will was bright red, mechful..._ Man_fully struggling to not laugh aloud.

"Janet get to communications and prepare to patch fully to NEST communications," Barry stated into his phone.

"Uh..." the female voice started worriedly. Barry glared at the phone. "For god sake Director quit glaring at the phone! It was your _own_ rule ten years ago that cut the outgoing on this thing!"

Barry glared at the phone regardless, then sighed.

"How big are the doors again?" he asked in a tired tone.

"Um... the standard eight by ten garage door?"

"How small can you transform?" Barry looked at him curiously. Optimus reached up and covered his face, desperately struggling to not laugh. Where he was good at linking to computers, _Jolt _was the master.

::. Jolt, would you be willing to temporarily re-locate to the CIA computer towers?.:: he sent gently.

::. ... do I getta go now?.:: the technician asked innocently, evidently struggling to not sound too eager.

"I will send Jolt, where I am skilled, he is a master of technology," Optimus rumbled in amusement. "And he is quite a bit smaller than I at even my most compressed state."

The humans in the room were beaming at him the next moment.

* * *

(JPOV)

::. Jolt, would you be willing to re-locate to the CIA computer towers?.:: the Prime sent suddenly.

Jolt just about popped a processor, he'd caught scent of that tower block in the ether a few months back, the technician in him had been fairly _itching_ to go visit it!

How do you ask a host race if you can go play with a computer system that wasn't outwardly admitted to exist in the first place? You just don't ask, then welp, up and sudden your leader asks if you wanna go play with it. Jolt kept waiting for the scrap to get scattered again, no way he could have this much luck all in a row.

::. Do I getta go now?.:: he asked cautiously. Then, then the Prime was smiling at him.

::. I would suggest, for your personal comfort that you bring one or two of the NEST technicians with you, you may leave when ready.::

Jolt already knew who he wanted to ask.

"Hey Lena!" he grinned as the femme walked into the room. "Wanna go hack the entire world from the CIA databases?"

Lena froze and stared at him, obviously processing that.

"Oh see now you're just yanking my chain," she snorted.

"Totally not," Jolt grinned at her. "The CIA found MECH's phonelines but they can't bug 'em so they want me to go hook up to their computers do you wanna come with?"

"YES!" Lena shouted, running toward him. Jolt immediately transformed and opened his door for her, she slid in and he drove to her quarters.

"Probably need some stuff right?" he grinned, winking his holoform online in the driver's seat.

"Two minutes!" Lena sang, scrambling from his alt-form and into the tiny human-sized door.

Five minutes later she was slinging a duffle bag into his trunk.

"That was five minutes," Jolt teased her.

"I don't have an internal chronometer," Lena shrugged.

"Huh, true," Jolt mused, immediately driving to the entrance bay and through the doors.

* * *

(MPOV)

I opened my eyes with a small smile. I was cocooned in my hammock, the netting delicately suspended over me. My dear bot. There were soft voices coming from my common room, it took a moment, but they registered as Barry and Will.

They sounded excited.

"I wonder when Kae's gonna wake up," Barry muttered.

"I'm awake!" I called out. "Gimme a minute!"

I swung out of my hammock and snorted. Of course Optimus wouldn't bother putting me in pyjamas. Made getting dressed a bit faster though.

"What's the sit rep so far?" I called out from behind my screen.

"We found them," Barry called back. "Your fiancee is a genius, and I need Angel."

I rolled my eyes and took off the casual wear, switching into my leathers.

"Director Matteer," my Optimus' voice rumbled the next moment.

"Optimus," I called back calmly.

"Kae, you just woke up from six days non-stop!" he rumbled worriedly. I strode out from behind the screen and caught his holoform.

"I love you too," I murmured. "However rest is for the dead, literally in this case."

Optimus sighed and looked down at me with concern in his eyes.

"Beloved," I murmured, hauling myself up by his shoulders. "You just made sure I got a damned good recharge, I'm in good condition. All I need is a bite to eat and I'm good to go."

My Optimus sighed somewhat and nodded.

"Right, where are they at?" I asked calmly.

"Maine."

"Fuck."

"Yeah."

"You wanna drive?" I murmured with an impish grin, looking at my Optimus. His answering grin was frankly wolfish before he purposely straightened his face.

"It has been some time since I have ventured from headquarters," he rumbled in a mockingly musing tone.

"Well we should get you some fresh air, now shouldn't we?" I grinned at him.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus relaxed as his Kae controlled their vectors, his fiancee was remarkably competent when it came to handling his alt-form, and frankly? He wanted to do a long-haul, simply because _now_, he had a human he could trust to drive him when he grew tired of focusing on it. Ironhide was proximitying him, as had been the Weapons Master's habit, and Bumblebee was _well_ ahead by now, gleefully wearing his CIA plates as he scouted around.

"Penny for your process?" his Kae murmured in amusement.

"It is nice to be out again," he rumbled cheerfully.

"Oi! Watch the rocks youngling!" Ironhide sent with a snort.

Optimus snorted and sent a signal to his tires to tighten their treads, the roads were good, he didn't need as much grip at the moment. Of course that sent several little rocks pinging out.

"_Youngling_!" Ironhide thundered the next moment.

"You do not need to be so close to proximity," Optimus rumbled with a snort. Mikaela was giggling slightly.

"I do to use that tailwind of yours fat-aft, need I remind you you have double the tanks?" Ironhide rumbled irritably.

Optimus jumped slightly, he _had _forgotten his Weapons Master's now limited fuel reserves. He immediately scanned for a gas station.

"My apologies, Ironhide," he rumbled contritely, gently taking control of the vectors with a light twitch of his steering wheel. His Kae leaned back with a smile, curling her legs against his seat. He pulled into the station and Ironhide pulled ahead, immediately going to the pumps. "You should have mentioned it sooner."

Ironhide snorted softly as Will climbed out with stiff legs, shaking them out as he lightly began filling up Ironhide's fuel reserves.

"Hey Kae, got a drop?" Ironhide rumbled the next moment. Mikaela smiled and immediately climbed from his cab.

"Nice topkick man," she immediately began, directing her comments to Will for the benefit of the passerby. She laid a gentle hand on Ironhide's armour. "Smooth ride?"

"Yeah, unless he's in a mood, then you can be certain your back's gonna suffer," Will snorted. "That your rig over there?"

"Yeah, real beast isn't he?" Mikaela stated fondly, looking at Optimus.

"Sorry I was dragging in your tailwind there, almost empty," Will added calmly.

"Heh, well I certainly wasn't planning on making a fast stop," Mikaela laughed, Optimus chuckled softly as the two of them kept up the pretence of a flirt.

"So where you headed?" Will grinned.

"Oh, headed up to Canada to pick up a load," Mikaela shrugged with a smile. "The two of us decided to take a detour, see a man about some lobster, and yourself?"

"Going up to see some family, you always talk about your rig like it's alive?"

"Yeah," Mikaela laughed gently, turning to look at Optimus fondly. "The big guy and I have been through some real rough patches together, but he's always pulled me through. Sometimes I could swear that he's alive and watching over me."

Optimus was having a damned difficult time keeping a straight face. Ironhide was snorting softly, concealing the sound with the ticks of his engines cooling. The pump clicked and Will immediately went in to pay.

"You good?" Mikaela murmured softly.

∂_I said drop, not full tank∂ _Ironhide retorted with a fond grumble.

Mikaela chuckled and gently patted his armour.

"Have a good drive man," she smiled at Will as he emerged again, she strode toward Optimus and leaned against his side, watching as the pump continued to fill his tanks. She glanced at the progress and shrugged, calmly climbing into his cab and grabbing a canister of wipes from her duffle.

Optimus couldn't help but chuckle somewhat as she began idly wiping the bugs from his grill.

"Now, you are simply spoiling me," he informed her gently.

"You mean as you did me last night?" she murmured in amusement. The pump clicked, but she ignored it, opting to wipe the final few bugs from his bumper before tending the pump. Optimus watched his femme with a smile as she walked into the store and paid for the fuel with his card, he could hear the respective males around her trying to flirt, but such things had no bearing on his mood now, Mikaela flirted back somewhat, but hers was the stance of a femme flirting more to keep in practice.

Because his ring rode proudly on her finger. His Kae smiled at him as she walked back, one of the males was following her.

"Hey baby," the man smirked at her. "What say we go for a ride together?"

"Thank you, no, I have places to be," Mikaela stated patiently. The man continued following her, and reached to catch her as she climbed up.

"You sure I can't catch a ride?" the man wheedled her, his pheromones bespoke a man on the hunt for a mate.

"Well..." Mikaela murmured. "Why don't you ask my husband?"

The man's face fell as Optimus rapidly winked his holoform online out of sight in the sleeper.

"Ask me what?" he rumbled curiously, making a pretence of yawning.

"Nevermind," the man muttered, retreating.

Optimus smirked slightly as Kae caught his holoform by the back of the neck, pressing a kiss to his lips.

"Go back to sleep baby," she murmured in a sultry tone.

"It's more fun when you join me," he murmured with a smirk.

"Stop tempting me," she smirked right back at him, settling into the driver's seat again.

"Indeed, who am _I_ to tempt you?" Optimus rumbled cheerfully as his Kae lightly touched the ignition, a little zap of energon had him moaning the next moment. He started up his engines and his femme directed his vectors toward where his Weapons Master had disappeared.

Two more hours of driving, and all banter had gone. Optimus pulled into the area and parked in a blind spot. He winked his holoform online as his Kae began climbing out of his cab.

"Please," he murmured softly, holding her hand. Mikaela looked at him. "Please be careful." His beautiful Kae gently squeezed his hand and pulled him in for a gentle kiss.

"Nothing, and no-one will _ever_ keep me from you," she murmured.

Then, she was out of his cab and disappeared in the shadows.


	102. 100 Angels and ghosts

**Chapter 100 – Angels and Ghosts**

* * *

(MPOV)

"Please," my Optimus whispered, holding my hand. I looked at him worriedly. "Please be careful."

I couldn't help but smile at my dear, loving bot, I pulled him close and pressed a kiss to the holoform's lips. "Nothing," I murmured, "and no-one will _ever_ keep me from you." I slipped from his cab and into the shadows.

::. Nothing for security in the air vents.:: my little-brother informed me quietly. I couldn't help but smirk somewhat, climbing up the drainpipes to the roof. Regardless of his information, I checked the air-vent for wires before popping it open, old habit. It was the work of minutes to shimmy through the ducts, peering through vents.

The place was crawling, that could pose a problem.

::. Kae to Optimus.:: I sent quietly.

::. Responding.:: his voice murmured.

::. They've got a veritable army in here.:: I muttered with a frown.

::. Well how are we supposed to get 'em out?.:: Ironhide rumbled with a frown.

I thought for a long moment.

::. How long until the rest of NEST shows up?.:: I asked curiously, moving through the vents again. I glanced to my right and smirked.

Found the wiring. Immediately, I was hooking up the router.

::. Hey Bee, how's the security hookup?.:: I added with a smirk.

::. Enabling... HAH!.:: my little-brother smirked. ::. Full access to their cameras.::

::. The soldiers are surrounding the perimeter.:: Optimus rumbled quietly.

::. Oops, and they can see them.:: Bumblebee added with a frown.

::. Good, tell the soldiers to make a bit of ruckus then fall back.:: I smirked. I promptly began making my way through the air ducts, planting smoke bombs and scenters.

::. Mikaela, we do not harm humans.:: my Optimus rumbled sternly.

::. I know that, do _they_?.:: I asked cheerfully. The scent of natural gas began swirling around me. I checked my watch for a moment and smirked, threading a gas-mask over my face. I settled in to wait.

::. Hey Kae? The Humans are scrambling everywhere...:: Bee stated with a small frown.

::. Excellent, tell the soldiers to fall back.:: I smirked.

::. Message passed.:: Ironhide rumbled with a frown ::. The soldiers are moving, what are you doing Kae?.::

::. Oh, liiitle bit of the Banes building clearer. Oh and hey Bee? Trip the fire alarm will you?.::

I promptly triggered the smoke bombs to blow.

It became incredibly difficult to see, but I could hear the thunder of footsteps, the scream of the alarm.

But best of all? Ironhide was howling with laughter.

::. Looks like they're abandoning the base.:: Bumblebee sent cheerfully ::. Their databanks are dumping into an outside server.::

I frowned.

::. What's going to stop them from re-building the soaeletron?.:: I asked with that frown.

::. Hmn? Jolt re-routed it, they are dumping it right into our servers.:: my Optimus rumbled with a shrug. I almost laughed aloud.

::. You're a remarkably handy bunch of people to have around, you know that right?.:: I laughed.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus watched in amusement as smoke began pouring from the building, the fire alarm blaring. The odour the humans used to mark the explosive gas they used for cooking was heavy in the air. Ironhide was howling with laughter over the Primary, the very sound marking his pride in his human niece.

::. What's going to stop them from re-building the soaeletron?.:: his Kae asked with a frown.

::. Hmn?.:: Optimus rumbled mildly. ::. Jolt re-routed it, they are dumping the information right into our servers.:: he informed his fiancee cheerfully.

::. You're a remarkably handy bunch of people to have around, you know that right?.:: his Kae laughed.

"SCRAP!" Bumblebee was shouting the next second. "_Kae! Get OUT OF THERE!"_

_"Bumblebee!?_" Optimus shouted.

"The soaeletron! It's overloading!" Bumblebee howled.

"FALL BACK!" Optimus roared.

::. What's happening!?.:: his Kae demanded.

::. It's gonna blow!.:: Ironhide roared. A blast rocked the area, evidently the beginnings of the building initiating a self-destruct.

Optimus immediately transformed, running for the now abandoned building.

His Kae was in there.

::. FUCK!.:: her voice shouted the next second.

::. KAE!.::

::. Optimus I'm stuck!.:: she shouted.

Bumblebee was scanning the area, the only human within a mile was Kae.

::. Ping me!.:: he commanded flatly.

::. What?.::

::. Give me your location!.:: Optimus roared in a flat panic, fully using the voice of command. ::. PING ME!.::

In moments, his spark knew the precise location of the little transponder in her wrist. He knew her body's condition, felt her leg trapped.

But knowing her location, coupled with the schematics of the building?

Optimus brought his cannons online and began blasting anything that got in his way, digging a hole through the building.

The damage did not matter, it would be gone soon.

::. Bumblebee! Ironhide! Fall back!.:: Optimus roared at the only remaining soldiers in the area. If he were to die, he would go with his Kae, but Primus willing that would not be today. Behind him, he could hear the rapid transformations and roaring engines of his Weapons Master and Scout. They did not like the idea of abandoning him, but neither could they disobey the command.

::. Ping me!.:: Optimus commanded again, a fresh signal from his Kae, three more cannon blasts and he was within ten units. ::. Ping me!.:: Fresh signal. Optimus bulled his way through the remaining wall.

"OPTIMUS!" Mikaela shouted.

The metal ducting peeled away easily, and Optimus fairly snatched his Kae from her trap.

Femme to chest, he turned tail and ran, there was no thought involved, no thought _needed, _the second he was clear of the rubble he transformed around his femme, roaring after his scout and weapons master. The crackle of energy was heavy in the air. The warning sign.

His Kae was sobbing, curled up in his passenger's seat and clinging to him. A rapid scan showed her mostly uninjured, her pheromones denoting the highest level of fear he had ever scented on her. But that was all he could spare, he threw every ounce of power he had into driving.

Then, then the sound he had been dreading. The sizzle. A sound he had only heard once before, the sound of a soaeletron overloading, and disintegrating anything in it's path. He kept driving.

::. OPTIMUS!.:: Ironhide's voice was roaring, his voice barely making it through the static.

No time for thought, no time for _speech_, all power thrown into speed.

As quickly as the panic began, it was finished. The sizzle ceased, the static eased.

They were clear.

Optimus slowed somewhat and onlined his holoform, scooping his Kae into his arms and holding her as tightly as she clung to him.

"It's my fault," she sobbed into his shoulder. "It's all my fault, you could have gotten killed because I was too cocky to get out of my own decoy! I should have _known!_ I should have _known_ they'd self-destruct...!"

"Mikaela, be still!" Optimus barked at her sharply, he didn't have the spark to physically slap her from her hysteria as Chromia had.

Mikaela stared at him in shock.

"You are alive, as am I," Optimus growled at her.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

Optimus crushed his beloved close to his chest again for a long moment before pulling back.

"Are you alright? How is your leg?" he demanded worriedly, running his hands over her body, checking for injuries, and if he were perfectly honest, ensuring that she _was_, in fact, there.

"The nanites can take care of the bumps and scrapes," Mikaela whispered, clinging to him again.

Optimus synced his processors in relief.

::. Ironhide, status report?.:: he sent quietly.

::. Kae?.:: Ironhide husked out.

::. She is with me, and we are both whole.:: Optimus sent gently, the relief emanating from Bumblebee was almost palpable.

::. Everyone got out...:: Ironhide rumbled softly.

::. Ironhide?.::

::. Have you looked back yet?.:: Ironhide murmured softly.

Optimus looked back, and felt his spark break at the scene.

Where once had been a veritable forest, and an impressive base, a crater lay torn into the face of the earth.

* * *

(WPOV)

Will stood, leaning heavily against Ironhide's leg.

It was devastating, looking at the crater where a national forest had once been.

The press was going to have a field day with it, thank the gods it had been in an unpopulated area. And now, _now_ the government would be able to see, firsthand, why the bots had refused to share their weapons technology.

The fact that a human had built that though...

Will pressed his face to Ironhide's armour, thankful that the bots had been _there_.

Because god only knew if they would have spotted that on their own. His phone rang, and he held it to his ear automatically.

"Will!?" Barry's voice shouted. "Is everyone okay!? My reports are showing an earthquake! Magnitude five on the scale in _Portland!"_

"...Yeah..." Will muttered softly.

"That's not an answer Major!" the Director barked.

"We're okay, the forest..." Will whispered.

"Major?"

"It's gone. The soaeletron blew, we all got out, but there's a crater..."

There was silence on the end of the phone.

"You blew it up?"

"MECH did."

"Okay then."

"What?"

"Well, if MECH did it, that's no problem for me to keep your asses off the wire."

"Oh."

"I'd suggest heading home, Major, it won't do for your lot to be hanging around there. I got this."

"Oh. Kay..." Will muttered.

"Go home, Major," Barry murmured gently. "I'll take care of it."

"Thank you." Will managed to get out. He put his phone back in his pocket and continued to stare at the crater for another minute before shaking himself and shouting out the orders. A long, practically silent drive home, and Will found himself standing on the catwalks of communications central, quietly reporting the events.

"Where's Kae?" Barry finally asked quietly.

"With Optimus," Will murmured.

"Where's Optimus?"

"In his quarters, the both of them are still meshed," Jolt shrugged.

"Meshed?"

"She's in his spark-chamber, they're both making sure the other is still there."


	103. 101 Overhaul

**Well, as a side note: Over a hundred chapters and darn near four hundred reviews... Wooooooo! Crazy long right? Anyway yes, Kae's not a bot, not yet at any rate, liiiil bit of a deek out though XD. So... yes. The light of the computer screen is killing my brain at the moment. Less talk, more post. A billion thanks to my dear sweet Bee4ever and a zillion to my wonderful reviewers. Keep the reviews coming folks, they are my fuel!**

**Chapter 101 - Overhaul**

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus strode into the communications central, content that his Kae still loved him. He'd woken her accidentally as he'd risen. He'd intended to use his holoform to deposit her in her hammock. That hadn't worked, of course, but the gentle kiss she'd pressed to his faceplates made it rather difficult to feel guilty about having a conscious Kae.

Standing at the catwalks, he began listening to Will go over the events and topics that needed to be discussed. The Major's facial expressions, freed from the constraint they'd had with each other two years ago made it plain what the man's opinions on the topics were.

"And last but certainly not the least irritating, I'm supposed to casually bring up weapons stuff again." the major finished, rolling his eyes.

Optimus couldn't hold back the snort of amusement as a few techs casually covered their ears.

"Does that do anything?" he asked curiously, looking at Jerry.

"Well, sorta, it makes it less loud. I don't think there's _anything_ capable of drowning _your _voice out, though," the man snorted.

"Especially when you're in full bellow, except _then_ we don't so much _hear _your voice as feel it reverberating through the catwalks," Danny added with a shit-eating grin.

"You should hear him shouting on the battlefield," Jolt piped up mildly. "I'm fairly certain at any moment now Prime is going to discover an even scarier tone that'll have Megatron flying off to find a nice neutron star to hide in."

"_That_ is suicide," Optimus rumbled to the bot with a snort.

"Uh huh, and?" Jolt asked innocently. Optimus rolled his optics at the bot then turned to see General Moreshower striding into the room, carrying a cup of coffee with Mikaela beside him. Optimus smiled down at his Kae as she casually climbed up his leg and jumped into the hand he offered, settling onto his shoulder the way she always did.

"Morning!" the General called up, "At ease you lot."

"General," Optimus nodded calmly. The man nodded to him with a half smile.

"I gotta ask," Will stated mildly as the older man made his way up the ladders. "Most of the time we're discussing stuff that's just as easy over the phone."

"The coffee is better here," Moreshower snorted. "Morning Optimus, Will tell you what all I'm supposed to discuss with you today?"

"He did," Optimus nodded.

"Oh good," the General stated, taking a sip of his coffee. "Shall we crack through so I can get out of your-" Moreshower glared at him for a moment.

"'Hair' doesn't precisely work, does it?" Optimus rumbled in amusement.

"Circuits?" Mikaela piped up with a half smile. "Which on that note, Ratchet wants you to report to the med-bay for your overhaul."

"Of course he does," Optimus rumbled, rolling his optics. "Now then, General, I believe the first topic up for our mutual shouting match-"

"It's sad when we're that casual about it now," the General snorted.

"You're upset that he doesn't mind a good shouting match?" Will laughed.

"No, a good shouting match is cathartic. I'm just saying that it's rather sad that we're so casual about the topics we're shouting about."

Optimus snorted.

"First on the docket is scouting," Will stated calmly.

"That's not good for a shouting match," Moreshower snorted. "We _all_ know that that one is an impasse, maximum coverage versus safety and speed of deployability. I'm actually with Optimus on that one, can't respond to an attack on time if everyone is stretched out between time zones."

"Agreed," Optimus snorted.

"Next is actually confirmation of your wedding plans," Will added, looking at Kae.

"What, that I'm not backing out or is Cole bugging you about guest lists again?" Kae asked with a low chuckle.

"The not backing out bit," Moreshower nodded.

"I'm _keeping him,_" Mikaela stated with a smirk.

"Good to hear," the General snorted. "Which leads us to _everyone's_ favourite topic-"

The doors opened behind Optimus.

"_Optimus_!" Ratchet bellowed.

"Ratchet, I do not have time to be offlined for a full rebuild," Optimus rumbled irritably, looking at the medical officer.

"It's either two days now or ten days later," Ratchet growled at him, glaring. "You've overtaxed your capacitors again! So unless you _want_ them to overload, cut out in series and offline in the middle of taking down a _Decepticon, you_ are going to report to the med bay. NOW!"

Optimus glanced down at the humans staring at the Medi-bot.

"Any chance you can just use your holoform for the next couple of days?" General Moreshower asked hopefully.

"My holoform cannot be active while Ratchet is working on my capacitors," Optimus grumbled irritably, glaring at his Medic.

Ratchet had already won, of course, but the older bot had a bizarre sense of timing; even for a medic, and that was saying something. Which of course left him with the only other option.

"Very well, I will simply have to revert," Optimus grumbled irritably, turning and walking toward the med-bay.

"Revert?" Mikaela asked curiously, sitting on his shoulder.

"The process whereby my original form will separate from my adult body," Optimus explained patiently, looking at his Kae. She nodded her understanding.

"You can't be serious," Ratchet grumbled, looking up at him.

"It has been a long time," Optimus shrugged, "However I am certain that I can still perform it."

"Despite the fact that it'll put you in a far more vulnerable position?" Ratchet grumbled.

"What?" Moreshower asked curiously. Optimus snorted and ducked into the med-bay, lightly setting his Kae down on the berth and laying back.

He offlined his optics and synced his processors as his body began to shatter. Optimus grimaced slightly, he'd forgotten the dull ache of separating spark from whole body. He thought about it for a moment and nodded to himself somewhat before rising from his own body and looking up at his Medical Officer.

"Why you're still capable of that is beyond me," Ratchet snorted, gently picking him up and depositing him on the ground.

"The fuck!?" Will asked in shock, staring at Optimus.

"Gentlemen, may I introduce Orion Pax?" Ironhide rumbled with a snort. Optimus turned to glare at his Weapons Master.

"Your hatchling form," Mikaela murmured, Optimus glanced up and noted with surprise that he'd forgotten his Kae up on the berth. _Way_ up on the berth. She slid down the ladder and hesitantly reached for him before settling for standing in front, looking up at him.

"It's kind of sad that you were bigger as a hatchling than I am as a fully grown human," she snorted, grinning up at him.

He laughed and lightly picked her up, cradling her much as Arcee did.

"So, now what?" Will asked curiously, looking up at him. "Do we get you a car or a bike or something to disguise yourself?"

"NO!" Ironhide snorted. "Not unless Optimus decides he wants to stay that size for the rest of his vorns. Of course you've made _stranger_ decisions..."

Optimus promptly glared at his weapons master.

Mikaela reached up and cupped his cheek gently, made purely of protoform metals, her touch tingled.

Of course then it occurred, he had only brought one processor to this form.

How the humans managed to think about so much with so little processing power was beyond him.

_**ΩWe rapidly switch back and forth between processes,Ω **_Mikaela stated blandly.

Blessedly using the language of the Primes. So much easier to understand.

And gorgeous when spoken in her voice...

"So, now what?" Will asked curiously.

"Now we continue on," Mikaela smiled, gently squirming out of his arms and standing at his right, a half pace behind. "Shall we adjourn to our quarters, it'll be far more comfortable than rearranging communications central."

"Indeed," Optimus rumbled calmly, inwardly thanking his Kae. He could fit in her quarters now, and they would indeed be _far_ more comfortable.

Ratchet glanced at him knowingly as the medic worked on his body. His metals were still aching somewhat. Annoying, but tolerable.

"Shall we then?" Will asked with a grin, leading the way out of the med-bay and turning right. Moreshower followed with a smile.

They walked in silence for a moment, and Optimus couldn't help but feel a bit more admiration for his human compatriots. As small as they were, they still made what turned out to be an incredible distance regularly.

Of course Optimus automatically turned at his door, and snorted in irritation as it refused to open, keyed to his size.

Kae stepped forward and the doors opened. Keyed to her size as well, which in it's own way was rather amusing. Especially since she never _used_ this door.

"What's that for?" Will asked beside him. Optimus glanced down to see the human looking up at him in amusement.

"What is what for?" Optimus rumbled curiously, looking around his quarters.

"You sound completely amused at something or other."

"I admit that I had forgotten what it is like to be so..." Optimus trailed off, looking for a word that would not insult the humans.

"Tiny?" Mikaela piped up cheerfully. "When we don't know how it feels to be so blasted tall you've become the leading expert."

Moreshower snorted and looked down at her.

"Which leaves you as our leading expert on tiny," he added quietly.

"Oh ouch," Kae snorted, wandering into her quarters and straight for her kitchen. Optimus followed and folded himself comfortably onto the floor, it was a new shock for him, to see Kae with his own optics as she struggled to reach the overhead shelves in her kitchen.

But she managed it, of course.

The scents of coffee and the baking she'd done the day before crossed his olfactory receptors, and it was all he could do to not completely focus on those scents.

Which then left him cursing himself.

He'd forgotten his conversion unit in his adult body.

Now _that_ was embarrassing.

He caught the sound of Ratchet's voice addressing Kae on the Primary in healer's frequency over her iPod. Which he struggled to understand now.

Scrapping single processor. How Kae managed it was beyond him.

"Er... Prime?" Will asked curiously. Optimus turned his attention to him quickly.

"I apologize, Major, General, how your race manages to do so much with only one processor running is beyond me," Optimus rumbled irritably.

"It takes time, and practice," Mikaela stated calmly, setting a tray on her low table and folding herself onto the cushion beside him. She delicately set a large cup in front of him. At first glance it looked like coffee.

"I..." he started.

_**ΩIt's energon, beloved,Ω**_ Mikaela stated calmly in his language. _**ΩRatchet found your conversion unit.Ω**_

Optimus hadn't even noticed her doing it.

Fascinating.

"Someday you're going to make it through an entire day without talking to the bots in Cybertronian in front of us, and I'm either going to die laughing, or be incredibly saddened." Will commented mildly.

"I apologize, Major," Optimus rumbled with a small smile. "Mikaela has simply been coaching me on how to focus with a single processor, it is far more..." he trailed off, struggling with the english language somewhat, he looked at his Kae pleadingly.

_**ΩI understand my own language so much more easily,Ω**_ he admitted sadly.

"Which is why I'm here to help you with the translations, rather than in the med-bay hastening the repair on your body," Mikaela stated calmly.

"Wise beyond your years," Optimus smiled at her. "Now then, where were we before Ratchet summarily commanded me into the med-bay?"

"Ugh, the most annoying of topics, again, unfortunately," Moreshower grumbled.

"Mmn," Optimus nodded irritably.

"Would you like me to write the report?" Mikaela asked gently. Every present being promptly turned to stare at her. "Go on and talk about the weather, I've got this one," she laughed softly, rising and getting pen and paper.

"Rather than talk about the weather, let's just read over her shoulder," the general snorted.

"Good luck with that," Will chuckled. Optimus glanced at the paper and began laughing.

"Now you are simply showing off, my Kae," he rumbled with a snort.

"Why? Cybertronian is great for speed-writing," Mikaela murmured with a smile.

"Well speak it aloud then, as you're going," Moreshower commanded with a snort. Mikaela laughed as her pen stilled for a moment.

His Kae started speaking Cybertronian as she read the report, stopped, corrected herself and went to the beginning again, translating it into english. It made him laugh harder.

And every time her wording remained precise, accurate and truthful.

"I want your brain, what are my chances of hiring you as my personal aide?" Moreshower asked curiously, looking at Kae.

"Just how many identities am I supposed to tack on?" Mikaela laughed.

"Translation?" Moreshower asked, looking at Will.

"Well, she's already the Auto-bot Ambassador, CIA liaison, part time assassin, Mikaela Banes the nineteen year old-"

"My fiancee," Optimus rumbled smugly in counterpart.

"That's just for the politics though... isn't it?" Moreshower asked curiously, looking between them.

"You should have seen his proposal at Christmas," Will stated with a smirk.

"Wait, you _were_ already engaged!?" Chris demanded with a broad grin. He sat back with a relieved sigh. "Thank god, here I was guilting that I'd gotten you engaged for the sake of politics."

"No," Mikaela smiled gently. "No even if he had simply proposed for the sake of politics, it is a bonding that I am truly content to accept."

"Which I'm glad to hear," Ratchet's holoform stated, blinking in beside him.

Optimus looked up at the medic calmly.

"Well, I have good news and bad news," Ratchet stated amicably, looking down at him. "Which do you want first."

"The good," Optimus snorted.

"Your body'll be done tomorrow."

"The bad?"

"I need to steal your fiancee to _make_ it done by tomorrow," Ratchet snorted. Mikaela laughed and rose, pressing a gentle kiss to his jaw before nodding to the General and walking out her door.

General, Major and Prime sat in silence for a long moment.

"Well, let's try for a few more of the topics, and if worse comes to worse we'll invade the med-bay and make Kae multi-task some more." Moreshower commented mildly.

Will nodded with a grin.

"Right, next on the docket, if we can't do the weapons thing, how about shields?" the general stated cheerfully.

"How so?" Optimus asked curiously.

"Well, maybe a method of neutralizing the nuclear weapons on our planet, or an improvement on our body armour," the general shrugged.

Optimus leaned forward intently.

"The neutralization of weapons has potential, and body armour absolutely. _That_ is a project that Ratchet would enjoy immensely." Optimus turned his processors... scrap, processor to the task of thinking about those shields. "Of course the neutralization of your..." he frowned, struggling for the word... "I need Kae." He rumbled, looking at the humans and rising to his feet.

"That was fast," Will laughed at him.

"I simply know better than to attempt another language without a second processor," Optimus snorted, walking calmly toward the doors.

They didn't open. Again.

"Scrap." he grumbled.

"What?" Will asked curiously.

"My..." Optimus began struggling for the word, "sender? Is in my body."

"Oh... kay?" the humans looked confused.

"I can't open the door." Optimus grumbled.

"But you opened the door coming in!" Will stated in shock.

"No, _Kae_ opened the door coming in," Optimus grumbled. "It is keyed to us both, but _I_ am not sending my normal..." Optimus sighed. "I need Kae."

"Well, she had her iPod..."

"But I do not have my _sender_," Optimus grumbled. "I _hate _not having my body. How Kae manages day to day with one processor and her minute size is _beyond_ me."

"I'll go get Kae," Will laughed, opening the human sized door. Optimus looked at it for a long moment and crouched down, perhaps he could fit through that door, he'd seen Arcee do it from time to time.

He felt the doorframe before he realized it, focusing on his movements.

Movements that were now blocked.

"SCRAP!" he bellowed.

"OPTIMUS!?" Mikaela shouted, pelting down the hallway the next moment. Thank Primus, Kae was coming. She was standing in front of him the next moment. She stood in silence for a long moment. Just looking at him.

"Primus sake," she stated quietly, rolling her eyes._** ΩAlright, right servo in two gear teeth, left servo into torso five gear teeth, Left stabilizer negative five.Ω**_ Optimus felt himself begin to fall forward. Oh scrap.

This was going to hurt.

Except Mikaela was under him the next moment, holding him upright.

_**ΩRight, Right leg up three teeth, knee bent negative seven degrees,Ω**_ his Kae grunted before pulling him into the hallway.

Embarrassed, Optimus straightened.

"The hell!?" General Moreshower demanded, looking at the dented doorframe.

"You know how you never have to think about walking?" Mikaela stated perfunctorily. "It's so ordinary to us that we don't actually think about it?"

"Yeah..." Will muttered.

"Optimus is missing most of his brain at the moment, comparatively, the bits that take care of our depth perception and autonomic reflexes."

"But..."

"Ratchet is currently preoccupied doing brain surgery," Mikaela snorted. "Optimus is running around with one thirty..." she trailed off and looked up at him.

"Forty-eighth of my full capacity." Optimus rumbled with a snort. Put that way it was _far_ less embarrassing.

"Off by twelve," Kae murmured to herself with a snort.

"What is your normal run?" Moreshower asked curiously.

"One autonomic processor which came with my adult body to control my energon consumption, one to smooth my thought processes, and when I am not simply speaking Cybertronian with my unit an extra two for instantaneous translation and a boost in my intellect." Optimus rumbled irritably. "Except now I am down to one processor which is governing both my speech and life processes."

"Whoa..." Will muttered, wide eyed.

"So no walking and talking at the same time," Mikaela murmured with a low laugh. Optimus shot a wry grimace down at her. "Right, I take it you're on the way to med-bay with me, I'll meet you there, Ratchet's impatient for me to get my exo."

Kae spun around and sprinted away, and Optimus couldn't stop his thought process from watching the smooth, efficient way she moved.

"Right, let's get you sat down and we'll continue on," Moreshower snorted.

"I will meet you there," Optimus snorted. "This slow pace will be the death of me."

The humans nodded and he took off at about the same pace his Kae did, admittedly enjoying the rapid speed his hatchling frame was still capable of.

He slowed and strode into the med-bay in time to watch Kae walk back out again, smiling at him and on her way to their currently shared flight frame as the light pack integrated into her nervous system.

Optimus settled down on one of the lower benches and waited.

"_What the fuck is that!?_" Moreshower bellowed.

"Before you say 'why does she get auto-bot weaponry'," Will laughed. "You need to hear Kae and Ratchet's precise explanation of how she operates that thing."

Silence for a moment, Kae strode in and smiled at him before joining Ratchet again.

"That bad?" Moreshower asked.

"That bad," Will nodded as they walked into the Med-bay and joined him.

"Alright..." Moreshower muttered.

"The short version is that the pack strapped onto her back connects directly to her nervous system." Optimus rumbled, pointing to his Kae.

"Okay?" Moreshower asked curiously.

"Here," Will nodded, touching Moreshower's shoulder and walking to Kae. "See the wires there? _Those_ are connected to her _nerves_. Through the _skin_."

"And her bones in a couple of places, now," Ratchet added idly.

"Oh pass," Moreshower shuddered. The soldiers walked back and sat down beside Optimus again. The general was quiet for a long moment. "How can she stand it?" he asked incredulously.

"Time, patience, meditation, practice, energon and nanites," Kae called over as she held Optimus' arm up for Ratchet.

Moreshower shuddered somewhat.

"That's how you treat your favourite human?" he demanded of Optimus.

"It is Ratchet's pack," Optimus shrugged, leaning back against the wall and shutting down several of his motor reflexes. That freed up some space for thinking.

"Right, so shields," Moreshower stated calmly, settling down beside him.

"Are something that I certainly would not mind investigating," Optimus nodded. _**ΩTemporal forcefields certainly.Ω **_Optimus grimaced the second he noted the slip.

"Ratchet? Could you translate?" Moreshower called out curiously.

"Nope," Ratchet shrugged.

"What!?" Will demanded. Ratchet looked up.

"A thousand languages," Ratchet snorted. "As a _medic _I know perhaps seven hundred. Optimus' primary language is the language of the Primes. The only two who know what he's saying is Optimus and Mikaela. Which let me tell you, is annoying as _Pit_ when he's in shock."

"_Kae_," Will called out rather petulantly.

"Temporal forcefields certainly," Mikaela murmured, frowning at a circuit as she delicately cleaned the corrosion from it. "Optimus, you're not having any trouble hearing and understanding the english, right?"

"Correct," Optimus nodded.

"Mkay, so I'll do a direct translation of what you say in _**ΩSpeaktruth.Ω**_" She stated calmly, straightening slightly as she reached with her exo for a string of silver to replace the corroded lines with.

"That'll work. So what's a temporal-"

"_Optimus!_" Ironhide was shouting the next moment.

"Ironhide?" Optimus called out worriedly.

"Optimus we got a problem," Ironhide growled, striding quickly into the med-bay. "Bumblebee reports that Galloway is five blocks away and en-route."

"Scrap," Optimus growled, crossing his arms irritably. "Once again you are absolutely correct Ratchet, I should have let you just offline me."

"Optimus..." Mikaela grinned at him. There was pure mischief sparkling in her eyes again.

"Kae?" Optimus rumbled curiously.

"Does anyone present mind if I take care of Galloway?" she asked innocently.

"What are you planning daughter?" Ratchet asked with a grin.

"Well, it's impossible for anyone else to use my pack or my exo right?" Mikaela smirked at the medic.

"You're the only human capable of it, yes," Ratchet nodded. Optimus watched them curiously.

"Perfect, General, any objection?"

"Object to what?" Moreshower asked curiously.

"To me playing the favourite game of the Banes: weasel baiting," Mikaela smirked.


	104. 102 Weasel Baiting

**Chapter 102 – Weasel Baiting**

* * *

(OPOV)

Chris Moreshower grinned.

"My only objection will be you making me _leave_," he stated, rubbing his hands together.

"Oh excellent, would you be so kind as to meet Galloway at the entrance with Will and casually inform him that Optimus is already somewhat irritable today and not actually speaking english? I'll be translating."

"Done!" Chris howled, jumping to his feet and making for the entrance bay.

"Wait up!" Will grinned.

"Hold up!" Kae stated quickly, straightening and scampering to the shelves. She pulled down a small bundle of almost useless neural fibres and connected to them, rapidly creating something from them as she walked toward the soldiers.

She knelt down and offered two tiny speakers.

"Quick, midges," she grinned.

Both Major and General grinned viciously, collecting the earpieces and quickly installing them. Mikaela offered him one as well.

"So you can hear what I'm coaching everyone with," she smiled. Optimus grinned and lightly set the speaker above his auditory receptors as the men strode to the entrance bay.

"Anything we should know?" Ironhide grinned, settling down beside Optimus.

"If you guys are okay with it, I'll coach you silently," Mikaela stated with a grin, tapping her temple. "Or speak aloud in common if you can manage it, Optimus, no sense in having your senior officers left out of the game."

Optimus smirked at his Kae as Ratchet and Ironhide let loose identical evil grins.

"Be careful," he rumbled quietly. Mikaela grinned at him.

"Just remember, sit, look irritable and look like you don't understand what we're saying," Mikaela smirked at him.

"Game on," Ratchet snorted.

"Straight faces," Kae grinned before she shifted her exo somewhat to make it look ever so slightly more imposing as she strode back to Optimus' body.

_Now what the hell are you doing in your hatchling form?∂_ Ironhide asked irritably, looking at Optimus.

∂_to continue functioning, at the moment the only plus of not letting Ratchet offline me for a couple of days is watching Kae play.∂_

_∂Agreed,∂ _Ironhide snorted.

_Hey Ironhide?∂_ Mikaela called out curiously. _∂It just occurred, you're usually all for making sure everyone is equipped, but you're just as stringent against humans getting weapons... why?∂_

_Everyone who I deem capable of properly handling those weapons,∂_ Ironhide grunted sternly just as the General, Major and Director walked into the med-bay.

"What the hell!?" Galloway demanded.

"Good afternoon, Director, how are you today?" Mikaela began calmly, turning to look at him, her exo shifting slightly as she did.

"Why the hell does _she_ get to use auto-bot technology!? What the hell are you on about 'Optimus Prime is rather tetchy today!' he's _unconscious!"_

"No, he's over there," Mikaela stated blandly, pointing to him. For the sake of her game, Optimus decided to get things rolling.

∂_What are they saying?∂ _he rumbled in his best irritable voice.

_Did you actually want me to translate? Nice call, love.∂_ Mikaela stated calmly. _∂I'm going to explain the game.∂_ "You're going to have to forgive us, Director, Optimus has been in desperate need of an overhaul for the past several months. He's insisted on remaining active however, so he split away from his body and is currently sitting beside Ironhide in his regressed form. We unfortunately couldn't leave him enough processor power for him to speak or understand much more than ∂_Common.∂"_

It was remarkable just how sincerely truthful she sounded.

"Oh great, now I need somebody to translate everything!" Galloway grumbled.

Optimus had a hard time keeping a straight face as his Kae began silently coaching his senior officers. Her hands never stilled. Astonishing.

"Which is why he's here instead of communications central," Ratchet shrugged. "Kae's the best translator you can hope for, Galloway."

"Why her?" Galloway pouted.

"Because Optimus keeps slipping back into his online language," Ironhide snorted beside him.

"Online language?" Will asked curiously.

"The language he spoke when he came online, you would refer to it as a..." Ironhide trailed off with a frown, he looked at Kae, and she didn't even coach him to do it.

Seamless.

"A birth language, or a first language." Mikaela supplied calmly.

"Right. Except half the time _he's_ speaking the language of the Primes." Ironhide finished in a full grumble. "Which none of _us_ know how to speak."

"Fine, tell him that first off, the President of the United States needs to speak with him face to face next week." Galloway grumbled. Mikaela turned toward him.

_Potus wants to talk to you next week, So I'm going to have to polish you up properly. Wednesday?∂_ Mikaela translated calmly.

_Wednesday,∂_ Optimus nodded.

"Wednesday?" Mikaela parroted him, looking at Galloway.

"Fine." Galloway grumbled. "Second, I've been informed by the General here that Prime is still refusing to share any kind of weapons technology, and he stated that would not show favouritism but _you're_ happily walking around in a metal frame _very_ obviously of their design. Would he care to explain that?"

_∂Oh he's setting this up perfectly,∂_ Mikaela stated calmly, looking at Optimus. _∂First off I need a good no from you, beloved. Say whatever you want.∂_

_∂Tell that weasel precisely this,∂_ Optimus growled. _∂I stated that I will show no favouritism to any one nation to the extent of changing the status quo of your planet. I will show favouritism to my beloved fiancee, whom I trust with my life and secrets absolutely. Precisely that.∂_

"I speak in direct translation," Mikaela stated calmly. "I stated that I will show no favouritism to any one nation to the extent of changing the status quo of your planet. I _will_ show favouritism to my beloved fiancee, whom I trust with my life and secrets absolutely. ∂_Optimus that is quite possibly the sweetest thing anyone has ever said about me.∂"_

Ironhide snorted beside him.

_∂That's because you've never heard him talking about you behind your back,∂_ the weapons master drawled cheerfully.

Mikaela rolled her eyes at the weapons master before looking back at the circuit she was working on.

Like clockwork, Galloway began shouting.

"That's not a good enough _excuse_!" the Director bellowed, he took a deep breath.

_∂So how do you intend to bait him?∂_ Optimus rumbled irritably. _∂his yelling is grating on my auditory receptors far more than usual.∂_

_∂Like this, keep talking.∂_ Mikaela stated calmly. "Director Galloway!" she shouted right back at him. "I speak in direct translation of Optimus Prime. 'Director I grow weary of your continual ranting so I offer you this single-' _WHAT!?" _Optimus watched his Kae in awe as she began speaking, her very face becoming a tool in her story telling. She held up a finger to the humans in the room and turned directly toward Optimus. "Sorry." ∂_What? Keep talking Optimus, make it wordy, I'm running out of translation space, finish with an ordering tone.∂_ she stated quickly, her tone completely alien to the words. She sounded absolutely _shocked._

_∂What are you up to, my beloved Kae.∂_ Optimus rumbled calmly. _∂We all know you're getting your revenge on the director in some way shape or form. You've got everyone on the edges of their seats wondering what you're doing. Now hurry up and do it!∂_ he finished firmly.

_∂Perfect,∂_ Mikaela stated, nodding in an almost _defeated _manner. She turned to the humans. "I speak in direct translation of Optimus Prime. 'Director I grow weary of your continual ranting, so I offer you this single opportunity to get your hands on the technology you so lust after. If you yourself can operate my beloved Kae's exoskeleton enough to walk it out of our headquarters, your government may keep it."

Beside him, Ironhide snorted.

_∂My niece, your mate is a femme to be proud of,∂_ he rumbled flatly, looking at Optimus.

_∂I need about three sentences more.∂_ Mikaela stated, her tone sounding precisely as though she were protesting his order.

_∂It is not enough to win, you need to make them cry. Is that your tactic my Kae, the weasel could not stand the sight of a needle entering your flesh.∂_ Optimus rumbled calmly. _∂Let me guess, in the interest of fairness you're going to tell him precisely how you use the exo.∂_ Mikaela nodded.

"In the interest of fairness," Mikaela continued, looking at the Director. "My Kae will instruct you on the precise operation of her exoskeleton."

::. Ratchet, advise against the experiment as first medical officer.:: she whispered over the primary.

::. _Thank you_.:: the medic commented silently. Optimus had a hard time keeping his face in it's mask of irritability.

Mikaela was seamlessly prompting his senior officer's natural reactions.

"As first medical officer I cannot condone this experiment," Ratchet stated sternly.

"And why is _that?_" Galloway stated gleefully. The weasel looked like he'd been given the best gift in the world.

"I do not like allowing even _Mikaela_ to use the pack-" Ratchet began.

"Because you don't trust her enough?" Galloway asked gleefully.

"_Because of the damage it does!_" Ratchet growled at the Director. The man paled slightly but continued on.

"What damage? She's walking about!" Galloway stated quickly.

"Mikaela runs the constant chance of overloading her neural network," Ratchet growled. "The nanites that Optimus provided to heal her can only do so much! Mikaela _died _from the damages in Egypt, and the only thing that brought her back was the collective sparks of the original six working together to guide her _back from the well of all-sparks!_ I _can't_ fix a burnt out _brain!_"

"But you've modified it from it's original state so that she can use it safely," Galloway shot back at him.

"Well... yes..." Ratchet stated irritably. "But there's no telling-"

"So let's have it then," Galloway grinned at Mikaela.

"Very well," Mikaela sighed, she shot a quick glare at Optimus. "But let it be said for the record in english and Cybertronian that I _still_ think this is a terrible idea."

Verbal, political artwork in it's purest form, Optimus thought proudly.

"What, don't want to share?" Galloway sang tauntingly at her.

Mikaela shrugged and disconnected herself from the exoskeleton. It shattered into it's component parts as it always did.

"The hell!?" Galloway immediately shouted. "_You broke it!?_"

"No, it just does that," Mikaela snapped. "The exo isn't a singular piece of equipment you can strap on and go, it's an extension of yourself! _You_ wouldn't be able to use it with _my_ settings if your life _depended_ on it. You have to connect to it and assemble it yourself."

"Well how am I supposed to do that?" Galloway snarled.

"I use the light pack," Mikaela growled. "Now, I'm going to disconnect and reconnect so that you know what's happening, got it?"

Mikaela promptly punched the button on her left glove and began grimacing as the neural fibres retracted from her skin.

Galloway promptly turned green as he watched the few visible wires withdraw from her flesh. Optimus looked a bit more closely. The fibres were slightly different now, pulling at her skin more, you could see her flesh ripple and redden in irritation as each barb released.

"Well, at least I can get rid of the shirt now," Mikaela grumbled, taking the pack off and stripping her jacket off. She quickly strapped the pack back on over the tank, clearly showing all of the reddened, irritated patches on her skin. "Alright, now to activate the light pack," Mikaela stated perfunctorily, staring Galloway down, "you press this button on the left gauntlet and try to relax your muscles as much as possible."

She pressed the button and turned her back to Galloway.

"Connection is initiated automatically," Mikaela stated flatly as the neurals crept out of the pack and along her back again, automatically seeking the places they entered and pausing until the last was in place. "Standard areas are the base of the neck and spine, however further connections span through the limbs, hands and feet for optimal neural pickup. Ratchet, do you think you can condone a _pain-" _Mikaela grunted as the neurals dove into her flesh. She took a deep breath. "Pain killer for the Director here? The first few times connecting burn something fierce. Now-"

Mikaela turned to look at the Director, rolling her neck and flexing somewhat. Which caused her joints to pop. The director looked ill now. Optimus noted an astonishing thing, Mikaela had directed the neurals she'd received from Jetfire to begin creeping along her neck and jaw above her skin.

"Director are you paying attention?" Mikaela snapped at the man as the neural fibres continued creeping up her jaw toward her eye.

"They're... your... eye," the Director _whimpered_, pointing to her.

"Yes, it connects to the optic nerve. You _want _the weapons function of the light pack don't you? The neurals connect to the optic nerve to provide a direct information feed and targeting," Mikaela snapped as the neurals began forming a targeting eye, the thicker neurals began pressing into her eye socket. "What of it?"

The Director fainted.

Mikaela stayed still for a long moment, staring down at the man before punching her arms in the air victoriously.

Optimus snorted and glanced at Will.

The soldiers were looking rather pale.

"What?" Mikaela asked cheerfully, levitating the Director onto one of the cots as the targeting eye smoothly retracted and retreated back into her skin.

"Kae... you... that..." Will stuttered.

"Remind me to never get on your bad side if _that's _you're idea of dissuasion," General Moreshower stated weakly, looking at Optimus.

"My idea nothing," Optimus snorted. "That was all Kae."

"And well played." Ratchet snorted as Kae shifted her pack connections slightly and integrated into her exo again.

"So it doesn't..." the General started weakly. Kae looked at him calmly.

"Doesn't...?" she prompted him.

"Doesn't actually go in your eye?" he choked.

"Oh no, it does," Ratchet shrugged, "but only when she's using weapons applications. I _told _you I don't like having her use it, the damage it does is ridiculous."

"Then why..." Moreshower asked weakly.

"I'm building my daughter a new body," Ratchet shrugged as Kae returned to working beside him. "She needs to practice moving about the way we do, or she'll never be able to stand. Do you remember what I told you the first time she used it, Will?"

"You said that we had three options," Will stated musingly. "We could..." His voice became choked. "We could kill her, maim her or change her."

"We're _still _maiming her, but it is less dire now that we are changing her," Ratchet stated calmly. "Kae could you run a current through these circuits here?" he glanced up toward the cot Kae had deposited the director on. "There is no sense in playing dead, Director, your vitals indicate a return to your full function."

"Alright," the director whimpered. "Miss Banes would you be so kind as to walk your exoskeleton to the entrance for me?"

"I'm a bit busy, Director," Mikaela stated coldly.

"But...!"

"There are _reasons_ Director, that I have not divulged anything that Optimus has informed me of. I have told you countless times that my loyalties belong to him, _now_ you have the temerity to ask a favour after you've spent so much time trying to get rid of me?"

"Miss Banes I was wrong to speak so badly about your father and-" Galloway started.

"You're damn right you were!" Mikaela snapped, turning around to glare at the man. "And seeing as _Liams_ gave you the picture of my unit I would suggest you tread lightly. It was my duty to keep our unit's secrets. You _know_ about duty Galloway, but you do not know of my life. So I ask you to please desist that line of argument."

"But _why!?"_ Galloway shouted almost desperately. "_Why_ are we not allowed to know the weapons technology! We have the same enemies!"

"Because you have not met my criteria," Ironhide grunted.

"It's _your_ call!?" Galloway almost shrieked.

"In part," Ironhide growled. "I am the Weapons Master to Optimus Prime. It is my duty to observe every sentient creature requesting weapons and equip them accordingly."

"What are the criteria? Why does Miss Banes have weapons?" Galloway asked in a stunned tone, looking up at Ironhide.

"Do you truly wish to know?" Ironhide rumbled intently.

"Well, _I_ do," Moreshower stated intently.

The weapons master looked at Mikaela.

_∂You can go ahead and ream them out, Ironhide.∂_ Mikaela stated calmly. Nobody_ expects _you_ to sugar coat what you say.∂_

"Then sit down, shut up and pay attention, I don't like repeating myself," Ironhide growled.

"And don't expect him to sugar coat it," Will added quietly. Optimus bit down a snort.

Moreshower nodded and watched the weapons master intently.

"First, a weapon can _not_ be passed on by any other than a master," Ironhide growled. "Such as it was on Cybertron, and such are our laws throughout the universe. To my knowledge not even the _Decepticons _have broken this rule. If I could be certain that this law would not be broken, I would have outfitted select of your soldiers already. However, by your own orders, Will is constrained to share our technology with his superiors. I do not blame him, I blame _you_."

Optimus observed the humans intently, Galloway was beginning to look furious again, however Moreshower was nodding intently.

"Second," Ironhide rumbled sternly. "The primary difficulty you will _have_ with our weaponry is the necessity to attach a mind directly to the power, a power which can drive the bearer insane. Given the ability to repeatedly fire a targeted blast slightly less than one of your atomic bombs, even _bots_ have difficulty not letting it get to their minds."

"But..." Moreshower frowned.

"If you do not believe me, then believe that it was my greatest error _ever _training Megatron to be a master," Ironhide snarled. "There was a time when his presence was much like _Will's._"

Silence.

"_Third_. Any and every bot or sentient creature must prove to me that they are capable of handling the power inherent to any weapon which I outfit them with." Ironhide growled. "Point in explanation _Mikaela!"_ Ironhide barked.

"Ironhide?" Mikaela stated calmly, turning to look at him.

"Bring cannon ∂_alpha omega one∂ _online now!" Ironhide barked.

Mikaela obediently focused for a moment, forming one of the more powerful cannons from her neurals and part of her exo.

"Now fire it!" Ironhide barked.

"No." Mikaela stated sternly.

"Explanation!" Ironhide growled.

"Cannon style ∂_Alpha omega one_∂ is powerful enough to bring the complex down on our heads with two shots, there are no armed enemies here," Mikaela barked sternly. "Firing is ill-advised, it is pointless destruction. Permission to disengage Sir!"

"Granted," Ironhide nodded to her. She returned her cannon back to her frame and turned back to helping Ratchet.

"Each individual must be capable of firing with knowledge and conscience," Ironhide growled, nodding to Mikaela. "Up to and _including_ defying a direct order to fire that weapon. Furthermore, both the individual and the group must be capable of accepting that each weapon is intended for a specific purpose."

_∂Mikaela, please translate,∂_ Optimus rumbled. Mikaela turned and nodded. _∂We the auto-bots, after close study of your planet, race and culture are forced to conclude that any weapon we provide Earth's governments, even during a time when you face a common enemy would be turned upon each other, even as they were on Cybertron.∂_

"I speak in direct translation for Optimus Prime," Mikaela stated calmly. "We the Auto-bots, after close study of your planet, race and culture are forced to conclude that any weapon we provide earth's governments, even during a time when you face a common enemy would be turned upon each other, even as they were on Cybertron."

_∂You have asked, many times why I have refused your request for weapons. Understand that it has become my primary duty to protect your planet and it's residents. Even if it is from yourselves.∂ _Optimus continued, pausing occasionally to allow Mikaela to translate.

Ratchet straightened after Kae finished speaking.

"Speaking as First Medical Officer, the title passed to me upon the offlining of my superior, we have witnessed the death of our world. It is a vision that should never be witnessed, not once. And never twice." Ratchet stated quietly.

"Why didn't you say so before?" Moreshower asked in a hushed tone.

"You did not ask," Ironhide growled.

"Arcee was the last of us to leave," Ratchet stated quietly as Arcee strode in.

"We fought to the last bot to protect our world," Arcee stated quietly, looking at the humans. "In the fog of war it's hard to see beyond the next leg of the mission, or the next punch in the fight. We did everything to save Cybertron, but when the fog finally lifted... there wasn't much left to save."

_∂We have vowed,∂_ Optimus rumbled softly, looking into the eyes of the humans. _∂that such devastation shall never again come to pass, even amid the fog of war and politics.∂_ He fell silent and listened to Mikaela's translation, her voice and tone on par with the gravity of his words.

The silence that settled throughout the med-bay was broken only by the soft breathing and heartbeats of the humans.

"I... With your permission," Galloway murmured softly, finally looking at the bots with a semblance of respect. "I'll leave you to your recuperation. Will you be operational come Wednesday?"

"I will," Optimus nodded.

"Buh!?" Galloway squeaked.

"Put in his place," Ironhide snorted, looking down at the man. "Would _you _wish to deal directly with you?"

Galloway stayed quiet for a moment.

"...No," he muttered, shaking his head. Without another word he walked out of the bay.

* * *

**Kudos to anyone who remembers where Arcee's line comes from! :D**


	105. 103 Titles

**Chapter 103 - Titles**

* * *

(MPOV)

"You trained Megatron?" Moreshower whispered in a horrified tone. I looked over at the group along with Ratchet.

"He trained us together," Optimus murmured. "In the days when I was a clerk, and Megatron a gladiator."

"To my dying flare, I will always regret training that bot, I should have seen it." Ironhide rumbled sadly. "It is my right as a weapons master to look directly upon a spark, I should have demanded that right, I should..." Ironhide shook his head sadly. "When he betrayed us, you should have executed me then and there," he told Optimus quietly.

"If he had, then I would never have known my Uncle," I piped up gently, looking at the dear, gruff, rough and ready bot. As always, Ironhide smiled gently at the name.

"And I would have lost a good bot, a great mentor, and an extraordinary friend," Optimus added gently, reaching up and laying a gentle hand on Ironhide's shoulder.

"I should have focused on training you to be a Master," Ironhide stated heavily, looking at Optimus. "What can be said of my spark, when the only comfort left to me was that while I taught him everything he knows of weapons, I did not teach him everything that _I _know?"

"And increased Megatron's hatred?" Ratchet snorted. "It says that two hundred and fifty some vorn ago, you were still kind enough to believe that there was good in every spark. For all we knew old friend, Megatron was destined to be Prime. Not Orion Pax the gentle-sparked _archivist_."

My Optimus gave that wry smile I so adored as Weapons Master and Medic looked at each other, looked at him and burst out laughing.

"Hah! _Nobody _saw _that_ coming," Ironhide guffawed. "Closed mouthed little glitch. You played your part well, Optimus. Always asking your quiet little questions and learning every single byte of information you could 'for the archives'."

My Optimus smiled, memories of a happier time in his optics.

"Always wearing my blasted chest plates so nobody could see my markings," he snorted softly. "I miss the Archives, they were quiet. I could go wherever I pleased for the love of knowledge."

"Right, until you started up the music," Ratchet snorted.

"You guys had music?" Will asked in a shocked tone.

"Come off it, you _hear_ our sparks humming." Ironhide snorted, he froze for a moment. "Kae, come here!" he demanded.

"I don't have a spark chamber to resonate," I laughed at him softly, walking obediently to the weapons master anyway. Regardless, Ironhide picked me up and held me to his auditory receptors. I couldn't help but giggle.

"Shush," he rumbled. I held my breath as long as I could, of course the look on Ironhide's face was priceless.

"_Now_ you know why I so enjoy having her with me?" Optimus rumbled in amusement.

"Now I do," Ironhide sighed, smiling and pulling me into an enveloping embrace. I hugged him back for a long moment before the implications hit.

"You can hear my spark humming?" I demanded incredulously.

"And every time I add it to the gathering it is the most beautiful of counterparts," Optimus rumbled gently, smiling at me.

"The gathering?" I asked, I could feel my eyes widening.

"Here we go," Ratchet snorted. "Answer one question and a dozen more spill out." I stuck my tongue out at him.

"The gathering?" Will parroted my question.

Ironhide grinned and focused for a long moment. The General and Major's eyes bugged out as they listened to the sounds of hundreds of sparks humming together.

It sounded so absolutely beautiful.

"Ratchet, hurry up with Optimus' body so the humans can see what we looked like," Ironhide commanded softly.

"You guys sounded like a full orchestra together," Moreshower whispered.

"That was Optimus' coronation gathering," Ratchet murmured with a smile.

"I am _not_ showing _that," _Optimus grumbled irritably.

"Alright, I _will," _Ratchet grinned at him. "Come on _Orion_, you archive knowledge for the education of the following generations. The coronation of Optimus Prime the Reluctant Emperor of Cybertron was a turning point in our _history_!"

I sat, still cradled in Ironhide's arms for a long moment before _that_ little factoid hit my brain.

"What, your Imperial Majesty isn't as quick to flaunt _his_ titles?" Arcee asked innocently.

"The humans should know who they're dealing with," Ironhide added with a snort, looking at Moreshower and Lennox.

I glanced at them to see Lennox glaring at me.

"You couldn't have told me!?" the Major demanded.

I looked at my Optimus, stringently keeping my face as calm, cool and idly curious as I could. The Major was irritated, the general looking back and forth in shock.

I took a deep breath and listened intently to the sparks, Ratchet, Arcee and Ironhide were amused. Optimus... Optimus was resonating the soft, insecure tone that always made me want to hold him, to make the fright go away. The discordant buzz of dread.

"Optimus?" I asked softly. He looked up at me with saddened optics, and beneath my hand Ironhide's spark began resonating worry.

He refused to look me in the eye. I bit my lip, taking a slow breath as I flew through every possible outcome I could think of, everything I had observed of my Optimus, of my family. Safe option: break tension.

_**ΩI like that name,Ω**_ I murmured softly. Optimus stared at me. _**ΩOrion Pax, do I get to call you that, every now and again?Ω**_

* * *

(OPOV)

"What, your Imperial Majesty isn't as quick to flaunt _his_ titles?" Arcee asked him innocently. Optimus sat in shock. He couldn't think fast enough, he didn't know what to do.

He hadn't told his Kae. He hadn't wanted to see the mischievous sparkle in her eyes become hidden behind the reverence in every other optic.

After. _After_ she was bonded to him. When she was secure in her knowledge of his love for her, _then _he was going to tell her.

Not now.

"You couldn't have told me?" the Major asked close by, Optimus looked at him, he was glaring at his Kae.

But he couldn't look at his Kae. He couldn't bear to see her laughter hidden away from him. He was terrified now, he couldn't do it.

"Optimus?" Mikaela whispered softly.

But he had to, now... Optimus sent a prayer to Primus that he would be able to remember the sparkle of his Kae's true self as it shone from her eyes. He looked up at her.

Her face was neutral, curious. He couldn't look her in the eyes, even as his Weapons Master's spark began resonating worry.

_**ΩI like that name,Ω**_ Mikaela murmured softly.

In the language of the Primes. Optimus stared at her in shock, he couldn't help it. The look in her eyes was gentle, understanding.

_**ΩOrion Pax, do I get to call you that, every now and again?Ω **_Mikaela asked softly.

_**ΩYour eyes,Ω**_ Optimus whispered. Without thinking about it, his processor devoted every ounce of it's available power memorizing the look in those beautiful, mischievous, piercing, teasing, loving, falling... falling? Scrap.

But his Kae was there, beside him, beneath him.

Supporting him.

_**ΩI believe we discussed this before, I love you,Ω**_ Mikaela murmured directly into his auditory receptors before she pushed him back somewhat more vertical to look in his optics. _**ΩMystical leader of a race of autonomous robotic organisms or not.Ω**_

Optimus stayed frozen in shock for another damnably, _eternally_ long moment, digesting that simple fact.

Slowly, he reached up and touched her cheek.

_**ΩAlways,Ω**_ Kae whispered.

Instantly, Optimus felt himself thaw, he wanted his Kae close to his spark.

He needed her there, his pillar of cherishing love and support.

The spark for which he would gladly die a thousand times over.

Automatically, he lifted his Kae and held her close, loving the way she squirmed slightly until she was resting lightly against him in the circle of his arms.

Sans exoskeleton, he'd have to ask Ratchet how she'd managed that later.

His spark flared in response to the closeness of hers, the soft, muted hum of her life force reaching toward his. It required no thought, no effort, he buried her face into her hair, and as though she recognized his need before he even knew it was there:

She buried herself into him.

* * *

(RPOV)

Ratchet watched worriedly as the room dissolved into shock. Kae was good at concealing her outward emotions, but her pheromones were washed in shock.

::. He didn't _tell_ _her!_.:: he sent to Ironhide and Arcee in shock.

::. But...:: Ironhide rumbled back worriedly.

"Optimus," Mikaela murmured softly. Optimus finally looked up at her.

She spoke, quietly.

The language of the Primes. Scrap it. Ratchet needed to know what _damage_ needed repairing. He sent up a prayer to Primus that it would _be _repairable. Optimus was staring in shock at her now. She spoke again.

He replied, finally, the hum of his spark the best translation. The fear was decreased, somewhat, fading slowly away.

Except then he began falling. Ratchet would have been amused but for the fact that he only _had _one processor going. He took a step forward to catch Optimus, only to witness the most endearing of sights.

Mikaela was flying, her exoskeleton's components forgotten in a shocked Ironhide's hands, she was beneath Optimus, holding him upright.

She spoke again, and the change in Optimus was shocking in itself.

Fire re-kindled from hopeless, grief stricken optics. He stared down at her for another moment before gathering his Kae close, picking her up and holding her in gentle arms.

In moments, the only thing distinguishing the two of them was the soft pastel of her flesh and the gentle shine of metals.

"Uh..." Will started. He fell silent.

"So. Cute." Ironhide rumbled flatly.

Ratchet snorted. Optimus shot a helplessly wry glare at him.

It was the bolt that broke the scrap drone's axels.

The both of them were howling the next moment.

Arcee strode forward and lightly thwacked Optimus' shoulder.

"Why didn't you tell her?" she demanded, "it's _Kae._"

"You have seen the reverence in bot's optics," Optimus rumbled quietly. Arcee sat down hard, staring at him.

"That puts it in an entirely different light, now doesn't it?" she murmured. She reached out and gently patted his leg. "You're going to have to let him have this one, Kae," she added quietly, looking at the femme.

"Do I get a translation?" Mikaela murmured.

"Your eyes," Optimus murmured quietly, looking at her. "Your eyes are so beautiful, my Kae. Piercing blue-green eyes that look directly into my spark, so full of life, of laughter and mischievous intent. I could not bear to see your eyes masked with the reverence I have seen in so many other's optics."

"The second people find out you're royalty, you become a pretty thing to look at, nobody notices that you're still the bot they knew before." Arcee added softly. "They don't notice, or they don't care to see that we are the same, simply bearing the brunt of titles."

"So I'll stick to looking reverently at you behind your back," Mikaela murmured, looking up at Optimus with a mischievous gleam in her eyes.

Arcee began giggling, and just as obviously trying desperately to not giggle. Mikaela caught her optics, glanced at Ratchet and looked at Arcee again.

They both promptly fell to laughing.

"Not so much fun when you are on the other end of that?" Optimus rumbled innocently, looking at Ratchet.

"We're not that cruel," Ratchet protested immediately. "At least Hide and I'll let you know _why _we're laughing at you."

And the femmes promptly began laughing harder.

"Hint hint," Ironhide grumbled.

"What, you thought we'd _tell_ you?" Arcee asked sweetly, reaching for Kae.

"If femmes didn't have their own secrets, what could we possibly offer to keep the interest of our bots?" Mikaela added just as sweetly, reaching up to kiss Optimus' jaw before accepting Arcee's help down from the bench.

They began whistling in the language of femmes, even as Kae retrieved her exo from Ironhide and integrated back into it. She walked over to Optimus' body and continued her tasks, chatting with Arcee the entire while.

"What?" Will asked curiously.

"Translation?" Moreshower added hopefully, looking at the femmes.

"Unfortunately, language of the femmes," Optimus grumbled, gesturing to the females in the room. "Not even _I _know _that_ one."

"Maybe when you bond her, you'll learn it?" Ironhide rumbled hopefully.

"I was bonded to Elita," Optimus snorted. "Never once did I see her language circuits."

"That was Elita, we're talking Kae," Ratchet snorted.

There was silence for a long moment.

"True," Optimus rumbled musingly.

"Love?" Mikaela called out cheerfully.

"Kae?" Optimus replied automatically.

"You know how-" she said something in the language of the primes. Scrap it. "-can only be understood by certain sparks?" Mikaela asked with a benign smile. Ratchet looked at Optimus hopefully. The bot sagged somewhat irritably.

"Scrap it," Optimus grumbled.

"Translation?" Will called out hopefully.

"We're never going to understand the femmes," Optimus grumbled irritably, crossing his arms and glaring at his Kae. She looked up at Optimus and took a step toward him before visibly putting herself in check.

Arcee whacked her lightly and they both burst out laughing again.

* * *

(MPOV)

"You have seen the reverence in bot's optics," Optimus rumbled quietly. Arcee sat down hard, staring at him.

"That puts it in an entirely different light, now doesn't it?" she murmured. She reached out and gently patted his leg. "You're going to have to let him have this one, Kae," she added quietly, looking at me with gentle optics.

"Do I get a translation?" I asked softly.

"Your eyes," Optimus murmured quietly, looking at me. "Your eyes are so beautiful, my Kae. Piercing blue-green eyes that look directly into my spark, so full of life, of laughter and mischievous intent. I could not bear to see your eyes masked with the reverence I have seen in so many other's optics." I felt my spark flare at the absolute of emotion in that statement.

"The second people find out you're royalty, you become a pretty thing to look at, nobody notices that you're still the bot they knew before." Arcee added softly. "They don't notice, or they don't care to see that we are the same, simply bearing the brunt of titles."

Oh. Well then... "So I'll stick to looking reverently at you behind your back," I stated mischievously, looking up at my Optimus. He stared at me, his spark humming confusion.

Arcee began giggling, and just as obviously trying desperately to not giggle. I caught her optics, glanced at Ratchet and looked at Arcee again.

The language of sisters. Right, we _both_ looked 'reverently' at our bots.

We both promptly fell to laughing.

"Not so much fun when you're on the other end of that?" Optimus rumbled innocently, looking at Ratchet.

"We're not that cruel," Ratchet protested immediately. "At least Hide and I'll let you know _why _we're laughing at you."

Arcee held my eyes, because we were _definitely_ going to tell them why we were laughing.

Not. _Girl thing!_

We fell to laughing harder.

"Hint hint," Ironhide grumbled.

"What, you thought we'd _tell_ you?" Arcee asked sweetly, reaching for me.

"If femmes didn't have their own secrets, what could we possibly offer to keep the interest of our bots?" I added just as sweetly, reaching up to kiss my Optimus' jaw before accepting Arcee's help down from the bench.

_ƒSo shall we speak like this just to annoy them a bit more?ƒ_ Arcee whistled to me sweetly.

_ƒOh absolutely,ƒ_ I whistled back gleefully, retrieving my exo from Ironhide. I connected to it again and strode beside Arcee back to Optimus' body. _ƒBecause we spend so much time looking so reverently at our bots.ƒ_

_ƒWhat's wrong with reverently? It's so much more dignified than the lovesick looks we're always throwing at their backs,ƒ _Arcee laughed.

_ƒMy lovesick looks are nothing but reverent!ƒ_ I protested gleefully. _ƒI mean look at his body, why would I ever do anything but love this body!?ƒ_

_ƒOh amen my sister, however I believe I will retain my grumpy medic,ƒ_ Arcee murmured, smiling in spite of herself.

_ƒOh now who's got it bad?ƒ_ I teased her.

_ƒWe both do. Duh.ƒ_ she stated with a perfectly straight face. We glanced at our menfolk and fell to laughing again.

"What?" Will asked curiously.

"Translation?" Moreshower added hopefully, looking at us.

"Unfortunately, language of the femmes," my Optimus grumbled. "Not even _I _know _that_ one."

"Maybe when you bond her, you'll learn it?" Ironhide rumbled hopefully.

"I was bonded to Elita," Optimus snorted. "Never once did I see her language circuits."

"That was Elita, we're talking Kae," Ratchet snorted.

There was silence for a long moment. Arcee and I glanced at each other as our resident menfolk pondered that.

"True," Optimus rumbled musingly.

_ƒDo I remind him of the spark inherent languages?ƒ_ I asked curiously.

_ƒDo it,ƒ_ Arcee murmured softly. _ƒAnd pay attention to your next lesson. Exits.ƒ_

"Love?" I called out cheerfully, not looking around.

"Kae?" Optimus replied automatically, my dear bot.

"You know how _**ΩspeaktruthΩ**_ can only be understood by certain sparks?" I asked with a benign smile, Arcee and I turning to face our bots. Ratchet looked at Optimus hopefully. My bot sagged somewhat irritably.

"Scrap it," Optimus grumbled.

"Translation?" Will called out hopefully.

"We're never going to understand the femmes," Optimus grumbled irritably, crossing his arms and glaring at me. I took an automatic step toward him, prepared to make it better before I called myself into check.

Arcee whacked me lightly, catching my eyes.

In the language of females she laughed at me for being so hopelessly drawn to my Optimus. We broke out laughing again.

"We need a man language," Will piped up suddenly, I looked at him.

"You already _have_ a man language," I laughed. "Why do you need another one?"

They stared at me.

"It involves a great deal of pointing and grunting, unfortunately I'm fluent in _it_, too, I had to understand what my father and uncles were saying pre-coffee." I stated with perfect innocence.

"Let me re-phrase that," Will stated calmly. "We need a male-language _just_ to annoy the femmes with."

"But if _we_ annoy you, _you _still get _laid_ at the end of the day," Arcee stated placidly.

The Med-bay froze.

"_Which_ reminds me," Arcee continued with a benign smile, she leaned down slightly and kissed my cheek. "I will see _you_ in the morning," she murmured before my sister strode gracefully toward Optimus and peeled her helm back, unplugging one of her spare processors. "You're going to need that, Optimus. We made _very _certain to pick out a spectacular berth for you and Kae, and if you _don't _take this opportunity to utilize it while you're small enough to fit on it, I will be _very_ upset with you. And _you_," she continued, looking at Ratchet sternly.

"Yes dear?" Ratchet asked innocently.

"If you do not report to our quarters in less than ten breem I will be most put out," she stated, throwing a practically _commanding _sultry look at him.

She glanced over her shoulder as she walked toward the doors.

"You may wish to plug that in before the transfer codes wear out," she stated patiently, nodding to Optimus. "Good evening Major, General."

I leaned against the berth and watched my sister in awe as she made her exit.

_ƒNow _that_ is _style_,ƒ _I whistled softly.


	106. 104 Plan of Attack

**Chapter 104 - Plan of Attack**

* * *

(OPOV)

"Which reminds me," Arcee continued, smiling around herself benignly. She kissed Kae's cheek. "I will see _you _in the morning." Arcee strode gracefully to stand in front of him, peeling back her helm and unplugging a processor. "You're going to need that, Optimus. We made _very _certain to pick out a spectacular berth for you and Kae, and if you _don't_ take this opportunity to utilize it while you're small enough to fit on it, I will be _very _upset with you. And _you," _she continued on while Optimus watched with amusement, delicately holding the processor.

"Yes dear?" Ratchet asked innocently. Good move.

"If you do not report to our quarters in less than ten breem I will be most put out," Arcee stated, throwing one of those trademarked, carnally commanding looks at the medic.

She turned and walked toward the doors, glancing over her shoulder.

"You may wish to plug that in before the transfer codes wear out," Arcee added patiently, nodding to him. "Good evening Major, General."

Mikaela was leaning against the berth, watching Arcee in awe. She whistled softly, then turned back to her work.

Optimus stared down at the processor Arcee had so calmly given him, then looked back at his Kae.

If he didn't utilize the chance to hold her tiny form with his own arms while he still could, Arcee wouldn't be the _only_ bot deeply disappointed in him. He'd have to contend with himself, as well.

Optimus calmly receded his helm and offered the secondary processor to his circuits. A port gleefully accepted it. Optimus dimmed his optics and waited.

::. Optimus.:: Arcee's voice began calmly ::. First off be warned that I _am_ expecting this processor back, you have plenty in your own body.::

Optimus nodded to himself, making a personal note to return the processor.

::. Second, stop worrying about what your Kae says behind your back, or to your face in the language of femmes.:: Arcee stated in amusement ::. When the two of us are standing around, gossiping about how often she watches you, and I watch Ratchet, that is _not_ for the males to hear or understand. Look at your femme, Optimus.::

Optimus looked up at Kae and felt a small surge of shock run through his spark. Kae was working on his body, gentle hands repairing his systems, eyes roving everywhere.

::. Look closely.:: Arcee's voice coached him softly ::. If you cannot see the devoted love in her eyes as she looks at even your empty body, as she goes over every last one of your circuits to be sure that they are worthy of you, then you need to look harder.::

Optimus felt his spark flare as he watched his Kae.

::. She is _your_ femme, and always will be. I have no doubt that when you inform her that she is free to interface with whomever she wishes while you are bonded, she is going to look at you in surprise and ask why she would bother with it. She is yours, Optimus, now go _hold_ your femme. Because as much as you need her, she needs you. You are her love, her balance and joy.::

Arcee's transfer note completed itself and Optimus felt the secondary processor come fully online. He was surprised at it's power, no wonder Arcee desired to have this one back. He'd have to remember to ask her for the specifications.

But that was less important at the moment. Arcee was absolutely correct.

He needed to make sure his Kae knew how much he loved her. He checked his chronometer.

"Well, Ratchet you have eight breem, I wouldn't leave it longer than that," Optimus rumbled calmly, smiling at the old medic. "Ironhide, I would suggest you find your Chromia."

"Mmnph," Ironhide grunted. "Kae, you got his back?"

"I do," Mikaela stated in a gentle tone, turning to smile at the weapons master.

"Good," Ironhide grunted, rising from the bench. "Good recharge you lot." he rumbled over his shoulder, wandering out the med-bay doors.

The General glanced at his watch.

"About what time do you think you'll be back in your body?" he asked calmly, sliding off the bench. Ratchet glanced at Optimus' body.

"Oh, around noon," he shrugged. "Did you want a call before he's set to take his body back over? For as many times as I've witnessed a hatchling receiving their adult body, it's always rather spectacular."

"Oh absolutely," the General grinned. "I'll bid you good evening then."

"General," Optimus nodded calmly.

"Prime, Major, I know my way out," Chris grinned. The humans saluted each other and the General marched out. Will yawned.

"See you guys in the morning," he stated, stretching.

"Night Will," Kae called over calmly.

"Night Kae, Optimus, Ratchet," Will nodded around before wandering to the doors.

Ratchet smirked at him before striding out of the med-bay.

Then, it was simply the two of them.

Optimus rose and walked quietly to stand behind his Kae, sliding a gentle hand around her waist. She smiled at him gently.

"I am afraid we are not going on that drive," Optimus rumbled softly.

"A walk will do just fine," she murmured gently. She glanced at her exo and frowned. "Ratchet forgot to take my pack," she murmured.

"We trust you enough to keep it out of the hands of the humans, it is not as though they can truly do anything with it," Optimus rumbled gently. Kae smiled at him.

That beautiful, loving smile he so adored.

"Do you know just how much I love you?" he asked softly, reaching up to cup her cheek. The fact that he had to reach _up_ felt rather bizarre.

Mikaela laughed softly and leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss to his jaw before pulling away. She moved to the side of the med-bay and lightly disconnected her exo, piling it neatly in a corner. It appeared to be nothing more than a pile of parts to be dealt with later.

She frowned at it for a moment and picked up one of the central connectors, bouncing it on her hand as she walked back to him. Final insurance that nobody could take it.

She came up to his chest now. Come to think of it, Optimus would happily revert to this form every now and again, just so they'd be so close in size.

Kae reached up and gently threaded her fingers into his, walking in silence.

"Arcee gave me a secondary processor," Optimus rumbled in amusement, "we _can_ speak and walk at the same time."

Mikaela laughed softly and tilted her head to look at him.

_**ΩIt never occurred that sometimes I simply enjoy listening to the hum of your spark?Ω**_ she asked gently. Optimus felt his spark flare at that softly spoken admission. _**ΩEspecially when you sound like that,Ω**_ Mikaela added contentedly. _**ΩWhen you sound so happy, so peaceful. Yours is such a beautiful sound.Ω**_

Optimus was at a loss to how to respond to that, he thought for a moment and smiled.

_**ΩFlatterer,Ω**_ he murmured, parroting his Kae's normal response. She smiled up at him, the smile that made her eyes sparkle.

_**ΩTruth,Ω**_ she murmured, leading him gently through his quarters and into hers.

Optimus glanced guiltily at the door he'd tried to get out of.

"It won't lock anymore, but I never really locked it to begin with," Mikaela told him in amusement. "It's an easy fix anyway."

Optimus looked down at his Kae and couldn't help himself, he reached forward and cupped her face in his hands, memorizing the sparkling, mischievous laughter in her eyes.

"It is unimaginable," Optimus rumbled softly.

"What is?" his Kae asked in amusement.

"Going a day without your smile," Optimus murmured, he leaned down somewhat hesitantly and pressed his lips to hers, his spark flaring as she kissed him back.

"Finally," she whispered against his lips.

"What?" he murmured in soft amusement.

"I finally get to hold and kiss _you_, not your holoform, the chance to finally make love to you in body _and_ spark," his Kae murmured.

Optimus groaned softly, kissing his Kae again. He could gladly spend a lifetime kissing his Kae.

"You will tell me if I hurt you," he whispered.

"The same applies," she murmured, sliding her hands along his frame and tangling her gentle fingers into bared neural fibres. Optimus couldn't have stopped the moan of pleasure if he'd wanted to, he began tugging on her clothes, mentally blessing Arcee for providing him with that second processor. It made figuring out how her armour worked _far_ easier.

Shirt went up over head. He knew that one, it was annoying that he had to stop kissing her to get it over her head, but the way her lips attacked his chest the second she was free was a rapid consolation to that annoyance.

Her brassiere was the next issue, he toyed with it for a moment, he couldn't find the correct hold to make it's hooks release. He began growling softly. If it would not co-operate it would _die. _His auditory receptors cheerfully greeted the sound of it's threads breaking as he increased the pressure against it.

The satin of her skin against his frame was an intoxicant he could not get enough of, bra _ceased_ to be bra, it was _now_ the annoying _strappy_ thing that was to be removed _post-_haste. Optimus dragged it away from her skin and realized his delightful mistake.

If he got rough with his Kae, his Kae would be just as rough with him.

That was an _incredibly_ pleasant realization as her hands caught in his frame. She began dragging him somewhere, he couldn't focus on that, though, the majority of his focus was on how soft her lips were against his, just how incredible the sensation of those fingers buried in his sensor nets felt.

He'd go anywhere she led so long as those fingers kept wriggling there.

Come to think of it, _next _time he regressed into this form he'd be bringing an extra half dozen processors. _Just _to deal with the flood of sensation his Kae was evidently capable of imparting to him.

Of course _that_ line of thought was immediately released the second he felt his balance leave. He was falling backwards under her arms.

That of course, was only realized the second he was beyond the point of no return. Her lips left his as he fell backwards.

Onto her sofa.

So that's where she had led him.

That didn't matter the second she joined him there, though, straddled across his legs and pressed tightly against him.

"Okay?" she whispered into his auditory receptors.

"Better than okay," he managed to get out before he became _far_ more interested in the soft, bare skin somehow pressing _into _his chest. He'd played with her breasts before, but _that _was as a holoform, now he knew what those felt like pressed to his frame firsthand.

No wonder her species had kept them.

Her lips and... her _teeth!_ Became very busy teasing his neck struts, nibbling down his shoulder. Optimus determinedly began sliding his hands up her back, utilizing the pressures that he knew would make her moan.

He barely reached the spot, heard her spark humming with lust and some fragging glitch knocked on the door.

"For the love of all that is fragging holy," Mikaela grumbled, burying her face in his neck as he sagged backwards slightly. "Maybe if we're really quiet and don't answer they'll go away," she murmured softly.

The soft whisper of her breath served to tease his sensor nets as she spoke, her hand began gliding up his chest.

That glitch knocked again and opened the door.

"Hey Kae! You in... here..." Jerry's voice called out, trailing off in shock.

"Ah, yeah," Mikaela sighed, rising from Optimus' lap to his extreme disappointment. "What's the sit-rep Jerry?" she asked in a resigned tone, picking up her shirt and pulling it over her head.

"Oh... god... I'm so..." Jerry stammered, blushing furiously and averting his eyes.

"Never mind that," Mikaela sighed. "You never open my door without a good reason."

"Uh... the..." Jerry stammered, pointing behind himself toward communications central.

"Director, General, President," Mikaela listed off calmly.

"Director, CIA," Jerry muttered. Optimus actually found himself feeling sorry for the man, he looked so blasted uncomfortable right now.

"Alright, I'm coming," Mikaela sighed. "I'll make you a deal Jer, you build me a 'do not disturb' sign and we call it even that you saw my tits?"

"_Deal!" _Jerry exploded, nodding vigourously. Mikaela looked up and down the hall.

"Bee?" she called out calmly.

"Kae?" he chirped curiously.

"Could you take over watching Optimus' back for a little while?" she asked hopefully.

"You got it sis!" Bumblebee chirped cheerfully, Optimus listened to his footsteps and saw his cheerful yellow scout enter his quarters. Bee's holoform onlined the next moment, plopping down beside him on the sofa.

"I _will_ be back," Mikaela called out quickly.

"I will hold you to that!" Optimus rumbled after her.

He could hear her laughing softly as she followed Jerry.

The two of them sat in silence for a moment. Bee sniffed at the air and snorted.

_∂Wow. _That_ sucks.∂_ he commented mildly, looking at his sister's bra laying torn and rather forlornly on the floor. Optimus couldn't hold back the snort of amusement.

_∂My poor Kae's duty never seems to end,∂_ Optimus rumbled with a nod.

_∂Well...∂_ Bee started musingly, Optimus looked at him interestedly.

_∂Bee?∂_ he rumbled curiously.

_∂Whenever she's helping Director Matteer out, it usually takes about an hour...∂_ Bee stated musingly. _∂Between the two of us we could probably get her some food and stuff...∂_

_∂That. Is a brilliant idea,∂_ Optimus rumbled with a broad grin. He looked over at his scout's body. _∂You are going to have to open the door for me, though.∂_

_∂On it boss!∂_ his scout stated cheerfully, offlining his holoform as Optimus rose from the sofa. Optimus strode after his scout, admittedly finding it rather bizarre to be looking up at the young bot. Bee glanced down at him.

_∂Primus that feels weird,∂_ Bee snorted. _∂Jazz being shorter than me was one thing. _You_ being shorter than me is just scrapping _bizarre_ sir.∂_

_∂And yet you still call me sir,∂_ Optimus rumbled with a snort.

∂_I'll probably keep calling you Sir to the end of days,∂_ Bee shrugged.

_∂This from one of the most stubborn younglings I'd ever come across?∂_ Optimus rumbled in amusement.

_∂Yeah, okay but I was stubborn for a _reason_, you actually have my respect, I don't mind calling somebody I _respect_ Sir,∂_ Bee shrugged. Optimus looked at the young bot with a smile.

Bee looked curiously down at him.

_∂You have never actually said that before, old friend,∂_ he rumbled gently.

_∂Well... it's kinda implied isn't it?∂ _Bumblebee asked embarrassedly._ ∂I mean...∂_

_∂You actually follow my orders,∂_ Optimus rumbled with a low laugh, reaching up to gently pat his scout's arm.

_∂Right, 'cause _your_ orders are just so hard to follow,∂ _Bumblebee snorted.

Optimus looked up at his scout guiltily.

Bee looked down at him and snorted again.

_∂Before you even _start_ doing that guilt dance of yours, what other Prime can you think of that would bother to learn scout just so I'd be able to keep in contact with you?∂ _Bumblebee asked with a laugh. _∂That's not the best example. Okay, what other Prime would actually let me talk in scout to his face?∂_ Bumblebee chirped gleefully.

Optimus was at a loss to answer that, he hadn't known that that had meant so much to his dear friend.

_∂Bet you didn't know how much that actually meant to me, and that just made it better.∂_ Bumblebee stated gently. _∂You just did it, it's part of who you are.∂_

_∂Truly?∂_ Optimus rumbled softly.

_∂Well, Chromia's right, we don't just follow you 'cause you look good.∂_ Bumblebee stated with a smile, looking down at him. _∂Don't get me wrong, you look awesome, but it's the spark that counts. My big-sister is tiny, her body is terrifyingly fragile at times, but her spark is one of the most beautiful I've ever seen.∂_

Optimus smiled at that thought.

_∂Just because you are speaking so openly,∂_ he rumbled with a small smile. _∂I have been meaning to ask you why you are so keen on your sister and I being bonded.∂_

Bee fell silent for a long moment, his spark humming in deep thought.

_∂She is my sister, but you are her mate,∂ _Bee shrugged. _∂I don't know how to explain it, it just... feels _right._ Kae must be rubbing off on me, It's like watching Ratchet and Arcee, even before Nova left for the Well, It's like they just... Belong together.∂_

_∂You onlined after Nova left for the Well,∂_ Optimus rumbled in a confused tone.

_∂I watch the archives sometimes,∂_ Bee shrugged, ducking into the human's mess hall, he onlined his holoform. _∂And Ironhide loads a lot of his memories for me, even on the recordings I can see the connections.∂_

_∂Connections?∂_ Optimus asked interestedly.

_∂Yeah, the connections, you know, the lines drawn between two sparks...∂_ Bee trailed off, staring at him. _∂Don't you see them?∂_

Optimus stared at his scout in awe as his words unlocked a piece of almost-forgotten information from his ancestors.

_∂Our scouts did not begin as star searchers,∂_ Optimus rumbled softly, looking at Bumblebee with a fresh dose of respect for the young bot. _∂They found our mates, the most gifted of Scouts saw the spark-connections, often before they were even established.∂_

Bee stared at him for a long moment.

_∂Well... that's cool, but anyway, I want the two of you together 'cause your sparks have been joined since the night you arrived, Pit, if she hadn't shown up for school I was planning on dragging you along, follow the trail between your sparks,∂_ he grinned before frowning at the kitchen._ ∂Scrap. Now what?∂_ Optimus followed his line of sight and found himself frowning as well as his scout began wandering around the kitchen, the two of them inspecting the various items on shelves.

_∂I don't have my signal carrier,∂_ he rumbled irritably.

"The hell are _you _lot doing in here?" Jacobs asked with a snort, wandering into the mess hall.

"Originally? We were gonna get something for Kae," Bumblebee grumbled, glaring at the kitchens. "_She_ makes this stuff look so scrapping _easy!"_

"Cooking is an art," Jacobs nodded, crossing his arms beside them. He wandered over to one of the steel boxes and opened it up. "Woo! Strawberries!" he rumbled victoriously.

Optimus looked at his scout.

"We need some of those," he stated seriously, looking back at him. "I think..." Bee promptly began looking as confused as Optimus felt.

Jacobs looked over his shoulder and burst out laughing.

"One of _those _times huh?" he grinned.

"Runnin' around with no idea what we're doing," Bumblebee nodded with a snort.

"Okay, so what's your intent toward our little sister?" Jacobs rumbled in amusement, looking at Optimus.

"They got interrupted mid-" Bumblebee started with a snort.

"Not mid," Optimus rumbled irritably, "we did not even have the _chance_ to be caught 'mid.' We got stuck with 'pre' when the knocking began."

"Primus, she was kicking out that many pheromones '_pre_'!?" Bumblebee demanded. "When _I_ get a mate you're gonna teach me how to _do_ that!"

Optimus snorted and looked at Jacobs.

The man looked like he was desperately trying not to laugh.

"It is not funny! The first chance the two of us have ever had to couple on an even level, and she gets pulled away by her duty." Optimus grumbled.

"No, you're right, that's not all that funny," Jacobs rumbled with a frown. "Right, you want foods to seduce our Kae with. Bee, grab a colander."

Bumblebee scrambled to obey Jacobs' requests as Optimus stood uncertainly.

"Right, while _we _take care of this bit, _you're_ gonna lay out your seduction plan," Jacobs rumbled over his shoulder.

"But first, gotta ask why you're helping," Bee piped up cheerfully.

"I will second that," Optimus rumbled curiously.

"Matter of intent," Jacobs shrugged. "Prime, I sat on the sofa and watched you propose to our Kae. If even a _quarter_ of what you said is true, it's in _everybody's_ best interest to see you two happy together."

"But humans..." Optimus rumbled in a confused tone.

"We don't talk about that stuff in _public_," Jacobs rumbled with a shrug. He gestured vaguely around the empty kitchen. "I like to consider you and Bee as my friends, _this_ isn't public."

Optimus leaned against the wall in shock.

"Human males _do_ brag about their conquests, but primarily they do it with their male friends," Jacobs snorted. "If a female hears a male bragging about his conquests, it's common belief that they'll assume that the male is either _lying_ or not worth the effort to catch."

"Scrap." Optimus rumbled quietly.

"Dude, you've _got_ Kae, what are you worrying about? She's not a typical human female by _any _stretch of the imagination." Jacobs snorted. "Now come here and pay attention so you can do this with your holoform when you're back in your big-man body."

Optimus snorted and stood behind Jacobs, watching intently as the man sliced the tops of the 'strawberries' off and sliced them in half.

"Now, after tonight you're going to better know what foods Kae likes and dislikes," Jacobs rumbled, setting the final strawberry on a plate and going to dig around in the 'refrigerator' again. "Although usually you can figure that strawberries... woo! Cherries, chocolate and _yes! _Whipped cream are a safe bet." Jacobs grinned, he looked over his shoulder at Optimus.

"Can you eat in that form?" he asked curiously.

"No, not this time," Optimus rumbled quietly. "_Next_ time I will remember to bring more processors and my conversion unit to this form."

"Ah well," Jacobs shrugged. "Right then, fruit, chocolate and whipped cream."

He set everything down on the counter and pulled down a second plate.

"Make myself some while we're at it," Jacobs snorted. "Twenty bucks, you've got me all excited now we're in on the scheme. I'd'a walked right back out without my _own _snack."

Optimus snorted in amusement and watched interestedly as Jacobs arranged the foods onto the plates.

"Here," Jacobs grinned. "I'll carry these back to your quarters. Then we'll poke about and see about setting the mood properly."

Optimus couldn't help but laugh as Bumblebee scouted ahead, making sure Kae wasn't in the corridor before the three of them headed back to his quarters.


	107. 105 Minor Interruptions

**Chapter 105 – Minor Interruptions**

* * *

(MPOV)

Optimus was running his hands up my back, using the pressure that always had me moaning. He knew my body so well. I was doing my level best to keep his spark humming with needy lust, a deep, vibrating reverberation that would have me squirming the second his hand got just a bit... somebody knocked on the door.

"For the love of all that is fragging holy," I grumbled, burying my face into his neck as he sagged backwards slightly. "Maybe if we're really quiet and don't answer they'll go away," I murmured softly, feathering my hand up toward his spark.

Another knock on the door, and it opened.

"Hey Kae! You in... here..." Jerry's voice called out, trailing off in shock.

"Ah, yeah," I sighed, rising from my Optimus' lap. "What's the sit-rep Jerry?" I asked in a resigned tone, picking up my shirt and pulling it over my head.

"Oh... god... I'm so..." Jerry stammered, blushing furiously and averting his eyes.

"Never mind that," I sighed. "You never open my door without a good reason."

"Uh... the..." Jerry stammered, pointing behind himself toward communications central.

"Director, General, President," I listed off calmly.

"Director, CIA," Jerry muttered. I looked at him for a long moment.

"Alright, I'm coming," I sighed. "I'll make you a deal Jer, you build me a 'do not disturb' sign and we call it even that you saw my tits?"

"_Deal!" _Jerry exploded, nodding vigourously. I looked up and down the hall for someone to replace me, Ironhide would have my head if I left Optimus alone and vulnerable, after all. My dear little-brother was walking toward us already.

"Bee?" I called out calmly.

"Kae?" he chirped curiously.

"Could you take over watching Optimus' back for a little while?" I asked hopefully.

"You got it sis!" Bumblebee chirped cheerfully, striding into Optimus' quarters and onlining his holoform to plop down beside him.

"I _will_ be back," I called out quickly.

"I will hold you to that!" Optimus rumbled after me.

I couldn't help but laugh softly.

"I. Am _so_ sorry," Jerry finally managed to get out.

"It's alright Jer," I sighed, patting his shoulder. "Do I look too mussed?"

He looked at me for a long moment.

"Er..."

"Tell it to me straight," I commanded with a snort.

"You look like you just got dragged out of bed mid-makeout, your hair's a bit...crazy..." Jerry trailed off shyly.

"Good," I stated wryly. He stared at me. "He's my _fiancee_ Jer. You know that, Barry knows that, hell, _NEST_ knows that!"

"Well... yeah... but usually people are a hell of a lot more irritable when they're..." Jerry trailed off.

"Interrupted?" I asked mildly, I reached up and squeezed his shoulder. "No hard feelings Jer. Shit happens."

Jerry heaved a relieved sigh.

"Just prepare yourself, if Barry hasn't got a decent excuse for interrupting us, _he's _the one that's going to be feeling it." I added calmly.

"That I can deal with," Jerry nodded, holding the door to communications central open for me. I strode in and made a beeline for Barry.

"Kae, good, listen..." he trailed off, staring at me.

"Better be good, Barry," I stated wryly, crossing my arms and letting him take in my appearance.

"God, now I'm actually _hoping_ it's good," Barry muttered. "Shit, sorry Kae, anyway, um... crap."

I snorted and held my hand out for the files. Barry handed them over immediately and I plopped down into an empty chair.

"Sit rep?" I asked curiously, flicking through the files.

"Well, it actually has to do with your dad's missions," Barry stated quietly. I nodded, looking at him calmly.

"Did they ever tell you the mission kill-count?" he asked quietly.

"Thirty," I stated calmly.

"_Thirty!?_" Barry demanded. I frowned.

"Thirty, that's including every guard and 'collateral damage' kill," I frowned. "What're the numbers being reported?"

Barry sagged into his chair in relief.

"The target numbers are the reported numbers, twenty-three," he sighed. "Can you write them down, for me? I need them verified."

"Just the targets, or the collaterals?" I asked quietly.

"The lot of them," Barry sighed. "I want your brain, Kae, what are my chances of hiring you as my personal aide?"

I snorted.

"Why is that funny?" Barry demanded somewhat irritably.

"That's the second time I've gotten that line today," I murmured. Barry snorted and we got down to business.

An hour later and some quiet debate between ourselves, Barry looked up at me calmly. "Was there anything I need to know Director to Liaison wise?" he asked calmly.

"Mmn, well while you're here I can give you my report," I shrugged. "Hey Jolt?" I called out calmly. Jolt looked up at me, struggling not to grin as he offered me the envelope I'd given him earlier. "Thanks Jolt," I grinned at him, levitating the envelope from his hand and catching it. I handed it to Barry.

"Anything new?" Barry asked calmly.

"Nope, nothing in particular, quiet week," I shrugged. "Oh, I made Galloway faint."

"Yeah, I heard about that from Chris," Barry snorted. "Well played, right, I'll see you when I see you Kae."

"Did you want to crash here Barry?" I asked calmly.

"No... actually? Yeah, I will if you don't mind," Barry nodded. "Linda's off at a spa retreat for the next week, somehow I always wind up feeling safer here."

"I'll show you to the guest suite," Jerry stated politely, he rather innocently offered me a sign to hang on the door handle.

'come on in' on one side and 'Do not disturb on pain of vaporization' on the other.

"_Nice_," I grinned at him, "_I_ am going to return to my fiancee, see you in the morning boys bots and femmes."

I couldn't help but smile as several voices piped up with "night Kae's" as I went.

I twiddled Jerry's sign on my finger as I walked, watching curiously as Bee's holoform poked his head out of the door, popped back in again before he strode the holoform out the door.

"Sorted?" he asked with a grin.

"Sorted," I laughed softly. "What are you up to, =little-brother?="

"Me? I'm guarding the door." Bee stated innocently, his face blanked for a second before he grinned at me, catching me in a crushing hug and pecking a kiss to my cheek.

"Night Kae!" he sang before the holoform winked out. I stood for a moment then shook my head, delicately hanging the 'do not disturb on pain of vaporization' sign on my door handle before opening it.

I watched Bee properly leaving Optimus' quarters before turning to look at Optimus.

I froze.

There were candles everywhere. Optimus was leaning where he always stood as a holoform, against the counter.

He smiled at me, crooking a finger.

Obediently, I closed the door behind myself and walked toward my Optimus.

"What on earth did you do?" I whispered in shock, looking around at the dimmed lighting and flickering candles.

"It is not fair that you must always bear the brunt of such heavy duties," Optimus murmured softly, gathering me close. "Your brilliant little-brother and I, with gratuitous help from Jacobs, have devised the perfect scheme for which to seduce you with."

I began laughing softly, cuddling against my Optimus.

"And what, pray tell, does this scheme involve?" I asked with a smile.

"There are fruits for you, my beloved in your refrigerator should you desire repast, and lighting that renders you a luminous beauty this night," Optimus murmured with a smile.

"But do you want to know the most effective way to seduce me?" I murmured.

"I do," Optimus smirked.

"Well, you wrap your arms around me," I murmured, pulling my shirt off and pressing myself tightly to his frame. "You let me hear the beautiful hum of your spark, and you say, 'now then, where were we." I pulled myself up and began feathering kisses across his collar struts. Optimus groaned softly and picked me up, carrying me to the sofa and sitting down.

"Now then, where were we..." he rumbled into my neck. I hummed softly as his hands slid up my back. "Ah yes..." he smirked softly into my shoulder. "I believe we were right about," he promptly manhandled me to straddle his lap, ruthlessly pulling my hips to his.

"Here," he rumbled softly, catching my lips with his own. I began moaning as his hands gentled again, gliding across my skin. I began twining my fingers into his frame, looking for a handhold that wouldn't hurt my Optimus. My fingers got tangled into what felt like a sensor net.

"Oh Primus deeper," Optimus moaned beneath me, his spark began humming with that immediate, needy lust again.

Score.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus looked around at the work he, his scout and their newest partner in crime had accomplished.

There was fruit chilling in the refrigerator for his Kae, Jacobs and he were hovering with lighters, waiting for Bee to give them the go-ahead.

The scout's holoform looked out the door, waved frantically at them for a moment before disappearing into the corridor.

Jacobs grinned at him and set about lighting the candles as quickly as they could. Which was incredibly rapid, especially since Jacobs had insisted on 'pre-lighting' them and blowing them out.

Brilliant man.

He offered a silent, grinning thumbs up to Optimus before scurrying to Bumblebee's body, scrambling into the scout's hands and out of the line of sight just as Kae walked in.

She glanced at Bee, smiled at her brother and turned to him.

The shock in her eyes was completely,_ completely_ worth it.

He made a note to ask Jacobs how he could repay the man.

Optimus was leaning where he always stood as a holoform, against the counter. He crooked a finger to his Kae, come here.

Obediently, Kae closed the door behind herself and walked toward him.

"What on earth did you do?" Mikaela whispered in shock, looking around at the dimmed lighting and flickering candles.

"It is not fair that you must always bear the brunt of such heavy duties," Optimus murmured softly, gathering her close. "Your brilliant little-brother and I, with gratuitous help from Jacobs, have devised the perfect scheme for which to seduce you with."

Kae began laughing softly, cuddling against him.

"And what, pray tell, does this scheme involve?" Kae asked with a smile.

"There are fruits for you, my beloved in your refrigerator should you desire repast, and lighting that renders you a luminous beauty this night," Optimus murmured with a smile.

"But do you want to know the most effective way to seduce me?" Kae murmured.

"I do," Optimus smirked.

"Well, you wrap your arms around me," Kae murmured, pulling her shirt off and pressing herself tightly to his frame. "You let me hear the beautiful hum of your spark, and you say, 'now then, where were we." Kae pulled herself up and began feathering kisses across his collar struts. Optimus groaned softly and picked her up, carrying her to the sofa and sitting down.

"Now then, where were we..." he rumbled into her neck. Kae hummed softly as his hands slid up her back. "Ah yes..." he smirked softly into her shoulder. "I believe we were right about..." he promptly manhandled her to straddle his lap, ruthlessly pulling her hips to his. "Here," he rumbled softly, catching her lips with his own. Kae began moaning as his hands gentled again, gliding across her skin. She began twining her fingers into his frame again, burying her gentle, nimble fingers right into his sensor net.

"Oh Primus deeper," Optimus moaned, pressing forward somewhat into those hands.

"Does that feel good?" his Kae murmured softly into his auditory receptors, her hands dug in a little bit deeper, all but magnetizing to him. He smiled and began running his hands up her back again, aiming for the spot that made her moan. Target reached, he slid back down to grasp at the flesh of her arse.

She still had clothing in the way.

That needed to be dispelled.

Right as soon as he could get enough processor power on the task, because at the moment he was _far _more interested in the sensation of her lips and teeth as they attacked his neck and chest again.

Except then she stood up.

Optimus stared up at her in consternation.

"Hush you," Kae murmured with a smile, leaning down to feather kisses along his auditory receptors. "I need a shower."

Jacobs was absolutely correct.

"I will be waiting," he rumbled softly, running a gentle, tickling finger up her side.

He watched her quickly stride to her bathroom and thought for a moment, Jacobs' voice recalling itself.

"Right, randy, need-to-have-you-_now_ sex is done on the sofa or the comforter," the man had grinned. "A night of passionate, long lasting and sensual lovemaking is done on the sheets. _Unless_ of course you have the foresight to turn the comforter back beforehand. Then it's both."

Optimus thought for a moment and smirked, rising and striding to the bed, carefully pulling the comforter and sheets back.

He stared at them. Satin. Arcee, Flare and Chromia _definitely_ had taste.

The sound of Mikaela turning the water back off caught his attention, he strode out from the screen and leaned against the wall.

Precisely where she would see him, but knew he was still hiding.

Which meant she would let him sneak up on her.

In moments Kae was walking back out of the screened off portion of the room that served her for a bathroom.

Wearing that perfume.

To the pit with sneaking.

Optimus strode forward and picked her up somewhat, pressing kisses to her neck and running them down her shoulder.

His hands reached around and cupped her breasts, they felt nice, softer than the rest of her. Kae began moaning beneath his attentions.

He needed her. Now.

She spun in his arms and began returning the favour, running her hands everywhere she could reach but still keep her lips on his chest.

It was his turn to do the leading, he walked her, stroking her skin all the way to the bed. Their hands were everywhere, touching, mapping.

Optimus finally made it to the bed, sitting down and dragging his Kae with him.

Next mission, get her lower armour off. _That_ took more concentration than he _had_ at the moment. There were no catches in the back the way there normally were. One of Kae's hands released his frame for a moment, and suddenly her armour was disengaged. Optimus wasted no time dragging it from her skin.

His Kae shoved him back lightly, he was laying on her bed now, the platform rocking gently as she crawled up him.

Scrapping paradise was the feeling of her lips and body against his, slick fabric beneath him. The bed was bizarrely soft beneath his frame, but he'd worry about it later because for Primus sake his Kae was retreating along his body.

_Mouth _teasing _spike. _His core temperature spiked, cooling fans roaring. Mouth, glossa... he'd overload if he didn't get her off of him. Now. In desperation, Optimus dragged her up to his mouth again, kissing her with as much concentration as he could muster as his spike took over, nosing at her valve, missing slightly as he inadvertently thrust.

Except _that _made his Kae gasp. And not in pain.

Optimus thrust again slightly, spike staying right _there. _His Kae began moaning, clinging to his frame as he smirked slightly, rubbing at that little node as she writhed against him. Her breathing was becoming as erratic as her movements, her hands grasping and releasing him. Then the best reaction yet, her body went rigid above him, arching into him as a harsh, choked scream tore it's way from her throat.

Her spark flared, and Optimus felt the agonizing pleasure her body was experiencing. He smirked and dragged her down to himself, rolling to his side and thrusting his spike deep into her valve, earning another choked cry.

Optimus moaned as Kae hitched her leg up around his, clinging to him as they writhed against each other. Her spark reached for his, touching, caressing and he was gone, overloading with the mass of sensory input.

It took a little while, but eventually he found his body again, following the gentle feeling of a hand stroking his faceplates, shoulder and chest.

He onlined his optics and smiled down at his Kae, twined so completely against him.

She smiled up at him, the smile that made her eyes sparkle and his spark flare anytime he saw it. There were no words, he pulled her a bit closer, loving the way she buried herself into him.

Optimus vented a deep, contented sigh, cuddling his Kae. They stayed, completely entwined for a long time.

The muted, beautiful spark beside his own began resonating a new emotion, one he had not translated yet.

"Kae?" he rumbled softly.

"Promise me," she whispered.

"What?" he rumbled curiously.

She looked at him, her eyes full of worry.

"Promise me, no matter what happens, that you'll still love me," she choked.

"No matter what happens, my beloved," he whispered, stroking the tears from her face. "You will _always_ be the one dearest to my spark."

She smiled at him again, and as one, they dropped into their recharge cycles.

* * *

(MPOV)

I heard the click of my door. Optimus' form was sprawled beside me, the two of us entwined. He had no armour, no protection against weapons.

In seconds I was on my knees, eyes glaring toward the intruder and a cannon extending from my hand. The room was lit with the stark glow of a ball of plasma hovering between the filaments.

A shocked and terrified looking Galloway was hovering beside a man standing with the stance of a paid mercenary.

He had a gun.

But I had my cannon. Without even thinking about it, I extended a temporal forcefield around my Optimus, his spark beginning to hum back to wakefulness from his deep recharge.

We froze. Galloway had his hand reaching toward my pack.

That was the last straw. If he wanted to play that way, fine.

∂_INTRUDER!∂_ I shrieked at the top of my lungs. Optimus was sitting up and snarling, even _weaponless_ that was a terrifying expression on his face.

The mercenary fired at us, at _him. _One of the bullets actually grazed my side, I didn't notice that, though, I was more concerned about the bullets pinging off of my forcefield.

In moments, the sounds of Autobots summoning armour and running toward my quarters resonated through the building.

Arcee and Chromia were the first through Optimus' quarters, standing guard over our bed with cannons pointed to the men.

They turned tail and ran back out the door.

Where Ratchet, Ironhide, Bumblebee, Flare and a good half dozen soldiers stood armed and waiting.

With good reason, our Prime was unarmoured and currently regressed into his hatchling form. Vulnerable.

I was standing between my sisters the next moment, our cannons all pointed to the intruders. Overreaction nothing.

Our Prime was vulnerable at the moment.

Will was standing in boots and pyjamas, arms crossed and glaring at the Director.

"Care to explain why you're here?" he growled.

"Came after my pack," I snarled, my cannon still aimed at the men.

"And this is?" Will growled.

"Anthony 'Tony' Gilespie," Bumblebee reported a moment later. "Five outstanding arrest warrants issued from three states."

The Director began squeaking, the mercenary took one look at him and made to take to his heels, he fell, twitching the next moment.

_Wheelie_ of all bots was glaring at the man, a taser in each hand.

"And _stay _down," Wheelie announced grimly.

"Good shot," Ironhide growled down to the tiny bot.

"Thank you Sir," Wheelie smirked.

"How did you get in here," Will growled at the Director.

"As Director of the NSA it is-" Galloway started almost hysterically.

"Your right to _announce_ your presence when you come _in_ here," Will growled. "It is _not_ your right to bring an armed, unread mercenary and known _felon_ into our midst and it is _not _your right to come in in the middle of the night for the purpose of _theft_."

"They said if I could walk that weapon out of the hangar it's mine!" Galloway snarled.

"One time offer, Galloway," Ironhide snarled. "It was _also_ stated that _you _were to be the one to walk the exo out, not some hired man!"

"Lieutenant Jacobs please take these men into custody," Will growled.

"Sir, yes Sir," Jacobs growled, catching Galloway by the scruff of the neck. The mercenary went for his gun.

Idiot, he should have gotten the taser barbs out of himself first. Wheelie had him twitching for a moment before releasing the current again.

The man was quickly relieved of his weapons.

"I want to know how he got in here without security knowing," Ironhide growled.

"I have an idea how," I growled. "An oversight on my part, if _I _know the blind spots in this building somebody else obviously does. If you'll excuse me it would seem that I have some cameras to install." fuming, I began striding down the corridor.

"Uh... Kae?" Will called out behind me. I looked over my shoulder.

"Will?" I asked with a modicum of patience.

"Your _armour_, my niece," Ironhide snorted.

I looked down. Completely naked. Great.

I sighed irritably and directed the neurals to feed from the adrenaline fuelled energon surging through my system. They began growing, morphing into armour across my skin as I strode down the corridor.

"Kae!" Ironhide called out.

"_Now_ what!?" I demanded. Optimus was standing in the corridor, glaring at the director.

I sighed and walked back.

"Nice armour," Chromia murmured.

"You're breaching," Ironhide added, pointing to my side.

Still bleeding. I rolled my eyes.

"Wheelie," Optimus grumbled. "Auto-bots do not cause harm to humans."

"With all due respect I got three things to say about that," Wheelie growled.

"Proceed," Optimus rumbled.

"One, ain't _nobody _threatens Warrior Goddess _or_ you." Wheelie growled.

Optimus nodded.

"Two. It's a human weapon." Wheelie stated defensively, offering up the taser.

"Hey, it is too," Will snorted, looking down at the taser. "Where'd you get those?"

"With all due respect I take responsibility for Wheelie having the tasers," Jaques piped up calmly, stepping forward. "We modified them so that he can use them when he's patrolling the air-ducts. Which he's been great about, by the way."

Wheelie straightened proudly.

"I add that _three_. Not harmin' humans _don't_ extend to trespassin' _weasels_." Wheelie finished calmly.

"Granted," Optimus rumbled calmly, nodding to the tiny bot. He turned to me. "Mikaela, as nice as the armour is, installing cameras in the blind spots can wait until the morning."

"Which is Optimus for 'your armour is gorgeous, lemme take it off of you." Chromia murmured in my ear. I bit back a snort of amusement.

"We don't need to get rid of the blind spots, do we?" Barry asked drowsily, emerging from one of my favourite points of concealment.

"Director? When did _you _get here!?" Will demanded.

"Shortly after you went to bed," I sighed.

"I was in the guest quarters, by the way, so not technically trespassing," Barry stated in amusement. He looked around, "my but you have a conundrum this eve... morning."

"Director Matteer!" Galloway almost shouted.

"Theodore, what have I told you about sneaking around without backup?" Barry asked in a tired voice. "We're supposed to spy on _other_ countries, not our _own._ Can't help you."

"But...!" Galloway squeaked.

"Nobody authorized you, or you would have brought one of _my_ men," Barry stated with a shrug. "You aren't under my authority anymore, either, so I can't help you Galloway."

"But!" Galloway squeaked.

"Can't help you, but I'd _suggest _that you go along quietly and answer their questions, no doubt you're not going to be allowed a lawyer." Barry stated amicably. "D'you lot mind if I go back to bed now?"

"Be my guest," Will nodded.

"Major," Barry nodded amicably, turning and wandering back toward the guest quarters.

"Lieutenant, please escort these men to the brig," Will stated in a tired tone. "Let them cool 'till morning."

"Same cell?" Jacobs rumbled calmly. Will looked at the two men.

"Tempting, but no, I want Galloway alive," Will frowned.

"You can't do this!" Galloway shrieked as Jacobs caught the scruff of his neck again.

"Consider yourself _lucky_ weasel," Ironhide snarled down at him. Galloway paled, but still mouthed furiously at the bot. Ironhide crouched down, face to face. "Consider yourself lucky little weasel, that it was _Mikaela_ guarding our Prime, and not _me."_

Galloway fainted, and Jacobs promptly caught him under the arm, rolling his eyes at Ironhide and dragging the man down the corridor. Wheelie stayed with the soldiers, having a glaring contest with the mercenary as they made their way behind Jacobs.

I honestly couldn't tell who was winning.

"Can I hire you to do that in my interrogation room?" Barry called out from my favourite point of concealment.

Ironhide turned to look at the man with a snort.

"Between the two of us we could have 'good-cop bad-cop' nailed to the point that _nobody _could manage to lie," the Director grinned up at him.

"I doubt you'd _fit_ Ironhide in your interrogation room," I stated with a snort. "And before you lot get grumpy, bear in mind that Barry tends to skulk in corners no matter _who_ is in the room. Bad habits die hard."

"No, good habit," Barry stated cheerfully. "I'm alive, aren't I?"

"Not for long if you keep sneaking up on Ironhide," Will piped up mildly. Barry looked up at the mech for a long moment.

"Mm, true," he nodded to himself. "This time I actually _am_ going back to bed." he turned around and strode to the guest quarters. "See? _In_ the door!" he added as he opened his door.

Ironhide snorted in amusement, and looked down at me.

"He shot at you, I'm astonished we even have _one_ live captive, let alone two."

"He shot at Optimus, hit the forcefield and he grazed me," I shrugged. "Besides, if I vaporize them it doesn't leave anything for me to take my ire out on."

"True," Ironhide nodded gravely.

Optimus snorted and lightly touched my back.

"Come back to bed," he murmured softly, I looked up at him for a long moment before nodding with a sigh. "So reluctant to return?" he asked just as softly. I glared at him.

"That weasel got in here because I was being too nostalgic to ameliorate the security measures in our headquarters," I stated sternly.

"My Kae," Optimus rumbled softly, calmly pulling me into his chest and snaring me, he touched my side and I winced. He looked down at me quickly.

"Nanites are still working on it," I grumbled.

"Bed Kae. Now." Ratchet stated sternly.

"He only grazed me," I grumbled immediately.

"Yeah, but if you keep getting yourself worked up like this it's just going to make the nanites' jobs harder." Ratchet shot back at me.

I rolled my eyes at the lot of them and walked back into my quarters.

* * *

(WPOV)

Kae finally walked back into her quarters, and Will let out the breath he'd been holding.

"Does she even _realize _that she's got no clothes on?" he choked. Ratchet looked down at him curiously.

"What does that matter?" he asked curiously.

"Modesty!" Will choked. "I mean, I'm not a prude or anything, but at the same point a chick walking around naked as the day she was born is just _asking_ for trouble in a compound full of men. Soldiers or not! Not to mention the armour she formed..."

She was walking around like Xena with a serious hate on. It had taken every ounce of willpower to not laugh at _that_ spectacle.

Will glanced up at the bots as Ratchet snorted, looking at Ironhide.

"_Humans,_" the weapons master snorted, shaking his head.


	108. 106 Stories on a Plane

**Chapter 106 – Stories on a Plane**

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus strode hand in hand with his Kae to the Med-bay, on his way to reclaim his body. His Kae had been somewhat irritable that Galloway had gotten a gun so close to him.

But he'd interfaced that irritability right back out of her again.

She glanced up at him in amusement as his spark hummed with smug enjoyment of the memory of making her overload so many times.

General Moreshower pelted into the corridor at top speed.

"Am I late?" he shouted.

"Right on time," Optimus rumbled in amusement, leading the way into the Med-bay. He rather enjoyed it anytime he got to reclaim his body, his Medical Officer was incredibly fond of watching a body re-claimed without the necessity of casting.

Ratchet grinned at him and calmly lifted him to the berth, as was a habit of theirs from the _first_ time he'd reclaimed his adult body.

He surveyed his body for a moment, smiling at the multitude of small, almost unnecessary repairs his Kae had made. It was the little things that made the difference, though.

Optimus settled into place and sighed in relief as his body merged again, energon flickering over his combined frames and every system shifting at his command.

"Whoa..." the general murmured in awe as a surge of energon flashed over his frame, incorporating the repairs that had been made and polishing his frame to a gleaming shine.

He sat up and nodded to Ratchet with a small smile as the medic began his routine of scanning and making sure everything was in place.

It felt good to be back in his own body again.

His personal notes came to the front processors, he viewed them for a moment and nodded to himself, carefully ejecting the processor Arcee had loaned him, leaving his own note of thanks on it and handing it to her with a nod.

Which left hunting down Lieutenant Jacobs.

"General," Optimus rumbled with a smile.

"That's just freaking cool," Chris Moreshower grinned up at him. "Feel good to be back in your own body again?"

"Immensely," Optimus rumbled with a smile, stretching in his vastly powerful bipedal form. He reached for his Kae and settled her on his shoulder.

That felt rather pleasant as well.

"Right, so onto the topics we glossed over yesterday," General Moreshower stated amicably. "I've actually got one that you might enjoy. The UN is requesting that either you, or one or two of the bots drop by in Korea, they're hoping you might see fit to help them clear out a minefield or ten."

"That is an excellent idea," Optimus rumbled with a smile. "If they are amenable, Ironhide, Bumblebee, Mikaela and I will go, particularly if they do not mind us simply blowing up the mines in secluded areas."

"I'll pipe that through," the General grinned, he looked at his notepad. "Oh, well that was the last thing I needed to ask you about, anyway."

"Coffee for the road General?" Mikaela called out with a smile.

"I was _so _hoping you'd say that, can I have that really strong shot thing you do?" he grinned up at her. Optimus rumbled a laugh and rose at Ratchet's nod, gently setting his Kae down again.

Then he caught sight of Lieutenant Jacobs.

"Excuse me," he rumbled quickly, onlining his holoform and running after the lieutenant.

"Jacobs!" He called out quickly.

"Optimus, how'd it go?" the man grinned, glancing around the mostly deserted corridor.

"Perfectly," Optimus smirked. "I am in your debt, Jacobs, so I ask how I might repay your patience with a culture shocked bot."

Jacobs frowned in thought for a moment, opened his mouth and closed it again.

Optimus looked at him curiously.

"I'm sorry, I'm kinda afraid to ask," Jacobs muttered.

"Ask what?" Optimus rumbled curiously.

"Well, I was kinda wondering if I could fire your cannon, just once," the man stated. He held up his hands. "I don't mean like getting the technology off of you guys, I just meant... you know, sitting on your arm or something next time you lot are working on your target practice, I've always wondered what it's like being on the firing end of one of those cannons..."

Optimus looked at the man and felt two and two click together brilliantly.

"Hey Prime!" General Moreshower called out, holding up his phone. "That was Mr. Moon, he said that the Koreans tend to blow the mines up themselves, if you can get a field cleared off by blowing the lot of them up they're saying that you'd practically be clearing up and tilling their fields for them to plant the crops."

_Perfect._

"Lieutenant Jacobs," Optimus rumbled with a broad smirk. "Would you care to join Ironhide, Bumblebee, Mikaela and myself in Korea for some minefield target practice?"

"You're serious!?" Jacobs demanded.

"Absolutely serious," Optimus nodded seriously.

"We're gonna go blow shit up with cannons outside of a battle?" the man demanded. Optimus nodded. Jacobs looked at the General cautiously.

"You look about one General's turned back away from a touchdown dance," Moreshower commented mildly, taking a sip of his coffee. "Permission granted."

"That's very kind of you, sir," Jacobs nodded seriously before he promptly began stomping around with a wolfish grin on his face.

Optimus watched the man and couldn't hold back his own laughter.

"When did they want us to arrive?" he rumbled with a smile.

"As soon as possible," the General shrugged. Optimus ran through his schedule. It was Tuesday.

"I shall have to return for next Wednesday," he rumbled musingly. He looked around and waved to Lennox. "By your leave, Major, I shall be immediately absconding with Lieutenant Jacobs for some UN work."

"Clearing minefields? You taking Ironhide?" Will grinned. Optimus jumped slightly.

::. Ironhide.:: he sent over the primary.

::. Youngling.:: Ironhide sent back cheerfully.

::. Care to join the expedition to blow up minefields?.::

::. You feel you even need to _ask!?_.:: Ironhide replied with a snort.

::. Bumblebee?.::

::. En-route sir!.:: the scout sent excitedly.

"Myself, Ironhide, Mikaela, Bumblebee, Jacobs," Optimus reeled off patiently.

"I'll get the plane ready," Moreshower snorted, wandering toward the communications central. Mikaela looked up at him curiously.

"You are beginning to feel cooped up, my Kae," Optimus rumbled with a smile, lightly cupping her chin. "You hide it well, but you truly are the weapons master's niece. Go pack."

Mikaela whooped and sprinted toward their quarters, nimbly dodging Ironhide's feet as the weapons master laughed at her on his way to the entrance bay.

"Translation?" Will snorted.

"My niece and I can't stand sittin' around doin' nothing, and we _both_ enjoy 'blowin' shit up' as you so put it," Ironhide snorted.

Will laughed at them and waved his hand.

Mikaela was jogging back toward them, meeting Jacobs mid-jog in the corridor.

"Niece!" Ironhide rumbled. "Bring your exo!"

Kae promptly set her duffle down and went back into her quarters, fetching the central connector that she had hidden. She was back and running in moments as Optimus offlined his holoform, striding casually to the Med-bay doors.

"Are you bringing the flight deck?" she asked curiously.

"No," Optimus rumbled musingly. "I would suggest that you put your exo in Ironhide's box, if he does not mind."

"Done," Ironhide snorted, he transformed and drove into the med-bay with his niece catching hold of his box and tagging along.

Jacobs was bouncing, a broad grin on his face as he waited.

Optimus looked down at him and snorted back a laugh.

"You. Are the best person. Ever." Jacobs told him seriously.

"What'd he do this time?" Ironhide rumbled in amusement, blinking his holoform to walk beside himself as he and Kae emerged from the med-bay.

"Do you remember Sigma five?" Optimus rumbled with a smile.

Ironhide stared at him for a long moment and burst out laughing, he looked at Jacobs, looked back at Optimus and began laughing harder.

"Do we get to know?" Kae asked her uncle with a smile.

"We'll wait until we're on the plane, long story," Ironhide snorted. He heaved a deep sigh and grinned up at Optimus with his holoform. "I'd forgotten, Optimus, thank you for reminding me about that."

He blinked his holoform out and Optimus smiled as Kae quickly scaled his leg, jumping into his hand. Two steps and he was in the entrance bay, transforming around his Kae just as his scout rolled in, spinning a donut and almost bouncing on his tires as he waited.

"Auto-bots, Roll out!" Optimus rumbled with a smile.

Jacobs whooped as he scrambled into Ironhide's cab.

"Tell the story!" the man grinned at the mech, his voice carried on the radio.

"When we get to the plane," Ironhide snorted.

"Tell another story?"

"When we get to the _plane_ youngling," Ironhide laughed. He drove in silence... for the most part, Optimus following he and his scout with Kae teasing him mercilessly.

Mostly because every time Ironhide started randomly laughing again he couldn't stop snorting his own amusement. Primus only knew what stories were running through the weapons master's processors at the moment.

Every time he started snorting back his own amusement, revving his engine up in the process, Mikaela would start laughing at him, and trying just as hard not to. Then she'd stroke light fingers over his seat.

Which felt incredible. He'd begin to hum softly.

Except then Ironhide would start laughing again.

* * *

(JaPOV)

Jacobs couldn't believe his luck, he was riding with a laughing Ironhide. Optimus had personally invited him to come along on a peaceful mission.

And that peaceful mission included blowing up old landmines.

_Score_.

Of course it meant using up a potential favour from the leader of the Auto-bots, but shit, he'd helped the bot refine the art of seducing his _fiancee_. He could'a done that _any_ old time.

Gettin' to sit on the bot's arm while he fired off one of those massive cannons? That. Was just fucking _awesome_. Once in a lifetime _fucking awesome shit_.

Not to mention there were gonna be some _stories_ on the way.

'Cause Ironhide was laughing. And he kept bursting out into laughter every few miles.

Jacobs had _absolutely _no qualms in admitting that he was grinning like the kid that got handed the keys to the candy store.

He could already _feel_ the jealousy of several of the other soldiers.

Smug.

Bumblebee, Optimus and Ironhide quickly drove into the plane, and Jacobs got out of Ironhide's cab, making sure that he took his duffle bag.

"Don't worry about that," Ironhide's holoform drawled with a smirk. "Carryin' a load anyway. C'mon. Campfire."

Bumblebee winked his holoform online with a broad grin the next moment.

"Story time!?" the little scout demanded.

"Why you lot have such a hunger for my old, rehashed stories is beyond me," Ironhide snorted.

"Quite simple," Jacobs grinned, carefully strapping the weapons master in as Kae took care of her Optimus and little-brother. "_Everybody_ knows that when you and Ratchet start laughing about something, a story of epic proportions – the like of which us simple earth fleshbags have never before beheld I might add – is well on it's way to being told."

Ironhide stared at him for a moment and burst out laughing again.

"What, you didn't know that it's become our unofficial official unit motto?" Jacobs continued with a shit-eating grin.

"What's the motto?" Ironhide demanded with a snort.

"It's a good day on patrol when Ironhide is laughing," Jacobs stated solemnly.

The bot stared at him and laughed, Optimus and Bumblebee grinning at him.

Kae strapped herself into the seat and Jacobs flopped down beside her as the holoforms moved to sit comfortably around them.

The fact that Bumblebee was sitting on the ground with a broad grin, staring up at Ironhide was good for a laugh in itself.

* * *

(IPOV)

Ironhide was almost having difficulty driving, he kept going back to the stories that Optimus' singular comment had brought back.

Youngling rip.

Ironhide snorted and began laughing again.

It was quite the relief that Optimus still let him get away with calling him the youngling rip. Youngling rip of a Prime. Ironhide snorted.

He drove onto the plane and decided to stay in his alt form, but he did appreciate it that Jacobs made to take his duffle with him regardless.

"Don't worry about that," he drawled, onlining his holoform to nod at Jacobs. "Carryin' a load anyway. C'mon. Campfire."

He looked around with a smirk as Jacobs carefully strapped him in.

Which he'd gotten used to, now, at least it saved gettin' tossed about.

"Story time!?" Bumblebee demanded with a grin.

"Why you lot have such a hunger for my old, rehashed stories is beyond me," Ironhide snorted.

"Quite simple," Jacobs grinned. "_Everybody_ knows that when you and Ratchet start laughing about something, a story of epic proportions – the like of which us simple earth fleshbags have never before beheld, I might add – is well on it's way to being told."

Ironhide stared at the man for a moment and burst out laughing again.

"What, you didn't know that it's become our official unofficial unit motto?" Jacobs continued with a shit-eating grin.

It had what?

"What's the motto?" Ironhide demanded with a snort.

"It's a good day on patrol when Ironhide is laughing," Jacobs stated solemnly.

Seriously? They figured a good day patrolling was when _he_ was laughing? Because when he was laughing he was telling them stories.

That was quite possibly the nicest thing anyone had ever said about him. He burst out laughing, Bee and Optimus grinning at him.

Kae strapped herself into the seat and Jacobs flopped down beside her as the holoforms moved to sit comfortably around them.

The fact that Bumblebee's holoform was sitting on the ground with a broad grin, staring up at him was good for a laugh in itself.

Of course _Bumblebee_ was always there to listen to his stories. Dear little bot.

"Alright, I'm about to tell you a story about your mate, my niece," Ironhide grinned, looking around at his captive audience. "Sigma five."

Jacobs leaned forward with a grin.

"So this was around oh, two hundred vorn or so ago, just after Optimus was revealed as Prime," Ironhide started with a grin. "Now. Orion Pax the Archivist, he was used to going _anywhere_ he wanted, because he was an archivist and it was _his_ job to learn everything. But Optimus Prime, well, he's an insanely valuable bot now, our leader. And archivist or not, he _knew_ a lot about weapons and fighting, but he just hadn't _practiced_ any of it." Ironhide smirked at his Prime. Youngling rip.

"Primus I miss the archives," Optimus rumbled for the four thousand and seventeenth time, rolling his optics.

"You and me both youngling," Ironhide snorted. "Right, so as a Prime, technically he could do whatever he damn well wanted. But as Weapons Master, it was _my_ job to make sure the youngling rip didn't go and get himself _killed. Nobody_ targets an archivist, they share information freely with any and every bot that asks. But a Prime? Target number one."

"Ooh, _that's_ a tough job," Jacobs muttered. Optimus snorted. Ironhide grinned at them.

"Right, so he and I decided that getting out of the city for a little while would do the both of us some good." Ironhide rumbled with a grin. "So we went out to Sigma five, another city, but more of a rural one."

"Home to one of the most prestigious hatcheries," Optimus added quietly.

"Which was a mistake, on my part," Ironhide snorted. "Don't get me wrong, I adore playing with hatchlings, but Optimus takes it to an _art._"

"Why do I get the feeling I know where this is going?" Mikaela asked in amusement, looking at her Optimus. He shot her an innocent look.

"Sigma five keeps close watch over it's hatchlings," Ironhide rumbled with a snort. "Enough so that they'd never lost one to the wilds. Of course, _that_ meant that there were perhaps a dozen or so rather rebellious younglings continually trying to escape to go explore."

"You didn't," Mikaela demanded, looking at Optimus.

"It was fun," Optimus rumbled in dignified tones.

"Oh god what happened!?" Jacobs demanded.

"Optimus got up in the early breem of the orn, and escaped with all fourteen of those younglings in tow." Ironhide rumbled with a snort.

"They were very well behaved," Optimus rumbled airily.

"Right, they were _very_ well behaved for you, because you spent most of the time with two on each leg, four dangling from your back, two hanging off your chest plates and one on each arm, firing off fake shots from your cannons at holoforms of jork." Ironhide snorted.

Bumblebee burst out laughing.

"I would _pay_ to see that," he grinned.

Ironhide grinned and brought up a secondary holoform, the image that had burned itself into his processors once he'd finally located that rip.

Mikaela was laughing softly, Ironhide looked at her carefully and smiled.

There was an absolute of love in her eyes as she looked at the still holo of the still-silver Optimus Prime, grinning like a mad-bot with younglings crawling all over him.

He looked around and decided to press his luck, playing the clip.

"Optimus, what the scrap are you doing!?" mini-holo-Ironhide bellowed at him, firing at the jork himself. He'd admitted to himself later that they'd been blasted good holoforms.

Optimus had turned around, looking absolutely innocent.

"Now here's the kicker," Ironhide snorted.

"We out jork huntin' Masta Ironhide!" one of the younglings had piped up gleefully from Optimus' arm.

"But only when there's a big-bot to take us, we stay in a group," another stated piously.

The rest of them had promptly begun cheering as the jork holoforms winked out.

"How do you stay angry with that?" Ironhide rumbled grumpily, smirking at Mikaela.

"Aaww, object lesson and the day out that they'd always wanted," Mikaela murmured gently, reaching up and cupping Optimus' cheek.

Ironhide grinned and glanced at Bumblebee as Optimus ducked down to press a kiss to her lips. The scout was beaming.

"Another story!" Jacobs grinned.

"Right..." Ironhide started, grinning. "So have I ever told you about my old buddy Springer..."


	109. 107 Parachutes and Parleys

**Happy Friday everybody in my relative timezone! (Happy Saturday everybody in the Auz-land!)  
Yep, another update, I've been getting rather sporadic with the updates, but I think in order to save myself struggling to get the chapters ahead of these written in time, I'm slowing the updates down a bit. So... weekdays! And now the shpeel: Billions and billions of energon goodies are currently raining down on Bee4Ever. Because she is far, _far_ to patient with me and my foibles. Also, once you've finished this chapter, if you haven't already, go read her work. Because she is awesome. I don't own anything that you recognize, obviously, I still work for a living ;). **

**Reviews are my energon. More reviews, more plot-bunnies. Don't ask me why, ask Ratchet, just... not right now. The wrenches. **

**Chapter 107 – Parachutes and Parleys**

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus smiled as his Kae lay curled up, sound asleep in his sleeper. Bumblebee was recharging in front of him, and Jacobs was out cold in Ironhide's cab.

The weapons master and the human seemed to be having a snoring contest.

Optimus roused his sleeping sparkmate as one of the air-crew began walking toward them.

"Right, we're air dropping you in," the man stated calmly, he looked at Jacobs. "I'm assuming that the two of you are chuting together?" he gestured to Kae.

Mikaela snorted.

"Well, we can if you want," she shrugged. Optimus tried not to laugh, she was pouting slightly.

"Nah man, she's a jumper," Jacobs laughed softly. The crewman nodded and handed Kae a parachute. She grinned and immediately started strapping herself in as Jacobs watched her intently behind the crewman's back.

"You'd better not go splat," he muttered to her.

"I haven't splatted _yet_," Mikaela snorted. She froze. "Crap, I should probably hook into my Exo before I strap in, or Ironhide's gonna wind up having to carry-"

"Nah, I got it," Ironhide rumbled with a snort, Jacobs watched, looking completely impressed as Kae's exo components settled themselves along Ironhide's legs and Bee transformed just as carefully, calmly tucking the duffles under his armour.

Jacobs chuckled and strapped himself into his own chute.

He looked up at Optimus with a grin.

"Set?" he asked with a grin.

Optimus winked his holoform online and nodded somewhat irritably.

"What's that for?" Jacobs asked him curiously.

"If Optimus had been meant to fly, he'd have wings," Ironhide snorted.

"How you stand to be so out of your element is beyond me," Optimus rumbled with a snort of irritation, disliking the way the plane shuddered and vibrated beneath his tires.

Mikaela patted his hood gently and smiled at him.

"Right, the three bots first, then you two!" the crewman called out as the door began opening. Optimus glanced down at his Kae worriedly to find her grinning.

"What do you think?" Jacobs bellowed to her. "You want to hook to the back or run it?"

"I haven't run it in _ages_!" Mikaela shouted back gleefully.

"Wanna?" Jacobs shouted.

The grin on Kae's face made it almost tolerable that he was about to jump out of a scrapping plane. Again.

"Scratch that!" The crewman shouted suddenly. "Humans first! Go! Go! Go!"

Kae whacked Jacobs and the two of them took off in a full run.

It was actually horrifying to see his Kae hurl herself out of the plane.

It was a blessing then, when the crewman gave him the signal to disembark.

Optimus got out quickly, scanning the airspace for his Kae.

The wind rushing past his audio receptors blocked out the majority of the sound. He couldn't find Kae. Finally, _finally _he caught sight of a chute opening. A second followed quickly.

Something was wrong.

The chute opened, then lost all of it's shape. Kae was falling, leaving her chute behind.

::. FUCK!.:: Kae's voice screamed over the Primary.

Optimus did the only thing he could think of, he stood straight in the air. Presenting himself as a target.

::. KAE! TO ME!.:: he bellowed.

Then, then the most beautiful of feelings. A levitation field pulling at him. And then his beloved Kae was there, winding herself into his chest plates.

::. To my chamber!.:: he sent to her urgently, covering his chest plates.

He felt her wriggle against his spark chamber, her gentle arms clinging to his frame. Optimus closed his armour around her and released his chutes. They slowed drastically, enough that the air no longer blocked his hearing.

"KAE!" he bellowed.

"Don't shout!" she stated against his chamber. Whoops.

"Primus Kae, don't you _ever_ do that again!" Optimus rumbled in a choked tone, even as he drifted toward the ground.

"I _didn't!_" Mikaela protested angrily. "I released my chute with Jacobs, my chute completely _separated_!"

Jacobs, Ironhide and Bumblebee were controlling their chutes, drifting toward him.

"OPTIMUS!" Jacobs bellowed, he sounded terrified, grief stricken and shocked.

"Cover your ears Kae," Optimus rumbled quietly. "I HAVE HER!" he bellowed at the top of his vocal range.

Jacobs sagged in his harness. The raw look of relief the same as his own when Kae had reached his chest.

"WE GOTTA FIGURE OUT WHAT WENT WRONG!" Jacobs bellowed. Optimus nodded and looked down, another forty feet and he could release his chutes... no... no he had Kae with him. Dropping was a bad idea.

He waited patiently, a hand covering his chest plates until his feet touched the ground. In moments he had his blades out, slicing away the chutes before they could become tangled.

Mikaela squirmed out of his chest plates.

She looked as irate as he felt. He set her down on the ground and she immediately tore her chute pack off.

Jacobs was beside her the next moment, staring at it in shock.

"You didn't do that on purpose," he choked.

"I'm not suicidal," Kae snapped. "_That's_ what I get for not packing my own Primus damned mother fucking _chute_."

"Jacobs?" Optimus rumbled in a dangerous tone as Ironhide and Bumblebee landed.

"Her cords were cut," Jacobs snarled softly, looking up toward the plane.

"Well, now what?" Ironhide rumbled quietly.

Optimus looked around and vented a deep sigh.

"We continue on," he rumbled quietly. Mikaela shook herself, glared at her chute and shrugged, activating her pack.

"What _is_ it with you and near death experiences?" Jacobs asked her, Optimus looked at the man carefully, he was rather pale.

"People have been trying to kill me since the day I was born. Shit happens, and then you die." Mikaela shrugged irritably. "In other news, now I'm pissed off. Let's go blow shit up."

"That's my niece," Ironhide snorted.

Optimus rolled his optics at them both.

"Well, we gotta call this in anyway," Jacobs sighed, pulling out a phone. He wandered off, carrying Kae's chute pack and holding the phone to his ear.

"Will, yeah, we landed safely thank god, almost _didn't... _somebody cut Kae's chute cords... with all due respect Major you don't fuck around with chutes... no they were definitely cut... yeah, we'd all appreciate that..." Jacobs read off the serial number and closed the phone. He pocketed it and began walking.

"Lieutenant?" Optimus rumbled curiously.

"I want to find that chute," Jacobs rumbled irritably, "we find it and it makes it easier to find out if those cut cords were meant for Kae or for somebody else."

Bumblebee looked up at Optimus curiously.

"As you wish, old friend," Optimus rumbled, nodding to the scout. Bee grinned and transformed, roaring off toward the most likely spot the chute would have gone.

"You know it's kinda rude to talk without everyone hearing," Jacobs stated rather amicably.

"Which is all well and good, except they didn't say anything," Ironhide snorted in amusement, looking down at Jacobs. The man stared at him. "Bee loves being a scout, at this point all he needs to do is _look_ at Optimus, get a nod and he's off scouting."

"He loves the frontline danger?" Jacobs asked incredulously.

"More he loves the fact that his duties require him to speed _everywhere_ and play a non-stop game of hide and seek," Mikaela stated fondly.

Optimus couldn't help but chuckle at that.

"Right, did we land in the right spot? There's supposed to be a delegation coming out to greet us," Ironhide growled, looking around.

"They're over there," Mikaela stated calmly, turning to gesture toward the treeline. "They're waiting for us to stop looking pissed off."

Optimus turned and scanned the area, noting perhaps a dozen humans laying well-concealed in the treeline.

"It is safe to come out!" he called out calmly in Korean. "It is not your people that we are irritated with."

"Well, that's a relief," one of the men called back, he alone emerging from the trees. He walked rather tentatively forward.

"You leave your men behind in the event that we lie," Ironhide rumbled approvingly.

"No offence is intended-" the man started.

"There's none taken," Ironhide snorted. "It's a good tactic. Wise."

The man grinned at him and waved to the rest of the delegation, the men rising from their concealment and striding toward them warily.

Optimus knelt down slowly, bringing his face to the humans' level.

"I apologize that we were not at our best," he rumbled gently.

"Somebody cut chute cords," the man nodded. He turned to look at Kae. "If it is revealed to be one of my people, please let me be the first to offer my heartfelt apologies."

"I rather doubt it would be one of your people, of all the enemies I've made, the Korean people I _hope_ have not become part of that list." She smiled. The two of them bowed to each other. The man relaxed and nodded.

"I hope that I am not presumptuous to ask that we continue with the clearing," he stated tentatively.

"No, we are more than glad to have been asked on this venture," Optimus rumbled with a small smile. "I have been given to understand that children walk these fields, we are glad to help see to their safety."

"Just so long as you don't mind that _I'm _gonna be usin' them mines for target practice," Ironhide added with a smirk.

::. Found it!.:: Bumblebee sent gleefully. ::. I'm on my way back.::

Optimus nodded.

"My scout reports that he has found the faulty parachute and is en-route back to our position, once he has returned, by your leave we shall begin." Optimus rumbled calmly.

Behind the spokesman, one of the younger of the delegation cheered. He put his arms down quickly as Optimus looked at him.

"My apologies-" he started.

"No apology is necessary," Optimus rumbled with a small smile, turning to watch as Bumblebee sped toward them, spinning around and transforming. He leaned down and handed Jacobs the parachute.

"Sorry, I had to cut one of the lines to get it out of the tree," the scout apologized. "But I kept the line the people finally got out of the trees!" he turned to look at the delegation excitedly. "Hi I'm Bumblebee!"

"What's got you so excited little-brother?" Mikaela laughed at him.

"I found one of those minefields and it's just _packed!_" Bumblebee chirped excitedly. "I bet three rell that Ironhide can have that entire field going sky high with one shot!"

"He covered ninety kilometres in that amount of time?" the spokesman asked incredulously.

"Ninety clicks!?" Bumblebee demanded. "No, it's ten clicks that way!"

"He found another field!?" the man demanded. "My deepest apologies! We had provided these co-ordinates so that you could land safely!"

Optimus looked down at the man, he looked well and truly upset.

"Mr. Sing," he rumbled gently, "what is it that is truly bothering you?"

The man looked up at him with a defeated expression.

"We had hoped to greet you cordially, you are doing our country a great favour, and yet you arrive to us hiding in fear, and wind up dropping in a danger zone." Ironhide snorted, and the humans looked at him somewhat apprehensively.

"Boys," Ironhide rumbled with a small grin. "Try to look at the positives, you greeted us apprehensively, yeah, but you're unarmed and _still_ fallin' over yourself apologizin' for scrap that ain't your fault. 's far as I'm concerned you can't _get_ much more cordial than _that._"

Mr. Sing stared at him. Ironhide grinned and knelt down, looking at the man.

"Bear in mind that I'm warrior class," Ironhide smirked. "As far as _I'm_ concerned, you folks greetin' us and not _shootin' _at us is cordial."

"I'm the ambassador to possibly the most controversial guests this planet has ever seen, walking around without people _glaring_ at me is a _definite_ plus," Mikaela added with a low laugh.

The men stared at her, and a good few burst out laughing.

"So shall we begin our day with a bang?" Ironhide rumbled with a shit-eating grin.

"By your leave," Sing grinned, nodding to Optimus. He turned to Bee. "Lead the way most excellent scout."

Bee chirped gleefully and folded into his alternate form excitedly.

"Do you have transportation?" Optimus rumbled curiously.

"I was informed that I should ride with you, and that there would be jeeps air-dropped for our utilization." Sing stated calmly, he promptly glared at the skies. "However it would seem that our scheduling leaves much to be desired. My men are prepared to make their way back to our base."

"Drone shit, you ride with me," Ironhide rumbled with a grin. "Bee, use that AT modification the soldiers showed you."

Bumblebee promptly transformed back and frowned in concentration, folding himself differently.

"Did it work?" he called out curiously.

Optimus stared at his scout and began laughing. He looked like he could drive the entirety of Cybertron without once transforming into a bipedal form.

"I am surprised you have not made this your form," he rumbled in amusement.

"It cuts my speed," Bumblebee stated grumpily.

"Good, means I can keep up with you," Ironhide snorted. He disengaged Kae's exo and folded into his own truck form, opening doors and dropping tailgate. "Hop in boys!"

Optimus couldn't help but chuckle at Sing's gleeful expression as his men cheered and flocked to Ironhide, the majority climbing into his box with broad grins and holding tightly to the bars and straps Ironhide sent out from his frame for them.

The younger group of humans were grinning and holding tightly to Bee's frame.

"So how fast do you think you can _go_ like this?" one asked rather conspiratorially.

"Anybody object to me finding out?" Bumblebee replied just as quietly, grinning like a mad-bot. Optimus chuckled at them and casually folded into his own truck form as Kae quickly integrated into her exo.

"Autobots, Roll out!" he rumbled with a smirk as his Kae caught hold of his own frame, opting to ride balanced on his chassis rather than try to squeeze into his sleeper.

Bumblebee took off like a bot out of the pit, spraying dirt clods as his passengers whooped and cheered. Ironhide snorted his amusement at the scout's antics, roaring off behind him. Optimus chuckled again and took off somewhat more sedately, easily pacing the two bots across the rough terrain.

"How do you manage this terrain!?" Sing demanded incredulously. "With no offence intended, you do not seem to be a rough terrain vehicle!"

"That's 'cause you've never seen Optimus open it up!" Ironhide called out over the radios with a snort.

"Open it up!" Jacobs howled gleefully.

"Objection Mr. Sing? Kae?" Optimus rumbled with a snort.

"I'm solid back here!" Kae called over the radio and behind him.

"By all means," Sing stated wide eyed. Optimus let loose a vicious grin.

"Ironhide, Bumblebee, engage temporal forcefields, Maximum Overdrive!" he ordered. The two bots promptly began howling, engaging forcefields and _really _taking off, their human passengers safe within the fields.

Optimus smirked and let them get a head start before lightly switching gears.

His own tires began spewing sod and dirt as he threw his engine's power behind them.

Kae let loose a battlecry, and _that_ spurred him on further, catching up with his bots.

"Gully jump!" Bumblebee howled, showing off his forcefield skills and throwing himself over it.

Optimus snorted and revved up some more.

"No, if you want to see jumping," he rumbled with a vicious grin. "Kae! Solid?"

"SET!" Kae called out, and he could hear _her_ grin. Bumblebee screeched around to watch, staring incredulously as Optimus threw a ramping forcefield in front of himself.

Ten feet in the air, the gravity on this planet was ridiculously light, after all.

The humans in his cab were howling as he landed, Kae was laughing.

"You're both showoffs," Ironhide called to them, driving over his own forcefield bridge.

"Minefield starts in eight hundred metres," Bumblebee called out. Optimus slowed, driving to park beside his scout. Kae lightly stepped down and stood patiently beside him as the humans disembarked and the bots transformed.

"Prime gets first shot?" Ironhide rumbled curiously.

"However our scout has made a bet that you can chain blow this field in one shot, my trusted Weapons master." Optimus rumbled in amusement.

"True," Ironhide rumbled musingly. He looked at Bee. "Well with that being the case it's your aiming call youngling."

Bee grinned and onlined a holoform target in the middle of the field.

"Weapons hot!" Ironhide roared, bringing a cannon online.

"Final objections?" Optimus rumbled politely, looking at Mr. Sing.

"Let's see what happens," the man grinned. Ironhide aimed for a split second and let off a shot. Optimus quickly focused on his Weapons master as the gruff, stern and standoffish bot promptly began giggling, the humans cheering as the single shot set the explosives off in a chain of blasts.

The dust began to settle and Optimus calmly began scanning the area, looking for any remaining mines. Bumblebee watched him gleefully, bouncing slightly as the lot of them waited for the results.

"There are five mines remaining," Optimus rumbled calmly. "They did not detonate due to a sixth in the chain, which was a dud."

"Scrap," Bumblebee snorted, he looked at Optimus.

"Without doubt there will be more wagering throughout the day, I will keep score," he rumbled with a snort. Bee grinned.

"Your turn my niece," Ironhide rumbled with a grin.

"Which cannon?" Kae asked curiously.

Ironhide thought for a second.

"Try cannon ∂Beta three∂." he rumbled musingly. Kae stared at him. "It's about time you learned how to control it anyway," Ironhide grinned at her.

"Okay..." she murmured, concentrating and bringing the cannon online. "Although I'm pretty sure you're just saying _this_ cannon so I'm blown on my ass..."

"No," Ironhide rumbled with a snort. _∂Now, my niece, the trick with cannons stronger than your frame, is to brace it with a temporal field.∂ _He knelt down and began gently adjusting her stance, explaining each action she needed to take.

"Now take aim and fire," Ironhide grinned, hovering a hand behind her, just in case.

Mikaela took aim and fired.

Perfectly.

"Scrap it all!" Bumblebee called out as the mines exploded.

"What?" Kae asked curiously.

"He's just complainin' 'cause he's not as quick a learner," Ironhide snorted. "Right, we'll cover more ground if we're in two teams."

"Indeed," Optimus rumbled, nodding. "Objections Mr. Sing?"

"To covering more ground?" the man laughed. "No, I am honoured that you are so interested in coming to our aid. Wo Ling?"

"I go with Bumblebee?" the man grinned, bringing out a set of maps.

"Indeed, you guide through the east, I will guide the west, rendezvous at base one for the evening meal," Sing nodded.

Ironhide clapped a gentle hand on Bumblebee's shoulder.

"You're with me," he rumbled with a smirk. "I don't get near enough time to spend with my nephew teachin' you to shoot."

Bumblebee promptly whooped gleefully.

"Let's roll," Ironhide smirked at the humans riding with him, folding into his alt form.

Optimus glanced down to see Jacobs looking up at him curiously.

"You and Kae are with me," Optimus rumbled with a smirk. Jacobs promptly began hooting gleefully himself.

Weapons Master and Scout roared off, Optimus could barely hold back his snort of laughter at the topic their conversations began taking.

"Where to next?" Jacobs asked with a broad grin.

"Ohh..." Mr. Sing promptly pursed his lips, he looked down at his map, up at the sun. Optimus watched them in amusement, scanning the map's co-ordinates. "This way." he stated cheerfully. Pointing. The closest field. Optimus couldn't help but grin.

"Permission to scout ahead?" Mikaela asked him sweetly.

"Is there anything I can say that will convince you otherwise?" Optimus snorted. He watched his Kae in amusement as she put on a mockingly serious frown. As if there were anything that needed working out.

"Probably not, no," she snorted. That was _his_ Kae.

"Communications," Optimus ordered calmly.

"Aye sir," his Kae nodded calmly you hear me alright?.:: she added over the comm link. Wait...

She grinned at him, brought out a scanner from her exo and glanced around, getting her bearings before running off.

::. Mikaela how-.:: Optimus rumbled flatly.

::. You know how I never go anywhere without my i-Pod?.:: she asked cheerfully.

::. But...::

::. As it turns out if you hotwire my i-Pod into the Exo I can use the sender, too.:: she stated cheerfully.

"She is just like her little-brother," Optimus snorted to the humans, letting Kae hear.

Kae began laughing.

"Isn't it the other way around?" Mr. Sing asked curiously. "Her little brother is like her?"

::. Oh heaven forbid.:: Mikaela sent to him.

Optimus desperately tried to not snort in amusement.

::. Kae to Optimus.:: Mikaela sent to him cheerfully.

::. Go ahead Kae.:: he rumbled with a snort.

::. Is that an order Optimus?.:: she asked cheerfully.

::. What? No.:: he snorted.

::. Good. Kae to Optimus.::

::. Go ahead Kae.:: he rumbled, watching the humans.

::. I know you were watching, does the exo make my aft look big?.:: she asked him with an absolute tone of innocence. Optimus couldn't help it, if she was going to play that game he was putting her on speaker.

::. No.:: he rumbled regardless.

::. Good.:: she stated with a grin. Optimus put her on speaker.

"Kae to Optimus," she sent after a moment.

"Go ahead Kae," he rumbled with a grin.

"Are you guys coming or you just gonna stand around all day gossiping like old ladies?" her voice rang out with a broad grin. Optimus snorted and reached up, covering his vocal processors. A moment of silence.

"Oh you didn't," Mikaela's voice stated flatly. "You put me on _speaker you right prat!?_"

"Sorry Kae," Optimus rumbled, it was all he could do to not laugh.

"I can feel you laughing Optimus," her voice stated wryly.

* * *

**That's all from me folks, see you monday! (Or tuesday in Ausiland and thereabouts in the world... Later!)**


	110. 108 UN Work

**Chapter 108 – UN Work**

(JaPOV)

The group was splitting up to cover more area.

What were the fricking odds?

And he was riding with Prime, Kae, and the Vietnamese colonel.

"Where to next?" he asked with a broad grin.

"Ohhhh..." Sing stated mildly, looking at the map. He made a point of looking around, up at the sun. "This way." he stated cheerfully.

Mikaela laughed and looked up at Optimus.

"Permission to scout ahead?" she asked sweetly.

"Is there anything I can say that will convince you otherwise?" Optimus promptly rumbled with a snort.

Mikaela looked at him seriously for a moment.

"Probably not, no," she snorted.

"Communications," Optimus ordered calmly.

"Aye sir," Kae nodded calmly before a scanner ejected itself from her exo.

Jacobs couldn't help but stare as she glanced around before sprinting off.

"She is just like her little brother," Optimus snorted.

"Isn't it the other way around?" Sing asked curiously. "her little brother is like her?"

"Bumblebee's older, and bigger," Jacobs murmured with a snort.

"They are family?" Sing asked with a broad grin.

"Best way to explain it," Jacobs grinned.

"Kae to Optimus," her voice rang out over Optimus' speakers.

"Go ahead Kae," Optimus rumbled with a smile.

"Are you guys coming or you just gonna stand around all day gossiping like old ladies?" she called out over his speakers.

Above him, Optimus snorted, reaching up and covering his vocal processors.

Silence.

"Oh you didn't," Mikaela's voice stated flatly. "You put me on _speaker you right prat!?_"

"Sorry Kae," Optimus rumbled, he looked about ready to bust a gut. Jacobs couldn't help but laugh at him.

"I can feel you laughing Optimus," Mikaela's voice added wryly.

Optimus laughed aloud at that.

"Coming?" he rumbled, his hand dropped away from his throat and he knelt down somewhat, offering his hands.

Jacobs plonked into the hand immediately, closely followed by Mr. Sing.

Optimus casually lifted them to his shoulder, and Jacobs couldn't help but stare in shock as his shoulder shifted slightly.

"That's how Kae stays on your shoulder?" he demanded with a grin.

"Hmn? No," Optimus rumbled with a snort. "But I will be able to cover more ground if you are securely on my shoulder."

"So Kae could fall off?" Jacobs demanded incredulously.

"No, she is secured," Optimus rumbled with a snort. "However I have no doubt you would be more comfortable like this, Mikaela tends to magnetize herself to my frame, it lets her move about more freely."

Jacobs shrugged and buckled himself into the almost seat beside Mr. Sing.

Optimus took a couple of steps, glanced at them and took off running.

That. Had to be the best ride in the entire fragging world.

Optimus was _running_ over the terrain the way Jacobs did an obstacle course.

And from twenty odd feet in the air, that was just-

"SO. FRIKKIN. COOL!" Jacobs howled.

"Kae to Optimus!" Mikaela called out.

"Go ahead Kae," Optimus rumbled with a grin.

"Found one! Piping co-ordinates!" Her voice sang cheerfully.

From above them.

"How'd you get up there that fast!?" Jacobs demanded, looking _way_ up at a small figure looking down at them from the cliff edge.

"Like this," Optimus rumbled with a snort. His arms flew up and he froze, looking at Jacobs and Mr. Sing with a small frown. "Sorry, I forgot, I should probably put a field around you for this..." he rumbled musingly.

A bubble surrounded them, Jacobs reached out and poked it, it caused a distortion in their viewpoint.

"That's wild," he muttered in awe. "But what's it for?"

"Stray rocks," Optimus snorted, he took a step back and jumped.

Halfway up the cliff.

"Holy shit!" Jacobs grinned as Optimus idly pulled himself up the cliff face.

Except almost at the top, the cliff edge gave way somewhat, Optimus slipped.

But they didn't fall.

Kae had him.

"For Primus sake, Kae," Optimus rumbled with a snort. "If I fell from this height I _might_ damage a hose, if you fall from this height you damage-"

"Oh come off it, I've a digger for a great uncle," Mikaela snorted, hauling him up. "I'm anchored."

Wait...

"How the hell are _you_ carrying _Optimus!?_" Jacobs demanded in shock.

"Temporal forcefields and a good portion of my frame is currently underground anchoring me," Mikaela snorted. "You _saw_ me levitating Ratchet that one time."

"_One_ time," Optimus snorted.

"Ignorance is bliss," Mikaela snorted. She grinned up at Jacobs and Sing on Optimus' shoulder. "How's the view up there?" she called up cheerfully.

"Why the hell do you ever come _down_ from here?" Jacobs demanded with a laugh.

"I second that," Optimus rumbled in a musing tone.

"If he's always carrying me around, how would I learn to _walk!?_" Mikaela called up, the epitome of an innocent tone of voice. "Mines are this way." she added with a grin, striding forward, Optimus laughed and followed her.

She stopped at some line she'd decided on and looked up at them with a grin.

"Your shot," she stated cheerfully.

Optimus chuckled and turned his head, looking at Jacobs.

"Which would make it _your_ shot," he rumbled with a smirk.

"Wait, _what!?" _Jacobs demanded with a broad grin.

"You need not worry about falling from my arm," Optimus rumbled mildly, raising his arm and bringing forth one of the biggest cannons Jacobs had ever _seen._ "I will have to take care of the aiming, of course..."

"Holy shit!" Jacobs crowed, he made to stand up and shrank back into Optimus' shoulder somewhat. That, was _really_ high up.

"There is a forcefield along my arm, ensuring you do not fall," Optimus rumbled in a comforting tone. Jacobs nodded and half rose, walking somewhat crouched down Optimus' arm. Which was insane, and awesome.

"Uh, where?" Jacobs asked with a grin.

Optimus' other hand reached up and idly pointed to a rather safe looking spot on his forearm. Jacobs grinned and thought about it for a second before opting to lay on his stomach.

Which was an excellent view, then the weirdest thing he'd seen yet, a couple of binder cables crept from beneath Optimus' armour. Weird until they delicately wrapped themselves over his legs and the small of his back. Then Optimus began moving his arm, and Jacobs was bloody thankful for those binder cables holding him in place.

Then the wildest thing yet, a set of crosshairs and a...

_"A trigger!?" _Jacobs howled.

"You asked to fire my cannon," Optimus rumbled in an amused tone.

Jacobs' face hurt he was grinning so much.

"On your command!" he howled, setting himself up as Mikaela and Sing laughed at him. Through the crosshairs he found himself aiming for a rather innocent looking patch of ground, beneath him Optimus' arm warmed slightly, and light began emanating from beneath his armour. The slightest shift in the crosshairs.

"Fire!" Optimus commanded.

Jacobs pulled the trigger.

A blinding flash of light burst from the cannon beneath him, Optimus' arm jerked back the slightest bit.

And the field _exploded!_

Jacobs pushed himself up as much as the cables allowed him and began howling, punching the air as the landmines blew in a chain of explosions, the dust settled to reveal a massive crater in the middle of the field.

Best. Friggen. Day. _Ever._

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus could barely manage to snort back the laugher at the man's expression.

"A _trigger!?"_ Jacobs howled, laying comfortably on his arm.

"You asked to fire my cannon," Optimus rumbled, smiling at the man. The grin on his face was practically infectious.

"On your command!" Jacobs howled, aiming himself behind the crosshairs. Optimus winked at his Kae as she and the Korean man laughed at Jacobs.

Optimus aimed carefully for the central mine, Kae had picked the perfect spot to fire from.

"Fire!" he commanded aloud.

Jacobs pulled the trigger. Optimus watched his shot critically for a moment before smirking. Ironhide had trained him well.

The field exploded. That was expected.

What was not expected was the sheer amusement to be had from watching Jacobs howling on his arm, punching the air as he shouted his glee.

"Kae! Kae Kae! Have you _tried this!?" _Jacobs howled.

"I have my own cannons, remember?" Mikaela called back with a laugh. "It's kinda fun to shoot 'em when there's nothing living on the other side, isn't it? My scan's aren't showing any more, are yours?" she asked cheerfully, looking up at him.

Oh right! Optimus snorted softly and scanned the field.

Perfect chain detonation, he couldn't help but feel somewhat proud of that.

"They have all detonated," he rumbled, putting on a calm, unaffected demeanour.

Just because he knew it would make Kae tease him all the more, she had this dear habit of continuously trying to make him laugh.

"Oh what, the great Optimus Prime is too mature and noble to grin at constructive destruction?" His Kae immediately began teasing him.

"It is all in the timing, my Kae," Optimus rumbled in a mockingly lofty, airy tone. "Whilst the young ones enjoy the fireworks, then may I allow myself a small smile."

"Drone shit, you were grinning just as much as Jacobs," Kae immediately shot at him. "But if you wanna play _that _card old-timer, see if you can keep up with the fleshy youngling!"

A challenge? He could _never_ resist a sporting challenge.

"Colonel Sing! Which way to the next one!" Kae called up cheerfully.

"That way!" The man pointed with a grin, and she was off.

"_That's cheating!" _Optimus bellowed after her. "Quickly quickly," he immediately rumbled, lightly offering his hand to Jacobs, the man needed to get to his shoulder for him to run safely.

Jacobs was grinning as he jumped into Optimus' hand, scrambling into his shoulder.

"All pomp and ceremony until somebody challenges you to a race?" the man asked innocently.

"Would _you_ deny your potential mate's challenge?" Optimus rumbled with a snort.

"OH! True," Jacobs grinned, squirming onto his shoulder. Optimus wound a couple of binder cables around the men, he wanted to run without losing them.

Although in all honesty, he just wanted to _run._

He took a few careful steps forward, made sure the men were secure and took off, loving the feeling of his body _working_ again. The terrain in this area was most enjoyable for running, gentle hills and the occasional rock face for climbing.

Although he supposed for the humans it would be a rather difficult run...

He felt hands on his shoulder, and turned to see his Kae grinning at him, half-locked to his frame the next moment. "Hi!" she stated cheerfully, squirming to peck a kiss to his jaw. Optimus beamed at his femme, he couldn't help it. "The next minefield is a half click that way," she added, plonking her chin onto his shoulder and pointing.

"Staying?" he rumbled teasingly.

"Just thought you'd want me to know where I'm going," she stated cheerfully, dropping from his frame the next second and darting around him.

Optimus laughed, he couldn't help it, driving himself to run somewhat faster and exulting in the sheer _freedom_ it evoked within his spark.

By the time the sun began to touch the western horizon Optimus was logging the memory of the day, storing it in his permanent memories. Sometimes he had driven, sometimes they had run, his Kae bounding away and returning, sometimes perched on his shoulder and occasionally, cradled in his arms.

They were walking like that now, striding toward the encampment the Koreans had set up for the night. Ironhide was lounging against another rock face, smirking at him with both holoform and body. Bumblebee was bouncing, grinning at his big sister.

"Already found something that you want to try?" Optimus rumbled cheerfully to the scout.

"How many different kinda fuels _are there on this planet!?_" Bumblebee demanded gleefully.

"_Millions!" _Mikaela laughed, lightly jumping from his arm to the ground and disconnecting from her exo. "Millions of methods to prepare food passed down through _generations_ of humans."

"_You gotta show me!_" Bumblebee chirped excitedly, his holoform rushing at her.

"I'm fluent in perhaps _two_ of those facets," Mikaela laughed, winding her arm across his shoulders. "Why don't you ask _them _what their favourite foods are?"

Bumblebee grinned, and his holoform was off, pestering the Korean humans into introducing him to their favourite foods, many of them laughing and taking the excited holoform under their proverbial wings.


	111. 109 Mico's Lessons

**Chapter 109 – Mico's Lessons**

* * *

(MPOV)

_§Carbon Child§_

"Mother?" I whispered. The presence felt amused.

_§Carbon child you will learn now,§_ Mico whispered. I opened my eyes in the light, and looked down at myself. A bare spark. Mico smiled and reached for me. Tentatively I reached for her, a single, delicate connection.

§_You use destruction for protection,_§ Mico stated in amusement, watching our day in a single flash. §_But there is a method which you will need, my daughter.§_

A flood of information passed into my mind, it left me practically reeling.

§_Now go practice,_§ she stated in amusement.

I woke up gasping, lightly tangled in Optimus' neurals.

"Kae?" Optimus rumbled worriedly, his holoform onlined beside me.

"Optimus," I gasped, he cupped my cheek gently.

"Are you alright?" he murmured. I ran my hands gently over his neurals.

"I need to try something," I stated softly.

"What?"

"I need to try something," I murmured.

"I heard you the first time," my Optimus rumbled with a small snort, looking at me in amusement. "What do you have to try?"

"Where's the closest minefield?" I asked with a small smile.

Optimus looked at me for a long moment.

"Should I rouse Ironhide and Bumblebee?" he rumbled with a snort. I stared at him for a moment and pursed my lips.

"Maybe?" I murmured unsurely.

Optimus chuckled slightly.

"We'll let them sleep," he rumbled gently. "If the worst happens we can comm them."

I smiled and relaxed into the hammock again. His engine rumbled to life.

"Where do you think you're going youngling?" Ironhide's voice rumbled quietly over the radio.

"Minefield, you coming?" Optimus rumbled with a small smile.

"Let's move younglings," Ironhide snorted softly.

"Jacobs?" Bumblebee's voice murmured quietly.

"Do I have to get up?" the man's voice mumbled tiredly from his cot.

"Not if you do not wish to," Optimus rumbled softly. "We shall return before the dawn."

"Cool," Jacobs yawned. "See you at breakfast."

I sat up as Optimus pulled out of his space, closely followed by Ironhide and Bee. I settled into the passenger's seat and glanced at my clothes, or at least, where my clothes had _been_. I couldn't help but laugh softly as Optimus idly opened his glove box.

"Really?" I snorted, wriggling into the lingerie. Purposely of course, it was an excellent excuse to wriggle my naked arse on his seat.

Optimus moaned in spite of himself.

"Really?" Ironhide snorted over the radio.

"He started it," I murmured with a smirk, lightly slipping my arms through the bra, I looked at the front clasp with a grin. The auto-bot insignia. "Nice," I laughed softly.

"I'm sorry, I-" Optimus rumbled softly, his holoform onlining to look at me worriedly.

"Optimus, do you realize how shy I am sometimes?" I asked with a low laugh.

He stared at me in confusion.

"Do you realize how long I've been arguing with myself about asking if I could wear this little insignia?" I murmured with a smile.

Optimus stared at me and broke out in a grin as I lightly fastened the clasp.

I touched it lightly with a smile.

"It is your night, my Kae," Optimus rumbled softly. "Where to?"

"Where do we always go?" I asked with a low laugh.

"High ground," Optimus chuckled. He turned onto a service road and began ascending.

I relaxed into his seat, smiling.

"So what do you need to try?" he rumbled curiously.

"Mico's settled for passing information into my conscious mind through dreams," I murmured. "She wants me to practice plasma splitting."

"No!" Ironhide rumbled in shock.

"Uncle?" I asked in confusion.

"Master Bladesing only _spoke_ of it!" Ironhide rumbled in shock. "Not even _he_ fully understood the concept!"

I raised my eyebrows incredulously.

"But it's the same as Energon splitting!" I stated in confusion.

"Not even _I_ know how you manage that," my Optimus rumbled with a low chuckle.

"Huh," I murmured with a frown. I called a bit of energon to my fingertips, forming it into a ball, then splitting that ball into two, then four. I delicately made the four little balls hover over my palm as he drove, lightly twirling around and over themselves.

"Eventually you will do that when I am not concentrating on driving," my Optimus rumbled with a low chuckle.

I laughed softly, watching the night scenery through his windshield as he pulled up on the cliff edges.

"You know the only problem with this?" I murmured with a small smirk, holding up the balls for him to see.

"What?" he rumbled curiously.

"I can't re-absorb them," I stated innocently, lightly flicking one of the balls to land in the centre of his dashboard.

He promptly snorted back a laugh, his frame squirming slightly.

Ironhide was chortling the next moment.

"Careful Kae, you tickle him too much he might run automatically into his root mode." my uncle chuckled.

"Oh does that tickle?" I grinned, flicking another ball at him before jumping out of his cab. My Optimus was snorting as he transformed, his transformation somewhat clumsy as he tried to dodge the tiny balls of energon I was flicking at him.

"You're forgetting something sis!" Bumblebee chirped gleefully. I flicked an energon ball at him, making him giggle.

"What's that?" I asked cheerfully, flicking rapid-fire energon balls at the mechs surrounding me.

"Two can play at that game," Optimus' holoform rumbled behind me.

I couldn't stop the squeal of laughter if I'd tried as he half-tackled me, tickling me mercilessly.

"So what'd you drag us out here for?" Ironhide snorted, lightly poking my side with his holoform. I straightened slightly, looking around at the moonlight landscape.

"Practice," I murmured, narrowing my eyes. "Hey Bee? Could you light up the landmines for me? Please?"

Bumblebee grinned and transformed, half-glaring at the landscape as he scan pin-pointed every landmine. I surveyed the landscape for a long moment and looked up at Ironhide.

"Get a plasma burst off of you?" I asked curiously.

"Where you want it?" my Uncle asked curiously, kneeling down beside my Optimus.

"Hundred feet above that central mine," I murmured with a frown, his cannon began whirling softly as he took aim.

"Mark," Ironhide rumbled a moment later, "Set!"

I took a deep breath, feeling my neurals grow excited at the new game.

"Fire!" I snapped.

Brand new instinct sprang to being within me, my hands flew up, the physical, bodily manifestation of my forcefields as I caught Ironhide's shot. Concentration wasn't the splitting, concentration was focused on aiming each piece of the fractured shot, raining them down on the mines.

The four of us stood in shocked silence as I caught each of the targets, every landmine blowing up as the plasma touched it.

On one side of the coin, the plasma, split in the air looked like beautiful, gracefully arching fireworks.

But the fire landed, precisely where I directed it. The sheer, inherent destruction possible caused an iron fist to squeeze around my heart.

"A skill," Ironhide rumbled finally. "That will only be used when absolutely necessary."

I nodded, unwanted tears streaming down my face.

My Optimus was there the next moment, winding his arms around me and burying his face into my hair.

"Simply because we are capable of such destruction, does not make us the monster," he rumbled gently.

"We're using destruction to protect," my little-brother murmured gently, rubbing my back. "And when you get right down to it, _tonight_? _That_ was scrapping cool."

I choked out a laugh, turning wry eyes to my little-brother.

"We're just not gonna show the humans," he grinned at me.

"Deal," I murmured.

* * *

(RPOV)

"KAE!?" Ratchet shouted, scrambling to cover her body except... oh. Her eyes were closed. In fact...

He was astonished that his yelling at her hadn't woken her up.

He was _almost_ certain she was asleep. He got up and followed her, just to be sure she didn't get hurt.

Except...

"Oh Primus Kae don't go that way..." Ratchet whispered.

Regardless, he walked toward Jazz's casket, following his spark-daughter.

He turned a corner and felt a few processors pop.

In shock.

Not casket. Stasis pod.

He scanned it.

Jazz.

His spark.

In it's chamber. The body practically living on it's own.

Simply focusing on regeneration.

But his spark had been _out._

Kae reached forward and lightly connected to the stasis pod, directing cables to gently hasten the regeneration process, offering it pre-formed pieces of neutralized living metals.

She withdrew slightly, after a time, and instead focused her energon to grow the cell of solid state crystals powering the unit.

She withdrew fully, turned around and walked toward him.

"Kae?" Ratchet demanded.

"Oh! Hey Ratch," she stated calmly. "Before you say I raised the dead blame it on Mico apparently I need to know how Jazz is in stasis recharge I made sure he wanted to be alive before I brought him back wow I'm really tired..."

She collapsed.

"Scrap. Scrap scrap scrap scrap scrap," Ratchet grumbled irritably.

She'd used up all of her energy creating energon to repair Jazz and keep the stasis pod running. For Primus sake Ratchet already had enough of her energon stockpiled to keep that pod running for _Vorns_.

Ratchet shrugged and lightly picked his spark-daughter up, carrying her to the berth and onlining his holoform. Sleep and nutrients.

He delicately inserted an intravenous needle into her arm and set her up to receive a gentle infusion of nutrients. She'd be out for a while. Ratchet turned and strode back to Jazz's pod.

He stood there. For a long, _long _time.

Deciding.

Kae wasn't in _bad_ shape, Ratchet would bet that she could have made it to Optimus' quarters and curl up on his chest plates. She'd just used that up being startled awake.

But he definitely needed to know that Jazz was alive.

He'd be in stasis for a while yet. But he was definitely alive.

::. Ratchet to Optimus.:: he sent gently.

::. Ratchet?.:: the Prime sent back worriedly.

::. You guys better come see this.:: he sent gently.

::. What?.:: Optimus rumbled.

::. Can it wait until morning?.:: Ironhide grumbled.

"Ratchet what the hell," Mikaela grumbled from the berth.

::. No, come see now.:: Ratchet sent with a grin. "Stay put." he added sternly to his spark-daughter.

Kae groaned and laid back on the berth under his holoform's watch.

"Not for long," he added gently, reaching out and taking her hand. "Just long enough for your body to restock on the nutrients and chemical energy you used up."

Kae smiled slightly and relaxed.

"You want to put the needle back in then?" she asked with a soft snort.

Ratchet rolled his optics and delicately re-inserted the needle into her vein.

Footsteps resounded through the corridors, the bots walking toward med-bay.

"Kae!? Ratchet!" Optimus rumbled the next moment.

"She's fine," Ratchet shrugged, walking back into the med-bay proper. "This way."

He strode back into the back bay and looked over his shoulder.

"Coming?" he asked calmly.

"What the scrap couldn't wait until morning?" Ironhide demanded. Ratchet turned toward the corridor none of the bots _ever_ travelled.

"Ratchet?" Optimus rumbled hesitantly.

"Come on," Ratchet grinned, there weren't any footsteps behind him. He turned around and scowled, reaching out and catching hold of Optimus' wrist. "My med-bay. Come."

He half-dragged Optimus to Jazz's stasis pod.

Silence.

"What. The scrap." Ironhide finally stated flatly.

"How... what... how..." Optimus began muttering in shock.

Ratchet stood patiently, waiting.

"You... he...?" Optimus looked at him for answers.

"Kae led me here three hours ago," Ratchet explained gently.

"I've been trying to decide how to tell you," Kae's voice stated quietly. Ratchet jumped and looked down at her.

"Kae," he rumbled irritably.

"Hey, I brought the nutrient bag with me, you gotta give me that," she stated tiredly. "But yeah, uh, surprise?"

"Jazz?" Optimus asked softly.

"He is going to be in stasis repair for a while yet," Ratchet stated gently.

"How?"

"Kae?" Ratchet murmured.

"Don't blame me, Mico decided she wants me to start my education with her, so apparently every few days she's going to emerge from my sub-conscious to train me. Lesson number three, recalling a bot's willing spark from the well." Kae yawned. "Jazz asked first of my intentions, whether I'm to interrogate him for the benefit of the cons, then asked of Optimus. He was bored in the well anyway."

"What was lesson one and two?" Ironhide rumbled flatly.

"Lesson one, how to heal. Lesson two, how to fight, you were there," Kae yawned, Ratchet leaned down and gently scooped her into his hands. She curled up there, half asleep. "Next time though, quit yelling at me Ratch, Mico's still pestering me to change, I don't think she understands that I can't spontaneously create metals, I need a seed first."

"You _were_ going to make it back to your quarters had I not woken you," Ratchet murmured.

"Optimus' quarters, I'm tired, low on energon, vulnerable. But I can deal with that when my Optimus is near," she murmured. "I don't need my knife when he's near."

The next moment, she was asleep again.


	112. Falling Angels

**Well, this got written long after I had the chapters set up. So... insert!**

**(Non) Chapter I - Falling Angels**

* * *

(RPOV)

Ratchet couldn't find the slagging ah... no... there it was. He picked up the tiny cuff and threaded it over the bolt. He glanced up at his assistant, she was glaring at an engine.

He scanned it idly. Gearbox swap.

He could do that in a second, but then he'd be back working on this _damned..._

Hmmm...

Anytime he started growling at servo work. He _hated_ servo work, Kae would offer a swap. And she had her exo...

Smirking... no... no smirk. Grumble. Growl. Servo work. He _hated-_

"You know if you want a swap out you don't have to spend that much time processing the idea of how to get me to _offer_ a swap, you can just as easily _say_ it at the same time." Mikaela stated blandly, not even looking at him.

"Swap?" Ratchet grinned at his assistant.

"Thank _Primus,"_ Mikaela groaned. "For a moment I thought I'd have to ask _you_ for the swap!"

"What-!? Oh!" Ratchet sputtered for a half second before he stared at his assistant.

She was smirking at him.

Ratchet promptly fell off of his bench.

Howling.

Ironhide and Bumblebee were there the next second, staring at him.

Slag it. That was scrapping funny.

"_What!?_" Bee demanded.

Ratchet couldn't stop laughing.

So slag it, send them the scrapping log.

Right onto the Primary.

Ratchet could feel the attention of his unit and joined together, he gladly shared his joy.

Ironhide was howling right beside him.

Mikaela was smiling, leaning against his workbench as she always did.

"So can I have my pack or not?" she asked with a smirk.

Ratchet snorted and handed it to her, in moments she was running, strapping it on.

He glanced over at her new body and nodded to himself. He'd return to the Cybertronian Orn for a little while. He wanted her body finished. In minutes, Kae jogged lightly back into the bay and looked down at him in amusement before delicately levitating the servo off of his workbench and onto her own.

Hmn, workbench... he'd have to get a new workbench for his assistant, absolutely.

Well, he was already on the ground, he stretched out and idly extended his binder cables to the engine, gearbox off, new gearbox on. Done.

"Showoff," Kae muttered. Ratchet snorted and stood up, he glanced around and pulled down his next project.

Fix the cannon.

"Hey Hide, give me a hand?" he asked innocently.

That had been, at one time, their favourite hobby.

Arguing over the best way to rebuild a cannon. He glanced up when Director Matteer walked in, idly scanning him.

He jumped slightly, the man was showing every detrimental sign of stress. There was also a recent puncture... scrap.

::. Optimus, I think we're going to need you in the med-bay.:: he sent immediately, best to get that rolling quickly. Mikaela was already out of her exo and holding onto Barry.

"Get him on the table!" Ratchet barked out.

"Yes Sir," Mikaela barked back, immediately dragging Barry onto the human's berth and helping him sit down. Ratchet immediately onlined his holoform, scanning the Director. Kae looked at him in silence. Waiting. Ready. The perfect nurse.

"Saline," he stated immediately. And she was off, her iPod in her ear listening to every one of his commands as he did his assessment on the Director. "Good evening Director, did you by chance catch a look at the man who injected you with Cobra venom?"

"Yeah, Ling, Kae, where's Kae, need to warn her..." Barry reeled off, trying to sit up.

"Kae is right here," Ratchet barked out, using the man's forward momentum to drag his coat off. "Now stay still and let me get the venom out for Primus sake."

"If you want to die, fake it," Mikaela snapped, rolling a tray toward him and carrying everything. In moments, the anti-venin and a syringe were in his holoform's hands, moments more and Kae had a clean spot on the man's bared chest.

Ratchet stuck the needle in precisely the correct place, squeezed the serum in and pulled back out, his heart beat again and the serum flooded his body.

"What the _FUCK!" _Barry shouted.

"Increase of natural production of adrenaline will increase the beat of your heart, which in turn will send the anti-venin through your systems that much faster. An excellent strategy," Ratchet nodded musingly.

"No, he means why the fuck did you stab him with a syringe," Mikaela snorted.

"Well, I had to get the anti-venin in," Ratchet shrugged.

"Have a cookie," Mikaela added, pressing one into Barry's hand.

"Buh..." Barry shook his head, stared at the cookie for a second and stared at Kae.

"Angel," he husked.

"I am no Angel," Mikaela stated automatically.

"Ling," he choked. Mikaela frowned, looked around the med-bay for a moment before looking back at the man.

"I'm going to need a favour, Barry," she stated coldly.

"I already owe you _another_ one," he groaned, leaning back on the berth.

"What?" Ratchet asked in shock.

* * *

(MPOV)

"If you want to die, fake it," I snapped, rolling a tray toward Ratchet. Everything he needed. In moments, the anti-venin and a syringe were in his holoform's hands, he began pulling the anti-venin as I pulled Barry's shirt off and running alcohol over his heart.

Ratchet stuck the needle in precisely the correct place, squeezed the serum in and pulled back out, connected to the pack, I could hear his heart beat again. Slick.

"What the _FUCK!" _Barry shouted.

"Increase of natural production of adrenaline will increase the beat of your heart, which in turn will send the anti-venin through your systems that much faster. An excellent strategy," Ratchet nodded musingly.

"No, he means why the fuck did you stab him with a syringe," I snorted, turning toward the table. I grabbed down a jar, unscrewed the lid and unpacked the emergency kit.

Alcohol, cookies.

"Well, I had to get the anti-venin in," Ratchet shrugged.

"Have a cookie," I added, pressing one into Barry's hand.

"Buh..." Barry shook his head, stared at the cookie for a second and stared at me.

"Angel," he husked. Shit.

"I am no Angel," I stated automatically. The response.

"Ling," he choked.

Ling. Fuck.

Mia's _protege. Ling. _

"I'm going to need a favour, Barry," I stated coldly, Ling had to die. If she was here, if she was good enough to get Barry.

She needed to die.

But if she died...

"I already owe you _another_ one," he groaned, leaning back on the berth.

"What?" Ratchet asked in shock. I looked at him cautiously.

"I need to die," I stated flatly, looking at Barry again.

"No, _Angel_ needs to die. _Kae_ needs to live." Barry grunted.

"Yeah yeah, I've already got that covered," I snorted. "How many fake lives have I used up anyway?"

"Pff. One." Barry snorted. "Kae..." he started and trailed off.

I looked at him with narrowed eyes.

"Before Angel dies..." he murmured thoughtfully. I rolled my eyes.

"How many?" I demanded.

"Four?"

I sighed and rubbed my forehead.

"Alright, who," I sighed.

"Briefcase," he murmured guiltily. I snorted and fetched his case, lightly plopping it into his lap. He opened it and handed me four files.

I sat and frowned, memorizing the names, the locations, the movements, pausing only to glance at Optimus as he strode in.

"Optimus," Barry nodded calmly to him.

"Director, Ratchet, Kae?" Optimus rumbled immediately, looking around himself.

"Barry was injected with cobra venom, that's about all I know so far," Ratchet reported immediately.

"Optimus, I need to run," I stated calmly, I held up my wrist. "I'm _keeping_ this, but _you_ need to be very sure to ignore anything they say about a motorcycle wreck or a female looking much like me being dead."

Optimus sat down on the bench and stared at me.

"I'm coming with you," he rumbled calmly.

"Not if you plan on publicly marrying me," I stated just as calmly, still reading. "I'm faking a death, my beloved. If you're there _with_ me then it's going to be Mikaela Banes who is dead. Not Angel. I'm killing Angel, not Mikaela."

"I'm still confused," Ratchet stated flatly.

"Barry will explain it," I stated perfunctorily. "And five, Barry, not four." I disconnected from my pack and handed it to Ratchet. "Leave me that servo, I'll do it when I get back," I added. "I'm leaving through the blind spots, so if you could kindly state that I've been with you the entire time I've been gone I'd appreciate it. You!" I continued, looking at my Optimus.

He was watching me in shock.

"Holoform you lugnut," I snorted.

Optimus obediently onlined his holoform in front of me. I grabbed him and laid a full and proper kiss to his lips.

"I love you, and I'll be home soon," I told him firmly, I kissed him again and began striding toward my leathers.

"Kae!" Barry called out quickly, I turned, zipping in as I did. "There's an untraceable in the usual place."

I nodded and strode out.

There were murders to commit this night. Ironhide was in front of me the next moment.

"I'll take you," he rumbled sternly.

"I need to fake my own death," I told him flatly. "On a motorcycle it's easy, however you are _not_ going to be my escort, because you are not to die this night."

Ironhide stared at me.

"Well, I'll take you to your untraceable?" he rumbled unsurely.

I smiled at him.

"If you're sure you don't mind," I stated gently. He snorted and transformed, opening his door for me.

"Kae! Wait up!" Will shouted the next second, climbing into the cab beside me.

"Will?" I asked curiously.

"Handler, remember," Will snorted. "So who we gonna kill?"

I rolled my eyes at him.

"Will, this is a full, assassin's black op," I stated firmly. "For your own safety and the safety of your ladies you should stay behind."

"Staying," Will shrugged. I sighed and Ironhide rolled out, headed toward the CIA.

"Alright, fine," I sighed. "We have five people to kill and one death to fake. Angel is dying tonight, for the next few months at any rate."

"_What_!?" Will half-shouted.

"Mikaela Banes is going to live, and she's going to be back here, with the airtight alibi of having been working in the medical bay with Auto-bot Ratchet for the past several hours. Barry is going to back him up to that effect, he's staying in the med-bay for Ratchet to continue to observe his condition." I stated patiently. I thought of something and grinned. "If you _really_ want to help, do the circles, meet me at the co-ordinates I tell you. This is my stop."

Ironhide patiently pulled over and opened his door for me.

::. Still hear me alright?.:: I sent to him patiently.

::. Yes Ma'am.:: he rumbled back silently, sternly.

I immediately took off walking, idly scanning the area and spying the motorcycle. I hot-wired it and took off.

First stop, Ling.

If she'd taken Barry out, she was waiting for me. A short drive and I was standing in the warehouse district. I opened my phone and called Barry.

"Angel," a female voice purred behind me.

"Ling," I stated calmly as the phone began ringing, in her pocket. "That's really quite sloppy, Mai would beat you for less."

"Mai's dead," Ling snarled gleefully. "My only regret, I did not get to kill her myself. But then, when I kill you..." she trailed off with a smirk.

"Sister," I stated with a snort, turning around and inspecting her casually. "You should have brought a gun."

"Where's the sport?" Ling sneered at me.

"Indeed," I smirked. "Let's see if Mai taught you properly."

We began circling each other, sizing each other up.

She darted in toward me, holding a syringe.

I punched her, hard, turned the force around and snapped her neck.

She dropped. I rolled my eyes.

"They _seriously_ don't make them like they used to," I sighed to myself, calmly taking her weapons; she had several syringes full of venom.

That was an idea.

I smirked and lightly tucked the vials of venom into my pack.

::. Ironhide.:: I sent calmly.

::. You alright?.:: he sent back immediately.

::. Could you come pick up my replacement?.:: I asked him cheerfully.

::. What...?.::

::. My replacement.:: I repeated myself with a snort ::. Can't die without a dead body after all. In this case her name is Ling, one of Mai's proteges. I have to move fast, if I'm going to pin the next several murders on her I need to set her up properly.::

I could feel Ironhide snort as I got onto my motorcycle again, taking off.

Serendipity was your replacement already wearing the right clothes.

I had a straight line. Ice flowed through my veins as I traversed that line, injecting Barry's targets with Ling's venom. I would have nightmares about this, I knew it, but at the same point some people simply needed to die. Five people, three hours.

::. How's it going Ironhide?.:: I sent to him worriedly.

::. Your replacement has leaked lubricants in my box.:: he rumbled irritably.

::. Ugh, sorry.:: I sent back with a grimace ::. I'm ready for her now, though, promise I'll detail you so well when we get back it'll be like this night never happened.::

Ironhide was snorting in amusement as he caught up to me.

Will was looking rather pale.

"Kae..." he choked.

"Friends help you move, _real_ friends help you move bodies," I stated blandly. "Does it do anything to tell you that Ling was Mai's protege and a sociopath? _Primus_ only knows _her_ kill count."

Will seemed to think about that for a second before nodding his acceptance. I casually levitated Ling from Ironhide's box, lightly shoved the syringes back into her chest pocket and manipulated her to sit behind me on the bike.

"Right," I stated with a nod. "I need to go publicly kill Angel, meet you back at HQ?"

"Uh..." Will started.

"Nah, I'll parallel you," Ironhide rumbled patiently. "We go back together."

I nodded and took off.

::. How are we supposed to follow her?.:: Will demanded.

::. Because we're still communicating.:: Ironhide snorted. I laughed softly, despite having a dead body slung across my back. I pursed my lips and began riding around at high speed, racing, searching.

Finally, _finally_ I found what I was looking for.

Semi pulling out. I had a red light, behind me, cops had finally started trying to stop me.

Perfect. I threw on an extra little burst of speed and began wiggling the handlebars, looking like I was getting out of control.

Finally, drop left, left leg curled onto seat, whack Ling's body upright.

Free of her limbs, I skidded under the semi's trailer. In moments I was scrambling off of the bike. I got out from under the trailer as it struggled to stop and took off running, head half down, helmet still on, I never once looked at the cameras. I ducked into the alleyway and stripped out of the leathers and helmet.

Wrap leather around helmet, extend straps, hook over arm.

I strode casually out the other end of the alleyway, glanced around to get my bearings and began walking calmly toward our headquarters.

Never once looking at the cameras, of course. Ironhide pulled up beside me, and I calmly slipped into his cab.

The three of us remained completely silent as Ironhide drove back to headquarters. I took a deep breath as he parked, setting my leathers down and walking toward the wash bay.

He followed me patiently.

"I got this, Will," he rumbled quietly. Will looked between the two of us curiously for a moment before nodding, he walked to the med-bay. "Look at me, niece," Ironhide rumbled gently, onlining his holoform beside me.

I took a deep breath and looked into his holoform's eyes.

"Did they really need killing?" he asked softly.

"Simply because they needed to be killed, doesn't negate me being a murderer," I replied sadly. Ironhide nodded and wound his holoform's arms around me.

"You mentioned a detail?" he rumbled after a moment.

I began laughing softly and led him into the wash-bay proper.

::. Where are you Kae?.:: Ratchet sent worriedly.

::. Detailing Ironhide, what's wrong?.:: I sent back immediately.

::. Oh, nothing, just explaining your absence.:: Ratchet shrugged ::. Director Stilson has _just_ arrived.

::. Stilson?.:: I asked curiously.

::. Galloway's replacement.::

::. Ah.:: I nodded, calmly beginning to wash, rinse, dry and wax Ironhide from stacks to treads. He transformed when I'd finished, idly leaning down and scooping me into his hand.

I laughed as he carried me back into the med-bay.

"How long does a detailing _take!?_" Ratchet demanded of me. I could see him battling down a smirk, not that even _Barry_ would be able to tell.

"It takes as long as it takes," Ironhide snorted. "I thought you appreciated your assistant's thoroughness in her work."

"Hmnph," Ratchet shrugged. "Now are you _finally_ going to help me with this scrapping cannon?"

"Hah, try'n stop me," Ironhide snorted, lightly setting me down on Optimus' shoulder before plopping down beside Ratchet.

I smiled at my Optimus.

_∂I am grateful that you have returned,∂_ he rumbled softly.

_∂Nothing can keep me from you, beloved,∂_ I replied gently. _∂Sit rep?∂_

_∂Director Stilson does not like me,∂_ my Optimus rumbled irritably.

"Excuse me!" Stilson shouted. "I do not appreciate-"

"Me speaking to my fiancee in his native tongue?" I stated calmly. "My apologies, Director, how are you today?"


	113. 110 Casting

**Chapter 110 - Casting**

* * *

(RPOV)

Ratchet scanned his assistant again. She was puttering around the medical bay, her pheromones off the charts in frustration.

That was to be expected, Ratchet often felt the same way when he was left behind. The intelligence from the CIA eight days ago had been genuine, they had a location on several Decepticon insurgents, damn near the entire unit, femmes included had been dispatched. Kae was worrying properly now.

There was definitely sexual frustration there, she'd been jumpy three days in, and now it had been ten. Optimus would be a triply blessed bot if even a quarter of her libido transferred into her new body. Ratchet turned back to the spark-chamber he was working on with a small smirk, making sure it would be easily transformable when Kae was placed in it.

An hour later she was pacing again. There were more pheromones floating in the air now, exhaustion, sexual frustration, _anger?_

No. This was different. She was usually elbow deep in a service by now.

She'd already gone through her tai-chi and fighting sequences. Twice. This was bad.

Her energon levels were still increasing. Fast.

She reached into a jeep and pulled back, swearing.

Ratchet was at a loss as she stalked to her chair and sat, arms crossed and fuming.

"Kae?" he asked quietly.

"What's the humidity at in here?" Mikaela asked in a definitely grumpy tone.

"Um, thirty." Ratchet stated after a second.

"Then what the hell is with the static!" she burst out, "everything I bloody touch _zaps_ me! How the hell am I supposed to work when I can't touch an engine for fear of blowing the damn thing up!? What's the atmosphere _doing_!? Did I get hit by lightning and just not friggen _realize it?_"

Ratchet snorted in amusement before almost collapsing in shock.

"Mikaela touch my hand," he stated in an icy tone.

"You got your circuitry insulated?" she asked in the same grumpy tone, reaching over and poking his finger with one of her own. Or at least, she tried. A thread of energon shot from her hand and into his, an inch away. She yanked back, shaking her hand and swearing again, in Cybertronian this time.

Ratchet wasn't faring much better. He sat heavily on his bench and stared at her, swearing in english.

::. Ratchet, you and Kae can stand down, we are finished, no-one is injured.:: Optimus sent the transmission calmly.

::. Are you done yet?.:: Ratchet asked tensely.

::. Yes-.::

::. Then get your tin afts back home, we've got a problem.:: Ratchet rumbled. He began swearing again as he watched Mikaela lapse into infuriated silence. She was drooping in her seat. His assistant never sat wilted like that unless something was horribly wrong.

Ratchet scanned his assistant again.

::. What's wrong?.:: Optimus rumbled, instantly alert.

::. Kae's producing energon.:: Ratchet snarled.

::. She's been-.::

::. Let me re-phrase that, Kae's body has begun breaking _itself_ down and is producing more energon than it can hold. She can't touch anything without _discharging it!._::

"Mikaela," Ratchet said aloud, "please, please for my sanity and yours meditate. Drop your adrenaline levels, please?"

She looked up at him with a frown then sighed.

"Yeah, you're probably right," she murmured, rising and walking toward her quarters.

"_Here!_" Ratchet shouted in a panic. "Don't leave to where I can't get to you!"

Mikaela spun around and was standing in front of him in seconds.

"Ratchet what's happening?" she demanded. "You're panicking, which means you have no idea how to fix something that's gone badly. Who's hurt?"

"No-one's hurt," Ratchet stated soothingly, "they're on their way home."

"Then why are you panicking?" she asked in an icily calm tone.

Ratchet looked at her warily. The last of the irritated blood drained from her face.

"That look," she whispered, staring up at him. "Ratchet you're looking at me as though I'm about to spontaneously combust. What's wrong."

"Someday," Ratchet whispered, "someday I want you to be wrong about your analysis, so that I can grin and say 'nah, you're over-reacting.' Please, please Kae, go do that trick of yours, where you get completely and unflappably calm. Buy me some time, _please."_

Mikaela took a deep breath and walked to sit on a comfortable bench, closing her eyes and breathing deeply. Her heart rate lowered somewhat. Ratchet onlined an extra couple of processors to keep a constant scan of her vitals and to answer Optimus' frequently repeated questions. Finally Ratchet simply piped the on-going scan of Mikaela's vital signs to Optimus as he worked feverishly on her spark-chamber.

* * *

Six hours.

Mikaela hadn't moved in six hours, save to lay down. The energon building in her tissues had slowed slightly, but not much. She'd begun to glow softly. Her brain function was in high gear. That in itself had to be torture to her. So much to think about, and not being allowed to move.

Ratchet did something then that he knew only Kae would be able to heal. He shut his emotions down and worked faster, racing against time to save his spark-daughter.

"Don't do that, Ratchet," Mikaela whispered.

"Don't do what?" Ratchet asked in a flat tone.

"You've shut your emotions down, don't do that, it's bad for you."

Ratchet stared at his spark-daughter as the sound of an enormous airplane roared overhead.

"Alright Kae," he stated in a choked voice, turning and focusing on her spark-chamber. He hooked his own neural fibres up to it and put it through it's paces, tweaking it here and there before neutralizing it.

He sat back, staring at it for a long moment.

::. Optimus, where are you?.:: Ratchet sent the transmission silently.

"I'm right here," Optimus rumbled crisply behind him, striding into the medical bay and yanking at the parachute cords still stuck to his armour. Anyone who knew the bot could hear the sheer terror beneath the calm facade. "The rest will be here shortly."

* * *

(OPOV)

"Optimus!" Mikaela shouted, sitting bolt upright with the bright, loving smile that stole his spark every time he saw it. The light flush in her cheeks drained away. She was glowing, she looked down at her hands in time to watch the first patch of skin eaten away by whatever force was converting her. She looked up at him with shock in her eyes.

Optimus lunged forward and picked her up, cradling her in his hands and surrounding her with an EM field, working to stabilize the rapidly manifesting spark. Outside of a chamber. It was all he could do to stay calm enough to follow the emergency procedures for protecting an extruded-spark.

"Kae, I'm right here Kae," he rumbled.

"Optimus, what about your mark?" she asked as light tracked it's way down her face in place of tears. "I can't feel it anymore, where did it go?" she whispered.

"I will etch it in your spark-chamber," Optimus murmured in a desperate tone. "Kae you need to stay awake."

"I thought it would burn, when you said it would hurt, I thought it would burn," she whispered, curling up slightly in his hands, sitting and looking up at him. "It's cold, I feel like I'm trapped in ice." she wrapped her arms around herself as her clothes became the only piece of her that wasn't solid or plasma state energon.

"Energon in it's solid state is cold, you will be warm soon," Optimus whispered. Mikaela looked down at the outline of her body as it began to become fuzzy.

"I'm melting?" she asked with a frown.

"Mikaela, listen to me," Optimus rumbled urgently. "I'm going to put you into your spark-chamber, you need to hold on until I'm with you. I'm going to help you take over your body. Do you understand me?"

"You gonna vaporize my clothing again?" she seemed to coalesce slightly as she looked up at him. She had that wry grin on her face.

"Yes I am," Optimus rumbled, forcing a chuckle.

"I need to integrate myself into the chamber," Mikaela stated with a frown. "Where's my chamber?" she curled her arms into herself as they began to become fuzzy again.

Ratchet carried the chamber toward them, Optimus looked at it and vented a sigh of relief. It was ready.

"It's right here my beloved," he rumbled softly.

Mikaela's form stood in his hands, turning to look at the chamber as the rest of the Auto-bots rolled in, burning rubber and transforming as though there were a fight that needed attending post haste.

"What's happening!?" Will bellowed from Bumblebee's hands. Optimus ignored him for a moment as he carefully set the last of his Mikaela's human form into the chamber. Ratchet closed it quickly as Optimus onlined an extra processor and reached to connect the neural fibres to his own so that he could join his spark-mate and help her.

Instead, he watched in shock as the unit sealed itself, Ratchet's scans showed a fully functioning, healthy sparking waiting for her body. Her mark gracefully etched itself precisely where it belonged, and the rough protoform metals polished themselves to a gleaming shine.

"She did it," Ratchet whispered, cradling his spark-daughter's soul in his hands.

"She is using minute amounts of energon," Optimus rumbled.

"Let's get her into her body then," Ironhide put in quickly. "Now, while she's strong."

Out of the corner of his optic, Optimus saw Will turn to look at Bumblebee.

"Action now, explanation later," Bumblebee said quickly, striding toward the berth where the empty body lay, pulling back the screens at Ratchet's nod. Kae hadn't seen it, none of them had. Not yet.

Optimus strode to the berth and watched as Ratchet carefully offered the loose, neutral neural fibres to the chamber. Kae reached out tentatively, and finding the neural fibres usable began integrating into them. Ratchet backed away as the protoform began to glow a brilliant white. Casting itself.

A terrified whimper tore out of his vocal processors as the metals began releasing the heat, flickers of fire and smoke rising from the body.

Ironhide's arms grasped Optimus, along with a number of other bots.

"What's happening?" Will broke the silence in a whisper.

"Kae's body is being cast," Bumblebee murmured in a terrified tone. "cast the... cast the way she's meant to be."

"I thought this was a good thing..." Will whispered.

"It hurts," Optimus rumbled in a sickened tone. "Many of us do not survive."

"If I made a mistake," Ratchet choked, Arcee quickly reached up and gave him a supporting hug. "If I left a piece un-neutralized..."

"She'll beat the scrap out of it," Bumblebee stated suddenly, in a firm voice. "My big sister never breaks her promises. She promised you, she promised us that she would return. My sister will be just fine. She's gonna be fine." he whimpered. Sideswipe and Flareup wrapped strong arms around the young bot.

Optimus watched in horror as the body twitched, then grasped at the berth. A surge of energon, one that left the present human's hair standing on end ran down the body.

What began as pitted, dull and rough metal laid post cast, unpolished but smooth.

A second surge and she lay almost complete on the table.

Optimus stared.

She shone. A gracefully cast biped, without so much as a single rough edge on her protoform. There was so much inherent power built into her frame, and yet she looked so... _delicate!_ An elegant, silvery hand reached up and touched her chest.

"I don't have lungs. That. Feels _fricken_ weird." Mikaela's voice said in a bemused tone.

As quickly as it had reached a terrifying level, the tension broke. Ratchet snorted and hit a switch, the table raised itself until Mikaela was almost vertical. "Optimus, I know you're one hundred fifteen feet away to my left. Don't lie. Before I look, am I hideous?"

"Kae... you..." Optimus whispered.

_"SHE'S A PRIME!I" _Ironhide bellowed suddenly. "_SWEET SCRAPPING PRIMUS SHE'S A PRIME!"_

Optimus whipped around to stare at his weapons master before turning to look at his exquisite Kae. His optics raked her body. He froze.

Right there, cast with her body was the mark of the Primes.

"Archangel Prime," Optimus whispered. "Kae you... you're..." he trailed off, a born Prime, she outranked him now, she didn't have to settle for him, she could choose anyone.

Her optics onlined, looking up at him with the same piercing, blue green gaze that could offer the love of a lifetime and the fury of a Valkyrie. The eyes of his Kae.

"Incomplete," she murmured with a small frown, offlining her optics for a moment. They flickered back on, and she looked up at him with a confused expression in her eyes. "Something feels... something's missing..."

"Your etchings," Optimus rumbled softly, reaching out to cup her cheek, "your un-cast markings haven't been etched."

"It feels so wrong," she frowned.

"You just cast yourself..." Optimus rumbled in a worried tone.

"In for a penny," she murmured, looking up at him with a small smile before reaching up and cupping his cheek with a gentle hand. "you came back..." she stared at her hand. "Ratchet, just how big did you build me?"

"I provided the materials, you built yourself," Ratchet rumbled with a broad grin. Mikaela started to her feet and almost fell. Optimus laughed as he caught his reliant spark-mate, supporting her carefully back onto the table. She looked up at him in shock.

"The same as..." she whispered.

"I most certainly did not shrink," Optimus rumbled with a broad grin, he leaned down and lightly kissed her forehead, his spark hammering against it's chamber when she kissed him back, an infinitely gentle hand reaching up to touch his face. A light finger traced the etchings on his helm. Optimus pulled back to look at her.

"Please?" she whispered.

Optimus raised a hand and brought out the engraver that had been passed to him. He looked at his Kae with worried optics. She smiled and leaned back, her spark chamber revealing itself to him trustingly. He turned and looked at the audience with a neutral expression.

"Thus do we stand witness to the marking of Archangel Prime." Ironhide announced in proud tones. Standing straight and wrapping an arm around Chromia.

* * *

(MPOV)

Optimus turned back to look at me with remorse in his optics.

"This is the easy part, and you know it," I told him with a small smile. He reached toward me and I patiently shut down my motor reflexes. The etchings felt like tattoos. An immediate, piercing, burning sting before it flashed warmth and faded to a simple knowledge of it's presence. The completion of one triggered a flash of a dozen more, etching themselves along my frame. With every flash I flushed a tiny amount of of energon along the edges, directing the nanites to smooth away any possible rough edge.

Optimus' fingers danced idly over my spark chamber, and I was hard-pressed to not moan at it. Etchings nothing, not being able to wriggle under those gentle fingers was absolute torture. Mind, judging by the way Ratchet was fighting to not laugh...

_The etchings feel like tattoos,∂_ I stated blandly in common._ ∂But you know damn well that if you don't stop teasing me like that I'm going to break something once we're alone, my guardian.∂_

Optimus froze and stared at me in shock. The look was absolutely priceless.

Every last auto-bot standing behind him howled with laughter.

"You Primus damned, thrice blessed_ bastard!_" Ironhide howled. Optimus smirked and began teasing my chamber with a bit more concentration, completing a last few etchings.

One was still missing.

His optics raked my body, his hand still lightly caressing my spark chamber. I did a rapid system check and carefully brought my motor-reflexes online, reaching out and running a delicate finger down his neck and across his collar struts before my fingers dug lightly through his armour to caress the living protoform metals. Optimus pulled back with a teasing grin and lightly caught my hands.

"Now try," he rumbled gently.

I took a cautious step and dimmed my optics, reading the information input rapidly and adjusting my balances carefully. I realized something.

"Just how long were you prats planning on letting me walk around stark naked?" I asked in a mild tone.

"Damn it!" Chromia complained. "You're _gorgeous_ girl! _Flaunt it!_"

I glanced up and saw Optimus still staring at me. There were faint traces of amber already flickering in his optics.

I began to smile at him, then frowned as I felt a processor go offline, I did an internal scan. My energon reserves were touching the danger zones.

"Your body is cutting unnecessary programs," Optimus rumbled gently, carefully wrapping me in a steely embrace. "You can decide on your colours and secondary form after you have recharged."

I glanced at the berth and began to feel disoriented.

"Come on, Kae," Optimus murmured, "let me get you home."

He gently picked me up, as though there were no effort involved and began walking. I felt... tired. And that in itself felt strange, there was no burn of muscles, no need to yawn and stretch my lungs before closing my eyes.

I just felt low on energy. Optimus carried me through the door to his private quarters and laid me down on his berth. I looked up at him curiously.

"You have a great deal to process," he murmured gently, running gentle fingers across my cheek. "I very much doubt we are going to break anything tonight, but I did not think you would wish to wake alone."

My spark pounded against it's chamber as his voice washed over me.

"Only you know me that well," I whispered.

"May..." he rumbled hesitantly.

"Optimus, it's me," I laughed softly. "Stop beating about the bush and spit it out."

My Optimus grinned down at me. "May I do a system check on you, make sure that you are fully alright?"

I smiled and relaxed, baring my chamber to him again. Instead, he reached gentle neural fibres and connected to my interface panel, his awareness lightly brushed mine before receding, his air outlets vented a deep sigh, his spark humming relieved tones.

"Will I live?" I murmured with a half smile up at him.

"My Kae," he whispered, "you are completely, perfectly alive."

I smiled at my beloved Optimus, he leaned down and touched his lips lightly to mine before backing away.

"Go to your recharge, I will return before you wake." Optimus rumbled gently, caressing my face and body with a gentle hand.

* * *

(OPOV)

Mikaela smiled up at him, and Optimus almost collapsed to his knees.

It wasn't lost, the direct translation of that warm, loving smile he so adored. He leaned down and kissed that incredible smile.

"Go to your recharge, I will return before you wake," he told her gently, running a gentle hand down her face and side. He pulled back and watched as she squirmed to one side of the berth. The side he always left open, on his right.

Her side.

His spark pulsed with adoration, she just looked so right there. He smiled as she obediently slipped into a recharge cycle, her optics offline. He lightly waved a hand and set the lighting to night mode before quietly walking out of their quarters.

That felt absolutely right too.

He knew he was grinning like a bloody youngling, and he honestly didn't care as he walked back up the corridor. He passed a group of bedraggled soldiers as they made their way to their quarters and onlined his holoform.

"Prime!" Jacobs called out in relief, reaching out and grabbing hold of his holoform. "Optimus what happened? We've been getting reports all over the place, half of them say Mikaela's dead!"

"Mikaela is completely, and incredibly alive," Optimus stated with a gentle smile, "her spark evidently decided that it was time it had a chamber strong enough to house it."

"So she's a bot now!?" Chance asked with a broad grin. "What does she look like? Is she as pretty as she was as a human?"

Optimus stood still for a long minute, knowing he was grinning like a besotted fool.

"She is perfect," he rumbled softly, "She's resting, her body produced enough energon to cast herself and online, but not much beyond that."

"Judging by that grin alone I'm thinking she's gone from beautiful to drop-dead gorgeous," Epps grinned. Optimus looked around at the newly energized soldiers and let the necessity of behaving himself as a Prime drop for a moment.

"Oh you have absolutely no idea," he rumbled with a practically wolfish grin, "So much of her has transferred, I honestly do not believe that anything of her personality has been lost. She is _still,_ the most beautiful creature I have ever had the honour of laying optics on."

"Only now she's big enough to shout you down face to face, instead of face to holoform?" Jacobs asked, jabbing the holoform gently in the ribs with an elbow.

"That night is burned into my processors," Optimus sighed, reaching up to cover his spark. "I will_ never _delete that memory."

"Kinky man," Epps laughed.

"Can you blame the bot?" Chance grinned, "it's enough to make a man insanely jealous that she didn't choose me." He straightened and looked at Optimus with a mild glare. "So don't you dare hurt our baby sister, or you'll be answering to us."

Optimus straightened and snapped a sharp salute to Chance.

"I will love and protect her to the end of days," he rumbled in a firm voice.

"And that's why she chose _him,"_ Jacobs grinned, clapping a strong hand onto the holoform's shoulder. "We'll see you in the morning."

"Bull!" Epps snorted, "we'll see you in a few days when you can bear to be parted from her, just remember to give her a hug from the lot of us."

Optimus stared at the man for a long moment before bursting into a rich peal of laughter, he offlined his holoform and looked back down at the soldiers, his laughter echoing in the corridors.

* * *

**Aaaaannndddd she's a bot! Finally! It only took 110 chapters to do it! :P Reviews people!**


	114. 111 The First Night

**Eleventy-first chapter! Wooo!**

**Chapter 111 – The First Night**

* * *

(RPOV)

Ratchet could hear Optimus laughing before he even made it back to the med-bay. He frowned, listening to the tone before grinning. Proper laugh, which meant Kae was fine.

"So, Kae's a bot now," Will stated, sitting up on the berth as he watched the auto-bots lounging about before heading to their recharge cycles.

"She is," Optimus rumbled.

"Is everything there?" Ratchet asked worriedly. Optimus turned to face him before breaking out into a broad grin.

"Everything," he rumbled in the tone of an absolutely besotted bot. "Her kindness, her strength, her smile, it is all there."

"Not to mention her humour!" Sideswipe grinned. "I have no lungs. _Honestly_!"

Optimus was grinning like the besotted bot that he was. He crossed over to the berth Major Lennox was sitting on and offered the man his hand.

"Wow! Gettin' carried about by Prime, I thought this was an honour offered only to a certain femme who guards your spark." Will teased Optimus, sitting awkwardly in his hand.

"Ratchet has been gossiping again," Optimus rumbled with a wry grin.

Ratchet shot an innocent look at the bot and grinned as he carried the Major out toward communication central.

* * *

(WPOV)

Will felt a bit weird, really. Somehow, he had wound up sitting in Optimus' hand, being carried to communications central, he almost felt like he was usurping Kae's spot. Except come to think of it, she wouldn't really fit in his hand anymore.

Actually it was kind of awesome, and this was a half-mile walk he hadn't been looking forward to, he was blasted tired.

"Thank you," Optimus rumbled a good ten feet above him.

"Optimus, you're the one carrying me," Will grinned, realizing precisely why Kae was always sitting in this hand, he laid down and crossed his ankles. "This okay?"

Optimus glanced down at him and rumbled a low chuckle.

"Kae's habits are rubbing off on you," Optimus rumbled patiently, and Will realized another point in favour of this spot. You could clearly hear another inflection to the titan's speech patterns from this spot, a hidden one. There was definitely amusement there.

"I can see why she made it a habit," Will grinned, "so why the hell are you thanking me? _I _sure as hell wasn't looking forward to this walk."

"For so readily accepting Kae's uploading into her new form," Optimus rumbled calmly, "I fear that there will be few who would even _try_ to understand why."

"Well, auto-bot or not, she's still a born citizen of Earth. And besides, all the good points that everyone pretends to have she's got in spades. If anyone deserves a lifespan like yours it's her."

"Which is why I am thanking you," Optimus rumbled in the same deadpan tone. Will could still hear the underscore of amusement. This spot was awesome. You could hear Optimus talking, not just the overtones of his Prime voice.

"So you still going to marry her or what?" Will asked with a broad grin, "Sarah was _so_ looking forward to that wedding." Optimus jumped and stared down at Will. A pensive tone seemed to hum through his frame.

"I will have to ask her," Optimus stated finally as the doors to communications central opened automatically in front of him. "I am not certain which marriage tradition she would wish to follow now, or if she will still wish to be bound to me."

"Whaat?" Will asked, absolutely shocked. "Why the hell wouldn't she? She absolutely adores you!"

"She also out-ranks me by a wide margin now," Optimus rumbled in a calm tone.

"Nah," Will shrugged, "It's Kae, I don't think she's even physically _capable_ of caring about rank."

Optimus looked down at him in amusement.

"Mikaela can have her pick of any auto-bot she could possibly want," Optimus snorted. "I am very certain even _Megatron_ will wish to court her."

"Seriously?" Will stated in a deadpan tone, "ask her, Optimus. Seriously. Although if I were you? I'd keep my helmet on if you decide to tell her that _Megatron_ would wish to pay her court. I will _pay_ to be a fly on the wall for _that_ conversation."

Optimus snorted and turned to the communications tower, delicately settling Will in his spot. Will listened with interest as Optimus made his reports, finally including some technical information of what precisely had become of Mikaela. It sounded both cool and terrifyingly painful. Will could understand why Optimus had been reluctant now.

"Is she safe now?" General Moreshower asked in a worried tone.

"Mikaela is in a recharge cycle in her quarters, and her personality and characteristics seem to have been fully uploaded. There is no sign of the madness in her." Optimus rumbled. "Which has most of us astonished. A short period of madness is common after a casting."

"What were her first words?" Moreshower asked intently. Will grinned as Optimus cued the soundbyte.

"I have no lungs. That. Feels _fricken_ weird." Mikaela's voice stated again.

There were several snorts over the channels.

"That's Mikaela alright," Moreshower stated with a grin.

"What form has she taken?" another asked intently, "We need to keep it on record."

"She has not chosen as yet, as I said, she is resting, " Optimus stated calmly.

"We will keep you informed as to her progress," Will added patiently.

Faces on screens nodded before they winked out. Will turned and looked at the door with an inward sigh, _this _walk was a mile. He could feel the past 50 hours he'd been awake gnawing at him. Fuck. He had absolutely no idea how Chance and Kae managed to stay so cheerful without sleep.

He jumped as Optimus offered him a hand again.

"Your quarters are on the way to mine," he rumbled.

"I think we should get the Vatican to make you the patron saint of tired soldiers," Will groaned, laying down in Optimus' hand as several techs chuckled around him.

"I believe I would need to be Catholic for that." Optimus rumbled above him.

"Hey, _do_ you guys have religions?" Will asked curiously.

"In a sense," Optimus rumbled calmly, turning toward the doors.

"Do we get to learn what it is?" Danny called out curiously as Jerry nodded enthusiastically. Optimus looked back with a low laugh.

"If you are certain you wish to know," he rumbled quietly.

"Hit me!" the Danny grinned as several others nodded enthusiastically, spinning in seats to watch Optimus intently.

"In the beginning, there was the cube, we knew not where it came from, only that it had the power to build worlds and create life. Primus was the first, and sired seven sons."

"The seven Primes!" Will stated in shock.

"My direct ancestors," Optimus rumbled, looking down at Will again. "The All-Spark created most of us, except for the Prime caste. We were sired, the knowledge of our fathers passed directly into my own codes. The curse-gift of leadership. When the All-Spark was lost, so to was our planet, our race. We are capable of reproducing, but most of our Femmes were lost in the war. When we came here... I had hoped to bring it home..."

Optimus fell silent, and anyone could see him lost in memories.

"The All-Spark was here," Will stated in a soft tone, "Mikaela destroyed your hope to repair your home."

"Upon my orders," Optimus murmured, "I was born into war, taken from my family and hidden for the chance of survival. Your world, despite your race's capacity for violence is still peaceful, majestic. I cannot let the devastation that destroyed my home, destroy yours as well. That is the religion of the Prime caste, above all else we were guardians."

"Wait, you said Mikaela outranks you now..." Will frowned. Optimus glanced down at him with a small smirk, "you said she's-!" Will was glad he was already sitting. That in itself was a complete and total shock right there.

"She is the incarnate of the All-Spark, our creator." Optimus rumbled in amusement. "And she may have her pick of _any_ bot or Femme in this universe. Or several of them really."

"Kae, our Kae is a freaking _goddess!?_" Jerry shouted, the doors opened behind Optimus.

"I'm the _host_ to the All-Spark," Mikaela's voice stated firmly. "She's eternal, I'm... well I'm potentially a hell of a lot more long-lived than I was yesterday, but I'm still not an eternal being. I'm also better described as the spawn of Satan, a familiar Daemon if you like. Think about it, what goddess has _my_ temperament?"

"Athena?" Will called out with a grin. "Kind and gentle one minute, kicking ass the next? Yeah, my vote is Athena."

"Mikaela, what are you doing up?" Optimus asked in a strained tone.

"It's three in the morning," she groaned. "I woke up and made it halfway to the mats before I realized I'm twenty-five feet tall now. I honestly don't know if I broke anything."

Optimus stood stock still for a long moment, staring at the newest bot. Will belatedly realized she was still technically naked. Will tapped his hand.

"You still with us big guy?" he asked curiously. Optimus began laughing.

* * *

(OPOV)

The door hissed open behind him.

"I'm the _host_ to the All-Spark," Mikaela's voice stated firmly behind him. "She's eternal, I'm... well I'm potentially a hell of a lot more long-lived than I was yesterday, but I'm still not an eternal being. I'm also better described as the spawn of Satan, a familiar Daemon if you like. Think about it, what goddess has _my_ temperament?"

Optimus turned to see Mikaela standing stark naked in the doorway. Beautiful, gorgeous creature that she was, she looked exhausted, her energon levels were still worryingly low. His processors shut down momentarily before they could short out. He onlined them rapidly and found jealousy, an emotion he knew he had absolutely no right to.

Damn every god that might be listening. That was _his_ Kae.

She was absolutely exquisite.

"Athena?" Will called out in his hand. "Kind and gentle one minute, kicking ass the next? Yeah, my vote is Athena."

Primus bless soldiers who could bring you back to the present.

"Mikaela, what are you doing up?" Optimus asked as calmly as he could manage.

"It's three in the morning," she groaned. "I woke up and made it halfway to the mats before I realized I'm twenty-five feet tall now. I honestly don't know if I broke anything."

For his spark, Optimus could not stop staring. There could not be a single rough edge on those protoform metals. She'd kept her schedule of waking for the watch and training, the dear Femme.

Gods, her build was complete, perfect, she looked so delicate, but there was so much inherent strength in that structure. It screamed battle-readiness.

On any field...

Or berth...

Or...

Will tapped his hand.

"You still with us big guy?" he asked curiously. Optimus began laughing.

"Let's get you back to your recharge," he said in a gentle tone, walking toward his Kae and wrapping a gentle arm around her shoulders.

"Wait!" the tech... Danny shouted. Optimus turned slightly, Mikaela doing the same beside him. "So is our Kae like a goddess now or what?" he asked with wide eyes.

Mikaela snorted.

"I most certainly am _not _a goddess, or demi-god or whatever. I'm just Kae... well, Archangel Prime. And even _that_ sounds far too divine to be me. I'm Kae."

"Who happens to possess a beauty and temperament to make any goddess jealous." Optimus rumbled softly. Mikaela stared at him, optics widened in shock as he lead her out the doors and down the corridor.

"I think I can see it," Will stated in his hand, Optimus glanced down at him. The Major was sitting patiently, looking at Kae with a small smile. "You've got the mystery of female in your every step. The maiden, the mother, and the crone. The goddess in any female."

"Sarah has got you _whiiipped,_" Mikaela teased him with a grin.

"I'm not proud – actually, yes. Yes I am," Will laughed, "I _am_ proud. Sarah had me wrapped around her finger _long_ before I got a ring on it."

Mikaela laughed and glanced at Optimus, she seemed to sense something in him, and reached up to kiss his jaw gently.

"I'm going to go back to my recharge," she said softly before skipping forward, her motions smooth, predatory and graceful. Gorgeous. The Major stayed silent in his hand for a long moment.

"She has _literally_ blown your processors, hasn't she?" Will asked, looking up at him with a broad grin.

"I _am_ going to need to keep a secondary processor running," Optimus mused. "And they shut down before they can short."

Will burst out laughing, laying in his hand and shaking.

"So what did you need to say that Kae left you alone to ask?" he grinned. Optimus stared at him. "Hey, I'm a happily married man. My Sarah is to me what your Kae is to you, don't ask me how she always knows, I _told_ you, the mystery of female."

"You said she had you wrapped around her finger before you got a ring onto it." Optimus rumbled curiously.

"Be honest, if Mikaela asked you to tear the world apart to get something for her, would you do it?" Will asked with a smirk. "You don't even need to answer, you damn near tore _us_ apart when she got bridged away from you. I will do _anything _for my Sarah. And love? True love is when she _knows_ that you would do anything, but will never ask. The only orders she will ever give us are for our own good." Will sighed and crossed his ankles as Optimus resumed walking toward the living quarters. "We love females, and that love gives them an ultimate power over us. Some collect it, use it to get ahead in the world. The _good ones,_ use it to keep us alive and smiling. Sarah has saved my life, so many times."

Optimus looked down at the Major in shock.

"Sarah fights?" he asked quietly.

"No!" Will snorted, his voice became soft, "Sarah's face is the one I see when I'm injured, tired. When I'm ready to give up, lay down in the sand and die her love reaches out to me. I get up and I keep going, because if I die in that sand I won't be able to hold her again."

Optimus reached the entrance to the Major's quarters and knelt down. Will sat up in his hand and looked at him calmly.

"Don't you _dare_ back away from her," Will commanded, "Our Mikaela doesn't give a flying fuck about status. Tell her her options, yes. Tell her that Megatron would lust the hell out of her, fine. Give up on your chances of catching her? Absolutely not. She has your number, Optimus, and you know it. Don't let the good one go. Now go interface the hell out of her, or whatever it is you lot do that I officially have no idea that Auto-bots _can_ do. I'll see you in a couple of days, it takes that long for you guys to recharge, doesn't it?"

Optimus couldn't stop the snort of laughter that burst from him as Will shot him a broad, shit-eating grin.

"I will see you when you wake," Optimus rumbled in amusement. Will frowned at him. "You honestly believe me capable of keeping Kae from her work?" Optimus asked in mocking astonishment, "I can't hold her captive in my spark chamber this time, and if I _hadn't_ done that, _dying_ the previous day wouldn't have kept her from her work."

Will was roaring with laughter in his hand, scooting to the edge of his palm and dropping down the couple of feet to the ground.

"Next rota off, you and I are going to go to the bar, drink beer and reminisce about the women in our lives, and I hope to hell I don't see you tomorrow." Will laughed, whipping his arm at Optimus in a mocking order to get moving.

Chuckling, Optimus rose and walked quietly to his quarters. The door slid open to a room lit as though the last rays of the sunset were touching the window. Kae was curled on the berth, recharging. Her hand had crept to where his chest should be.

She looked so soft, so delicate and beautiful.

His spark pounded against it's chamber again. He strode quietly toward her and stopped. Her protoform would be incredibly sensitive after her casting. Unwilling to cause her discomfort, he crouched down and shrugged, his armour falling away from his protoform. Her optics were online when he stood again, walking the last couple of paces toward her and laying down, pulling her gently into his arms.

"Optimus?" she whispered.

"Kae," he rumbled, holding her a bit more tightly.

"Thank you for coming back," she whispered, cuddling a bit more tightly against him. Her spark hummed. A warm, sweet sound that he wanted to hear for the rest of his life.

The feeling of her living metals, almost magnetized to his was intoxicating, she smelled of warmth, steel. Of earth and growing things. This was the Well, he knew it.

Her hand slid gently up his abdomen to rest lightly over his spark. He glanced down at her and was shocked anew. Her eyes were caught somewhere between predatory need and gentle curiosity. Optimus checked his power reserves and smirked. Still high in the amber. He leaned down and caught her lips with his, a hand dancing up her body and memorizing it.

Gods be damned, even if he failed to keep her he would sure as the pit burned keep this memory.

"Is," she whispered, she looked down shyly.

"Kae," Optimus murmured, gently tipping her chin up so that she would look at him. "What is it?"

"I..." she started. "I still have..." she whispered, and held up her hand. Optimus' spark thundered. There, sitting proudly on her finger was his ring, unchanged but for it's size. The protoform metals still answered his call. "Is.. is it okay if I still wear it?" she asked softly, looking up at him with hesitant, worried optics.

Optimus grabbed her hand and pressed a kiss to the ring that said he was hers.

If only for this night.

* * *

(MPOV)

Optimus snatched my hand, for a moment I thought he'd take the ring, instead, he kissed it. The next moment his lips were on mine, his hand threading it's way into my spark chamber. I moaned at the sudden onslaught of sensation, my power reserves were mid-amber. Good enough.

"Kae," he rumbled desperately, "Kae please." I was immediately alert.

"Optimus!" I said worriedly, rolling him to his back and straddling him. I cupped his face gently in my hands. "Love what's wrong?"

"Say it again," he whispered, his spark was sending tones directly to my own. I understood them almost before I heard them.

"Optimus, my beloved," I whispered. "I chose you, Optimus, your mark didn't cast itself in my spark chamber. I don't understand. I thought it would follow me."

"Kae, oh my Kae," he rumbled, the relief in his resonations at a terrifying level. "Marks don't follow in a casting," he added softly, pulling me down and kissing me again.

"Then I'll just have to earn it again," I murmured, and began feathering kisses down his neck. He moaned beneath me. "Tell me what you want," I whispered, letting the vibrations of the vocalization tease the sensor nets along his frame. In a flash he had me on my back, a hand deep in my spark chamber.

I began keening, arching into that hand for more, I onlined a second processor and gave up on it, onlining a third and reaching up, delicately teasing his chamber, it relaxed and opened. My own hand gently slid into his chest as I caught his eyes, stroking his spark with infinite care. He moaned and slid his hand down, investigating the tiny, bared couplings along my side. A finger lightly pressed one and I jumped beneath him, gasping.

"Tell me what you want, my goddess," he rumbled in the devil's own tone of seduction. I reached up with my free hand and dragged his face to mine, kissing him with strength.

"Fuck me until we can't go anymore," I demanded. Optimus chuckled, a dark, ridiculously sensual sound. In moments I was gasping, clinging just this edge of overload as his spike nosed at my valve, pressing slowly in as his hand returned to my spark, teasing and driving me insane.

"My Kae," he rumbled in my ear, withdrawing and thrusting his spike deep. "It would take a thousand lifetimes for me to get my fill of interfacing with you."

I moaned, grinding my hips into him. He dragged my hand from his spark and hauled me onto his lap, never once unseating himself from my valve. His arms snapped around me, urgently crushing our chests together, spark chambers pressed tightly into each other. His lips proceeded to wreak havoc with the sensor nets along my jaw, neck and shoulder. I ground myself on his spike.

"Do you like that?" I purred against his jaw as he let loose a keening groan, thrusting himself into me. "Do you like it when I'm stretched around your spike, spark to spark?" I moaned as his spark caressed mine. I tentatively reached for his with my own, touching, caressing. They began connecting, each point sending a fizzle of pleasure through our processors.

We writhed against each other, teetering on the edge of overload. I reached up and dragged his face to mine, kissing him with every ounce of the need that resonated through our joined sparks. His overload flashed through my system, triggering mine. He swallowed my scream, clamping me tightly to his frame as every processor offlined and re-booted repeatedly. Energon throbbed through me, dancing back and forth between our sparks. My cells flashed fully green for a long moment before I pressed it into him. He roared, thrusting deeply again before a second overload hit him. The excesses sloughed off of us and into the waiting cells in the berth.

We collapsed, vibrating against each other, a tangle of overheated, exhausted servos.

"Kae?" Optimus whispered after a moment.

"Optimus," I murmured, shifting slightly to cuddle closer to him.

"Will you wear my mark again?" he asked softly. There was fear, need, insecurity resonating from his spark. I looked up at him and tightened my leg around his hips, pulling his spike a bit more tightly into myself.

_**ΩOptimus, I would proudly wear your mark to the end of time.Ω **_I whispered gently, reaching up to caress his face. He moaned and buried his face into the crook of my neck. His hand reached up and lightly caressed my spark chamber, and I felt a new etching form. This one was different, it should have hurt. It didn't. It was warm, rapidly completing itself, and me.

"Sleep my beloved," I whispered. "Sleep and dream of beautiful things."

In a matter of minutes, we dropped into our recharge cycles, completely entwined.

* * *

**And thats all from me folks! See you next week, and always remember, reviews are energon, and energon fuels the plot bunnies!**


	115. 112 The Morning

**Chapter 112 - The Morning**

* * *

(RPOV)

::. Ratchet, we got a problem.:: Ironhide sent to him.

::. What happened?.:: Ratchet sent immediately, rolling off of his berth and summoning his armour. Arcee looked up at him worriedly.

::. We've got communications.:: Ironhide rumbled worriedly. ::. Jolt's having trouble pinpointing it, about all we can tell is that the ship is damaged.::

::. What are the humans doing?.:: Ratchet demanded.

::. Will convinced General Moreshower that we should take the risk, let them land.:: Ironhide rumbled proudly.

::. Which means we need to get the Primes up.:: Ratchet stated innocently.

::. That's going to be interesting, I'm almost there.:: Ironhide rumbled gleefully.

::. You're just letting me in on the action, aren't you, old friend?.:: Ratchet laughed, smiling at Arcee as she flew into her armour. He stepped into the corridor and looked at the Weapons Master, his most unlikely, but dearest friend for over three hundred vorn.

He was carrying the plate armours Ratchet had set aside for his spark-daughter, just in case she might need a bit more to form herself properly.

"No sense in having her decrease herself to be properly armoured," Ironhide shrugged. Ratchet stared at him for a moment and snorted.

"You just want her to stay the perfect size for him," he stated in amusement.

"Hey, the bigger she stays, the better capable she will be to bear sparkings to the hatcheries," Arcee stated behind him. Ratchet turned to look at his femme with a smile.

"So you're both conspiring to get hatchlings off of them?" Ratchet snorted.

"What's wrong with that?" Ironhide asked innocently, handing the plate metals over.

"I didn't say there was anything _wrong_ with it, I'm hurt that you didn't involve me in the conspiracy, I wouldn't mind having some grandchildren around." Ratchet grinned at them.

::. Got the cameras on?.:: Chromia sent gleefully.

::. I do my love.:: Ironhide sent silently, stepping into the door activation zone.

Ironhide and Ratchet both strode into the Prime's quarters and stopped for a moment, just to survey the scene.

Optimus had rolled to his right side, as he always did. Ratchet couldn't help but smile, he'd been caught in that embrace every now and again.

You'd wake up warm, pinned, and after a moment of coming fully online, realizing that he was covering every last one of your vulnerable spots. Protecting you even in his recharge.

There were _far_ worse ways to wake up than being caught in the Prime's embrace.

Kae though.

Ironhide was grinning like a madbot, of course. Kae had wound herself into Optimus' embrace, covering his spark even as he did hers, her arm had snaked around the bot, a hand covering the vulnerable circuitry across his back. The two of them so tightly entwined the only thing separating them was the darker tint of Optimus' metals.

Adorable.

::. See if you can wake Optimus without rousing Kae.:: Ratchet sent quietly. Ironhide reached forward, cautiously grasped a leg and shook it, backing up quickly.

Good thing it was quickly, the two of them were online in seconds, hands and cannons side by side as they automatically prepared to defend the other.

Ratchet and Ironhide stood frozen for a moment, presenting non-threatening stances.

::. No, that was Kae's leg, apparently.:: Ironhide rumbled over the primary. "Sorry to break up the honeymoon, lovebirds."

Ratchet desperately tried to hold back a snort, letting it out the second Kae powered down her cannon and sagged into her Optimus.

* * *

(MPOV)

A strong hand grasped my leg and shook me.

Optimus and I were fully online in seconds, hands close together, both aiming at the intruder.

"Sorry to break up the honeymoon, lovebirds," Ironhide rumbled with a broad grin as I sagged back into Optimus. My energon levels were insanely high in the green, so were his.

That most certainly didn't mean I wanted to move from this spot just yet. I had another hour before I went on duty, and the little surges coming from Optimus were suggesting some incredibly interesting ways to pass that hour.

"Come on you two, I sure as hell don't want to break that up, but we've got work to do," Ratchet stated apologetically.

"Who's injured?" I asked immediately, flexing to my feet in seconds. Optimus was beside me a moment later, his armour flying onto his frame in a series of muted clangs.

"Nobody yet," Ironhide rasped, "but we got communications, a ship coming in and requesting permission to land."

"So we should probably get you dressed," Ratchet added, grinning at me and offering a massive bundle of plate armours. I rolled my optics at him and pulled up the schematics a wayward processor had worked the glitches out of last night. I sent a surge of energon over my frame and incorporated the plate armour, flashing it silver with rich blue flames dancing up my legs. I adjusted my balance slightly and cocked my head at Optimus.

He was staring at me in shock.

"Too whorish?" I asked innocently, looking down at my armour.

"Woah!" Ironhide rumbled.

"Nice paint job," Ratchet added with a grin. "You've already got your schematics in mind! Share!"

"You have covered your Prime insignia," Optimus stated in a quiet tone.

"Optimus," I said with a small smile, "you are my Prime, my guardian and my beloved. Why would I need to show the insignia of the Primes? You are my leader. I'll not have it interfere with order."

He reached forward and pulled me into a gentle embrace.

"That's adorable, now what are you going to transform into?" Ironhide demanded.

"Let's roll," Optimus rumbled, laying a gentle hand at the small of my back. "You have wings," he added, raising a brow ridge at me.

I began laughing softly as we walked down the corridors, the three senior males pestering me, and trying to get me to tell.

"Hey Kae! You got your clothes on!" Will bellowed up at me. I began laughing harder.

"Yes Major, I've got my armour. You going my way sailor?" I leaned down and let him sit on my hand.

He squirmed for a second before laying down in my hand.

"I've totally figured out why you loved this spot," he grinned up at me. "you can totally hear a ton of vocal undertones from here," I laughed and grinned down at him.

"You're forgetting that I could hear those tones anywhere," I said with a smile, "guess again?"

"It's comfy as hell," Lennox stated, squirming around, "the view's incredible up here."

"That and it's remarkably comforting to be in the hand of a bot you trust," I said with a gentle smile, glancing at Optimus.

"So what do you change into?" Will asked with a broad grin. "Did you want us to bring you in a specific car or something?"

"Nope, I've got my schematics down already," I laughed, letting Optimus guide me into the entrance bay. "You lot already have a pool going on, don't you?"

"Mikaela, if you would be so kind as to change into some sort of airplane I promise my winnings will go to Anabelle's college fund!" Chance shouted up at me. I snorted and set Will down beside him.

"I've already got my form set," I laughed.

"Well what is it?" Ratchet demanded.

"It's me," I grinned over my shoulder, walking out into the sunshine and loving the feel of the light shining off my armour. I stretched and flared my wings, testing each connection and joint. "So where are we going anyway?"

"Down to Florida! They're going to touch down in the ocean!" Will shouted.

"Awesome!" I called with a grin, turning around and folding into myself. I sat, gleaming in the sunshine and _knowing _that any pilot in the area would be staring at me.

"For Primus sake Mikaela!" Ironhide roared as Optimus sat down on the ground, roaring with laughter beside an already sitting Ratchet. "You're supposed to pick a _disguise! _Not completely hot-rod an F18!"

"That ain't no F18!" Epps bellowed with a grin. "That's an entirely new generation! _Look_ at that configuration!"

"We need an entirely new designation for her," Chance moaned, anyone could see the man staring enviously at me.

I transformed back and stretched.

"Archangel," I smirked, "So we going or what?" I asked with a broad grin, bouncing a bit on the balls of my feet. My wings moved on my back, re-settling themselves into a more comfortable position, there was a crash of thunder in the sky.

"Where's ma granddaughter!?" Jetfire shouted, stalling mid-air and landing beside me. He stared at me for a long moment before breaking out into a grin. "'Bout time you got your wings lassie! Let's go greet the family!"

I clapped a silvery hand onto his shoulder for a second before walking over to Optimus, hauling him to his feet before picking Ratchet up.

"So are we going or what?" I asked again, grinning up at Optimus.

"Alright alright," Optimus laughed, reaching forward and cupping my face. "But so help me if you crash I will kick your pretty aft-plates."

"Yes dear," I laughed, bouncing up to peck a kiss on his jaw before sprinting down the runway. I fired up my boosters and transformed mid-air, launching myself into the sky in a flash. I circled for a few minutes while Jetfire took off, then gleefully swooped toward him, flying in formation wherever he decided to go.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus flashed awake as someone shook his Kae's leg. She was online and aiming for the intruder right beside him. A femme to be proud of.

"Sorry to break up the honeymoon, lovebirds," Ironhide rumbled with a broad grin as Kae sagged back into him. She felt incredible, pressed tightly against him. Optimus couldn't hold back the small smile as he surveyed her, a processor devoting itself entirely on what they could do with a free hour.

"Come on you two, I sure as hell don't want to break that up, but we've got work to do," Ratchet stated apologetically. Optimus bit back the petulant groan as Kae flexed to her feet. It was too soon, no doubt their nights together were numbered, it was too soon for this recharge cycle to end...

"Who's injured?" she demanded, Optimus followed her, summoning his armour.

"Nobody yet," Ironhide rasped, "but we got communications, a ship coming in and requesting permission to land."

"So we should probably get you dressed," Ratchet added, grinning at Kae and offering a massive bundle of plate armours. Kae rolled her optics at him and onlined an extra processor. A surge of energon flashed over her frame, incorporating the plate armours and shaping them precisely how she wanted it to sit.

Optimus stared at her in shock. She stood, perfectly balanced and beautiful. Blue flames danced up her legs, and wings settled lightly down her back, her insignias hidden. She turned and looked at him with a smile, cocking her head.

"Too whorish?" Kae asked innocently, looking down at her armour.

"Whoa!" Ironhide rumbled.

"Nice paint job," Ratchet added with a grin. "You've already got your schematics in mind! Share!"

"You have covered your Prime insignia," Optimus stated in a quiet tone.

"Optimus," she said with a small smile, "you are my Prime, my guardian and my beloved. Why would I need to show the insignia of the Primes? You are my leader. I'll not have it interfere with order."

Optimus couldn't help but reach forward and pull her into a gentle hug.

"That's adorable, now what are you going to transform into?" Ironhide demanded.

"Let's roll," Optimus rumbled, laying a gentle hand at the small of her back. "You have wings," he added, raising a brow ridge at his Kae.

Mikaela began laughing softly, walking on silent feet as Optimus gently guided her to the corridor.

"What form have you chosen?" Optimus asked curiously. Mikaela just laughed as Optimus and his senior officers united to try to convince her to spill.

"Hey Kae! You got your clothes on!" Will bellowed up at the femme, she just laughed harder.

"Yes Major, I've got my armour. You going my way sailor?" Mikaela leaned down and let him sit on her hand.

Will squirmed around for a second before laying comfortably in her hand.

"I've totally figured out why you loved this spot," he grinned up at Mikaela. "you can totally hear a ton of vocal undertones from here," Kae laughed and grinned down at him.

"You're forgetting that I could hear those tones anywhere," she said with a smile, "guess again?"

"It's comfy as hell," Lennox stated, squirming around, "the view's incredible up here."

"That and it's remarkably comforting to be in the hand of a bot you trust," Mikaela murmured with a gentle smile, glancing at Optimus. He felt his spark flare at the simple statement.

"So what do you change into?" Will asked with a broad grin. "Did you want us to bring you in a specific car or something?"

"Nope, I've got my schematics down already," Kae laughed as Optimus smiled, gently guiding her to the entrance bay. "You lot already have a pool going on, don't you?"

"Mikaela, if you would be so kind as to change into some sort of airplane I promise my winnings will go to Anabelle's college fund!" Chance shouted up at them. Kae snorted and set Will down beside the lieutenant.

"I've already got my form set," she laughed.

"Well what is it?" Ratchet demanded.

"It's me," Kae grinned over her shoulder, striding out the doors and into the sunshine with the bots hot on her heels. It was an incredible sight as she stretched in her armour for the first time, her wings flaring as the sunlight danced over the sleek curves of her frame. "So where are we going anyway?"

"Down to Florida! They're going to touch down in the ocean!" Will shouted.

"Awesome!" Kae called with a grin, turning around and folding into her secondary form.

A flier. A streamlined, aggressive, _gorgeous_ flier.

Ratchet sat down on the ground beside him, and Optimus joined him, the two of them roaring with laughter.

"For Primus sake Mikaela!" Ironhide roared. "You're supposed to pick a _disguise! _Not completely hot-rod an F18!"

"That ain't no F18!" Epps bellowed with a grin. "That's an entirely new generation! _Look_ at that configuration!"

"We need an entirely new designation for her," Chance moaned, Optimus smirked as the pilot stared enviously at his femme.

Kae transformed back and stretched.

"Archangel," Kae smirked, "So we going or what?" she asked with a broad grin, bouncing a bit on the balls of her feet as her wings re-settled themselves across her back, there was a crash of thunder in the sky.

"Where's ma granddaughter!?" Jetfire shouted, stalling mid-air and landing beside Kae. He stared at her for a long moment before breaking out into a grin. "'Bout time you got your wings lassie! Let's go greet the family!"

Mikaela reached up and clapped a silvery hand onto his shoulder for a second before walking over to Optimus, hauling him to his feet before picking Ratchet up.

The fact that she could _do_ that was most certainly not lost on him.

"So are we going or what?" Kae asked again, grinning up at Optimus.

"Alright alright," Optimus laughed, reaching forward and cupping his Kae's face. "But so help me if you crash I will kick your pretty ass-plates."

"Yes dear," Mikaela laughed, bouncing up to peck a kiss to his jaw before she spun and sprinted down the 'runway,' she levitated first, folding into her secondary form and blasting into the air.

Gorgeous.

Jetfire was following a second later, laughing at his grandchild's antics as he launched himself somewhat more ponderously into the air.

Optimus couldn't help but track her silhouette in the air. He glanced down at Chance worriedly.

"Can you tell if she's doing alright?" he asked the lieutenant worriedly.

The soldier stared at him. Optimus rolled his optics.

"I am not a flier," he rumbled grumpily, "I do not know how to track an atmospheric flier to see if they are in trouble or not."

"Oh," Chance nodded the next second, he looked back up into the sky and squinted at the silhouettes. "She's flying straight, I don't see any list in her vectors." he commented mildly. He cast about for a second. "I need some binoculars."

Rather than having a search ensue, Optimus generated a pair and leaned down, handing them to the man.

"Thanks," Chance nodded, immediately holding them to his eyes and adjusting them as he followed Kae's flight path. He moaned.

"Chance!?" Optimus demanded worriedly.

"Zoom in on her," Chance moaned. "Have you _ever_ seen a more graceful flier?" Epps reached for the binoculars and Chance handed them over.

"Whooaaa..." Epps sighed. "that is quite possibly the most gorgeous thing I've ever seen, the girl knows aerodynamics, that's for sure."

"Which is plane geek for she's fine," Will added consolingly as Kae disappeared from view. Optimus vented a deep sigh.

"Quit worrying," Ratchet snorted. Optimus looked at him irritably.

"Optimus, you're forgetting that you inherited your flight deck from her," Ironhide snorted.

"It wasn't the flight deck that was in trouble, her body wasn't built to withstand the forces the deck was," Ratchet added with a snort. "Not to mention she spent a great deal of extra time bearing the casting heat, it's going to take one spectacular crash to damage her."

"Which she isn't going to do," Chance snorted, looking over the schematics Bumblebee had brought up of his big-sister. He was poking at the holoform, testing it's balances. "See? Look, the only thing that'll make her crash is if she decides to dive straight at the ground."

"You aren't listening to her," Optimus grumbled.

"Why, what'd she say?" Epps asked curiously.

Optimus put the conversation on his speakers.

"You with me lassie?" Jetfire rumbled brightly.

"Let's see how fast I can go!" Mikaela called back cheerfully.

"Well then watch your engines and frame," Jetfire commanded.

Chance burst out laughing.

"She's got Jetfire flying beside her, he's got _years_ of experience, they'll be fine," Epps grinned. He jumped as his beeper vibrated and sprinted toward the hangar again.

Optimus followed worriedly.

"Epps! Good you guys haven't left!" Jerry shouted from the catwalk.

"Optimus, Will," General Moreshower called out from a screen. "I need to contact Jetfire-"

"And Mikaela," Optimus nodded.

"She's a plane!" Chance added brightly.

"Hah!" Moreshower called out with a laugh. "Barry owes me a steak, right-"

"Blackbird, Archangel, do you read me," Epps called out across the frequencies.

"Loud and clear Epps," Mikaela's voice called back cheerfully. "What's up?"

"We need to load up," Will muttered up to Optimus. He nodded and gestured toward his unit.

::. Auto-bots, Roll out!.:: he sent silently. He transformed and waited for Will, the Major climbing into his cab the second he was free.

They drove onto the planes, and prepared to wait.


	116. 113 A Little What? Moment

**Chapter 113 – A Little ****_What!?_**** Moment.**

* * *

(MPOV)

::. You with me lassie?.:: Jetfire rumbled brightly.

::. Let's see how fast I can go!.:: I called back cheerfully.

::. Well then watch your engines and frame.:: he commanded before accelerating. I kept up with him easily, coasting along at Mach 3.

::. Blackbird, Archangel do you read me.:: Epps called over my radio.

::. Loud and clear Epps.:: I answered with a grin ::. What's up?.::

::. We've got radar blips sixty miles to your right, can you see what it is?.:: General Moreshower's voice asked in a patient tone.

::. On a schedule.:: Jetfire grumbled.

::. The rest of 'em aren't going to show up for another few hours, I'll catch you up Grandad.:: I said cheerfully, swinging west. ::. Hey, what do I look like on radar?.:: I asked curiously, scanning the air as I slowed.

::. A weird ass cross between an F-22, Jetfire, and an enormous drone, that is, whatever we _can _pick up.:: Epps laughed. ::. I'm out!.::

::. You're damn near invisible.:: Moreshower added wryly, taking over communications.

::. Yay, originality, alright, guide me, where am I blip-wise?.::

::. You're ten miles east of it, how high up are you?.::

::. I'm at thirty five thousand and climbing – ah hah! Found it! I mean, I have visual confirmation, it looks like some type of drone. Permission to scan it?.::

::. If you don't mind.:: Moreshower stated in a mild tone. I gave a low chuckle as I ghosted above the drone, scanning the bizarre looking thing curiously. The readings came as a complete shock.

::. What the _fuck_ is this thing doing here!? Here, I'm sending you the schematics, please tell me this is _not _what I think it is.::

I compiled everything into a data packet and shot it directly to General Moreshower at the Pentagon. I ghosted above the drone for no more than five minutes. Waiting.

::. What the _fuck_ is that thing doing in American airspace!?.:: Moreshower's voice bellowed suddenly. ::. Kae, does it have any insignias?.::

I frowned and took a dozen pictures, streaming them to the General as I lightly switched my positions around the drone.

::. Can you tell what it's carrying?.:: Chris asked me in a worried tone.

::. Um...:: I scanned it again with a frown and couldn't recognize the echos. I thought for a nanosecond and opened up the comm link to Ratchet. ::. Hey Ratch?.:: I called out curiously.

::. Are you alright Kae?.:: Ratchet's voice immediately answered.

::. I'm fine, but I don't have your databank, can you tell what this is?.:: I asked curiously, piping the data-stream to the medi-bot.

::. That's one pit of a cocktail, where'd you find that?.:: Ratchet asked with a frown.

::. What _is_ it?.:: Moreshower asked sharply.

::. Concentrated liquid methamphetamine and a dozen extra compounds to make it particularly poisonous, I thought you were flying with Jetfire, Kae.::

::. Moreshower re-routed me to take a look at this thing, we're coming pretty friggen close to whope, now it's changing course, we're going north. What did you want me to do with this thing?.:: I asked in a mild tone.

::. Kill it!.:: a voice shouted.

::. Yeah, then what?.:: I asked patiently. ::. Did you want me to just hack this thing and bring it back so you can get a few more answers than 'that thing came here?'.::

::. That would be nice, yes.:: General Moreshower said in a weak tone.

::. Chris, you okay?.:: I asked in a sharp tone.

::. I'm fine Angel.:: Chris said in a quiet voice.

::. Okay then, well I'll hack this thing and bring it back then, did you want me to bring it to the pentagon there? I'm late for my date now, but this is a bit more important I'd think.::

::. You do that.:: another voice said in an icy tone.

::. Oh hey! Who's this?.:: I asked in a bright, cheerful tone.

::. That doesn't particularly matter. You have my drone, and if you don't do as I say your little General here dies.:: the man stated coldly.

I onlined a dozen processors and began hacking into a multitude of spots. I brought up my holoform in my cockpit and built a video feed, linking it into the screen the General was in front of and smiling.

"Well then, we have a problem, don't we?" I said in a cheerful voice, looking the man in the eye as he held a gun to the General's head.

"Not if you do as you're told little girl," the man leered at me.

"Oh yes, sir," I said in a sarcastic tone, onlining my holoform behind him. I snatched his gun and caught hold of his head, snapping and holding his neck firmly as he hit the ground on his knees.

Gun in hand I swung around to find any other armed personnel.

"Alright," I called out in a commanding tone, my voice echoing from both holoform and the speakers. "General Moreshower now has the upper hand, so if everyone loyal to him could please point out any of this man's co-conspirators it'd be appreciated. Oh, and I wouldn't struggle," I added patiently, looking at the man on the ground in front of me. "Your neck is broken, I'm holding it in place for the minute, but if you intend to leave here in anything other than a body bag, you're going to have to do as your told."

A coup quickly took over, five men were marched in front of us and pushed to their knees.

"How the hell did you get here so fast?" Chris finally asked in a shocked tone. The communications men and women were standing and smiling or had quickly returned to their computers.

"Sir! We've had a massive hack!" one shouted out.

"Yeah, that one was me," my holoform stated calmly, "I'm not going to virus you guys, I needed your cameras."

"You hacked the pentagon to gain access to the cameras?" Chris looked at me with a deep frown.

"I'm _sorry_ General!" I said with a half glare, "I needed to see where my holoform needed to be! In fairness you do realize that I'm burning up a dozen processors to keep everything running on track? I'll accept the scolding, no worries, but let's get this guy in a neck brace, those guys in cuffs and this drone wrapped in a hazmat bag first. I want to offline this holo, two perspectives are _fricken confusing!_"

Chris snorted in amusement and waved his hand around.

"Those sound like some fairly decent orders, let's get to work people!" Chris barked.

"Can we cuff this guy?" a strong looking man asked calmly. I made my holoform nod.

"Carefully," I stated calmly as the man continued to quietly snarl. Paramedics rushed into the room. One immediately moved to Chris.

"Neckbrace on that guy," he ordered tersely. The medic nodded and looked at me.

"We're going to need a proper cage," I said calmly, "fracture of the C4, 5 and six if I did it properly." the medic nodded quickly and jogged back to the gurney. In moments we were working closely together, getting the man trussed up without moving his head. I carefully released him to guards and paramedics and stood, walking over to Chris.

"You good?" I asked calmly. Chris nodded and frowned at me. I looked at him with narrowed eyes for a second before standing straight. "General Moreshower I stand before yoouu... well... my _holoform_ stands before you to freely admit that I hacked into your surveillance system. My only defence is that it was to protect good men and women. Oh. And that screen." I added quickly, pointing to the video feed.

"I didn't hear that," Chris stated urbanely, he looked at a grinning man. "Erickson, you were kind enough to open the video feed for us yes?"

"Absolutely sir," the man grinned, he turned to the computer and glanced up at me. "Grab your code?"

I grinned and piped it to his computer. He punched his hands in the air and looked back up at us. "And I'll be damned, the logs state that _I did_ in fact bring up your video feed."

"Well would you look at that, I had to hack my own system for him to pull it off," the man sitting close by stated with a shit-eating grin, typing furiously.

"With all due respect, sir, I claim full responsibility for him hacking the system," the first stated firmly.

"No, I claim responsibility for the hack, or if you want we both can," the second snorted.

"Teamwork," the first grinned. They bumped fists and looked at General Moreshower with absolute innocence written on their faces.

"Above said actions were necessary in the line of duty, no reprimand will be necessary," Moreshwer stated urbanely. "So what are you still doing here?" Chris asked me curiously. I laughed and winked my holoform out.

"So everything's good over there now?" I demanded on the video feed, directing the drone to fly over the water beneath me.

"Yeah, we're alright," Chris stated in a calm voice, "little bit of a coup, if you could kindly land that drone on base here you still might be able to make your _date_."

I made my holoform grin and shut down a couple of processors as Chris cleared me for landing.

"Base this is Archangel," I called out calmly when they came in sight, "requesting permission to land the drone here and continue on."

"Archangel you are cleared to land on runway 3," a female voice called out calmly.

"Hazmat close by?" I asked curiously.

"Yes they are, Archangel," the female's voice replied with a smile.

"Excellent!" I grinned, coming in and directing the drone to land smoothly as I stalled mid-air.

"Archangel requesting you land as well, for a minute or so," the female's voice called out apologetically.

"Aw blast, I am gonna be _so_ late," I replied, transforming mid air and landing lightly on my feet in the grass, well away from the hazmat team and firefighters.

"Don't even worry about it!" Lennox's voice called over my radio. "We've got the sit-rep Kae, you have a couple of hours still."

::. Just remember that you stand on my right Kae.:: Optimus added silently.

I smiled and looked around myself, there were a few men cautiously walking toward me. I knelt down slowly to bring my face to their level.

"We, um..." the man in front called up worriedly.

"Which one of the two of you are we bagging?" the man behind him called out curiously.

"The drone there," I replied patiently, pointing at it, "It's got a heavy payload of a liquid meth cocktail. I'm just landing for... I have no idea why."

"So the press can take a couple of pictures to feed the conspiracy freaks," Chris stated dryly over the radio.

"Oh very funny General," I stated dryly, rising carefully to my feet again. "Do you want me to pose for the camera phone now?" I re-set my wings somewhat, settling them restlessly along my back.

"Archangel you are cleared to take off in five minutes from runway seven before the media circus shows up," the female's voice called out with a small smile.

"Excellent!" I called out, walking across the grass toward the runway. I touched the pavement and transformed, taxiing along patiently. I parked and waited.

"What's your name anyway?" I asked the lady.

"I'm Jenny," the lady laughed, "and you are _seriously_ one hell of a gorgeous plane."

"Why thank you," I giggled, "the name though, Archangel, girl to girl, what do you think? Too pompous?"

"Nah, Archangel fits perfectly," Jenny stated, "could you taxi forward like five feet, I want pictures woman! My son is going to have a _fit_ that I got to take pictures of you."

I laughed and obeyed, slowly bringing my engines online before cutting them lightly out again. I shut down as a fuel truck roared toward me, the man jumping out and filling my tank. Nice quality fuel, too. I onlined my holoform and smiled at the harried looking driver.

"Thank you," I said sincerely. He grinned and disconnected.

"That's got to be the first time somebody thanked me for doin' my job," he laughed.

"Well, as the plane, I thank you man," I grinned, reaching out and shaking his hand. He laughed and climbed back into his truck. The lights turned on, dimmed and did nothing.

"Go ahead and swear, it's your starter solonoid," I called out. I made my holoform crawl under the truck and bang on the offending part. "Now try!" I shouted. A truck roared to life above and beside me. I shook my holoform's head, two points of view was confusing. I crawled out and shot the grinning truck driver a salute before offlining my holoform.

"Archangel you are cleared to take off, have a nice flight," Jenny called out a moment later.

"Have a nice day Jenny!" I called out with a smile, slowly taxiing down the runway until I was clear of the obstructions.

I punched it, accelerating and up in the air in what immediately came over my radio as a 'holy shit! That's a new fucking record!'

I began laughing cheerfully, getting well up into the air and accelerating until my engines began firing off pre-warnings. I checked my speed and cheered.

Mach 4.5.

"Enjoying yourself up there Angel?" Chris called over my radio in a wry tone.

"General! Mach four and a half! this is _awesome!_" I called back with a broad grin. I checked my coordinates and slowed down slightly.

"Just don't break the windows," Chris stated wryly.

"Aye sir," I chuckled, slowing and looking around, Jetfire was whizzing toward me. We altered our courses slightly, I slowed to Mach three and got into formation with him.

::. Breaking my records now are you granddaughter?.:: he asked in amusement.

::. Only in the loosest sense of the term.:: I laughed ::. your record is for a manned, air breathing speed. I _did_ however kick that drone's record to scrap...::

Jetfire snorted a laugh and dipped to the left somewhat, toward the ocean.

I followed him cheerfully and began circling around the runways. Optimus rolled out of the C17 and transformed, looking up and raising one hand toward me.

::. Come down here, the both of you.:: he rumbled over the comm link.

::. Aye sir.:: Jetfire replied automatically, he stalled and dropped, transforming and landing on his feet I circled lower and came in lightly, transforming and landing on my toes. I walked forward and smiled at Optimus, my wings settling to rest lightly down my back.

"How the hell are you doing that Kae?" Will shouted up at me.

"Doing what?" I asked curiously.

"Your wings, they're resting on your back like an angel's wings, not like metal!"

I laughed and crouched down to my hands and knees, bringing myself to Will's level.

"My flesh is metal now," I said with a smile, "here, look," I extended my wing carefully, casting the grouped soldiers in shadow from the already brutal noonday sun. "Be careful though," I added thoughtfully, "the edges are razor sharp."

"You've got metal feathers, how do you control that?" Jacobs asked wonderingly.

"I have absolutely no idea," I chuckled, "I just do."

"They're so delicate," Chance murmured.

"And bulletproof to boot," Ratchet rumbled in amusement as I sat up somewhat, still angling my wing to keep the soldiers shaded. Jacobs promptly walked over and leaned against my hip.

"Enjoying yourself Kae?" he asked with a broad grin. I onlined my holoform to lean against my leg beside him.

"Immensely," I grinned.

"Kae!" Chance shouted, running forward to scoop my holoform into a hug. "We still get to have a human Kae?"

"Well, holoform, but yeah," I laughed, Optimus onlined his holo beside mine, wrapping an arm around my waist.

"Splashdown is in an hour," he rumbled calmly.

"Did you want me here or scouting?" I asked calmly.

"Down here, if there's trouble I know you can get into the air in a hurry," Optimus rumbled with a small smile, his holoform kissing mine's neck.

::. Just remember, you stand between Optimus and I.:: Ratchet added quietly.

::. What!?.:: I demanded incredulously, my optics flicking to look at him.

::. You stand between Optimus and Ratchet.:: Ironhide rumbled good-naturedly 's your place in the lineup.::

::. But I'm the youngest!.:: I protested immediately.

::. You stand to the right as a Prime.:: Bee piped up immediately. ::. Age doesn't matter.::

::. And it saves me having to take the place of first lieutenant as a show of unity.:: Ironhide added with a smirk.

I glanced up at Optimus with a raised brow ridge.

::. You are my first lieutenant after all.:: he rumbled blandly.

::. How did that happen?.:: I asked with a frown.

::. Kae, you outrank the lot of us.:: Arcee told me with a low laugh.

::. Would you prefer to take the head?.:: Optimus asked earnestly ::. I would gladly serve-.::

::. For Primus sake Optimus.:: I stated irritably ::. Yours is the superior knowledge of tactics and leadership. Accident of birth doesn't negate that!.::

::. That's the same damn thing you said when Sentinel disappeared.:: Ironhide rumbled cheerfully, looking at Optimus.

::. Mark of a true leader, right there.:: Ratchet added gleefully.

::. You lot don't quit that there's gonna be a throw-down.:: I stated irritably.

::. Okay _now_ I see why you were always threatening us with a pissed off Kae.:: Ironhide continued with a snort, grinning at Optimus.

::. For the love of-.:: I started before I caught the sound of aircraft and flicked my sensors toward it.


	117. 114 New Arrivals

**Chapter 114 - New Arrivals**

* * *

(APOV)

Mid-argument, Mikaela was the first to hear the echoing boom of the ship entering the atmosphere, she was watching it intently, her wing folding back somewhat to allow the soldiers to see.

Anyone could see the battle readiness in her stance, she was prepared to take action. Every human NEST soldier had taken refuge from the sun beneath her wing.

::. You're figuring out the best way to provide cover and evacuate the men if the absolute worst happens, aren't you?.:: Arcee sent on the private channel.

::. Little bit...:: Mikaela replied softly.

::. Good girl.:: Arcee murmured with a small smile. ::. Just so you know? The jeeps you resurrected from the dead are on the C17's for the soldiers, just get them there.::

::. Perfect.:: Mikaela smiled ::. now could you please _please_ fill me in on what I'm supposed to do? Why the _hell_ am I first lieutenant? I'm a day old!.::

::. Chrome, Flare.:: Arcee called patiently.

::. You're covering your Prime insignia.:: Chromia stated in a confused tone.

::. I don't want anyone doubting Optimus.:: Mikaela stated firmly.

::. That's true, as a Prime she outranks the lot of us.:: Arcee stated calmly. ::. As a gorgeous Femme the only conquest would be a gorgeous Femme, they would see her as Mikaela, not Archangel Prime.::

::. Prime nothing.:: Mikaela grumbled ::. Accident of casting, Optimus is far too intelligent to let the same thing he grouses about to define a person. Why the hell am I first lieutenant?.::

::. Because you earned it!.:: Flareup grinned won the challenge! the only bot you went down to was Optimus. That makes you the first lieutenant.::

::. You're a day old as an auto-bot, but we'd be fools to not take reckoning of the nineteen years you've been online as a human.:: Arcee added calmly. ::. You are the youngest, but as a human your maturation was accelerated. In spark you are older than your brother.::

::. ... oh...:: Mikaela murmured, sounding somewhat more mollified. ::. Alright, I guess, if that's how you want to play it. Now what the hell am I supposed to _do!?_.::

::. Stay back for a second to observe.:: Flare stated firmly ::. Stand the way either Ratchet or Sideswipe do.::

::. Good, yes!.:: Chromia stated with a bright laugh ::. or mix the two, you are a healing predator after all. Just don't take the same posture Optimus does if you don't want everyone to know you're a Prime, otherwise, just follow his lead.::

::. That I can do.:: Mikaela laughed softly.

Ratchet grinned as Arcee leaned against him somewhat, watching the ship descend and brake over the ocean, coming to land lightly on the tarmac.

::. In formation.:: Optimus ordered silently.

Arcee wheeled to her place at the head of her sisters. Autobots walked slowly from the ship, standing tall.

::. that's _Mirage_!.:: Chromia stated suddenly.

* * *

(WPOV)

Will couldn't help but fidget slightly, Kae was hovering over them cautiously, her wing stretched out to shade the soldiers.

The ship finally came in, braking over the ocean and coming for a light landing on the tarmac. Kae straightened, moving to stand on Optimus' right.

Autobots walked slowly from the ship, standing tall and un armoured.

"Prowl!" Optimus rumbled with a broad grin. Will grinned, the men relaxed around him.

"Prime!" the bot roared, stepping up his pace and catching Optimus' left arm in a strong greeting before dragging the larger bot into a hug. "You've alive! Look at you! Ratchet! Ironhide! Good to see you've survived! Sideswipe!" he grinned. "Thought you were _dead_ you scrapping _ghost!_"

"Prowl," Sideswipe stated calmly. "Have you-"

"SUNNY!" Prowl bellowed over him, trustingly turning his back to Prime and waving at the ship. "_It's all clear! Get out here bot!_"

"_He's HERE!?" _Sideswipe bellowed in a shocked tone. Another bot emerged from the ship, walking almost shyly. Sideswipe was rolling at high-speed toward him the next second.

"_Brother!"_ the stranger bot shouted suddenly, running toward Sides.

"Sunny, you made it!" Sideswipe howled, catching the mech in a bearhug. "Flare! Jacobs!" Sideswipe grinned, dragging the smaller mech forward in the circle of his arm. "Guys this is my brother, Sunstreaker!"

"Oh Primus you brought the terror twins together again?" Ratchet demanded, Will whipped around to stare at the Medic. Optimus glanced down and rumbled a low laugh.

"If you think Skids and Mudflap are bad," Ironhide drawled with a snort. "You should have seen Sunny and Sides in their heyday."

"You're alive!" Sunny was shouting. "I knew it! I knew you wouldn't go to the well without me brother!"

"Of course I wouldn't!" Sides choked, holding his brother tightly. He pulled back. "Systems diagnostic brother!" he commanded sternly.

"I'm _fine!_" Sunny complained immediately. "Primus Sides! You thought I'd get busted up!? Ain't _nobody_ but you allowed to bust me up!"

"Well you're going in for a physical regardless," Sides growled.

"The lot of you are," Ratchet added sternly.

"We're in fair enough shape," Prowl stated calmly, "no sense wasting good energon fixing what isn't broken or unusable."

"Which means you have something acting up," Mikaela stated calmly, looking at Prowl patiently.

"Who's this then!?" Prowl asked cheerfully, eyeing Mikaela.

"My first lieutenant, Archangel," Optimus rumbled quietly. Kae nodded shyly.

"Prime," another stated softly, looking up at Optimus.

"Jazz took severe damage," Optimus rumbled softly. "His spark went out, and was retrieved. He is in stasis now, regenerating Mirage."

Mirage smiled.

* * *

(RPOV)

Mikaela stood patiently on Optimus' right, nodding with a small smile when Optimus introduced her as his first lieutenant. She spoke calmly when the details of Jazz's recovery were answered. When Optimus relaxed, Kae did so as well.

Ratchet proudly watched her greet and speak with the new arrivals easily. But anyone who really knew the bot on her left could see Optimus fidgeting, his hand occasionally reaching ever so slightly toward Kae.

::. What the scrap has Optimus fidgeting so much about?.:: Ratchet murmured.

::. That his Kae is gorgeous and getting a _lot _of attention from Prowl, Mirage, Wheeljack and the Wreckers?.:: Arcee replied softly.

::. Definitely think we got them out of bed too soon.:: Ratchet grumbled. Arcee smiled and rolled forward, wrapping an arm around Wheeljack's shoulders.

"How have you been Que?" she asked cheerfully.

"Inventing!" Que laughed, "My but this is an incredible place, hello! You're a human!" he looked down at Graham staring up at him curiously.

"Why I do believe you're correct," Chance stated with a broad grin, poking at Graham as the man batted him off with a laugh.

"Oh sod off you squishy Aussi!" Graham laughed.

"There is _laughter_ on this planet!" Wheeljack announced brightly, "_remarkable!_"

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus watched his Kae as she met and greeted each of the new arrivals, smiling as they flirted with her while he struggled to keep the unwanted jealousy from surfacing. The travel weary bots met the humans with different levels of ease, Wheeljack instantly taking a liking to the British troops as they did to him.

Optimus looked at his Kae again as she laughed at the Wreckers' bawdry jokes. Watching her, he was instantly alert when her face whipped to the sky.

"_Everybody down!_" she bellowed, instantly taking two rapid paces forward and spinning, her wings flaring and providing cover for the soldiers and un-armoured bots.

He watched in horror as a small squadron of Decepticon marked fliers buzzed toward them, missiles landing close to the Xantium, running too far. Evidently they hadn't got used to Earth's lighter gravity. Yet. Shrapnel tinged against his Kae's wings and the temporal forcefield she'd extended from them.

"My thanks," Prowl growled to her before sprinting to the Xantium, going for his armour and weapons with his unit hot on his heels; Ironhide and Sideswipe quickly followed, providing cover for them.

"Get to the Jeeps!" Kae commanded the soldiers in no uncertain tones, crouched and walking carefully forward as the soldiers gratefully ran beneath her wings. As one they made a mad dash for the planes and Kae straightened with a feral snarl, sprinting and taking off, transforming mid-air and chasing after the intruders.

::. Kae!.:: Optimus bellowed over the primary as Jetfire took off after her.

::. What are your orders Prime?.:: she demanded ::. Chase them away or bring 'em back?.:: the squadron turned around.

::. That answers that!.:: Optimus snarled, sprinting to the planes as a helpful jeep pulled his flight deck from the carrier. He lifted it off their tail and they shot forward, Chance shooting him a rapid salute as they sped to join the other Jeeps.

::. Granddaughter! Split fire!.:: Jetfire growled, coming alongside Kae.

::. Aye!.:: she snarled back, guns emerging from her wings. Together, they fired, playing a high-speed game of chicken. Neither balked, at the last possible second, Jetfire peeled away, making a sharp turn mid air. Kae rolled and buzzed between a gap, successfully terrifying the fliers. They scattered, struggling to regain formation rather than firing as they passed overhead. Optimus watched as his Kae rolled, cut her engines, angled her wings and fairly flipped in the air, firing her engines the next second and riding Jetfire's airstream.

Every Auto-bot aimed and fired, several blasts finding targets, one fell, Prowl and Ironhide immediately went after the downed 'Con. It snarled, struggling to free itself from the flier. A familiar helmet.

It couldn't be.

Ratchet was snarling the next second, guns he rarely, if ever used emerging from beneath armour, a true rarity for the medi-bot.

"This is for Alia, Jackal!" Ironhide snarled, a spark-chamber imploded.

Ratchet was infuriated, distracted as he scanned and confirmed the identities of the bots whom had killed his mate and daughter.

The wolfpack.

"Revenge is not attractive!" Ironhide roared, "but justice needs be met!"

"We kill them all!" Optimus snarled, aloud and over the primary.

::. Yes Prime!.:: Mikaela snarled back, her engines blasted overhead, propelling her into a screaming pace as she raced after the murderers, Jetfire hot on her tail.

Optimus slammed a hand into his flight deck, in moments the trailer transformed, he stepped into the deck and integrated into it, wings settling over his back and afterburners firing up. He took off after his Kae, growling softly as he struggled to catch up. As hard as he pushed the afterburners, Kae was getting farther ahead from both he and Jetfire, keeping pace with the fliers.

::. Jetfire, Prime!.:: she bellowed ::. Fall back!.::

Jetfire automatically slowed and took formation with Optimus as Kae shot forward, touching mach four and overshooting the fliers.

::. Kae what are you doing!?.:: Optimus bellowed at her.

::. Cutting off the flock.:: she growled, transforming mid-air.

Directly in front of the fliers. Her wings flared around her then snapped closed, forming cannons and firing the next second. Terror turned to shock, turned to pride as Optimus watched his Kae effectively scatter the fliers' formation, they turned tail and Kae rapidly folded back into her plane form, flashing after them, harrying them, herding them right back toward Optimus and Jetfire.

::. What a Femme!.:: Jetfire bellowed proudly, guns emerging from his wings and underbelly as Optimus snarled his agreement. due respect, take the left Prime, let's drive these bastards to the ground!.::

Optimus grinned, he couldn't help it, acceding to the more experienced flier's tactics and cutting to the left, firing at the squadron. He spun around in the air and flew on the edge of the formation.

::. I got top if you two want to squeeze 'em together.:: Kae announced, her tone as calm as though she were doing nothing more strenuous than walking in a rose garden.

::. Ground forces ready!.:: Ironhide bellowed as land came in sight again.

::. Get ready to peel away.:: Jetfire added, harrying the formation a bit more toward Optimus. The formation made a desperate bid to get out, pulling up, Kae was above them the next second, firing with precision, taking out weapons and engines, ruthlessly driving them down as they came over the land. Blasts of plasma, and heavy sabot rounds rose from the amassed bot and human soldiers on the ground, Optimus shot to the left as Jetfire peeled away to the right. He looked back in horror as Kae stayed in place, blasting fliers from above as they were riddled with fire from below.

::. Kae! Pull back!.:: he bellowed at her. She obediently launched herself into an almost vertical lift for a moment before pelting after the final flier as it made a bid for freedom.

::. EM burst! NOW!.:: she bellowed, Jetfire immediately obliging her as she fired on the final flier, Optimus felt the deactivation and targeting codes bounce against the burst and dissolve into static as Kae transformed and caught the flier, directing the disabled vehicle to crash safely among it's compatriots; well away from soldiers and bots. Jetfire transformed and landed heavily among the damaged and burning fliers as the ground forces converged on the wreckage. Optimus landed and strode to Ratchet's side.

"I don't care if there's a single usable part among them!" the medi-bot was snarling as Ironhide and Prowl both struggled to restrain him, "I want no part of those monsters to survive!"

Kae transformed and landed lightly beside Optimus, she strode to Ratchet and grasped his shoulders.

_∂Decide, my spark-father,∂_ she commanded sternly as the soldiers stared at the irate Auto-bot medic.

"They killed my Alia!" Ratchet howled, "rounded up an entire compound of civilian bots, Femmes and younglings and executed them!"

"Then calm yourself and stand in witness," Kae stated coldly, holding Ratchet firmly in place and catching his optics absolutely. Optimus watched in relief as his Medical officer stared at his spark-daughter and calmed, his optics slowly returning to their normal blue.

"Witness what?" he asked in a drained, grieved tone. Kae released his shoulders and nodded to Prowl and Ironhide.

"Destruction," she murmured, lightly touching Ratchet's back and guiding him forward somewhat. She raised her hand and snapped a levitation field around the wreckage.

Every bot watched with combined horror and satisfaction as the twisted and burning metals rose from the ground and clustered together. Kae's other hand rose as a look of concentration crossed her optics. A violent gesture and the fliers collapsed in on themselves, another and they compressed together, Kae began vibrating as she controlled the dual fields.

"Auto-bots ready!" she barked, "Aim!" cannons emerged from hands and armour, out of the corner of his optic, Optimus watched Ironhide disconnect his largest cannon, offering it to a stunned Ratchet. Mikaela waited patiently as Ratchet integrated the cannon.

"Ready father?" she asked softly, Ratchet nodded firmly. "On your command Prime." She stated firmly.

Optimus surveyed the waiting bots and humans with grim satisfaction, aiming his own cannons.

"Fire!" he barked

Bots and humans both fired simultaneously at the crushed metals. Optimus watched with pride as his Kae directed the sphere to collect the raw plasma and rounds, crushing the metals and heat tightly, melting them into a single, perfect sphere. It lowered gracefully to the ground, rolling slightly on the minute grade.

"Now _tha'_ I kin _use_," Roadbuster growled, rushing forward with Topspin and Leadfoot hot on his heels to take control of the sphere, immediately rolling it toward the Xantium.

"They're dead, Ratchet," Arcee murmured softly.

"And burning in the pit, there is no possibility of resurrection for them," Ratchet murmured, he stood, looking completely lost, Ironhide gently touched the cannon on Ratchet's arm, the medic automatically disconnected it, and Ironhide collected it carefully, integrating it back into his systems.

"Ratch?" Kae murmured softly.

"Now what do I do?" Ratchet asked in a stunned, lost tone. "I never..."

"Never thought you'd see the day that Nova and Alia would be revenged," Optimus rumbled calmly, reaching out and laying a gentle hand on the older bot's shoulder. "I would suggest that you hold your Femme tightly, and then make sure that your spark-daughter has not injured herself on her first day after being cast."

"Injured, no," Kae mumbled beside him, Optimus turned and lightly caught her as she staggered against him. "Really, _really_ tired, how the _hell_ do you keep going like that? You're _bigger _than me!"

"It takes a while for your cells to break into charging properly, daughter," Ratchet stated immediately, moving forward and reaching up to cup Kae's cheek as he scanned her. "Showing green or not, you only had a half-charge, let's get you back."

Kae nodded wearily, struggling to stand upright.

"She is a day old and managed to do that much damage!?" Prowl demanded, his optic twitched slightly. Ironhide reached up and lightly tapped his helm a couple of times.

Prowl looked at him with a mix of gratitude and curiosity in his optics.

"'Fraid there ain't much logical in her existence, Prowl," Ironhide rumbled cheerfully. "Just think of her as another Arcee, that'll be the easiest."

"_That_ much _damage!?"_ Prowl demanded again.

"She is talented," Optimus rumbled blandly, smiling as Bumblebee bounced forward to catch Kae in a hug.

"You really _are_ my big sister now," he grinned up at her.

"That feels so weird," Kae snorted, winding a gentle arm around her little brother's shoulders.

"How are we supposed to get my sister home?" Bumblebee asked worriedly as she sagged against him somewhat. Optimus frowned, her energon reserves were dipping low into the amber again.

"Do you think you can manage to integrate into the flight deck?" he rumbled gently, Kae looked up at him wearily and nodded.

"This feels ridiculous," she murmured grumpily.

"Granddaughter you just crushed the wolf pack with half-charged cells," Jetfire snorted, "In seven hundred vorn I haven't seen the like."

"Opened up a can of whupass!" Skids called out with a broad grin.

"And if you don't let me take care of you we're both going to go insane," Ratchet added firmly. Kae looked up at him quickly, her optics sharpening for a second before she nodded acceptance. Optimus gently released her to lean on Ratchet and Ironhide as he shrugged out of the flight deck.

"Welp, I'm going to scout around," Jetfire announced brightly, "nothing like a nice little skirmish to get the lubricants flowing."

"Hourly reports," Optimus rumbled.

"If any more of 'em even _dare_ to make an appearance, _yeh'll_ know before _they_ even know they've been spotted," Jetfire snorted. "Good recharge, granddaughter," he added with a broad grin.

"You want to refuel first?" Will shouted up to him.

"Excellent idea!" the bot grinned, leaning down and offering a hand. Chance grinned and promptly sat in the bot's palm.

"Over to the hanger there mate!" the australian grinned, "we'll fix you up proper!"

"So yeh got wings on yer arm," Jetfire snorted. "Pilot are yeh?"

"Mate, if I could even come close to withstanding the G's you were pulling I'da been in your cockpit the entire _way!" _Chance exploded, grinning at the infiltrator.

Optimus chuckled as the pair wandered off, transforming the flight deck and collecting his Kae again.

_**Ω**__**Still feel ridiculous,Ω**_ she murmured to him, integrating into the flight deck.

"Get some recharge, my Kae," he rumbled, cupping her cheek, she nodded obediently and transformed with the flight deck, back into the trailer. The hum of her spark softened into a recharge cycle.

Humans and bots stood silently for a long moment.

"So, holy crap," Will stated in a conversational tone.

"You can say that again," Ironhide snorted, he looked at Optimus and promptly began howling with laughter. "Thrice blessed bloody bastard bot!"

"Right, well let's load up, get back to base, remind me to thank Kae for cleaning up the wreckage when she wakes up," Will snorted.

Optimus chuckled.

"Dude, did you _see_ that manoeuvre she pulled!?" Epps called out with wide eyes.

"What, you mean when she took off without a runway, buzzed through the ranks or when she turned one-eighty and went right back after them again?" Jacobs grinned.

"Fucking _all _of em man! I thought she was impressive in Egypt, but that was just... fuck!" Epps stated with wide eyes.

"The kind of thing that makes you really, _really_ glad she's on our side?" Jacobs stated blandly.

"Uh, yeah," Will snorted, Optimus looked down at them and desperately tried not to laugh as he recorded the conversation for Kae to watch later.

"You have fought together before, but she is a day old?" Prowl asked with a frown, his optic twitching somewhat more violently.

"Long story," Ironhide rumbled cheerfully, guiding the enforcer toward one of the carriers. "You see..."

Optimus shrugged back into his truck form and backed into the trailer, hooking up with the ease of long practice. Kae roused somewhat, adjusting the balances on the trailer and hesitantly extending her binder cables to connect to him properly before dropping back to her recharge. Optimus smiled and delicately towed her onto the plane, allowing the soldiers to tie him in. Ratchet sat down beside him, still looking a bit lost.

"She crushed them absolutely, didn't even stop for parts," he mumbled.

"She heard you, Ratchet, what would have happened if she had tried to convince you otherwise?" Optimus rumbled gently.

"We'd still be arguing," Ratchet snorted softly.

"Would you have felt better if you were still arguing?" Optimus asked in amusement.

"... no..." Ratch stated quietly.

"Then you're not mad at me for completely destroying them?" Kae asked softly, her holoform onlining in front of the mech, standing as she always had as a human.

"No, no I'm not mad," Ratchet whispered, leaning down and picking up the holoform, "the wreckers can use that sphere of metals just as easily, they were going to melt them down anyway." he cuddled the holoform gently. "I don't... I don't know what to do," the bot whimpered suddenly, "I swore to myself that I would be the one to make the shot."

"Ratch, you built me," Kae murmured gently, her holoform reaching up and stroking the mech's face, "You purified my protoform metals, stretched and folded them to the point that I doubt that anything will ever _dent _them. You made me a spark-chamber, cradled me as a hatchling, I felt you, Ratch, you're such a gentle father. I'm sorry, I can't let the most compassionate of all of us go against his base codes."

"Compassion my foot," Ratchet grumbled, "says the femme who terrified a drone before replacing his damaged eye."

"Yeah... after I broke it with a torch," she shot back at him guiltily.

"So I build you strong and you take down the bots that killed my family and wear yourself out doing it. You should be recharging daughter," he scolded her gently.

"I... am sleep holoforming?" Kae shot at him innocently.

"Sleep Kae. Now." Ratchet commanded sternly.

"Love you too, _∂Father∂_ she murmured, coiling the holoform against his chest.

The look of shock on Ratchet's face was priceless.

"Sleep, my beloved daughter," he whispered in a choked voice, cuddling the holoform as Mirage watched curiously.

"Ask Bee," Optimus rumbled with a quiet snort. Mirage nodded with a grin and turned to the scout.

"Mikaela's nineteen solar-cycles old," Bumblebee started with a broad grin, "I met my big sister two annum ago... when she was still a human..."

"Go to your recharge," Ratchet murmured gently, stroking the holoform's cheek. "I'll make sure he doesn't get the facts mixed up."

"See you in the morning Ratch," she murmured, offlining the holoform. Her spark quieted again.


	118. 115 Miscommunication

**Chapter 115 - Miscommunication**

* * *

Optimus nodded to the soldiers as they untied he and the trailer from the moorings, and he carefully drew his Kae from the plane, checking the connections and driving back to NEST headquarters. Kae never woke.

"Kae," he murmured gently, pulling into the entrance bay. She transformed from the trailer, disconnecting from the flight deck and staggering. Optimus quickly caught her before she could fall. Her energon levels were lower, if that was possible.

"Ratchet!" Optimus rumbled worriedly.

"I told you to sleep, daughter," Ratchet grumbled, reaching to cup Kae's cheek.

"Did," she mumbled, "tried, dunno how you guys slept in your vehicle forms." she stretched and grimaced.

"It does take getting used to," Ratchet stated kindly, nodding as Optimus gently scooped her into his arms.

"I know I'm bad off when I'm not even going to argue about being carried," she murmured, resting her cheek against his shoulder. Optimus smiled at his spark-mate, cradling her a bit more closely as he carried her to their quarters, walking through the door and laying her gently on the berth. She squirmed to her side with a small, apologetic smile before her optics dimmed again. He watched her for a long moment before waving his hand and setting the lighting to night mode, walking quietly from their quarters to communications central.

"So, let's get the reports done," Will yawned as Optimus leaned down and collected the human. Will grinned and scrambled to his shoulder. "Mind if I just stay here?"

"Please," Optimus rumbled calmly, "I don't have a human Kae to continue to show such trust anymore."

"That why she was always on your shoulder?" Will asked curiously.

"And I liked having her there, it was like having... what is the word..." Optimus frowned, searching the human languages for an explanation.

Will remained silent, watching him curiously.

"The literal translation is second eyes... second mind complex... first lieutenant? one who watches through a leader's eyes but with a fresh mind. Not necessarily a mate, either, it was one of my functions before I was leader." Optimus waved a hand irritably.

"I have no idea how to parallel that," Will laughed, "but whatever the word is in Cybertronian, I want one."

"It is a relief to have such a... confidant, and a terrifying thing at times."

"How do you mean?" Will asked curiously.

"Megatron was my... brother-confidant before he betrayed us," Optimus rumbled sadly, "when I saw the weaknesses of our society, I wished to explore ways to change it, strengthen them, he saw it as a means of conquest."

"You called him brother," Will stated in a muted tone.

"He was my brother," Optimus murmured, "we were reared together, shared parental units until we entered the academy. He joined the gladiatorial ranks, and I became an archivist. Eventually, I was mentored by Sentinel to fulfil my duties as a Prime." Optimus vented a sigh as Will rested a hand on the shoulder he was sitting on.

"Betrayal by a brother never gets easier," Will murmured.

Optimus nodded and stopped before the doors to communications central hissed open. "When is your next rota off again?" he rumbled curiously.

"Week and a half," Will grinned up at him, "And you and I are going to hit the bar, drink beer, gossip about the females in our lives and bitch about the downsides of leadership."

"I'll drive," Optimus rumbled with a snort, Will began howling with laughter as they entered communication central.

* * *

Three highly annoying hours later, Optimus strode back to the housing wing, gently carrying an irritated Will to the doors of his quarters.

"I'm so sorry Prime," Will stated finally as Optimus leaned down to set him down.

"As Kae says, a smart man knows whom his allies are." Optimus rumbled quietly. "As always, I am grateful to have you as an ally, even if your superiors are..."

"Bloody dense," Will snorted. "Hopefully I don't see you in the morning this time."

"Agreed, oddly enough," Optimus chuckled. "I can not wait until Kae is back on her feet, _she_ knows how to deal with..."

"The dumb-asses?" Will asked blandly.

"I was going to say the humans, but thought better of it," Optimus snorted, grinning down at Will.

"Oh ouch, straight to the spark Optimus," Will stated with a smirk, hitting a fist to his chest.

"Do not be absurd," Optimus laughed. "I have not gone for a spark-shot in vorns."

"Pacifist," Ironhide added, striding toward his quarters. "On second thought, take that back, you're actually _capable_ of making spark-shots." the weapons master snorted, not even stopping or turning around.

"You're going to let him get away with that?" Will grinned up at him.

"I must admit a fondness for picking my battles," Optimus stated mildly. "Ironhide is one of the few still capable of-"

"Knocking him off of his Primely high horse," Ratchet interjected with a grin. "Just as he promised he would do when Optimus requested him to at least be his weapons master if he wouldn't be first lieutenant. Now quit hogging the corridor, there's a femme in your quarters and you're still out shooting the shit?"

"Oh! You've been told!" Will laughed. "I see Ratchet's arguments and raise you a chance for a few uninterrupted hours in the arms of said femme. The next person to call is going to be dutifully informed that you're recharging and can't be disturbed."

"For?" Optimus snorted.

"You're driving," Will grinned up at him unrepentantly.

"Deal," Optimus laughed, getting back up to his feet. "Sleep well, Major."

"Good recharge Prime," Will stated, throwing a friendly salute and ducking into his quarters.

Optimus vented a sigh and followed the older medic down the corridor, walking quietly into his quarters and looking down at the femme in his berth. The doors closed behind him and he laid down carefully, trying not to rouse her.

She curled in her recharge, cuddling against him and venting a contented sigh.

Optimus pulled his reliant spark-mate close, smiling gently as she buried herself into him a bit more, her spark quieting into a proper recharge.

But his thoughts, his thoughts turned to the day.

She was a Prime, even if she still wore his ring, he doubted she would when she knew just how much she outranked him. He looked around his quarters... _former_ quarters, he corrected himself. She was Prime now.

With a sigh, he set his alarm to rouse him, and drifted into what he knew to be the last time he would be able to recharge beside her.

* * *

(MPOV)

I came online with a start.

Optimus was gone. I checked my chronometer and grimaced.

I'd slept until noon.

That would _not_ do.

I rolled to my feet and strode out of his quarters. Hopefully _our_ quarters...

I shook myself lightly and walked down the corridor toward the med-bay.

"I still don't think you're going to need a new berth!" Ratchet was saying angrily. I frowned in confusion, walking into the med-bay.

"I need new quarters," Optimus rumbled calmly. "I do not wish to sleep on the _floor_..."

That hit like a lightning bolt. I froze. He wanted new quarters, had I kicked him off of our berth in my recharge or something?

"Why the pit do you need new quarters, is she a rough sleeper or something?" Ratchet demanded, seemingly in counterpart to my thoughts.

"No," Optimus rumbled quietly. "You _know_ why I require new quarters-"

"You-" I whimpered. Optimus turned to look at me in shock. "You-" I could barely get the words out. He'd lied, he didn't want me.

_Stupid, foolish little human Kae thought he would love you?_ my thoughts began hissing spitefully in my mind.

"Kae?" Optimus rumbled. He'd promised.

"You _LIAR!_" I shrieked, I turned and ran.

He didn't love me.

Through the entrance bay, I controlled my steps precisely, never coming close to a human.

"Open the doors!" I shouted. Soldiers scrambled to obey.

"Kae!" Ratchet was shouting. "NO! Don't open the doors!"

I wasn't listening to them, I needed to get away.

He didn't want me.

The soldiers were staring in shock, trying to stop the door from opening now.

Too late, there was enough room now. I ran through them and blasted into the air.

He didn't love me.

::. KAE!.:: Optimus' voice shouted over the Primary.

::. How _dare_ you call me that! I thought you were my friend! My beloved!.:: I shrieked at him before shutting off my link to the Primary. I blasted my engines as hard as they went, streaking through the skies, going somewhere, I didn't know.

A deserted, empty range of mountains loomed ahead, good enough, I landed on a peak and lost my balance, tumbling down the face and landing in trees.

He didn't love me.

I curled up around my broken spark and sobbed as rubble pinged down on me.

* * *

(APOV)

Arcee heard a shout, she was running down the corridor the next second, only to see Kae running out of the med-bay.

"Open the doors!" she shouted. Arcee switched to battle mode, whizzing to the entrance bay and waiting for the order to roll out.

But Ratchet and Optimus were running after her.

"Kae!" Ratchet shouted "NO! Don't open the doors!"

But that was too late, Kae got through anyway. She was blasting into the air the next moment. Arcee stood. Shocked. Why the pit would _she_ run!?

::. KAE!.:: Optimus called after her on the primary.

::. How _dare_ you call me that! I thought you were my friend! My beloved!.:: Kae shrieked. Arcee almost fell over. The young femme's presence on the comm vanished.

The hangar stood, dead silent.

"What did you _do_!?" Arcee shrieked, bringing a cannon online and aiming for the Prime.

Optimus just stood and looked shocked.

"I did nothing!" he rumbled.

"No, you asked for a new set of quarters!" Ratchet growled.

_"__You did WHAT!?"_ Arcee shrieked. Cannon nothing, _now_ that idiot needed a _pounding._

"She outranks me!" Optimus rumbled, as if that was _anything_ close to an excuse!

Arcee jumped on him and promptly began hitting the stupid _glitching_ Prime.

"_Why the scrap would you request different quarters!?" _she bellowed at him, punching everything she could reach. Optimus irritably caught hold of her and held her at arm's distance.

"She outranks me, as Prime she has a right to her own quarters," Optimus snarled.

_You Primus damned two faced idiot! If you don't love her anymore say it to her face!∂_ Arcee shrieked at him. _∂Better to hear it from you than for her to find out second hand! What were you planning on telling her? That oh well, you're a bot now, so I don't need to __**string you along anymore!?∂**_

* * *

(OPOV)

The hangar stood, dead silent. Archangel was gone, she had called him a liar...

"What did you _do_!?" Arcee shrieked, bringing a cannon online and aiming for him. That was a true shock, Arcee didn't do that.

"I did nothing!" he rumbled.

"No, you asked for a new set of quarters!" Ratchet growled beside him.

_"__You did WHAT!?"_ Arcee shrieked, her cannons receded, that was something of a relief.

"She outranks me!" Optimus rumbled. What more explanation was _needed_?

Except Arcee jumped on him and promptly began punching him.

"_Why the scrap would you request different quarters!?" _she bellowed at him, punching everything she could reach. Optimus irritably caught hold of her and held her at arm's distance.

"She outranks me, as Prime she has a right to her own quarters," Optimus snarled, he didn't know what was getting into Arcee, he needed to know what had happened to Kae.

∂_You Primus damned two faced idiot! If you don't love her anymore say it to her face!∂_ Arcee shrieked at him.

She said what. Optimus felt rage rising in his spark. She had best stop. But she didn't.

∂_Better to hear it from you than for her to find out second hand! What were you planning on telling her? That oh well, you're a bot now, so I don't need to __**string you along anymore!?∂**_

What?

Optimus dropped her.

He went down, putting his face to her level.

∂_How dare you,_∂ he rumbled tightly, struggling to hold the rage in.

∂_How dare I what?_∂ Arcee snapped right back at him.

∂_How dare you imply that I will do __**anythingbut love that Femme!**_∂ he bellowed at her, punching at the floor.

∂_Then why the scrap are you rejecting her!?_∂ Arcee shrieked at him.

_Rejecting her!? _

∂_When have I ever rejected her?∂_ Optimus demanded.

∂_You just asked for different quarters,_∂ Arcee snarled.

That is what she had heard. No explanations, simply that he wished different quarters.

He felt his strength begin to abandon him.

∂_I what?_∂ he demanded hoarsely, terrified.

∂_You ask for quarters away from your femme? If a bot asked to sleep somewhere other than where you are, how is that not rejection?_∂ Arcee snarled.

That was it. He was fragged. His motor controls abandoned him and instinct ruled. He was flat on the ground the next moment, curling up slightly.

He. Was a complete glitch, his beloved now hated him.

Fragged.

∂_No...∂ _he whispered, battling down the keen. Arcee flopped down somewhat in shock.

∂_Optimus, why are you rejecting her?_∂ Arcee asked him softly.

_She outranks me, she will not want me_,∂ Optimus whimpered, curling a bit more. He had hoped she would at least be his friend still.

∂_Oh, scrap,∂_ Ratchet stated quietly.

Arcee buried her face in her hands.

∂_You're an idiot._∂ she stated flatly. Optimus couldn't help but agree.

∂_You're stating the obvious,∂_ Ratchet informed her calmly. ∂_Now we need to figure out how to fix this!∂_

∂_We need to find her, bring her back and lock the two of them in their room until they've sorted out exactly how they feel about each other._∂ Arcee stated firmly. "Sideswipe, get a track on Kae, we need to find her before she gets hurt."

"Can _anyone_ tell me what the hell is going on!?" Will bellowed.

"Romantic drama," Arcee stated perfunctorily. "Now, why the hell are you acting like this, for Primus sake you declared your intentions to her!"

Optimus shook his head mutely.

"_You didn't declare your intentions!?_" Arcee shrieked at him again. She looked ready to kick him. He deserved it, of course. She sat down and leaned her helm against his instead.

"You glitch," she stated irritably. "You complete glitch, we're dealing with Elita-1 all over again, aren't we? You _promised _her that you would love her no matter what, it's what putting that ring on her finger _means_ in earth's cultures."

"I will always love her," Optimus whispered.

"Then get _off_ your Primus damned aft and help us _find her!" _Arcee commanded him. Optimus sat up somewhat and looked around numbly.

"Now." Arcee continued sternly. "We're going to _find_ Kae, and you're going to _talk_ to Kae, and you're going to apologize for being a complete glitch. Sideswipe?"

"Got her..." the bot stated worriedly.

"Sideswipe?" Ratchet demanded.

"She... she just landed, on a mountain, and then she dropped like five hundred feet," Sideswipe whimpered.

"_Co-ordinates!" _Arcee bellowed.

Kae was hurt.

Optimus was up and transformed the next second, listening to the co-ordinates and driving as quickly as his engines could throw him.

* * *

Three hours. Three hours of driving.

He, and the bots behind him were in full panic now. Kae hadn't moved. Her signal was there, weakening, but there.

That the gorgeous femme could _go_ that fast was exquisite.

But it didn't help when she was the one hurt. Arcee, Chromia and Flareup swerved out of his tailwind and whipped past him.

Her sisters would find her first. Bumblebee was hot on their fenders.

Into mountains, they drove as quickly and as far as they could.

In the distance, he could see Bumblebee ploughing his way up the mountainside. And even at that distance, he could hear the little scout calling Kae's name.

Pleading that she was still alive.

Optimus' spark wrenched in his chamber, it was all his fault.

The unit ran, scaling the mountain behind Bumblebee as quickly as they could. His first sight of her tore his spark out, chewed it up and threw it back in his chamber again.

Mikaela was laying, almost completely buried in rubble. Curled up around her spark, her wing torn off, and traces of energon still shining down her face.

"Mikaela," he sobbed, kneeling down beside Bumblebee as the little scout scrambled to get the stones off of his sister.

"Kae," Bumblebee was sobbing. "Big sister wake up!"

Then, the most beautiful of sights.

Mikaela's optics brightened.

She looked at him, and they darkened with anger.

"You," she growled.

"Kae," Optimus sobbed, curling up beside her.

Bad move, she lashed out the next second.

"You come to find me in guilt!?" she shrieked at him. "You _liar! _You promised that no matter what happened, you would love me still! Are you all lying!? Am I so hideous that you cannot stand to share your quarters with me!"

She struggled out of the rubble and threw a punch at him, collapsing the next moment, she slid down the steep slope a bit more, curled up and sobbing.

Optimus didn't know what to do.

"Mikaela," Arcee snapped out.

"My sister you said you would tell me the truth," Mikaela sobbed, she rose slightly, struggled to transform and collapsed again. Bumblebee scrambled toward her.

"=Big-sister please=," he chirped desperately. Mikaela began sobbing harder, curling into herself. Undeterred, Bumblebee laid down beside her, squirming his way into her arms. "You always said you wanted to be big enough to hug me," he whimpered.

Sobbing, Mikaela curled up around her brother, holding him tightly.

=Kae you gotta listen to me= Bumblebee whispered in her arms. =Optimus loves you, he's _always_ gonna love you. You can see it in his spark. You outrank him =Big-sister-, I _told _you, our society tended to bond within our own ranks=

=And I told you it was the stupidest thing your society could do= Kae sobbed. =What does it matter? _He doesn't want me_.=

She thought _what!?_ Optimus felt the rage build in his spark again.

"That is a lie!" Optimus roared. Mikaela jerked upright and staggered to her feet, glaring at him with those eyes.

"You _dare_ to call me the liar?" she snarled at him. Infuriated, Optimus slid down the slope somewhat and put his face to hers.

"I. Will love you to the end of days and beyond." he snarled. "It is _you_ who will reject me in the end. As it happens every single time."

Mikaela let loose a snarl of true rage and threw herself at him.

The two of them promptly began rolling down the mountain.

Terrified, Optimus wound himself around her, even as she tried to punch him.

At the bottom, he released her somewhat.

"_How dare you accuse me of being so shallow!" _she shrieked, throwing another punch at him. He let her get it through his defences, he deserved it, after all.

"Mikaela you outrank me," he stated firmly.

"_What makes you think that I give a flying fuck about that!?"_ she sobbed, "I loved you! And you rejected me for an accident of birth."

She turned and started to walk away.

Not this time.

"I love you," he snarled, "nothing will ever _stop_ me from loving you!"

"Liar," she sobbed.

"If you cannot believe my words then believe my spark!" he bellowed, spinning her around and crushing their chests together. He reached for his spark with his own, teasing her chamber open and pressing himself against her.

~Feel my love for you!~ he sobbed directly into her spark ~ But you? You will have your pick of any bot or femme in this universe. You will not love me..~

~No?~ Mikaela replied icily.

And then it was her turn, he saw her, everything that she had been, everything that she was now. And her love, her love for him, tearing her apart with his perceived rejection. Demands, directly into his spark.

~Look at me!~ she snarled ~ Have I become so hideous you cannot look at me?~

Optimus dragged her spark to his own.

~You are the most beautiful creature I have ever had the honour of laying optics on~ he whispered.

Kae began crying again, and so close, he could feel her body shutting down.

~Kae, Oh my Kae I am so sorry~ he choked, holding her tightly ~Let's get you home~

Mikaela looked at him for a moment before the damage and the grief finally won out, she shut down into automatic recharge.

Optimus looked up at his unit with shock and grief in his optics.

"Let's get her home," Ratchet stated heavily.

"How?" Bumblebee whimpered.

The medic sighed and focused for a long moment, transforming himself into a trailer.

Optimus laid his spark-mate gently within the Medic's transport and transformed, connecting and beginning the trip home.


	119. 116 Recommunication

**Chapter 116 - Re-communication**

* * *

(APOV)

Arcee strode into the med-bay, Kae was waking up.

Her optics onlined in the darkness, and looked around. She struggled off of the berth and stared down at her hands.

_ƒYou know, Ratchet spent a lot of time on your hands,ƒ_ Arcee whistled to the femme gently. _ƒYou did change them, slightly, made them better.ƒ_

"What did I do, Cee?" Kae whispered. "Why... why..." she sagged into herself.

Arcee immediately strode forward and climbed up onto the berth with her sister.

"Because your Optimus, yes he's still _your_ Optimus," Arcee told the femme tolerantly. "Is guaranteed to be an absolute glitch from time to time. Even when you were human he was certain you would not turn your head for him."

"But he saw my spark, our sparks intertwined so many times," Kae whimpered. "He read me, he _knew_ me..."

"He probably thinks you've changed, and you have, you're a bot now, Kae," Arcee murmured gently, cuddling the larger femme. "We don't know how much of our human Kae remains within you, that's all."

"But I'm right here," Mikaela whimpered. "I'm right here, I'm me, I'm Kae, just Kae..." She began crying softly. "The six named me Prime before you, marked my heart, my spark, why did it surprise him? He was _always_ Optimus Prime, even as Orion. I'm Archangel Prime, I was named that in Egypt, I'm not Prime, I'm Kae..."

Arcee squirmed slightly and wound her arms around Kae, cuddling her gently.

"Am I so hideous 'Cee?" she whimpered.

"No dear-spark," Arcee murmured gently. "We'd probably be better off if you _were._ For Primus sake Kae, not only are you a healer, a predator and Prime, you're gorgeous. You built yourself perfectly, don't blame your potential mate for being intimidated by you." she pulled back somewhat and looked at Kae critically for a moment. "Although none of us are going to blame you for whacking him upside the helm, he _is_ being a glitch, but we need to forgive our glitching bots, after all."

"I just..." Kae whispered.

"You know, Optimus courted Elita for a millennia," Arcee murmured gently. "She teased him, strung him along, she found it _handy_ to have him courting her. When she found out he was Prime? She bonded him for that reason alone."

Mikaela stared at her, and Arcee smiled to hear a soft resonation of indignation from her sister's spark.

"It will work out, we have the time, now," Arcee smiled, gently cupping Kae's faceplates. "Give him time to figure out that you are truly _you. _Give him the time to sort his poor, overclocked processors. In his own mind he's trying to do the honourable thing. Get your rest, Kae. If worse comes to worst, we'll just have Ironhide and Ratchet knock some sense back into him." she smirked mischievously at her.

It warmed her spark when Mikaela rolled her optics slightly.

"As always, my sister, I will be guided by you in this," she murmured with a hint of the smile that was so purely Kae.

"Good," Arcee murmured, patting her cheek gently. "Now go to sleep."

Mikaela obediently laid down and offlined her optics. Arcee smiled as her spark's resonations softened into sleep mode.

* * *

(RPOV)

Ratchet watched his spark-daughter worriedly, she was laying in the med-bay still, patching up her body had been easy, it had only been her armour damaged.

If her spark had been patched up was an entirely different story.

She had onlined her holoform, and was watching herself fix the jeeps in silence. Optimus walked past the doors, looking at Kae all the while and trying to be sneaky about it.

"Come on, Kae," Ratchet stated perfunctorily, "you need to move or your armour repairs are going to rust."

"Lack of movement does not cause your armour to rust in a controlled environment," Mikaela stated tiredly.

"Come on," Ratchet stated firmly, dragging her to her feet. He began employing every trick he knew to get her out of a funk.

He wasn't entirely certain how much she remembered of yesterday.

He hoped none of it, but she and Optimus were still rather cool with each other.

"Ratchet, what are you doing?" Mikaela asked quietly, standing and looking down at him. "I'm trying to get some work done."

"Come on Kae," Ratchet stated flatly. "You might outrank me, but in this med-bay I am still your senior officer. Now come along."

Mikaela stared at him and sighed. Following.

"Now, what the scrap are you doing with your holoform?" Ratchet asked her cheerfully.

Kae rolled her optics and continued their normal chat.

* * *

(IPOV)

Ironhide watched as Optimus strode into the central, Ratchet and Kae just behind him, chatting about repairs. Chromia leaned against him gently, and Ironhide crouched down slowly, settling down on the bench. Will wandered up the steps and sat on a catwalk near his shoulder. Good man, good fighter.

"Mikaela," Optimus rumbled suddenly, turning to look at the Femme.

"Optimus?" she asked, her brow ridges raised curiously. The bot fell silent again. She frowned and canted her head to the side somewhat. "You're worrying again," she stated in a patient voice.

"He wants to know if you'll still marry him!" Will murmured softly.

"Logical question," Ironhide rumbled.

"And why is that?" Chromia asked impatiently.

Well, now was as good a time as any.

"For the same reason I'm terrified of asking you and Ratch is dithering," Ironhide rumbled good naturedly, "I knew you when you were barely more than a hatchling, and you've matured into an exquisitely beautiful Femme several thousand times better than I could ever hope to be, how do you _expect_ a scarred and battle-worn old servant to be brave enough to ask an empress to be his, and his alone?"

Chromia gasped as Ironhide levitated a ring over his hand and extended it toward her.

Wordlessly she wound herself around him, kissing his jaw and making him smile. He gathered her close and kissed her smiling lip plates.

He looked up with a shit-eating grin.

"Your turn," he rumbled as Chromia giggled. He dipped down and pecked kisses down her neck and shoulder.

* * *

(BPOV)

Optimus shot an exasperated look at his weapons master.

"Why wouldn't I?" Kae asked softly behind him. She walked to stand beside the Prime, reaching up to cup his cheek gently.

"You outrank all of us by a wide margin, Kae," Optimus rumbled quietly, "you may have your pick of any bot or Femme. Even Megatron will wish to court you."

"So you're pulling back so that I may choose to allow _Megatron_ to court me?" Kae asked in an exasperated tone. Bumblebee fought to hide a grin, he knew _that_ tone all too well. That was proof in itself, his sister was really there.

Optimus just looked at her with quiet, saddened optics.

Mikaela promptly reached up and cuffed him upside the back of the helm. Bee couldn't stop the chirp of laughter that escaped him. Kae reached up and snared Optimus's hips in delicate hands, holding him lightly in place as she faced him fully.

"Do _you_ want me to accept the courtship of another?" she asked bluntly.

"You may-"

"That's not what I asked," she interrupted him sharply. "Optimus, do _you_ want me to accept the advances of another bot?"

Prime stared down at Bee's big sister.

"Translation," Bumblebee called out, "Kae picked you, Prime, now do you want her or not?" Optimus glanced up, startled to see the group of broadly grinning bots.

"How can I not want my soul?" he asked softly, looking back at Kae.

* * *

(OPOV)

"Then stop pushing me toward others," Kae murmured, reaching up to gently kiss his jaw, "you're stuck with me to the day you deny me at the gates."

"Never," Optimus rumbled harshly, his arms snapped up to crush her against him. "I will _never _leave you behind."

"Good," she murmured, burrowing herself into him. She felt so right there, all but magnetized to his frame. A pillar of strength to lean against.

"My Kae," he rumbled softly, "my beautiful, perfect Kae." he pulled back somewhat and knelt in front of her, gently catching her hand. Her armour receded and he saw it. His ring.

"You still wear it," he whispered, looking up at her in shock.

"Of course I still wear it you daft bloody bot," she laughed softly, kneeling down in front of him and pulling him tightly into a hug again. "Beneath my armour, next to my protoform and safe. I am _nothing_ without my love."

Optimus groaned and pulled her closer.

"So are we gonna have a wedding or what?" Lennox shouted. Ratchet began howling with laughter.

"What do you think, triple wedding?" he asked Arcee with a broad grin, "We'll marry the holoforms off for the humans, what do you say?"

"About time," she said with a small smile, wrapping an arm around his waist.

"I totally called it," Will stated seriously, looking at Optimus.

"And that is?" Optimus rumbled.

"That when you told Kae Megatron will want to court her you should be wearing your helmet." Will grinned.

Ironhide began laughing again, offering a closed fist to the Major, who accepted the fist bump with a grin.

Optimus rose and pulled his Kae to her feet, she wrapped a gentle arm around his waist and smiled up at him.

"That beautiful, warm and loving smile," he murmured, reaching around to cup her face. "How I ever made it through a day without that smile is unthinkable."

"Flatterer," Kae smiled up at him gently before pulling herself up by his shoulders to kiss his jaw again.

"Hey Kae?" Will asked curiously.

"Yeah Will?" Mikaela turned to look at the Major with a gentle smile.

"What's it like?" he asked curiously.

"That's a broad spectrum question, what's what like?" she chuckled.

"Being a..." he frowned, "I want to say machine, but you're not, you're... you..."

"It's... complicated," Mikaela said after a minute's thought. "Right now, I feel... tired, but not in a human sense, I know precisely how much power I have in reserve and how much longer I can go before I absolutely need to recharge. At the same time there's no need to yawn, to have the feeling of my lungs stretching to bring more oxygen into my blood. That's just... gone. My air intakes keep my processors cool, and my fans pump air into my burners when I'm flying, but it's... it's incredible," she said softly, "There aren't enough words in the english language, it's simply incredible."

She twined herself lightly around Optimus again, leaning her head against his chest. Optimus couldn't help the small smile that graced his faceplates as he pulled her a bit closer. She just felt so perfect there, standing on his right.

"I'm going to go get some recharge," she said quietly, reaching up and kissing his jaw again before gently pulling away.

"Night Kae," Will called.

"Night Will, Hide, Chrome, Arcee, Ratch, Flare, Sides, Bee, Skids, 'Flap," she smiled gently at each of them before turning toward the door and walking out on silent feet. Optimus watched her leave. Her imminent absence tempered only by the smooth, graceful way she walked.

Gorgeous.

Reality crashed in on him a second later. The thought hit him like a thunderbolt.

That gorgeous creature was his.

The backup processor promptly came in handy, keeping him upright as his primary processors promptly shut down.

Of course _it_ decided that it was _far _more interested in Kae, or the conversation at hand. How did humans _manage_ with only one processor? He had to continuously send commands to it just to keep moving. Slowly.

"How the hell does she do that?" Will asked curiously.

Get to the bench.

"Do what?" Sideswipe asked curiously.

Get to the bench.

"Walk around without making a bloody sound," Will laughed.

"It's because she's a predator and well built," Flareup said with a small smile.

Get to the bench.

"Sound follows her though," Ironhide stated with a shit-eating grin.

"Which sound?" Will asked with a grin.

Get to the bench.

"That popping and thunder," Ratchet stated blandly, "it's rather similar to the sounds that follow the Femmes here. Don't you think 'Hide?"

_Finally. Sit _on the bench.

"Remarkably similar," Ironhide grinned unrepentantly.

"There's nothing like the sound of processors shutting down and bots falling over to make a Femme's day," Chromia laughed as Optimus sat heavily on the bench. Goal reached, he vented a deep sigh. Will walked the catwalk and dropped down to sit on his shoulder.

"What happened to that secondary processor you were running?" Will asked, grinning as Optimus turned his head to look at him.

"Why do you think he managed to stay on his feet so long?" Ratchet asked blandly.

"Can you blame the bot?" Will laughed from his shoulder, "god, even by _human_ standards she's bloody built." Ironhide began laughing again. "Just remember to let her know just how jealously you're going to guard her from other bots from now on," Will grinned, patting the shoulder he was sitting on. "Kae's got the right idea though, I'm gonna go grab a few winks before the chaos starts again," he jumped into the hand Optimus offered him and down to the ground.

"See you lot later," Will yawned, he froze. "_That's_ what she meant!"

"What now?" Ratchet asked curiously.

"That she felt tired, but without the necessity to yawn. Time seems to stop for a second when you yawn," Will said cheerfully, walking across the common. "When you do something all day, everyday you take it for granted. But sometimes, you have to stop and remember precisely what it feels like. And it's the most incredible feeling." he turned around and grinned at Optimus. "Well are you gonna go hold your fiancee or not? She didn't say goodnight to you, Optimus! Twenty bucks and a beer says that gorgeous femme of yours is waiting for you."

Optimus chuckled and rose as his unit whooped and laughed.

"Oh at ease you lot," he rumbled with a snort, he began slowly striding toward the housing wing.

"That. Sounds like a _brilliant_ idea!" Arcee called out with a laugh, promptly pulling off a shoulder plate and tossing it to Ratchet before she wheeled toward the housing wing. She whizzed past, her spark burbling with suppressed laughter and closely followed by Chromia and Flareup. They screeched to a halt and froze, grinning and gesturing the Major to listen.

There was the distinct sound of a couple of Auto-bots' processors clicking out. One fell over. Flareup punched her arms in the air victoriously.

"See you in the morning Major," Arcee chuckled, taking off down the corridor with the girls hot on her fender. Will howled with laughter as he watched their antics.

::. I do hope you intend to follow up on that promise.:: Ratchet sent over the open comm, he grunted and picked Sideswipe up, dragging him across the common under his arm behind Ironhide until the predator finally had his processors synced.

::. Oh but I do, are you coming or not?.:: Arcee called back saucily.

::. Little bit.:: Ironhide rumbled with a snort.

::. That's my Bot.:: Chromia purred. ::. Let's just bypass all the bullshit and get naked.::

Just behind him, Ironhide fell over. Optimus fought hard to keep from howling with laughter as he lifted his weapons specialist, easily bearing him to his quarters and arranging him on his berth as Chromia stood, stark naked and smirking. Optimus walked back out again, his spark reaching toward his Kae's quiet, amused presence.

::. You gonna use me Sides?.:: Flare purred.

::. Baby, the only reason I would kick you out of berth would be to interface with you on the floor.:: Sideswipe replied with a smirk.

::. Oh we've got a smooth talker over here!.:: Flare giggled, leaning against Sideswipe's door as the bot rolled toward her with a smirk.

::. Go on Kae.:: Arcee sent with a small laugh as Optimus finally reached the door to his quarters. They slid open to a sight that popped the first few of his processors. He onlined a couple more and looked at his Kae with a smile.

She canted her head to the side and smiled at him.

::. Did the sun come out, or did you just smile at me?.:: she asked softly, she rose and dropped the last plate of her armour, walking toward him with the smooth, predatory stride that she'd tried so vainly to hide. Her eyes looked up at him with the gentle laughter of a lover. A few more processors popped as her hands slid up his chest.

::. Are you a god?.:: she whispered, stretching to run exquisitely gentle lip plates down his neck struts.

::. No...:: Optimus rumbled. That was an interesting sensation, being breathless with absolutely no need for air...

::. Then why do I want to kneel before you?.:: she murmured, gracefully lowering herself until she was running gentle lips over his codpiece.

The last processor keeping him standing promptly popped. Mikaela chuckled softly as she shot up and supported him mid-delirium.

::. Strong, gentle, powerful, delicate...:: Optimus thoughts swam about as he struggled to sync his processors again.

::. And Prime's down for the count!.:: Ratchet chuckled over the Primary, oh right, the doors were still open behind him.

Optimus' arms snapped up to hold her close, he scooped her up as the doors closed behind them amid the laughter of his unit.

::. Shh!.:: Arcee murmured ::. We gotta hear his comeback to that!.::

Optimus set his Kae gently down on their berth, reaching up to run a gentle hand down her cheek and side.

::. This time, next year, let's be laughing together.:: Optimus rumbled softly.

Kae's optics shone as he leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her lip plates. He backed away and gazed down at her again, shrugging out of his armour as the lights faded.

She smiled up at him again.

"My goddess," he whispered, reaching out to stroke her body again, he laid down beside her and moaned as she twined herself around him.

"There is one thing I wish to do first," Optimus murmured, pulling her a bit more tightly into his frame. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her lips, delicately caressing her spark chamber as she whimpered.

Her spark sang as the chamber opened.

"Optimus," she choked softly as he pinned her down, "Optimus what..."

"I am going to make you beg first," he rumbled with a small smirk as she writhed beneath him, he threaded a gentle hand into her chamber, caressing her spark. She sang under his hands, and Optimus took great care to memorize every detail of her. "My light," he rumbled into her auditory receptors, "my beloved strength and soul, does my voice still make you hot?"

"Optimus please," she gasped, arching into him all the more. He withdrew his hand and delicately began teasing her chamber again.

His fingers found a familiar mark and he froze.

His mark, etched deeply in her spark chamber's wall beside her own. He touched it again, gently caressed it before looking up at her.

She watched him with love in her eyes.

"I'd thought initially that you'd etched it the first night we were here," she murmured. "It finally dawned on me earlier that if you had known your mark had already been engraved in my spark-chamber you wouldn't have been pushing me away."

Kae freed her arms from his hands and caught his face as he made to pull away slightly.

"I do not cover it in shame of you," she snapped immediately, Optimus looked down at her and knew there was remorse in his optics. "I cover my spark chamber to keep it safe." her eyes softened, "You _know_ that even as a human I was terrified to let my heart show."

Optimus couldn't help himself, he rumbled a low laugh and opened his spark chamber next to hers. She caressed it gently and gasped when she saw her own mark.

"From the day you chose it, to the end of time I will wear your mark," he whispered.

Wordlessly, his beautiful Kae twined herself around him, running gentle hands over every part of him that she could reach. Energon tingled lightly from her frame to his, magnetizing to him. Optimus let himself hum the resonance of a bot who knew where his blessings were, wrapping his arms around his Kae. He extended binder cables to lightly connect with her as their sparks twined around each other.

As one, they dropped back into the recharge cycle that had been rather rudely aborted so many hours ago.

* * *

(RPOV)

::. And Prime's down for the count!.:: Ratchet chuckled, lightly stroking Arcee's struts as they watched the drama across the hall.

::. Shh!.:: Arcee murmured as the doors closed ::. We gotta hear his comeback to that!.::

::. This time, next year, let's be laughing together.:: Optimus rumbled softly.

::. Oh _damn!._:: Ironhide rumbled with a smirk ::. How do you compete with _that?_.::

::. Constructive plagiarism.:: Sideswipe grinned before he cut the feed, leaving no doubt that he was busy entertaining the fiery Femme in his quarters.

Arcee promptly began wreaking havoc with Ratchet's systems as he groaned, cutting his feed and snaring the beautiful creature that had waited for him.


	120. 117 The Flier

**Ever have one of those mondays? Yeah, sorry for the late-ish update. I blame monday. Review anyway? Please? Pretty please with energon goodies on top? :D**

**Chapter 117 – The Flier**

* * *

(MPOV)

A hand was banging on the door.

I onlined a processor and groaned.

"Stop pounding on my door and come in!" I called out tiredly, carefully extracting myself from Optimus' arms. He groaned somewhat as I rose. I leaned back down and pressed a gentle kiss beneath the sensitive auditory receptors. "Go back to your recharge my beloved," I whispered, "I will return."

Optimus onlined his optics for a moment before he nodded, exhaustedly slipping back into his cycle.

I walked into the corridor and onlined my holoform.

"What?" I groaned. The holoform felt human again, human and ill. I sagged against the wall and rubbed my eyes.

"Kae, I need to ask a really _really_ big favour," Barry said in a desperate tone.

"Sit Rep," I sighed.

"Someone's targeted POTUS, we don't know who, how or why but we need to get him to the bunker ASAP," a grey haired man stated firmly. "We are hoping your unit could provide the transportation."

I stared at the three men incredulously, Will standing behind them, rubbing his face tiredly.

"Gentlemen, the soldiers and bots have just returned from another dead-end campaign, they're tired." I said in an icy tone.

"Angel _please,_" Barry said in a strained tone, I looked at him closely. "With you as the ambassador to the Auto-bots it'll look good," he muttered to my holoform.

"Fine, c'mon," I said irritably, summoning my armour and walking on silent feet toward the entrance bay. "Are we driving or flying?"

"Flying," the man said impatiently.

"Very well, Major, see if you can get General More... Moreshower on the phone to clear me some airspace," I commanded quietly, yawning.

"How do you intend to fit fifteen men into your cockpit?" Will muttered worriedly. I sighed.

"You remember at the hoover dam," I murmured back, "When the cube just sort of shrank?" Will nodded, I offlined my holoform and strode in front of the men.

"Similar to that," I said patiently, I began folding myself outward. A small plane still, mostly hollow with enough room to fit perhaps twenty. I felt vaguely ill at the feeling of all that hollow space but clamped down on it, opening the door and extending the steps down. "Let's just get this over with," I grumbled quietly. Barry and the grey haired man boarded quickly.

"To DCA," the man growled, "On the double,"

I sighed, taxied out and took off, checking my flight frame and strengthening it here and there as we went.

::. Archangel this is Major Lennox.:: Will called over the radio.

::. Will.:: I said quietly ::. This feels dreadful, my armour is stretched to nothing, I'm going to be relying on temporal forcefields if anyone fires on me.::

::. Are you doing alright Kae?.:: he asked worriedly.

::. Let's just get this done.:: I said just as quietly, I opened the comm and began the routine. ::. DCA this is Archangel requesting permission to land.::

::. Archangel you are cleared to land on runway three, taxi in to bay five.::

I obeyed wearily, coming in for a smooth landing and taxiing in to the bay. A man pumped fuel into my tanks. I scanned it and groaned, bloody green. I waited for a long moment after they disconnected and altered my conversion unit to put up with the grade.

::. Major Lennox, please be advised that they've refuelled me with 100/130.:: I sent irritably.

::. Oh for the love of all that's holy.:: General Moreshower called with a groan.

::. I can still use it.:: I stated with a sigh ::. I'm just advising.::

::. How the hell are you supposed to run on that? You've got one hell of a specialized set of engines.:: Lennox stated angrily.

::. I changed my engines.:: I groaned. ::. It honestly feels like I've had someone else's legs sewn into my hips, or a bad match on my organs.::

::. I'll have Ratchet on standby anyway.:: Lennox growled. The Vice President, several Secretaries and their aides were quickly boarded.

"Where's the President?" I asked with a frown, onlining my holoform to walk out of the cockpit to stand in front of the officious, grey haired man.

"The Vice President will be stepping in for him for this drill," the man stated coldly. I turned furious eyes on Barry, the only thing that saved his hide that second was the sheer look of shocked fury in his own eyes.

"You pulled my god-daughter away from her recovery for a _drill!?"_ Barry stated in an icy tone.

"We wish to precisely see her capabilities, _and_ her loyalties." the grey haired man stated coldly. "As such we shall continue the drill."

I snarled softly behind him and walked back into the cockpit.

"Tell me when you're ready to go," I snapped over the speakers, the men sat down quickly as a harried looking driver hooked up roughly to my front tires and proceeded to taxi me out onto the runway.

::. Archangel you are cleared for takeoff.:: the control tower stated quickly.

::. Once this guy is off of my front tire.:: I called back patiently.

::. Archangel there's no-one on your front.:: the control tower stated. I onlined my holoform to look at my tire.

::. For fuck sake!.:: I growled ::. Control this is Archangel, there is a tow bar still attached to my front.:: I walked my holoform to it and snarled. ::. Well, how absolutely endearing.::

::. Archangel what's your status?.:: Moreshower called out worriedly.

::. General they fucking hotwired the tow bar.:: I snarled ::. Rigged to blow in twenty minutes, I'm disconnecting it, request you get the bomb squad down here to pick it up.::

I onlined my holoform again in front of Hanson.

"There's a bomb on my front." I stated coldly.

"Well take it off and keep going," he grumbled, flicking his paper open.

::. They're on their way.:: General Moreshower called out in a horrified tone. I saw a truck rolling toward me at high speed as I levitated the tow bar off of my tire and cut the power to it. I handed it to a half dozen suited men with a nod and waited for them to get clear before firing up my engines.

The fuel tasted absolutely awful, dirty. I onlined my holoform and crossed my arms in front of the grey haired man again, holding it steady as I launched myself

"What are the co-ordinates?" I demanded irritably. He visibly jumped to see me standing in front of him again.

"One hour circle and back here again," the man grunted, turning a page. I shot a significant glance at Barry and launched myself a bit faster into the sky. I walked my holo back into the secluded flight deck and offlined it. I levelled out and coasted along my heading.

And then the texting started.

'This is a sweet plane'

'Did u c the designation'

'Archangel'

'Sounds like a chick'

'Fallen angels r made 4 good times'

The first aide got up and went to the bathroom.

And jacked off.

He returned to his seat and opened up his phone.

'mile high club XD' he sent.

Then the second got up, a third, a forth, jacking off and spraying my mark. I could feel the residues remaining as they hastily wiped away the evidence before walking back.

::. Will, General, we're cutting this short. Now.:: I stated over the comm furiously as a fifth stood up.

I dipped heavily in the air and turned around, making my way back to the airport as men called out their surprise.

::. Archangel we're reading an unauthorized change of course.:: control called out.

::. Clear a runway.:: I commanded brusquely.

::. Archangel you are not-.::

::. _I said clear a goddamned runway!_.:: I snarled, circling the airport. The fifth stood back up again and walked toward the bathroom. I onlined my holoform on the mirror and stood with my arms crossed.

"Oh shit, look at that," the guy murmured, poking at the screen, "It shows porn on the mirror too! This is fucking awesome!"

"I am not, in fact, pornography," I snarled, "I am the sentient avatar of the plane you and your little buddies decided to join the mile high club in with your hand."

He went pale and all but ran back to his seat as I stalled mid-air and brought my speed right down, landing on the runway the panicked control tower had cleared. To hammer in the point of the furious, terrified texting I onlined my holoform, not allowing any of the environmental factors to affect it as we came in for a slightly bumpy landing. I taxied rapidly into the hangar as the grey haired man jumped out of his seat.

"How dare you disobey orders!" he bellowed at my holoform. "Do you have any idea who we are?"

"You are Director Jacob Hanson, head of the secret service, divorced wife and two children. Now for the bonus, do you have any idea who _I_ am?" I bellowed right back at him. "All of you out, Now!"

"Do as she says Hanson," Barry commanded quietly.

"I do not take orders from a Petty-Officer!" Hanson bellowed as the VP and his entourage quickly ran down the ladders into the protective custody of Hanson's men.

"_Honorary_ Petty-Officer," Barry snarled, "you just dragged a_ civilian_ out of her _sickbed_ to play your little _games_."

"Now get the hell out of me," I snarled furiously.

Hanson snarled and left.

"Angel I'm so sorry," Barry said immediately.

"Just fix it, Barry," I grumbled. He nodded and hesitantly patted my shoulder before quickly running down the steps. I immediately transformed back into my bipedal form and shot a glare at Hanson and the cowering, 'inexplicably' terrified aides. I leaned down, crouching on one knee to Hanson's level.

"And for future reference," I snarled at him, "I am neither a toy nor a slave to your command! Your _own_ regulations dictate that the second a bomb is detected on a grounded plane, you evacuate the plane. Not just pull it off and keep _going!_"

I took three quick steps and launched into the air, going fighter and blasting into an almost vertical liftoff. The radio began making one hell of a din as I entered both the military and civilian radars. I shut it off, accelerated to mach one well outside the zones and flew directly back to base, landing heavily on the military tarmac and staggering toward the buildings.

I felt nauseated, exhausted, and filthy. Systems diagnostics were flashing red across my eyes, and I knew my optics would be showing the same. Will was running toward me with a red-faced General Moreshower behind him. I could smell the pheromones of anger drifting on the light breeze.

Couldn't deal with them now, too fragile. I drove myself to continue forcing my body to keep moving. A processor devoted itself entirely to the litany of 'don'tcollapsedon'tcollapse'

"Mikaela! What the _Fuck was that?" _Will was bellowing, I walked directly past the shouting Major and General and into the entrance bay.

"Off, get it off," I began muttering aloud, staggering into the wash bay. I began struggling to shrug out of my armour, losing the protection at odds with the damage reports and red alerts flashing across my systems. I began to give up, and entirely forgot to shut off my vocal processor.

* * *

(RPOV)

Ratchet heard the shouting and immediately ran toward the SOS that began flashing through the systems. Optimus was moving down the corridor as quickly as he could without breaking something or someone. He ran into the entrance bay and saw a horrifying sight.

Kae was babbling in hysteria, fighting with the preservation circuits and trying to get her armour off. She was staggering, engines clogged, her conversion matrix struggling to deal with a dreadful mix of fuels in her tanks. Her processors were close to shorting out, and by no means in a good way. Her eyes were red.

::. It's not the madness, it can't be!.:: Ratchet transmitted in a panic.

::. We still have to treat it as though it were.:: Ironhide rumbled in a horrified tone, backing carefully away from her.

"Help me, please, somebody help me!" Mikaela suddenly cried out, "get it off, make it go away! Please, somebody please..." she collapsed in the wash bay, sobbing and still struggling against her own armour.

Optimus was striding toward her as quickly as he could with Ratchet on his heels, he hauled her into a sitting position and extended binder cables through her chest plates.

"Kae," he rumbled in a gentle, commanding tone, "Kae open up."

"Optimus make it go away," she sobbed, grasping at his arm as her chest plates opened automatically. Optimus extended the cables directly into her spark.

"What the fuck is going on?" Will shouted in a horrified tone.

"Mikaela-" Ratchet started before every sentient being in the bay jumped in terror at the enraged roar that ripped out of Optimus' vocal processors.

Ratchet scrambled to understand the infuriated information packets and let loose his own bellow of rage. He turned to the Major and General and onlined a holographic information circle. Will was immediately reading it along with a dozen techs.

::. Arcee, Chromia, Flare, we need you! NOW!.:: Ratchet bellowed over the primary, he sent the information packet along.

The Femmes were whizzing through the corridor the next second, dodging soldiers with Bumblebee and Sideswipe running behind them.

"Oh. My. Fucking. God." General Moreshower stated in an icy tone.

"Just for the record, before the shit storm starts," Will said in the mild tone he'd picked up from Optimus – the one that said that there would be blood on the ground – "precisely what does the panel with that particular engraving normally encompass?"

"That particular engraving is Mikaela's own _mark_," Ironhide snarled, he opened his chest to reveal his spark chamber and his own mark. "This is mine," he rumbled furiously, "it is my name, my signature, it encompasses precisely who I am, it represents my spark, my soul."

"We are sexual beings," Flareup snarled, onlining her holoform as the femmes immediately whizzed to Mikaela, "Every sentient creature is at some level."

"But we as a unit, a culture, do not condone rape or sexual harassment without proper consent," Ratchet added in a snarl. He knelt down on his spark-daughter's right and immediately did a full systems scan. Optimus read the readings directly from Ratchet and looked down at his Kae.

"Kae, you're safe," Optimus rumbled gently, "Archangel Prime, remove your armour to allow for medical attention." he commanded gently. The preservation circuits snapped off and Kae immediately released the forces that bound the armour to her protoform. Ratchet immediately levitated them to the side of the bay as Optimus wirelessly turned on the hazmat shower. Warm, neutralized water flushed down from the multitude of pipes as the purification systems kicked into gear. The Femmes were beside Kae the next second.

"Let us help you dearspark," Arcee murmured softly as Kae's sobs lessened, she nodded slightly against Optimus' chest.

Optimus did something then that few had truly seen. He shrugged out of his own armour, down to his protoform and levitated it to the side. He pulled his Kae a bit closer and rocked her as she sobbed against him. Ratchet, Ironhide and the Femmes followed suit immediately. Sideswipe and Bee close behind.

"Kae," Optimus rumbled softly as their bodies shed away a multitude of grime beneath the warm spray of water. "Kae I promise, I will _never_ allow that to happen again."

Ratchet reached out and gently touched her shoulder.

"May I work on your engines daughter?" he asked gently. Kae hiccoughed and nodded, uncurling slightly from Optimus.

Ratchet immediately got to work, draining away the disgusting cocktail in her fuel lines and letting the purification system shunt it into an analysis tank. He purged her lines with water and watched with a small smile as she began to convert a small amount of the hydrogen and oxygen into energon, flushing it along her systems.

"That's my girl," Ratchet murmured gently as Optimus cradled her a bit more closely again. The Femmes went after her with pads, cleaning away any possible grit or grime, Optimus accepted one gravely and gently cleaned her spark chamber. Her optics onlined again to look up at him with remorse.

"Don't you dare," Optimus rumbled firmly, reaching up and cupping her cheek.

"Only you know me that well," she whispered and began sobbing again.

The water continued to spray, washing away the last of the soap and impurities. Optimus rose, carrying his Kae in his arms and glancing at Ratchet.

"We stay together tonight," Arcee stated firmly. Optimus nodded.

"Will you bring my armour?" he looked at Ironhide.

"Yes sir," Ironhide rumbled immediately, he levitated the masses of plate armour behind the close-knit unit as they walked en-mass to Optimus' quarters.

Ratchet neatly stacked his armour in the open area that had been Kae's human quarters and crawled up onto the berth beside Arcee.

Every protoform pressed tightly together, binder cables snaked out from limb to limb. Ratchet joined the physical collective and shut down his motor controls.

::. You're alright Kae.:: Arcee murmured gently as the young, gentle sparked Femme hesitantly accepted the cables into her interface array, her spark clung to Optimus', resonating with guilt, fear and desperation.

Optimus' spark held her just as tightly, it was a fresh shock to see just how close of an energonic match they had in each other.

::. Not tonight.:: Optimus murmured gently, reaching up and stroking his Kae's face, she pressed herself a bit more tightly against him and obeyed his quiet order to go to her recharge cycle.

* * *

Ratchet woke first and carefully disconnected himself. He called his plate armour to his protoform and walked toward communications central. Will immediately turned to him.

"Ratch! Ratchet is she okay!?" Jacobs called out worriedly.

"Mikaela will be alright," Ratchet stated calmly. "The danger of her dropping into stasis lock is past."

"You all stayed together last night," Will said quietly.

"We joined last night into the collective," Ratchet stated patiently. "Our protoforms physically connected to allow our sparks to communicate directly. No it's not an orgy."

Will opened and shut his mouth a few times.

"Think of it as a physical representation of a sharing circle," Ratchet sighed, "with the nine of us completely connected to find strength in each other and prevent Kae from isolating herself. We know each other completely."

"When was the last time you did that?" Will asked softly.

"When Nova and Alia were killed," Ratchet stated neutrally. "Optimus, Jazz and Ironhide pulled me away from the madness of spark-rejection."

"The aides are being disciplined," Will stated quietly, "The CIA and Secret Service are seeing to it. Barry's interrogating them personally."

"Thank you, Major," Ratchet rumbled firmly and turned to go.

"Are you leaving us?" Will shouted desperately.

"For a day or two," Ratchet shrugged, "we're still alert for emergencies, just don't call us out for another damned training drill, Kae just about fell out of the sky she was so pissed off. A bomb stuck to her ankle, bad fuel and a bunch of idiots having a wanking session over her mark? I'm astonished she didn't just transform mid-air and dump the lot of them, Primus knows _I _would have."

"Then why...?" Will looked confused.

"Did Kae have such a bad reaction?" Ratchet sighed, he walked over and leaned on the catwalk, crossing his arms to look at the man. "You try being dragged out of your beloved's arms without yet having the chance for a proper sleep, fly a bunch of assholes around in your abdomen with nothing but melted butter, dirt, soda and alcohol in your stomach and having to change the shape of your very bones just to open up enough room to _fit_ the assholes. They weren't wanking on her skin, they were wanking on her muscles, her bones, her _identity_. Five days into getting used to an entirely new body. She has a _lot_ of memory space to get used to. Thirty six of her brains, really. She is over forty times her original size now, with just that much more sensory input."

"How do you mean?" Will asked in a subdued tone.

Ratchet peeled back the armour on his wrist to show the protoform metals.

"To you this is metal," he shrugged, pointing to the bared, living metals of his wrist, "For me, this metal is _my_ flesh, _my_ bones. I feel touch _precisely_ the same way you do along these metals. Our armour is just that, armour, dead metals that we adjust the same way you do your clothing."

Chance, standing beside Ratchet's leg looked somewhere between throwing up and getting a gun. Jacobs already had his gun in his hand and was looking around for something to shoot.

"At ease," Ratchet murmured gently. "Save your bullets for when we need them."

"A bunch of assholes insult _our_ Kae on one of the_ deepest_ levels, practically an act of _war_ and you're telling us to save our _bullets?_" Jacobs growled.

"Because that worked out just _so_ well for Helen of Troy," Mikaela murmured behind Ratchet. He spun around, shocked to see his spark-daughter awake and moving about already.

"Kae, you should be resting," Ratchet stated firmly.

"Rest is for the dead, we have work to do," Mikaela stated patiently. "I've got jeeps to service, and the new arrivals haven't had a proper physical in vorns."

"I still want to shoot something," Jacobs growled.

"Go shoot a paper target," Mikaela commanded, she looked Jacobs in the eye and grinned, holding her hands out and drawing cannons with the speed Ironhide did. "Besides, I called dibs." she brought her hands back and crossed her arms, smirking.

The humans in the room stared at their Kae in shock for a long moment until Jacobs burst out laughing.

"Yeah, alright fine, but I call shotgun, how's that?" Jacobs grinned up at her.

"Done deal," Mikaela snorted, she looked thoughtful for a second and looked at Will. "Although if any humans decide to come scouting with me, we're going to have to bring in some decent G-suits."

"You're staying!" Will half shouted, looking up at Kae with relief written all over his face.

"Will, you guys are my unit," Mikaela stated gently, onlining her holoform to stand amidst the group of soldiers. "I'm not going to abandon you guys because of the actions of a couple of idiots."

Will promptly walked forward and enveloped the holoform in a hug. He pulled back a few moments later and looked down at Kae critically.

"You need to go get some rest," Will ordered firmly, "there's nothing on the on the menu that can't wait. If there's an emergency we'll call you guys out, promise."

"Besides, if you start working it means I have to," Ratchet added. "The first few days after a bot's casting are incredibly special to their guardian, you wouldn't deny Optimus and I the chance to be smug about you, now would you?" Ratchet grinned at his spark-daughter. Mikaela laughed softly and reached out a gentle arm, draping it over his shoulders.

"Take a couple days," Will grinned, "It takes you guys that long to recharge properly, doesn't it?"

"When we're doing it properly," Ratchet snorted, laying a gentle hand on Kae's back.


	121. 118 Bonding

**Chapter 118 - Bonding**

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus onlined in a panic, Kae was gone. So was Ratchet.

::. Kae!.:: he sent over the primary.

::. Hush love, I'm right here.:: Kae sent the transmission immediately.

::. Where are you?.:: Optimus demanded worriedly.

::. Communication central, and walking back with Ratchet as we speak.:: she murmured with a gentle tone of amusement. ::. I'm not leaving you behind, and I'm _not_ leaving base.::

A moment later, the door slid open to allow both Ratchet and Kae into Optimus' quarters, Kae immediately shrugged out of her armour, levitating it delicately into a neat pile and carefully climbing onto the berth.

So gracefully, every step, every touch of her hands gentle and precise. Optimus brought his motor-reflexes online and reached for her, tucking her tightly into his chest as she wound herself around him, magnetizing to his frame and easily accepting binder cables into her interface array. Her spark joined the collective again, alongside Ratchet.

* * *

"Do you realize just how closely matched you two are?" Chromia demanded with a grin, pressed tightly against Ironhide.

"Incredible, isn't she?" Optimus murmured, pulling his Kae a bit more closely into his chest, she cuddled against him, smiling and turning her head to press a gentle kiss to his jaw.

"Flatterer," she murmured gently.

"And what do you intend to do about it?" Optimus rumbled in amusement. He moaned as moments later she began teasing his senses with a cool, gentle surge of energon.

"You actually have to ask?" Bumblebee asked with a laugh. "Kae _always_ gets her revenge."

"As do I, old friend, as do I," Optimus rumbled wickedly, running gentle hands down Kae's sides as she hummed.

"So Kae, why the scrap are you covering your insignias?" Ironhide demanded.

"I told you, I don't want it interfering with Optimus' orders," Mikaela stated comfortably. "You lot seem to have convinced yourselves that I outrank you-"

"You do outrank us," Ratchet snorted, "All-Spark healer, predator and Prime together trumps any one of our designations."

"Not one of which I give a rusty strut about," Kae stated patiently, leaning against Optimus and offlining her optics with a smile. "You _know_ me, Ratch, been a surrogate _father_ to me when that's what I needed the most. As far as I'm concerned, paternal and sibling love trumps every last one of the designations you've decide to pin on me."

"Aw Kae," Arcee sighed, moving forward and wrapping the young Femme in a hug. "I'm so glad we get to keep you."

"Hey wait a second," Bumblebee stated suddenly, he looked at Optimus in consternation, "We have two Primes again, what the scrap do I call you now!?"

"You call me Kae, just the same as you did when I was your squishy sister," Mikaela snorted. "You were my little brother _long _before I wasbigger than you."

"And you call me Optimus," Optimus rumbled patiently, "the same as I have been trying to convince you to do for the past six vorn. You call me Prime and I act as Prime."

"You've never said so much in words," Ironhide rumbled with a snort.

"When has he ever had the opportunity?" Ratchet asked mildly.

Ironhide grunted his agreement, contentedly gathering his Chromia a bit closer.

"So how do the titles work, anyway?" Mikaela asked with a low laugh, "am I bringing your rankings down by claiming kinship to you Bee?"

"No! You're increasing my relative standing," Bee snorted.

"Societally?" Ironhide rumbled, "you're advancing the lot of us, now hurry up and bond Optimus so he can stop worrying about your outranking him."

"Deal," Kae murmured with a low laugh, her spark cuddling against Optimus' all the more. "So if I bond to you, does that mean I get to raise you to equal ranking?" she asked, burying her face into the crook of his neck.

Ironhide's spark promptly began laughing, reaching out and lightly cuffing Optimus upside the helm.

"Thrice blessed, bloody bastard bot," he snorted.

"I. Want to know just how closely you two can bond," Arcee grinned from the circle of Ratchet's arms, looking at the two Primes. Mikaela looked up at her Optimus with a question in her eyes.

"I don't see why not," he rumbled with a smile as their sparks solidified, taking on their bot forms. "You did not change your configuration all that much."

"Nevertheless," Mikaela stated in a mildly commanding tone, shifting in his arms somewhat.

Binder cables snaked from Optimus' limbs as the unit watched in shock, gathering Kae directly into himself as she shattered against him, their systems, armour, protoforms and sparks integrating into each other absolutely.

Kae's wings graced their back, Optimus' colours remaining predominant. The smug joy of their being 'we' was absolutely infectious.

"That's so cool!" Bee called out with a broad grin.

"For safety sake, we should just bind them now," Ratchet stated as the Prime sparks easily separated into two again.

"Now," Arcee agreed calmly.

Mikaela looked up at her Optimus with surprised optics.

"So that we may never be separate, but only if you wish," Optimus rumbled softly, reaching up to cup her cheek.

"With all my spark," she whispered, her face relaxing into the gentle smile that said everything was as it should be.

Sparks rose and retreated to their own bodies. Optics onlined and armour was called to protoforms.

* * *

(RPOV)

The soldiers stared as a solemn group of bots exited Optimus' quarters, walking slowly to the central. Jolt, the twins, every Auto-bot present stared at the group and quickly fell into the back of the lineup.

Ratchet took his spark-daughter's hand.

"The ring, my daughter," he stated quietly. She looked at him and pulled back her armour, delicately sliding the ring Optimus had given her off and handing it to him. Solemnly, Ratchet handed it to Prowl, who immediately ran to stand beside Optimus, presenting it to him with a respectful nod.

Lennox ran toward them. The look on his face screaming terror that the bots were leaving. Ratchet couldn't honestly blame him.

"What's happening?" he asked in a worried tone, Arcee onlined her holoform with an absolutely beatific smile.

"Gather everyone into the central," she stated gently, "all who wish to come bear witness to the binding of the Prime sparks is welcome."

Will gasped, stared around at the calmly striding titans with a shocked grin and ran to communications central. Announcements rang over the intercom. Soldiers ran. Director Matteer chose that moment to walk into the entrance bay. Lennox pulled him aside with a broad grin. Barry followed the Major with a gentle smile, standing beside him.

Ratchet watched with pride as his Spark-daughter strode demurely beside him, optics downcast and humble.

Jetfire strode to the doors of the Central and turned. Blocking them, standing fast.

"What business do the assembled intend?" he barked out.

Optimus stepped forward.

"I intend to bond the femme who guards my spark," he rumbled firmly.

"Does she of her own free will accompany this guard?" Jetfire barked.

"I do," Mikaela spoke out calmly.

"Then enter and be blessed of Primus," Jetfire rumbled with a small smile.

Ratchet grinned at the old mech following the old traditions.

In the precise middle of the central, Optimus turned, facing his unit and standing straight and proud. Ratchet guided his spark-daughter to her place. She stood before her guardian Prime, demure and humble with no trace of resentment, a loved and loving reliant.

_All gathered,∂_ Ironhide rasped in firm, ringing tones. Bumblebee onlined his holoform amidst the gathered humans, quietly translating. _∂We stand in solidarity, we stand with pride! We stand in witness to the binding of a guardian to his marked reliant. Are there any who would deny the bond between Optimus Prime, Auto-bot Leader by right of the Prime Dynasty, Warrior class Guardian, son of Eros Prime and Noria-I, Spark-child of Cybertron To Archangel Prime Mikaela Banes, All-spark Healer-∂_

There were gasps of shock from the newly arrived bots, Prowl and Ratchet both crossed their arms, prepared to stand in defence.

_Predator class guardian,∂_ Ironhide continued, _∂Spark-daughter to Ratchet, Daughter of Calvin Robert Banes and Eun-Mi, Spark-Child of earth.∂_

Ironhide fell silent and looked sternly at each bot and human in turn, practically daring them to speak against the binding. Ratchet fought back a smirk.

"Who stands with Optimus?" Ironhide demanded, switching to english.

"I shall," Prowl stated firmly.

"We shall," the wreckers called out in unison.

"Who stands with Mikaela?" Ironhide demanded again.

"I shall," Ratchet announced proudly.

"We shall," Arcee, Chromia and Flareup called out together.

Ironhide smiled and gestured to Prowl. He moved forward.

"Bonding cannot allow secrets," he stated calmly, looking at the two of them, "only two who know not only the other's virtues, but can see and accept each other's flaws may bond successfully. Optimus, Archangel, allow your prospective mate to see you as you are."

Simultaneously, the Primes shrugged out of their armour, the Femmes taking Kae's and the Wreckers gathering Optimus'. Completely bare, they knelt down in front of each other until their sparks were at a level.

"A bonding of sparks is a precious moment," Ratchet stated in a gentle tone, walking to stand beside Optimus and Kae, he reached up to gently cup their shoulders. "But realize that what is done cannot be undone until the moment you stand at the entrance to the Well of All-sparks. Love each other, support and respect each other, remain bonded individuals and grow together. Optimus, do you wish to control your reliant?"

"I have no desire to overlay my Kae's personality," Optimus rumbled seriously, gazing at his Kae with love in his optics.

"Archangel, do you wish to dominate your guardian?" Prowl asked calmly.

"I have no wish to endanger my Optimus, body or spark." Mikaela stated calmly.

"Does anyone object to this binding?" Ironhide asked again, "speak now, or forever hold your silence."

Prowl and Ratchet moved together, binding the two Primes physically together, murmuring the words of command and encouragement.

* * *

(WPOV)

Will watched the solemn auto-bot ceremony in awe, the words sounded much like a traditional human wedding but... stronger, absolute. He hoped to hell that Bumblebee was recording this, he really wanted the human world to hear those words, it left absolutely no doubt about them.

Every bot moved to encircle the Primes in silence. The humans moving to solidify the circle as Bumblebee ushered them forward. Ratchet and Prowl remained beside them.

"Bind your bodies," Prowl commanded gently, "accept each other, both your virtues and your flaws. Decide your dominant."

Beside him, Bumblebee's intakes whirred suddenly as the two bots offered their hands, both of them facing up.

"What is it?" Will whispered.

"They're both offering their submission to the other," Bumblebee whispered back, onlining his holoform again to continue the translation.

"So?" Will whispered.

"So by right of superior rank, Kae should be taking the dominant," Bee whispered, Kae smiled at her Optimus, delicately turning her left hand and guiding his to face downward. Bee began crying softly, Will looked at him in shock.

"She raised him," the bot whimpered, grinning with tears streaming down his face, the femmes had hands covering their mouths, and shocked joy was evident in every optic. "from this moment to the end of days, they will be absolute equals."

"No one has done that in _vorns_," Wheeljack murmured in a stunned tone on the other side, the bots fell absolutely silent again, "not since before the war..."

It was a shock when Kae and Optimus' spark chambers split open, the vast majority of the humans saw for the first time the two bot's bared souls, dancing, glowing bright in the dimmed lighting of the central.

The circle solidified, binder cables reaching from wrist to wrist above the humans, Jacobs reached out and laid a palm flat on Bumblebee's leg and caught Will's shoulder. The Major grinned and continued on the human chain as the bots glanced down at them, smiling their approval. Will looked over to see Epps grin, sliding his leg over slightly so that Wheelie could reach between his and Graham's calves.

In a matter of minutes, the circle was solid, not a single gap remained unblocked in some fashion.

The two bots in the centre of the circle never looked away from each other as their sparks reached out of their chambers toward each other, two souls twining and dancing around each other. It was...

"Beautiful..." Jacobs whispered beside him. Bumblebee glanced down with a smile.

"That's how you guys marry," Will whispered, "your souls _literally_ bind together..."

"And nothing will ever separate them," Bumblebee murmured softly. "Among us, a binding does not need words, their very souls will be bound together, and no force in the universe can truly separate them."

The Prime's sparks separated again, but didn't, pieces of the minute colour variance stayed with each of them, Kae's crystal blue topaz flickered beside Optimus' electric blue.

And their optics never left the other's face. The spark chambers closed, leaving the myriad of etchings glowing over their protoform frames.

Optimus' arms drifted up to ensnare Kae in an enveloping embrace. Humans watched in shock as bolts of electricity drifted down every last person's body, completely failing to electrocute any of them, it felt warm, and cool, and left the bots in incredible shape. Scratches in paint disappeared, dents popped out. Will glanced at his hand and noted with surprise that even the annoying little paper cut he'd gotten earlier had sealed itself flawlessly.

Incredible.

As one, Kae and Optimus rose, broke apart for a second and called their armour to their frames. Kae spun around and pressed her back to Optimus as the bot snared her.

Humans and bots both watched with shock in their eyes as Optimus extended a myriad of binder cables, connecting into Kae. They shattered against each other.

"Holy crap!" Epps exclaimed across the circle as two became one.

Prime straightened as the bots around them cheered.

"They just..." Will stated in shock.

"Became one absolutely?" Bee onlined his holoform as binder cables retracted back into wrists. "That was more or less the point," he grinned at Will, bouncing about excitedly.

"Guys! You're like fifty feet tall!" Epps shouted up at Prime. Two more holoforms onlined. Kae and Optimus' human forms, wound tightly around each other, the enormous mech slowly, gracefully knelt down somewhat.

"That's more or less the point," Mikaela smirked, winking at Bumblebee's holoform. Optimus' holoform was grinning broadly, holding his Kae ensnared.

"So now we've got one enormous bot instead of two now?" Will asked curiously.

In answer, the holoforms offlined for a moment as the titan shattered, splitting back into the two Primes. Optimus' arm still gently wrapped around Kae's waist as her wings settled themselves to lay flat against her back.

"Now if you'll excuse them," Ratchet smirked, "_that_ is a binding _long_ overdue it's consummation." Ironhide looked at the medic and promptly began laughing.

"Perhaps we should send them somewhere safe for that," he snorted.

"What's safer than here?" Barry called up curiously.

"Oh, not safe for them, safe for the building," Chromia piped up cheerfully. "These are nice, solid walls, it'd be a shame for them to fall over when Optimus gets excited."

Will glanced up to see Optimus looking around himself in mild indignation.

"Perhaps we should send 'em up in the Xantium, shoot 'em intae space fare a few days," one of the Wreckers called out with a smirk.

"No, we're going to need them on the ground in the event of an emergency," Barry piped up, "But I know of a nice little patch of mountains that they could hide away in for a few days," he grinned. "Think of it as my wedding gift to my god-daughter."

"Out in Montana!?" Mikaela squeaked with a broad grin.

"Go have fun at Thirsty Lake," Barry grinned, "I'll go clear the airspace, nobody's there this month anyway."

Kae's holoform onlined and caught Barry in an enormous hug.

"Barry you're the absolute best!" she squealed in a bright tone.

"Go have fun baby Angel," he laughed gently, hugging the holoform. "I'll take care of your Liaison things personally while you're on your honeymoon."

"How do you intend on getting there?" Ironhide asked with a snort, "You're not exactly a graceful flier Optimus."

"Grab your flight deck anyway," Mikaela grinned, cutting her holoform and coiling herself around Optimus. "You take care of the driving, I'll take care of the flying?"

"At least until we are equals at the skill," Optimus rumbled, grinning down at his mate.

"Only you can spin a donut with all ten tires on the ground," Kae snorted, stretching up to peck a kiss to her Optimus' jaw. "Showoff."

"And only you remember that," Optimus grinned, leaning down and catching her lips.

"Wait! You guys are going to turn into one plane?" Epps called out with a broad grin.

"Once we reach the runways," Optimus rumbled, Kae strode to the flight deck and lightly integrated herself into it, transforming herself and the deck into the trailer as Optimus folded into his truck form.

"I _gotta_ see that plane!" Epps stated with a grin, soldiers began running toward vehicles.

"Yo fleshlin', yer wi' me!" Roadbuster called out with a snort, reaching out and lightly snaring Epps, cupping his hand but never touching him. "Ah don' have a holo yet."

"Yeah well what're you gonna be?" Epps called back. The wrecker snorted and transformed. "Oh shit, don't even bother with the 'form," Epps stated, staring at the machine gun laden stock car. "I'm friggen riding with you here on out."

"Guid, if I kin talk tae _ya_ I don' have tae bother with the rest o' the dilly dallyin'. There's work what needs doin'!" Roadbuster snorted, opening his door for Epps.

It was a cheerful convoy that followed the combined primes to the airport. The banter flowed freely. Will sighed somewhat.

"And why so great a sigh?" Mikaela asked in a gentle tone, onlining her holoform behind Will. He jumped and turned to look at her.

"I never got the chance to have you teach me how to ride," Will shrugged, "Epps is tired of being shot at, I don't blame him really."

"He's a tech sarge," Mikaela shrugged, "Roadbuster seems to like him, we'll have Barry set him up running interference at NASA, and have him out for Christmas," she smiled. "And in the event you haven't noticed, I _do_ have a holoform, you can have the bike you guys got me, I'll sort out a road vehicle when Optimus and I get back and we'll go for a drive. You're not getting rid of me _that _easily." Mikaela grinned at him, and Will began laughing.

"Yeah yeah, alright, just remember you still need to train me up a bit for the CIA stuff, now that you're not allowed to get involved in the dirty work without a ton of paperwork," Will snorted. Kae patted his shoulder with a grin and offlined her holo.


	122. 119 The Prime Sparks

**Chapter 119 – The Prime Sparks**

* * *

(OPOV)

Her spark-father, Ratchet guided Kae to her place and backed off a few paces to stand with her. Optimus glanced around at his unit as they watched the ones they surrounded.

Kae stood demurely in front of him, her armour shining and optics lowered humbly. Optimus straightened with pride that this exquisite Femme had chosen him. Chosen _him._ Not Prime, not the warrior he had to be. _Him._

Ironhide began speaking, naming their titles. Optimus barely heard him, all he could see was Archangel Prime, Kae, his Kae. The exquisite Femme who'd chosen _him._ Ratchet and Prowl were standing as their speakers, their guides as Ironhide demanded the names of any naysayer, it was a tribute to the weapons specialist's restraint that he wasn't delivering an ultimatum of precisely what would _happen_ to the naysayers. The gentle amusement in Kae's optics showed that she'd caught that just as plainly.

Prowl stepped forward and spoke the reason and command.

Kae followed his lead immediately, shrugging out of her armour and kneeling so that their sparks were on a level.

Optimus gazed at the perfection of his Kae, thinking self-consciously of the scars that riddled his frame, normally concealed by his armour. But Kae just looked at him with love, her optics seeming to drink him in.

"A bonding of sparks is a precious moment," Ratchet stated in a gentle tone, walking to stand beside them, the spark-father of his Kae reached over and laid a gentle hand on their shoulders, Optimus felt a new surge of honoured pride. In his own, gentle way, Ratchet was giving Optimus his daughter. "But realize that what is done cannot be undone until the moment you stand at the entrance to the Well of All-sparks."

Never, Optimus thought, he would never willingly let his Kae go.

"Love each other, support and respect each other, remain bonded individuals and grow together. Optimus, do you wish to control your reliant?" Ratchet finished calmly.

"I have no desire to overlay my Kae's personality," Optimus rumbled seriously, gazing at his Kae with love in his optics.

"Archangel, do you wish to dominate your guardian?" Prowl asked calmly.

"I have no wish to endanger my Optimus, body or spark." Mikaela stated gravely.

"Does anyone object to this binding?" Ironhide asked again, "speak now, or forever hold your silence," the weapons master commanded.

With joy, Optimus listened to the silence as the bots circled he and his Kae.

Every bot moved to encircle the Primes in silence. The humans moving to solidify the circle as Bumblebee ushered them forward. Ratchet and Prowl remained beside them.

"Bind your bodies," Prowl commanded gently, "accept each other, both your virtues and your flaws. Decide your dominant."

Optimus held his hands out, palm up in deference to his Kae and watched in shock as she did the same.

::. You outrank me.:: he sent to her ::. Take the dominant.::

She simply smiled at him, the gentle, loving smile that had stolen his spark. He watched in shock as she laid her left over his right, and gently turned his left to rest upon her right. Her optics glowed softly, and he knew that she would stand any down that would defy her decision.

Her chamber split open in front of him, and he copied her instantly, truly viewing for the first time her unguarded soul, and reaching toward it with his own.

Kae's spark reached for his, touching his delicately.

~How?~ she whispered to him, her spark caressing his.

~Like this, my Kae~ Optimus murmured, twining himself around and through her. She copied his actions easily, and Optimus felt a brand new surge of joy, both his own and his Kae's. Twined together absolutely, he felt _her. _Her love, her joy, her belief in him, and a touch of smugness, not of capturing him, but of _knowing. _

Know what?~ he asked in gentle amusement.

He felt her smile as she showed him her impressions, her memories, both as a human and as an Auto-bot. Memories of _him_.

He watched himself pull up, the knowledge that the Camaro... Bumblebee was behind her, a search and rescue hummer, a solstice, and a topkick following, converging on them. He watched himself transforming in front of her, and watched in awe as she memorized the details of him.

In her eyes he had been enormous, powerful, she had recognized that logically, she should be terrified. But the next thing she had seen was his optics, she had listened to the soft hum of his spark, and had read kindness in his eyes.

~From that moment, you had my trust, beloved~ she whispered to him. ~I felt your kindness, your worthiness, your love resonate in my soul from the moment I saw you. I wanted _you. _My joy, you prove me right, that you are whom I believe you to be, the one that I will joyfully stand beside to the end of days~

Optimus was dead, he was certain of it as he felt the connection settle gently into place, a warmth and richness, filling a place that had been empty far too long. Kae's amused assertion that they would not need bodies if they were dead gave him a fresh surge of delight as she practically cuddled the part of him that would eternally reside within her.

Optimus guided his Kae to re-enter her chamber, instantly soothing the shot of terrified panic that enveloped her at the thought of losing the connection.

~Nothing will ever separate us~ he soothed her gently ~Go back to your body and get your armour~ he added with a teasing caress.

Kae read his intentions and smiled, delicately releasing his spark and closing her chamber.

~You can still hear me~ Optimus murmured gently, his arms drifting up to ensnare his exquisite femme ~Whether we are less than a nanite apart or a thousand worlds away, you have but to reach for me, and I will always be here~

They rose together, and summoned their armour.

~A show of unity?~ Mikaela murmured with a low tone of amusement as she summoned her armour. ~I vote we stay less than a nanite apart for a few minutes~

His joy, his Kae turned her back to him and pressed tightly to his front, reaching up and accepting his binder cables into every coupling, shattering and integrating into him.

We straightened, and for the first time in the physical world we stood united absolutely, proud and strong as we.

* * *

(MPOV)

I felt his spark remain beside my own as we separated into two I's again. He remained, filling a hole that had ached for so long I had never noticed, my completion, my other half.

Optimus wound a gentle arm around my waist, I twined my fingers into his, content with his closeness as the unit cheered at us.

"Now if you'll excuse them," Ratchet smirked, "_that_ is a binding _long_ overdue it's consummation." Ironhide looked at the medic and promptly began laughing.

"Perhaps we should send them somewhere safe for that," he snorted.

"What's safer than here?" Barry called up curiously.

"Oh, not safe for them, safe for the building," Chromia piped up cheerfully. "These are nice, solid walls, it'd be a shame for them to fall over when Optimus gets excited."

I felt Optimus look around himself in mild indignation.

~It'd be rude for them to say _I'd_ be the one breaking shit~I sent to him blandly. I could feel his laughter at the thought.

"Perhaps we should send 'em up in the Xantium, shoot 'em intae space fare a few days," Topspin called out with a smirk.

"No, we're going to need them on the ground in the event of an emergency," Barry piped up, "But I know of a nice little patch of mountains that they could hide away in for a few days," he grinned. "Think of it as my wedding gift to my god-daughter."

"Out in Montana!?" I squeaked, I couldn't help it. I loved that spot.

"Go have fun at Thirsty Lake," Barry grinned, "I'll go clear the airspace, nobody's there this month anyway."

I immediately onlined my holoform and caught Barry in an enormous hug.

"Barry you're the absolute best!" I grinned up at him.

"Go have fun baby Angel," he laughed gently, hugging the holoform. "I'll take care of your Liaison things personally while you're on your honeymoon."

"How do you intend on getting there?" Ironhide asked with a snort, "You're not exactly a graceful flier Optimus."

"Grab your flight deck anyway," I grinned, cutting the holoform and coiling myself around Optimus. _My _Optimus. "You take care of the driving, I'll take care of the flying?"

"At least until we are equals at the skill," Optimus rumbled, grinning down at his me.

"Only you can spin a donut with all ten tires on the ground," I snorted, stretching up to peck a kiss to my Optimus' jaw. "Showoff."

"And only you remember that," Optimus grinned, leaning down and catching my lips.

~We'd best get going ASAP, or we're not going to make it that far~ I added silently, feeling Optimus' agreement.

"Wait! You guys are going to turn into one plane?" Epps called out with a broad grin.

"Once we reach the runways," Optimus rumbled, releasing me, I quickly walked to the flight deck and lightly integrated myself into it, transforming into the trailer as Optimus folded into his truck form.

"I _gotta_ see that plane!" Epps stated with a grin, soldiers began running toward vehicles.

"Yo fleshlin', yer wi' me!" Roadbuster called out with a snort, reaching out and lightly snaring Epps, cupping his hand but never touching him. "Ah don' have a holo yet."

"Yeah well what're you gonna be?" Epps called back. The wrecker snorted and transformed. "Oh shit, don't even bother with the 'form," Epps stated, staring at the machine gun laden stock car. "I'm friggen riding with you here on out."

"Guid, if I kin talk tae _ya_ I don' have tae bother with the rest o' the dilly dallyin'. There's work what needs doin'!" Roadbuster snorted, opening his door for Epps.

It was a cheerful convoy that followed us to the airport. The banter flowed freely. Over the radio, I heard Will sigh somewhat as he rode with Bee.

"And why so great a sigh?" I asked in a gentle tone, onlining my holoform behind Will with Bee's permission. The Major jumped and turned to look at me.

"I never got the chance to have you teach me how to ride," Will shrugged, "Epps is tired of being shot at, I don't blame him really."

"He's a tech sarge," I shrugged, "Roadbuster seems to like him, we'll have Barry set him up running interference at NASA, and have him out for Christmas," I smiled. "And in the event you haven't noticed, I _do_ have a holoform, you can have the bike you guys got me, I'll sort out a road vehicle when Optimus and I get back and we'll go for a drive. You're not getting rid of me _that _easily." I grinned at him, and Will began laughing.

"Yeah yeah, alright, just remember you still need to train me up a bit for the CIA stuff, now that you're not allowed to get involved in the dirty work without a ton of paperwork," Will snorted. I made my holoform pat his shoulder with a grin and offlined it.

~Which runway?~ Optimus murmured as he pulled me through the gates.

~We'll taxi to the runway that Chris clears for us~ I replied calmly ~For now, hit that open space there, give ourselves some room to work~

I could feel Optimus chuckling as he slowed to a graceful stop, gently disconnecting.

~Right, integrate to the flight deck, then we'll mesh and transform?~ I murmured with a small smile, calling my body together and disconnecting myself from the flight deck.

Optimus transformed along with me, pressing his hands into the deck and lifting it onto himself, I smiled and turned, pressing my back to him and splitting apart, integrating into we.

~You're better with flight, beloved~ he rumbled gently, I smiled and onlined an extra processor, drawing a multitude of schematics from memory and calculating the best shape configuration. Optimus smiled and ceded the control to me.

~Just because you always let me drive~ he rumbled with a snort.

I laughed and thought for another long moment before slowly transforming into an efficient hybrid between passenger jet and my own fighter generation.

~Are you alright?~ I asked my Optimus worriedly.

~This, is a shockingly comfortable form~ he rumbled with an amused snort, playing with the systems for a moment while I giggled. I took a glance at our interior and smirked as the resident air-force walked around us.

"Dude! Look what they did with the engines!" Epps shouted with a broad grin.

"Optimus, I swear to god, you gotta give us the specs for this one! When I win the lottery I want a plane like you guys!" Chance added.

~Shall we show off a bit?~ I murmured with a grin.

~Yes dear~ he laughed, I quickly constructed a lavish holoformatic interior and extended the ladders. Will was scrambling up the next moment.

"Kae, incredible decorating job," he moaned as Barry entered the cabin the next moment.

"If I wasn't terrified of suggesting it, I'd suggest inviting POTUS and the officials for a flight, can't get much more secure than a plane like this," Barry stated in a quiet, awed voice.

"Perhaps, once we have determined how well we fly," Optimus rumbled with a grin, onlining our holoforms together.

"Although I'm going to stipulate that we're refuelled properly," I added with a shrug. "No wanking in the bathroom, although if we're taking you and Sarah on another honeymoon I don't mind if you decide to join the mile high club, Will." I grinned at Will.

Will promptly flushed scarlet.

"I can't honestly decide if I'd be able to do that," he choked.

"Well, Sideswipe and Ironhide called dibbs babysitting Anabelle when you do," Optimus snorted, grinning at the Major.

"Can't get much safer than that, she'd never once be set down, would she?" Will laughed, "that's beside the point, you guys are gorgeous, we'll see you in what? Two weeks?"

I glanced at Optimus.

"Five days," he rumbled calmly, I nodded.

"Or sooner if something comes up," I added patiently.

"That's a bloody short honeymoon," Will frowned as the soldiers took turns boarding, gawping, shooting us the thumbs up and exiting.

"Physical consummation-" Optimus began.

"While immensely fun," I interjected with a small smile.

"-is not the most important thing in the universe," Optimus continued with a smile, pulling my holoform tightly into his.

"Our souls are bound for eternity," I stated contentedly, leaning against him.

"An eternity that I will gladly spend worshiping you," Optimus murmured, reaching up to cup my cheek.

"Which is our cue to leave them be," Barry grinned, clapping a hand on Will's shoulder. "Oh! I almost forgot, I came by to give you the heads up that the heads of state want to conference with you at some point in the next month to go over Earth's defence."

"We shall gladly speak to the heads at their convenience," Optimus rumbled placidly, I felt him glance at the calender I'd gotten into the habit of keeping. "Perhaps April second, I do not foresee any holidays or events then."

"I'll pipe it through," Barry grinned, already wandering toward the ladders behind Will.

The ladders closed, and Optimus spun my holoform around.

"Now where were we?" he rumbled with a smirk, gripping me firmly.

"Taking off and going to Montana," I grinned, "unless you were planning on just staying in the airport?"

"Mmm, today is a lesson in patience."

"And flying," I added, stretching to kiss his holoform's jaw, I opened the comm. "Control this is Prime, requesting permission to take off."

"Prime this is Control, please taxi to runway five," Jenny called out, "you are cleared for liftoff in ten minutes, and congratulations Archangel!" she added brightly.

"Thank you Jenny!" I trilled cheerfully, bringing our combined engines online and taxiing to the runway. "How's your son doing?"

"He's envious as all hell that I got to see you in person," Jenny giggled. "Another five feet and I've got a clear shot of you again, love the paint job by the way."

"_Gorgeous_ isn't he?" I purred.

"Pure power, right there," Jenny agreed cheerfully, "bet he's a monster in the sack." she added wickedly.

"Oh you have _no_ idea," I stated smugly.

"I can still hear you," Optimus rumbled with a snort.

"Oh shit!" Jenny called over. "I am so-"

"Do not worry about it," Optimus chuckled. "Although if I may interject something in confidence?"

"By all means," Jenny replied in an awed tone.

"I would proudly call myself a monster on our berth," Optimus rumbled with a smirk, "but for the fact that my Kae is a feral animal to put the title of monster to shame."

"ATTA GIRL!" Jenny shouted, "Whoops, Prime you are cleared for liftoff, have a nice honeymoon you two!" we could hear her grin as I powered our engines up, gauging our weight and accelerating rapidly into the air.

"You have friends everywhere," Optimus chuckled, caressing my spark with his own.

"But the most important one is less than a nanite away," I murmured, holding him tightly as we climbed into the air. I glanced down and laughed as Bumblebee transformed, waving frantically at us.

::. You alright little brother?.:: I sent over the comm.

::. Yep! Just waving goodbye to my big sister!.:: he chirped cheerfully.

I grinned and began to circle as we climbed.

"Ready?" I asked my Optimus with a grin, testing our combined frames and strengthening the minute weaknesses.

"For?" he rumbled in amusement.

"A little bit of fun," I stated cheerfully. He laughed as I directed our vector west, buzzing the airport with several rapid barrel rolls.

::. Chance says you two gotta take him flying when you get back.:: Bee sent over the primary with a grin.

::. Bring us up on speaker, please?.:: Optimus rumbled patiently.

::. Yes sir!.:: Bee grinned ::. You're live.::

::. Gentlemen.:: Optimus rumbled in amusement ::. We shall see you in five days, Auto-bots, at ease, don't scar the humans.::

::. No promises!.:: Flareup shouted, anyone could hear her grin.

I felt Optimus' desire for speed and blasted the engines, going supersonic in moments.

::. Supersonic passenger jet!.:: Chance's voice bellowed gleefully ::. Do want!.::

Optimus laughed as Bumblebee respectfully cut the feed.

"Now where were we?" he rumbled gleefully, reading our flight information.

"Enjoying yourself love?" I laughed.

"When you are controlling our vectors?" he grinned, "this is well and truly enjoyable."

I laughed and adjusted our direction slightly, settling in for the flight.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus grinned, enjoying the sheer freedom his Kae felt as they flew together. Her flight style was smooth, their frames meshed into a perfectly streamlined craft. He looked at the configurations again and noted with shock that she was barely testing them.

"Mach two through an atmosphere and you aren't even putting stress on our frame," he rumbled interestedly.

"Balancing the stress," she commented mildly. "I'm _using_ the atmosphere."

Optimus couldn't help but grin, feeling her minutely changing the tilts of the wings to catch a bit of an updraft, pushing them higher. He felt like a youngling all over again, learning something so new to him, that felt as normal as cycling one's processors to his Kae.

"You know you still have to help me figure out my fighting style on the ground," Kae reminded him with amusement. He instantly felt better, and began tracing his Kae's information streams as she flew, fascinated by her style.

"Try," she whispered encouragingly, handing over the control one flap at a time.

Optimus carefully took the controls, grinning as his Kae handed over the last one and seemed to lean back, relaxing in their form as he flew.

He felt it firsthand now, the exhilaration of the atmosphere pushing him higher, counterbalanced against the gravitational forces of the planet. And closer, the exquisite feeling of having his Kae pressed so close, the comforting weight and strength of her form added to his own.

He looked down at the ground curiously and scanned the area.

"That pad right there," Mikaela murmured.

"That's a helipad!" Optimus rumbled indignantly. Mikaela laughed and gently touched the controls. Optimus ceded them curiously and began laughing as Kae tilted them back into a stall, their form transforming and landing lightly beside the pad.

"You missed!" a sole man bellowed up at them gleefully.

"Oh come on Gramp!" Kae called back with a laugh, delicately forming her own body and separating from Optimus as he called himself together.

"You honestly expect me to land twenty tons on your helipad and not crack it?" she grinned, kneeling down to the man's level.

"Always the courteous one, aren't you Angel," the man snorted, "anyway, I'm out of here, go have fun, don't crush my bunker."

"You got it, Gramp," Kae smiled.

"You kept your smile, good girl," the man rasped with a bright smile, patting Kae's cheek lightly before striding toward a small helicopter.

"You know you don't have to leave!" Mikaela called out in a worried tone.

"Oh don't say that!" Gramp called out cheerfully, "I'm going on vacation! Clean the mess up when you're finished and don't annoy Gouge!"

"Yes Gramp!" Kae trilled, standing and walking toward Optimus again. He was caught by her eyes again. Sparkling blue-green mischief. "What are your views on hiking?" she asked with a smirk.

"Hiking?" he rumbled, raising a brow ridge and lightly shrugging out of the flight deck.

"C'mon," Kae grinned, bouncing forward and grabbing his hand, she began drawing him along a rough road, more of a trail leading deeper into the mountains. With a smirk, Optimus took two quick paces and snared his Kae, her own pace bringing them down onto the road. In moments, Optimus was flat on his back, looking up at his Kae. She leaned down and feathered kisses along his neck struts, eliciting a moan from him before she was gone again.

"You coming?" she called out with a bright grin, already five paces ahead. Optimus rose and glanced around, then at his Kae as she continued to walk slowly enough for him to catch up easily.

"Get back here," he rumbled with a grin, striding after his spark mate. His _bonded_ spark-mate. That was good for an absolutely _euphoric_ spark flare.

"Just like that?" she called back cheerfully, picking up her pace. "You don't actually believe I'm just going to lie down without leading you on a chase first!"

She promptly spun and began running along the path.

Optimus ran after her, laughing as she continually glanced over her shoulder at him. The trees grew enormous around them, and still she kept running, climbing higher until she stopped dead where the trees gave way. His Kae turned around and watched him with a smile, lightly taking his hand as he surveyed the area.

Beautiful.

Water ran freely down an outcropping, and tiny, snow white flowers peeked out from the last of the snow clinging to the meadow.

"This was my favourite place to run to," Kae whispered, coiling herself around him. In moments, he had his arms around his Kae, holding her tightly.

"Now how do you intend to escape?" he rumbled softly into her auditory receptors.

"Who said I ever wanted to escape?" she murmured, turning in his arms to feather kisses across his shoulder.

Optimus leaned down slightly, catching her lips with his own.


	123. 120 Returning

**Chapter 120 - Returning**

* * *

(OPOV)

Five days flew past as they always had, five days of exploring, catching his Kae and making her overload. Paradise.

He felt new as his Kae led him gently to the helipad, waving at Gramp as the cheerful older man landed, got out of his chopper and stretched.

"Good vacation Gramp?" Kae asked cheerfully.

"Yes indeed," the man grinned. "five days sleeping in entirely different places, just like the old days."

"You miss them?" Kae asked gently.

"_Hah!_ Five days reminder of just why I am _more_ than glad to live out my days with the routine of taking care of this place." Gramp snorted. "Probably not going to see you anymore, am I angel."

Mikaela onlined her holoform to catch the old man in a gentle hug.

"You never know Gramp," she murmured.

"Truth!" Gramp snorted. "Never know when you're going to pop in to say hi now you're a plane. Congratulations little girl, I'll tell Paddy you send your love when I meet him."

"You do that Gramp," Kae whispered, hugging him tightly.

"Get going you!" he commanded cheerfully. "Drop by for Easter if you've a mind, and don't forget your beginnings."

"I will," she smiled at him, offlining the holoform and reaching for Optimus.

"And you!" Gramp turned to Optimus sternly. "You take care of our baby angel!" he commanded.

"With all that I am," Optimus rumbled gravely.

"Good." Gramp beamed at him, turning and walking into the bunker without another word. His voice drifted through the thick walls. "Honey! I'm home!" he was bellowing.

"About time!" Gouge's voice shouted back. "Your dinner is five days cold!"

The sounds of the two of them laughing at each other made Optimus smile with his Kae as they integrated into one and took flight again.

* * *

(BPOV)

Bumblebee drove patiently down the highways, speeding a bit, just a bit, he couldn't help it, he liked this form, it went fast. He liked fast. He glanced up at the sky and spotted a familiar set of colours coming down from the clouds. It'd been five days, his sister was back.

::. They're back they're back they're back!.:: Bumblebee sent over the primary excitedly.

::. What are you doing, old friend, that you are warning the others to hide away?.:: Prime... Optimus rumbled over the primary with a snort.

::. You're back! My sister's back!.:: Bee sent excitedly, getting into a higher gear and racing his Prime and Big Sister to the airport. He came alongside his Prime as he pulled out of the airport gates, towing Kae in trailer form behind himself.

::. Escorting us home little brother?.:: Kae sent with a grin.

::. You gotta tell me where you went and what you saw!.:: Bee sent back cheerfully, flanking his Primes. That felt awesome, his sister and his Prime moving as one, and he was driving beside them. He quickly moved to drive behind, letting his Primes into the lane and following them into headquarters. He transformed the second the public eye couldn't see him and hurled himself on his sister the second she was free of Optimus' flight deck.

"Which reminds me, you're due for an oil change, little brother," Kae laughed, hugging him tightly. It felt completely awesome, gettin' hugged by his sister.

"So are we going back to the Cybertronian day now that Kae's a bot?" Bee demanded with a broad grin, looking at Optimus.

"You did not have to remain on earth's day cycle to begin with," Optimus rumbled with a snort.

"I'm not asking for _me," _Bee snorted, "We're gonna do the same cycles you do regardless, _I _thought you should consider all the aspects before the bet's resolved."

"Five days and you've got a pool going," Kae laughed.

"On one hand," Bee stated cheerfully, "You get five out of every twenty four hours to sleep with my sister, on the other you get three days to do whatever you want..."

The Primes looked down at him, both seeming to deliberate for a second, even though Bee couldn't pick anything up on the frequencies.

"Cybertronian," Optimus smirked the next second. "But that most certainly does not mean that we will not still adhere to the soldier's schedules."

"Which speaking of," Kae added, looking up at Optimus. "I believe I'm going to go catch a couple of hours' recharge."

"I shall join you shortly," Optimus rumbled, looking down at Bee's sister with a the gentle look in his optics that meant everything was going to be okay. Bee grinned and bounced over to his sister, catching her in a hug again.

"See you in the morning sis," he grinned.

"Where are you going?" Kae laughed.

"Gonna go collect my winnings," Bee chirped.

"Winnings nothing," Ratchet grumbled from the doorway, walking toward Optimus. Bee smirked at the medic as Ratchet shot a wink at him. "We all agreed, we pay Bee to convince you." Ratchet added, grinning, he caught Kae in a hug. "Welcome home daughter, I'll see you in the morning."

Optimus began laughing, the rich, real laugh that Bee absolutely adored. It always made him want to burst out laughing himself.

So he did, giggling and grinning around himself. Pr... Optimus glanced down at him with a smile and leaned down, catching him in a hug.

Which felt completely awesome.

Bee looked curiously up at him regardless.

"It occurs that I have yet to thank you, old friend," Optimus rumbled gently.

"The pit for?" Bee chirped, wide eyed.

"For protecting your sister, my mate so absolutely, and allowing us to bond, =_Little-brothe_r=." Optimus smiled. Bee couldn't help it, he hurled himself onto Optimus, hugging him as best he could.

"There's no better, big brother," Bee grinned up at him. "Get some recharge, I'm gonna head back out for another few hours. Got me some scoutin' to do."

Optimus laughed softly and patted his shoulder.

Which meant that no matter _what _happened, everything was gonna be okay. Bee promptly transformed.

"Wait up!" General Moreshower of all humans bellowed. "Bumblebee! Catch a ride home with you?"

"Hop in General!" Bumblebee chirped gleefully, opening his door for the man. He rolled out carefully this time, there was no telling what kind of driving the General was used to.

"Aaaw," the man mumbled quietly.

"General?" Bumblebee chirped curiously.

"Here I was hoping we could make a tire squealing exit," the General stated grumpily.

"That's the ramp," Bumblebee smirked. "_This_ is the fun part." he promptly accelerated, squealing his tires a bit for the General's amusement as they got out onto the roads.

The General was grinning as Bee made it to the highway.

"You want the short way, or the long way around?" Bee asked curiously.

"Well, I was actually kind of hoping I could ride with you for a little while," the General admitted. "I've got an appointment that I'd really rather miss because of traffic..."

"Can you do that?" Bumblebee asked in shock.

"Well, if I'm an hour late they'll forgive me. Hell, if I say that even an _Auto-bot_ couldn't get me there on time..." the General trailed off suggestively.

Bee promptly began laughing, turning onto the highway and accelerating. Speeding a bit, just a bit...

"So how fast _can_ you guys go anyway?" the General asked curiously.

"Er..." Bee stated worriedly.

"Not asking weapons stuff," the General snorted. "I'm just wondering how fast you guys can actually go. I used to own a Camaro, older model, but be damned if she didn't have some serious guts to her."

"So you like speed?" Bumblebee asked innocently.

"Bring it," the man grinned viciously.

"Then let's put the metal to the pedal!" Bumblebee howled, accelerating down his personal favourite strip of highway.

Deserted. Camera-less.

The General was cheering right beside his holoform.

And that was a _damned_ good day.

* * *

(JoPOV)

Jolt synced his processors and rose from his post, the nice thing about running with the human schedules, was that even though he tended to run double of their shifts, it made for a remarkably short shift.

Unfortunately though, the end of his shift tended to mean that he'd be returning to his quarters, there was only so long a bot could stay in the central, or even skulk around the _med_-_bay_ without feeling pathetic in his own processors.

So it was back to his own quarters.

The fact that he _had_ his own quarters was a mixed blessing, he wasn't entirely fond of staying in a hangar with all the bots, it was quite difficult to get a proper recharge with other bots in the room.

Even _if_ he trusted those bots to watch his back.

They were kind to him, certainly, but after... he stopped that process, he'd been through it enough already.

Jolt reached up and touched his chest, once again enjoying the warm, comforting feeling of being whole-sparked again.

Not branded.

It had been terrifying, of course, seeing Kae taking his brands. He'd been fully prepared to fall over himself apologizing to her, to have that sweet femme branded was the worst thing he'd... well... _one _of the worst things he'd ever experienced.

If Optimus had slagged him then and there he wouldn't have blamed the bot one bit.

But her body had rejected the marks, her very flesh tearing away beneath them.

He wished he was as strong as her. She'd been so scrapping _tiny_ as a human, it had been remarkably easy to consider her to be as fragile as her body.

But she was a Prime.

It explained a _lot_.

And the fact that the two Primes were bound to each other now? Well, that was just incredible. They were perfect together, Optimus Prime had initially seemed somewhat cold-sparked to him, much like his Second in Command Prowl was, isolating himself until Ironhide had quietly explained the Prime's story to him.

Now that he had love, he had a bonded mate, the kindness in Optimus' spark that Ironhide had spoken of was shining through him again, and by extent through the entire unit.

It gave Jolt hope again.

Something he'd been truly missing.

"Good recharge, Jolt," Sideswipe told him with a small smile, gently touching his shoulder as they passed in the housing wing corridor.

"Good patrol, Sideswipe, Sunstreaker," Jolt replied respectfully, nodding to the twins.

"Quit that," Sideswipe snorted.

"Quit what?" Jolt asked curiously, snapping into the present somewhat.

"Quit with the respectful stuff, we are family here," Sides smiled at him. The predator held his shoulder for a long moment, each reading the other's optics. "Kae is the better at seeing another's spark," Sideswipe stated quietly. "But I have the feeling that in this moment, she would say that we need to live in the present and work for the future. Remember the past, Jolt, our lessons are in the past, but it does not do to live there."

Jolt took a long moment to sync his processors before nodding to Sideswipe.

"I don't..." he started, trailing off uncertainly.

"Not quite ready yet, huh?" Sunstreaker asked gently. "In time, young bot, in time."

"I hope so," Jolt nodded sadly. "I apologize, you should not have to deal with my morose imaginings at the beginning of your orn..."

"We stand together," Sideswipe stated gently, patting his shoulder.

"If your recharge does not go well, you are welcome to come driving with us." Sunstreaker added.

"Thank you," Jolt murmured shyly. Sideswipe gave him a gentle smile and the twins continued down the corridor.

Jolt watched the bots as they strode down the corridor for a long moment before turning into his own quarters. He surveyed them neutrally, the bare walls looking just the way they always did. He sat down on his berth and stared at them for a long moment.

He remembered a time when his spark had been much like these walls, bare, unmarked and waiting for life. But even these walls had companions in themselves.

It was lonely in here. It almost made him wish they were back at the military base, where he could hear the combined hum of the unit's sparks. His thoughts turned to Lena, he wasn't sure why his thoughts were always turning to her, even _before_ she had touched his spark. He thought of that brief interlude fondly, she had gentle hands. And after, for a little while, he had felt like himself again.

The bot he'd been before...

He stopped that process.

At a loss of what to do, Jolt laid down on his berth, enjoying the fact that he had a berth again. It was comfy.

He stared at the ceiling now, grateful that the Major had granted him the permission to take the crosshatching tiles down.

They'd looked far too much like the grate under which he'd slept. His chronometer continued to while away the minutes, he'd been laying awake for three hours. That was normal.

What wasn't normal, and startled him enough to get a pulse of energon running through his systems was a soft sound. One two three knocks on his door.

_Nobody _did that. Not on his door.

"Enter?" he called out hesitantly.

Then another shock.

Lena, dressed entirely differently than she usually was, walked into his quarters somewhat, hovering uncertainly at the door.

Her armour was loose, fluffy. It looked really soft.

"Um... hey... Jolt," she murmured hesitantly. "I'm sorry if..."

"Lena?" he asked softly.

"I'm not disturbing you... am I?" she asked in a soft, vulnerable tone.

"Absolutely not," Jolt murmured gently, the tone in her voice spoke volumes, tripping his protective circuits like nothing else. She sounded scared. "Lena are you alright?"

"I'm..." she started weakly.

"Do you need medical attention?" Jolt asked worriedly, sitting up quickly and reaching for her.

"No... I..." she whispered. Jolt sampled the air and cross-checked it with Ratchet's catalogue of human scents. The scents of loneliness, stress and the after-tones of fear. Jolt took in her changed armour. 'pyjamas'. She had been sleeping.

"I'm sorry... I shouldn't have bothered you..." Lena started.

"You aren't bothering me," Jolt murmured gently. "If the truth is known I have been laying on my berth for three hours and twenty one minutes waiting for either recharge or death, whichever chooses to come first. What's wrong Lena?"

"Why are you waiting for death?" Lena asked immediately, looking up at him with shocked eyes.

"It comes eventually," Jolt shrugged wearily. "We never really know when. Sometimes it is a blessing should it come in peace. At least I would be one with the all-spark again..."

They stared at each other for a long moment.

"The truth?" the echoed each other, Jolt couldn't help but smile at her.

"I..." they both started.

"Femmes first," Jolt murmured.

"I'm lonely," Lena murmured in an ashamed tone. "I woke up lonely from the usual nightmares..."

"You get chargefrights too?" Jolt asked gently.

"I..." Lena started before her expression morphed into one he was more accustomed to on her face. "Scrap it all, just blast me if I offend you." she exploded. "Can I touch your spark again? I mean, I've never felt better before or since I touched your spark, it's the first time in _years _that I've ever slept so soundly, except now..." she trailed off, her face flushing with embarrassment.

Jolt onlined his holoform, walking to gently take her hands.

"You're sure you don't mind?" he asked hesitantly.

She stared at him with confusion in her eyes.

"I mean... I got a lot more out of you touching my spark than you did..." Jolt murmured in embarrassment.

"You mean I wasn't simply taking from you?" Lena asked shyly. Jolt smiled at her.

"No, I get a lot from it," he murmured. "You're _always_ welcome here, Lena."

Jolt felt his spark warm as Lena stepped closer to his holoform, she looked at him critically for a moment.

"Um..." she started.

He looked at her curiously.

"I mean, the holoform is nice and all..." she started. "But it's not really... you... is it?"

"No," Jolt laughed softly, blinking the holoform out and carefully kneeling down to Lena's level. "No, this is me."

Lena smiled at him.

Jolt had to admit it. He liked that smile.

"Will you touch my spark again?" he asked softly.

"Does it make me a terrible person that I was really _really_ hoping you'd say that?" Lena asked shyly.

"No," Jolt smiled.

Lena wrapped gentle arms around his neck, and Jolt couldn't help but enjoy the sound of her heart beating so close.

"Your berth or mine?" Jolt murmured mischievously. Lena pulled back to look at him incredulously for a moment before she began giggling.

It was absolutely infectious, the two of them were giggling like younglings as Jolt carefully picked Lena up and laid back on his berth. He thought about it for a moment and looked at Lena.

"D'you..." he started. She looked at him curiously. "D'you mind if I get rid of my armour?" he asked hesitantly.

"The way Optimus and Kae do sometimes?" Lena asked curiously.

"Pretty much," Jolt shrugged.

"Have at," Lena stated curiously. Jolt carefully set her down on his berth and rose again, crouching and shrugging out of his armour for the first time in vorns.

It felt really, _really _good.

He stood and looked at Lena shyly, all too aware that his joints were still a bit off-kilter here and there. He really didn't want to monopolize Ratchet's time getting everything back in it's proper place again. _That _was a full teardown and rebuild, and he was hesitant to _ever_ let _that_ happen again...

Lena was looking at him wide-eyed.

"You..." she whispered.

Jolt looked away shyly.

"You're so..." she whispered.

"I'm not really all that well..." Jolt started embarrassedly.

"You're so handsome," Lena whispered. Jolt looked at her in shock, automatically moving toward her as she hesitantly reached for him.

He laid down on his berth again, making absolutely sure that he didn't so much as squish one of her toes. Lena climbed on him, her bare hands and feet felt so soft against his metals. Jolt settled himself down on his berth and hummed his contentment as Lena stroked his spark chamber.

"How..." Lena started hesitantly.

"I think the easiest way would be if you found somewhere comfortable on my chest..." Jolt murmured unsurely.

Lena squirmed slightly and wound up in a bundle of his neural fibres.

Jolt began struggling to not gasp aloud at that.

_Primus_ she felt good there, so soft and giving against his most sensitive metals.

"Is this okay?" she asked worriedly.

"Oh Primus I don't want to offend you," Jolt gasped.

"Oh god I'm so sorry-" Lena began, struggling to extract herself without stomping on his metals. She was squirming in his chest. Primus it felt good.

"Oh please, please don't leave," Jolt began begging. "Lena you feel so good there-"

He promptly clapped a hand over his vocal processors. Lena froze.

"I'm a glitch, I'm so sorry Lena-" Jolt started remorsefully.

"I'm not hurting you?" she asked softly. Jolt looked down at her.

"You're squirming around in the equivalent of..." he trailed off in thought. "I'm really_ really_ trying to find a phrase that's not a lie but isn't going to offend you." he stated worriedly.

"Well, we made it this far," Lena snorted. That was more the Lena he knew. "Why don't we just promise to _tell_ each other if we've offended each other and forgive each other for being awkward our first time?"

"Oh deal," Jolt sighed happily. "Which that being the case? You're currently squirming around in the equivalent of..." he trailed off with a frown again. "Scrap. Humans don't reach into each other to find your sensitive spots the way we do."

"Erogenous zones?" Lena asked innocently.

"That's a good word," Jolt snorted. "Although _Taboo_ wise you're currently rubbing my chest and abdomen."

"So this feels good?" Lena murmured, tracing light fingers along one of his neurals. Jolt couldn't have stopped the giggling snort if his life had depended on it. Lena began giggling as his leg twitched, stroking his neurals with light fingers.

"That tickles!" he giggled.

"Then what does this feel like?" Lena asked curiously. Her hands began kneading his neurals, which felt just so absolutely exquisite. He moaned as much and felt his spark chamber open, he reached tentatively toward Lena.

He wanted to feel her, too.

Then, the most incredible of things, her hand reached out and ran ever so gently down his spark. Stroking him.

He reached for her nerves, feeling her mind lightly join with his as she caressed him. Jolt smiled as Lena began moaning in appreciation as he kneaded the tension from her muscles, her mind and body caressed his. She felt incredible.

Jolt lost track of the time he spent entwined with Lena, only registering it when she slipped deeply into sleep, still twined in his neurals. Jolt smiled and made very certain that she was wholly in her own body before he receded into his chamber.

He directed his body to lay a gentle, protective hand over Lena before he offlined his motor-reflexes and dropped into the best recharge he'd had in a dozen vorns.

* * *

There was a quiet knock on his door. Jolt onlined his optics curiously.

Who _else_ would be knocking on his door?

He checked his chronometer.

_Scrap!_ He'd slept right through the night, it was ten minutes to his duty shift, and he was usually up and there two hours ago.

The door slid open and the best of bots to appear, did.

"I'm sorry Jolt, I'm just making sure you're alright," Archangel Prime murmured gently. She glanced at Lena still sound asleep in his chest and smiled. "First time?" she asked softly.

Dumbfounded, Jolt nodded.

"Well, her duty shift doesn't begin for another six hours, and now yours doesn't either," Archangel Prime stated gently. "Just try not to be late, dear-spark, we _do _have duty to attend to, after all."

"Yes Prime!" Jolt whispered hoarsely in shock.

"How many times do I have to tell people to not call me that?" Kae asked in amusement. "I'm _Kae. _Good recharge Jolt."

Without another word, Kae retreated from his door and allowed it to close.

Jolt wouldn't have been able to keep the grin off of his face if he'd wanted to. He laid back down somewhat and made very certain to set his alarm properly this time.

Lena shifted slightly beside his spark chamber, venting a sigh.

She sounded so happy right now, curled up in his neurals sound asleep.

That felt really _really _good.

* * *

Four hours later she began to rouse herself, slowly at first, then coming online with a start.

"Oh my gosh I..." she started, staring around herself.

"Your shift and mine starts in two hours," Jolt told her with a smile.

"But..."

"Kae came in to make sure I was alright and changed my shift," Jolt smirked.

"She saw..." Lena choked.

"Do you want to know what she saw and said?" Jolt asked with a low laugh, sitting up carefully and cradling Lena. He onlined a holoform of Kae walking in, speaking quietly and leaving the room again.

"That's just..." Lena snorted after a long moment.

"Awesome?"

"So Kae," Lena giggled. "Remind me to thank her, will you?"

"Absolutely. Did you want me to hide you under my armour and sneak you back to your quarters?" Jolt asked innocently.

"Nah, I'm in my P.J.s'" Lena snorted. "But thanks for the offer. I'll see you in Communications?"

"_Scraplet_ hoards couldn't keep me away," Jolt grinned.

Lena grinned up at him and lightly squirmed out of his chest. She strode to the edge of his berth and looked down.

"Well. Shit."

"I'm going to have to get one of those ladders," Jolt stated musingly. There was another knock on the door, his door was getting really popular. Lena scrambled to hide behind him.

"Enter?" he called out curiously.

Kae came back in, all the way in this time, letting the door close behind her.

"I thought I felt you waking," she smiled at him. "Lena, I know you're hiding behind Jolt, you don't have to, dear."

Lena crept out from her hiding spot curiously.

"I don't know if the two of you intend to make this a regular habit," Kae stated calmly. Jolt noted that she had one of her arms behind her back. "But I figured that in the event that you _do_ you're probably going to need some of the accessories my Optimus and I needed while I was still human."

She promptly brought her arm out from behind her back. The ladder Optimus had had propped against his berth for her.

"If you don't decide to use it, I'd imagine we'll find another use for it, but in the meantime, it's yours to use or not, however you wish," she smiled at them.

She turned to leave again.

"Kae!?" Lena called out in a shocked tone.

"Yes Lena?" she asked mildly, half turning to look at them.

"You... you're not..." Lena started.

"I am a greatly flawed individual," Mikaela stated in amusement. "However _hypocrisy_ is the one thing _guaranteed_ to raise my ire. With that, why would I bother with it?"

She turned to leave and stopped.

"By the way?" she added over her shoulder. "Unfortunately gossip spreads around here faster than the plague in human history, if the ribbing gets to be too much Jolt, you have my support should you wish it." she continued out the door without another word again.

"Best. Prime. Ever." Jolt stated after a long moment. Lena nodded avidly.


	124. 121 Mindspace

**A quick note before we begin, I'm off for the family Christmas, so no internets *sigh* At any rate, double update today, because I'm terribly late with the first and I won't be able to update over the coming week. However, I shall see you in the New Year. ****Happy Holidays everyone! :)**

**Chapter 121 - Mindspace**

* * *

(MPOV)

I onlined my optics to the sweet sight that I wanted to see for the rest of my days.

Optimus had wound himself around me again, pinning me tightly in place in his recharge. I squirmed slightly and brought our chests together, reaching with my spark to caress his chamber lightly.

Out cold, he moaned, pulling me a bit more tightly against him as his spike inflated between my legs, nosing at my valve. I gasped as he thrust, seating himself firmly as he began to wake, staring at me incredulously.

"Morning," I whispered.

"Did I wake you?" he rumbled worriedly.

"Nope," I grinned, rocking my hips against his and kneading the tension from his neural fibres as he moaned. My spark flashed out to caress his, teasing, coaxing him into overload. I stretched up and caught his lips, swallowing his gasping roar of completion.

His fans roared as he came online fully, staring at me with the dearest mix of incredulity and relaxed contentment.

"Morning beloved," I murmured, feathering kisses along his frame. "You don't have to get up for another hour. But I know how much you like dozing for that hour."

Optimus hummed contentedly and rolled to his back, dragging me with him.

"Eventually, I will succeed in being the first one to wake," he rumbled softly, stroking my frame lightly.

"And then we're never going to get anything done," I teased him lightly.

"Mm true," he rumbled with a snort. "But it'll be worth it to watch you overloading before you're fully online." his eyes turned wicked as they began stroking and teasing the sensitive areas on my frame. "To watch your eyes flash online in surprise before they darken with passion as you overload in my hands."

I suppressed a shudder as his voice washed around and through me, his spike nosing at my valve again.

"I have... to get...ooh... to work," I protested weakly.

"Call in sick," Optimus rumbled with a low laugh. I glared down at him wryly as my systems began focusing entirely on responding to the binder cables now teasing my couplings. I gave in with the feeling that I hadn't even reached the battle field as the first of his cables connected fully, moaning at the sensation.

Optimus rolled again, laying me on my back as he invaded my body one cable at a time. At ten I was gasping on the edge of overload as Optimus began plying his inarguably favourite skill, holding me on the edge of overload.

I began whimpering, begging for more as he leaned down, delicately feathering kisses down my neck and shoulder as I arched into him.

"So impatient," he teasingly chided me, reaching down and running a finger lightly around my valve.

"Oh gods please," I whimpered, bucking into that hand. Another two cables connected into my sides.

"Mmm, perhaps I should resize my spike until it's too big for you to take, and pound you with it anyway," he rumbled directly into my auditory receptors, my legs spread further. "Or perhaps I should just leave you like this," he added mischievously, withdrawing a cable as I whimpered in protest. "Leave you wanting more for the rest of the day, and see what mood you are in by this evening."

I could feel the voice of command beginning to raise itself into my vocal processors, and began struggling to not use it.

"Use it," Optimus rumbled softly, the tone of an incubus as another cable connected. "Where we are safe." I struggled against it for another second and realized something, a new way of controlling it.

"Optimus Prime, my Optimus, why do you tease me so?" I whimpered, easily pressing down the voice of command in favour of prolonging his game. I looked up at him and caught his optics, communication in a look. "Please," I whispered, "please frag me, Optimus, I need you." I spread my legs a bit wider beneath him in mute appeal.

With a small smirk, he delicately slid into me and froze, leaving me impossibly caught on the edge.

"For the love of all the gods!" I begged, filled absolutely and throbbing around him, he withdrew his spike in the space of a spark-pulse.

"Look at me," he commanded smugly, my optics brightening to watch him desperately.

"Please," I whimpered.

"As my beloved wishes," he rumbled with a smirk, sheathing himself again with a powerful thrust and blasting my awareness amidst the stars.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus watched with smug pride as his Kae overloaded in his hands at one thrust, the lights flickering around them as the circuitry struggled to keep up with her, he leaned down and kissed her throat, reaching up and stroking her face as her optics began to brighten somewhat. Her spark hummed beneath his own, the sweetest of sirens' songs.

He smirked down at her and thrust again, revelling in the shocked pleasure radiating from her spark as another massive pulse of energon flowed through her.

::. Can I have my assistant, or are you busy?.:: Ratchet sent over the primary wryly.

::. We're busy charging batteries.:: Optimus sent back smugly.

::. Drone scrap!.:: Ratchet sent back, laughing ::. That last surge damn near blew them up. You'd best start remembering to create solid cells or you're going to bring the entire _base_ down.::

::. Something to do then.:: Optimus snorted, looking down at his Kae as she writhed beneath him, throbbing around his spike. He thrust again and she shrieked, another surge wracking through her frame.

Shocked, Optimus scanned her as she reached up, holding him tightly through her overload, pressing a fraction of the energon surging through her back into him.

In moments he was overloading, all thought blasted aside and thrusting with abandon into her perfection. He could feel her struggling somewhat, onlining a processor and controlling her own overload. The Primary exploded in shocked exclamations as the central's cathedral expanded, cells of energon growing from the branching neural fibres.

His processors snapped back into focus as Kae clung to him, drained and slowly shutting down into an automatic reboot, her spark flickered for a long second before humming back to it's usual strength.

Terrified, Optimus disconnected from her gently, picking her up and almost running to the Med-bay.

∂_I don't understand!_∂ he bellowed at Ratchet, feeling like a bloody youngling. It didn't help that the old medic took a rapid scan and began laughing.

"What's got your processors in a twist? That's not your first NFO," Ratchet laughed.

"Ratchet!" he demanded sternly.

"You're interfacing with the host of the All-spark," Ratchet snorted as Will pelted in behind him. "What did you expect? Go get your spark-bound's armour, I would have thought you'd manage to do that while you were still on your honeymoon."

"Ratchet!" Sideswipe hollered the next second, carrying an impressively dense cell, the predator and his brother using a forcefield just to keep themselves upright. "Check it out! She made the cathedral bloom!"

"She _what!?_" Optimus demanded.

"She made the cathedral bloom! C'mon! You gotta _see it Prime_!" Sunstreaker grinned broadly, he looked at Kae still recharging in Optimus' arms. "Better yet, let's bring little sister in to see her handiwork, it's a great place to wake up!"

He turned around and scampered back toward the central. Sides grunted and sent the cell to rest in it's place to power the med-bay.

Optimus stayed frozen in the middle of the med-bay, cradling his Kae.

"Ratchet-" he started again. The medic looked at him in amusement and promptly made his way out of the bay toward central. He frowned.

"Ratchet she overloaded so strongly her spark almost went out," he growled, taking a couple of rapid steps to catch up to the medic.

"Uh huh, and?" Ratchet grinned up at him.

"I am not _bragging_!" Optimus snarled, "she didn't automatically drop into a recharge cycle! She was controlling the energon excesses! Every last rell running through her system without a spark-_bypass!_"

"She _what!?_" Ratchet bellowed. Finally.

"I what?" Kae mumbled in Optimus' arms, cuddling into him before onlining with a start. "Why are we naked in central?" she asked, looking up at him with a pout.

"Because you made it bloom, gorgeous creature!" Flareup called out cheerfully.

"Kae, didn't you put in a bypass?" Ratchet asked sternly.

"Mmn hmn," she nodded, lightly squirming out of Optimus' hands and running a rapid systems diagnostic, flushing a tiny amount of energon along a slightly damaged transistor line and resettling her limb controls and balances. She stretched up to lightly caress one of the veritable vines of neural fibres before turning to grin at Optimus. "I really gotta get rid of that damned thing, I almost went out before the nanites could fix it."

Every last bot fell silent, staring at her. Prowl's optic was twitching madly.

"What?" she laughed, walking forward and cupping Optimus' face. "I used the damn thing like you instructed me to, and it was honestly easier keeping my personality separate from critical mass than trying to keep critical mass away from my spark."

Silence prevailed throughout central as Optimus continued to stare in shock at his spark-bonded. Kae began to frown slightly.

"We're worrying, why are we worrying?" she murmured.

"You... you could have..." Optimus choked.

"Could have what?" she asked in exasperation. "What am I missing? Besides my armour," she added, turning to point at Ironhide. She froze, staring at the weapons master as he sat frozen and heavy, supporting a terrified looking Chromia.

"Kae, you need to make _damned_ sure you govern the amount of energon running through your spark," Ironhide rumbled in a choked voice.

"It _wasn't_ running through my spark," Kae frowned, "that's the _problem_, my..." she trailed off, doing another rapid self-diagnostic. "Damnit Ratchet, what's the word I'm looking for?" she asked irritably, turning to the medic.

"For?" Ratchet asked in a muted voice, sitting down heavily. Kae rolled her optics.

"This bit," she said patiently, baring her spark chamber and opening it, with light fingers she pulled out a burnt out bypass transistor and tossed it to the medic. "I told you, I damn near went out before the nanites could build a new one."

Optimus stared at it.

* * *

(MPOV)

I flashed around at the sound of my spark-bonded falling and rapidly got beneath him.

"Optimus!" I half-shouted, bearing his weight to the bench and settling him down, I knelt in front of him. "Primus sake tell me what's _wrong!_"

"I could have killed you," Optimus choked out. "For the sake of a bit of fun I could have killed you."

"I'm not dead," I stated patiently.

"I could have killed you," he whispered, reaching up with shuddering hands.

"But you didn't!" I told him sternly. "Snap out of it, beloved, I'm not dead."

"I could have killed you," he whispered.

I glanced over my shoulder to see the rest of the bots beginning to fall apart along with their Prime. Prowl looked ready to glitch, Sunny and Sides were staring at the transistor in Ratchet's hand in horror. I sighed and turned back to Optimus.

"Optimus Prime," I stated, lightly caressing the voice of command. "Calm yourself and look me in the optic!"

~Come back to me~ I whispered to his spark. He reached out and clung to me. ~No matter where we are~ I whispered to him. ~I'm not dead, I'm not dying, I'm right here~

~I could have killed you~ he sobbed, clinging to me.

I reached out with my own body and lightly shattered, integrating into him absolutely.

Optimus ceded control of our body, and we looked around calmly, resting against the vines and offering both binder cables and couplings.

Bumblebee held back, looking unsure.

"All of us, little brother," I stated gently and glanced down at Will.

* * *

(WPOV)

"I'll... um..." Will started unsurely, gesturing behind himself. This looked serious, and curious as he was, he really _really _didn't want to intrude on something so private.

"No, you may stay if you wish," Optimus' voice rumbled quietly, "Your point of view is welcome."

"Er... how?" Will asked curiously. The mech smiled and lightly touched the vines, the motions an elegant mixture of both Optimus and Kae. The vines began to glow softly, reaching gracefully toward him, the next moment he jumped to see them coil into an _incredibly_ comfortable looking sofa. Well hell.

"In dreams," Ratchet shrugged lightly, "that's a holoformatic suspension unit. All you really need to do is sit, or lay down, and it will..." he trailed off with a frown, looking at Kae. "How do I explain it..."

"Without sounding bonkers?" Mikaela's voice asked as the mech grinned at the medic. "Admit it, you're an autonomous robot organism from the planet Cybertron-"

"Who transforms into an emergency response hummer, speaking to the soldier you've scolded for not taking proper care of myself and I _actually_ listened to you." Will snorted, grinning up at Ratchet.

"Let him have it," Ironhide snorted. "If he can accept that we actually exist he'll forgive us for not coming up with precisely the correct phrasing."

"Psychic chair." Mikaela finished cheerfully. "Or at least, the upgrade to how _I_ entered the..." she frowned, it was weird that as one, she still seemed to turn to Optimus.

"The best translation would be mindspace, just... not drug related." Optimus rumbled, he seemed to glance down at her curiously.

"So not LSD related," Will stated in a half serious tone.

"No THC, either," Kae grinned. "It'll connect to your neural network, just, instead of neural fibres going into your system, like they did mine, it'll be a holoform sending and receiving the information, you'll see, hear and feel the mindspace, but it won't send more than your mind can handle. So you won't have the potential of frying your brain or having wires touching you."

"Nothing drilling through my skull," Will stated patiently.

"Nada." Kae grinned. "That's why I said psychic."

"I'm in, am I allowed to flump?" he grinned.

"Flump away," Kae laughed. Will promptly dropped onto the sofa and closed his eyes. Except he didn't. He frowned, eyes definitely _felt_ closed. He reached up, rubbed his face carefully, yep, eyes definitely closed, but he could plainly see his hand. He looked up and jumped. A flat plane of light, and around him, difficult to see against that light were ghosts.

Not ghosts, sparks, wavering and changing form, but obviously separate, except for the two completely intertwined to his right. Had to be Optimus and Kae.

"Wow, he's a natural at it," Ironhide grinned. At least, Will thought it was Ironhide.

"Hold up," Ratchet stated patiently, materializing just as he did as a holoform, "solidify your forms you glitches."

"That's just cool," Will grinned, he looked down and around. "Nice choice of sofa, too." he looked up again as Ironhide materialized alongside Chromia. "Wait hold up a second, you're mech form, how far away are you that we're the same size?"

"Size doesn't really matter here," Bumblebee chuckled, standing up and striding toward him, his mech form reached forward then jerked back quickly. "Scrap, sorry man, my bad."

"Hawhat?" Will asked in an astonished tone.

"Well, you're old enough to choose your first, not exactly the kind of thing a bot pushes in on," Bee shrugged.

"Wait _that's_ what you meant by firsts!?" Will asked in shock.

"Either Bumblebee or Ironhide would probably be the best," Ratchet stated patiently. "Remember what I said about minds, the first night Kae was on base?"

"It's better to touch the mind of a friend, rather than a colleague," Will murmured. He looked down at his hands again. "I'm looking at my own mind?"

"Well, your hands," Bee grinned. "You wouldn't _believe_ the freaks that some bots get when they look in a mirror around here."

Will snorted, he couldn't help it.

"Oh and before you think it aloud," Bumblebee added with a laugh, "No, we wouldn't be having sex. When you touch my hand, you might get a flash of my own thoughts and memories, and I'll more than likely get a half decent look at yours, but I won't go looking."

"Deal man," Will grinned, holding out his hand and correcting himself instantly, except not. "Shit, I'm not trying to target you." he frowned.

"Different connotations to different situations." Bee laughed, reaching down and gently taking his hand.

Will was definitely glad he was holding it gently.

"Sorry, I'm trying to think as blandly as I can," Bee murmured, pulling him to his feet. The next moment, Will was clinging to Bee as he stood in empty space.

"Aw scrap, somebody put a floor in the bloody place right?" Bee grumbled.

"Sorry sorry sorry," Will stammered.

"No no, not your fault," Bumblebee laughed, "Sorry, between contact and all that, I forgot to explain." he patiently morphed into his human holoform. That was way easier to sort, Bee gently wound an arm around Will's waist. "Here we are whatever we wish to be. Size doesn't matter. Eventually you learn how to block out and hold back your thoughts. Otherwise we'd go insane. Look, right now we're in space, we could be floating, falling, flying, standing, whatever and wherever you wish to be. _Personally_, I like a good floor."

He stomped and the light twisted into a good, solid wood floor.

Will looked around and grinned. Mech and human forms both sat around a good sized room, Chromia's human form leaned casually against Ironhide's heavily cannoned frame.

"I, have _always_ wanted to do this," Will murmured, striding across the floor. He stopped and held up his left arm. "Never really did get to shake your hand." he stated calmly.

Ironhide grinned and threaded his forearm through Will's, pulling back strongly.

"So this..." Will stated in an impressed tone.

"Is where the magic happens," Chromia giggled.

"You, are a dirty minded femme," Ironhide retorted with a snort.

"No, I just like suggesting the possibility of dirt," Chromia trilled. "It's up to you to put it there."

"You were thinking it," Ironhide grinned.

"Which is why you said it," Chromia grinned, reaching up to kiss his jaw.

"Story for another time," Ironhide chuckled, cuddling his Chromia a bit closer and looking sternly at Optimus. Will turned to see the final set of sparks coalesce, Kae and Optimus' metal forms. Optimus was wound tightly around his Kae still as she sat across his lap. Her hand had snaked up to cup his cheek as they read each other's eyes.

"I could have killed you," Optimus rumbled quietly.

"You could have," Mikaela murmured gently, "But you wouldn't. You _know _that I could have stopped you at any time."

"And then what? You'd fry," Optimus stated quietly.

"Energon in it's solid state-" Mikaela began calmly.

"Is cold," Ratchet stated softly. "But you can't _survive_ as solid state."

"Which is why it's rather pleasant to have all of the heat that Optimus causing me to overload causes," Mikaela stated placidly. She looked at her bot with amusement in her optics. "You keep me _alive_ Optimus. If you were trying to kill me, I'd be dead. I fried a transistor, in a safe environment. I found the flaw and fixed it."

"That's them arguing nowadays, boring right?" Bumblebee murmured, rolling his optics... eyes... optics...

"Dude, pick a form," Will snorted.

"So right, fill in the blanks?" Bumblebee grinned.

"For the human? Yes please," Will grinned.

"Right, so Optimus and Mikaela were interfacing, and Mikaela basically had..." Bee frowned slightly, looking at Ratchet.

"She burned out this part, here," Ratchet picked up the narrative calmly, Will watched interestedly as a diagram of a spark-chamber floated in the open space. A piece came away and floated over Will's hands.

"So this is what, a governor?" Will asked curiously.

"Essentially, it keeps the proper amount of energon running through our sparks, so that we aren't walking around overloading every second of the day." Ratchet nodded.

"But..." Will started.

"Too much of a good thing." Ratchet added. "Too powerful of an overload, when it's uncontrolled, could neutralize a spark as easily as Kae neutralizes neural fibres."

"Gotcha, so Kae had a heart attack while you two were interfacing," Will stated calmly.

"You seem incredibly calm about that," Optimus rumbled irritably.

"Yeah, 'cause humans do it constantly, if we're doing it right," Will shrugged. "Bet you didn't know _that_ Ratchet." he grinned at the mech. "During sex the cardiovascular system is put under one hell of a lot of stress, every now and again, if it's strong enough an orgasm would basically cause everything to freeze for a second. If you're healthy enough your body just starts right back up again. If you're not, you don't get to contribute to the gene pool anymore." Will snorted.

"We call them NFO's, Near Fatal Overloads," Ratchet snorted. "When too much energon runs through a spark and almost puts it out. Kae's was different though, she fried her bypass governor. Once it trips you're supposed to pass out, not keep going."

"It didn't simply trip, it completely fried out," Mikaela snorted. "If I'd followed it and passed out how was I supposed to keep energon running through my spark?"

"Then that's the real conundrum, isn't it?" Ironhide snorted. "We just need to work out a better system for you."

"Especially seeing as _I_ was overloading with a _fraction_ of the energon running through you," Optimus added. Kae smiled and nuzzled closer to him.

"I already worked out the system," Mikaela murmured, she changed the diagram of the spark chamber floating in front of Will. "I'm probably going to need your help finishing it though Ratch."

"Oh now that's some _serious _old-school shit!" Mudflap piped up with a grin, jabbing Skids in the ribs.

"Classic," Skids grinned.

"And how do you know that?" Ratchet asked with amusement. Both of them began blushing furiously, looking anywhere but at the medic.

"Oh go on," Sunny grinned.

"We, uh, we kinda downloaded Cybertronian anatomy from your databank," Mudflap mumbled.

"For," Ratchet prompted them with amusement in his eyes.

"Well, I kinda..." Skids started, he trailed off and looked at his feet.

"So I could take care of my brother if we had to go," Mudflap stated suddenly, glaring around himself. "We all know that if we have to leave planet again we're too big a group to go together."

"'Flap and I'd be a liability," Skids continued firmly. "So we'd either have to break off from the group after launch or stay here silently. Either way, we want to know how to take care of each other for when..." he trailed off, looking at his twin.

"About time," Optimus rumbled patiently.

"So you can stop tearing each other apart just to get me to fix you again," Ratchet added with a snort.

"Aw damnit!" Skids grumbled.

"You know you could have just _asked," _Ratchet told them with a laugh.

"But... you guys were being..." Mudflap started.

"So secretive? That's so that _I_ don't find out stuff," Will grinned. "Can't blame them, either, humans are the wildcard at the moment. Which sucks, I _really _wanna know the difference." he added, pointing at the spark-chamber diagrams.

"Don't tell on me," Ratchet snorted, rising and walking to stand beside Will. "This is a beautiful re-make of the older spark chambers, we had to change when the war started, and energon sources started becoming truly scarce. The new chambers allow us to create energon from other fuel sources, _this_ is... a step up transformer, I suppose," Ratchet mused. "When Mikaela overloads, she begins with a tiny amount of energon and heats it up-"

"No, I've never managed that," Mikaela piped up calmly.

"What?" Optimus asked curiously.

"I've never managed to produce enough heat on my own," Mikaela stated calmly. "When you start up love, you send out one hell of a lot of heat," she smiled at him tenderly.

"You always did run hot," Ratchet snorted, grinning at Optimus.

"So in other words," Will grinned, "you're using the male-female model to produce."

"Just as Mico did," Kae smiled, cuddling against her Optimus.

Optimus groaned and held her tightly.

"Only you," he rumbled softly.

"Onto lighter topics?" Kae murmured gently, reaching up to cup his face.

"Perhaps not lighter, but others, certainly," Optimus rumbled.

"So you guys are still prepared to leave," Will stated quietly.

"Well, the war continues, we gotta be, don't we?" Sideswipe shrugged.

"That ain't right," Will growled. "Bee, Skids and Mudflap are just _kids!_"

"I know," Optimus rumbled heavily, looking around at his unit. "So were Flare, Chromia, Sunstreaker and Sideswipe..."

"We had to separate, when we escaped Cybertron," Sideswipe stated quietly. "_I_ made that mistake, by the way, don't blame Sunny."

"Aaww Sides," Sunny stated quietly, hugging his brother. "It's not your fault, and _quit_ calling me that."

"We had to go in groups of two," Ratchet explained quietly, "to avoid detection."

"Arcee pulled us out," Mudflap added, looking with respect to the femme's spark. "Skids and I made her life a real pit for a while there."

"And us," Flare added with a low laugh.

"And me," Jolt murmured shyly.

"Contrary to popular belief, I _do_ have a great deal of patience for younglings," she stated in an amused tone. "You both did well enough, we're alive."

"Yeah, 'cause you kept us that way," Skids grinned at her.

"Prowl, while we are here, what was your last status report," Optimus rumbled quietly.

"Grim," the bot sighed, he looked at Will and morphed into a human form.

"You're a cop?" Will asked curiously.

"Enforcer, sort of the same thing," Prowl shrugged, he raised his hand and the room dissolved into a scene that left Will both astonished and grieved.

"That... that..." he whispered.

"Seen from my size point of view," Prowl stated quietly, his voice obviously struggling to remain clinical, "while we were flying the Xantium out." they passed over what appeared to be the wreckage of a building. Will felt a lump form in his throat as Chromia began crying softly.

"The hatchery," Ironhide choked.

"Don't look, Chrome, Flare," Prowl murmured sadly, he looked up at Will. "You may not wish to see either."

"Let me see," Will stated quietly.

"What happened?" Prime asked hoarsely.

"That's Central!" Arcee shrieked suddenly.

"We couldn't save them," Prowl choked. "We hid among the other fliers with a false launch code. Their faces will be burned into my processors to the end of days."

Will watched in horror as bots were roughly herded into the square and executed.

"Cybertron is lost," Prowl whispered, bowing his head. Will couldn't help but reach out and grasp the spark's shoulder.

"Cybertron is _not_ lost," Mikaela's voice rang out sternly. Except not. There was an odd duality about her now. Will looked up to see even Optimus staring at her in shock. She rose and split apart, somehow maintaining her same size.

"Mother what am I to do?" Mikaela's voice asked softly, she solidified back into her mech form then seemed to think better of it, sliding back into her human frame.

"You will heal, as I shall instruct you, daughter," the spark stated firmly. "The home which I built of my bones must not be allowed to die so."

"How do I heal what has been destroyed?" Mikaela asked softly. The second spark materialized somewhat and patted her cheek.

"Do unto them, what they have done to me," she stated quietly. "Now if you don't mind, I'm going to stay for a while in this lovely little cathedral you've built." she reached up and cupped Mikaela's face gently. "Beautiful child, gladly would I ease the suffering that you have felt as you bore my mind within your own."

"But we have work to do," Mikaela stated firmly, seemingly in counterpart.

"Choose your timing well," the spark nodded. She turned to look at the bots as they all knelt, heads bowed respectfully around her.

"Oh, and tell them to quit doing that," she added with a pout.

"They _can_ hear you," Mikaela stated wryly.

"But they are yours to command," the spark stated in a puzzled tone.

"I do not command," Mikaela stated sternly.

"You will have to, child."

"No," Mikaela stated firmly, "I will ask, and I will barter, but the command belongs to my Optimus, and shall remain that way."

"With the exception of emergencies or when I don't feel like it," Optimus rumbled quietly, glancing up at Kae with a wicked twinkle in his optics.

"You're a prat," she told him in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Ope, we've got incoming!" Sides called out.

"Time to return to reality," Bumblebee stated apologetically.

Will nodded and made to open his eyes.

"NO!" Bee practically shouted, covering his eyes. "No you gotta get back to your body first."

"Well shit, how do I do that?" Will asked in a shocked tone.

"Here, I'll bring you back," Bee snorted, leading him by the hand. "Sorry, this might be a bit intense, I'll try to think as blandly as possible."

"Think of space," Will stated with a snort.

"That's not bland," Bee snorted, carefully guiding him to sit down. "Okay, now you can open your eyes."

Will obeyed and looked up at Jacobs.

"Dude, you back now?" Jacobs asked in a shocked tone, waving his hand in front of Will's face.

"Yeah, I'm back," Will frowned. "What the hell Jacobs?"

"You opened your eyes for a second there, looked like a complete zombie. You know, lights are on, nobody's home." Jacobs stated worriedly.

"Don't worry about it, he was with us," Ratchet snorted the next second, retracting binder cables and rising.

"Where now?" Jacobs asked curiously.

"The mindspace, no LSD or shit involved," Will grinned, standing up and staggering.

"Slow down cowboy," Bee played the soundbyte cheerfully, onlining his holoform to catch Will's arm. "To and back takes it out of all of us first few times."

"Will!" Mikaela called out just as he made to go.

"Kae?" Will looked up at her respectfully as the Primes' bodies split apart.

"So we going driving or what?" she grinned down at him. "I did promise to teach you how to ride after all."

"Not till you take me flying!" Chance called from the door with a broad grin.

"Then let's go flyboy," she grinned at him, standing and waving her hand.

"Aren't you supposed to be helping Ratchet out?" Will asked curiously.

"New orders," Ratchet grinned, "Come on then, Skids, Mudflap. If you want to learn, now's the time."

The twins scampered after the old Medic gleefully as Kae smiled at them gently.

"So now what?" Will asked curiously.

"Grandfather's taking a couple of days to recharge," Mikaela shrugged, "I'm taking scout duty for him. So we need to get any _passengers_ suited up."

"Where!?" Chance shouted gleefully.

"I'll meet you in Med bay," she stated with a smile, "I need my armour."

"As always," Optimus rumbled, standing with her.

"If I crash you're going to kick my assplates," she stated with a smile, reaching up to kiss his jaw. "Of course that'll be _after_ Ratchet puts me together again and tears me a new access port."

Optimus snorted and swung at her gently as she skipped away. She caught his hand and dragged him toward herself.

"_And _of course, _after_ you've finished fussing over me and taken your femme whipping like a bot," she added with a smirk, lightly whacking his side before scampering off.

Will stared up at Optimus with raised eyebrows.

"You're going to let her get away with that?" he asked with a laugh.

"Wait for it," Optimus rumbled with a smirk.

"Oh, _and_ after you're finished playing with the new access port that Ratchet rips me," Mikaela added, poking her head around the door before disappearing again.

Every present human head whipped to stare first at her, then at Optimus again.

"When my wife says that, standing stark naked in the doorway? She is going to get away with anything she damn well wants." Optimus snorted, looking down at Will.

"Amen," Will agreed before he burst out laughing.

"Now if you will excuse me," Optimus rumbled with a snort, walking toward the doors.

"Where you headed?" Will grinned.

"Have you ever noticed just how fascinating it is to watch a woman dress?" he rumbled cheerfully. "I need my armour. It is a weakness of mine, I feel practically naked without it."

Ironhide began howling with laughter and Jacobs punched his hands into the air.

Yeah, today was a good day when Ironhide was laughing.


	125. 122 Patrolling with Humans

**Chapter 122 – Patrolling With Humans**

* * *

(MPOV)

I quickly summoned my armour to my frame and turned around. Optimus was standing in the doorway, watching me with a smirk.

"What?" I laughed, walking forward and wrapping my arms carefully around his waist.

"Be careful?" he rumbled softly, leaning down to press a gentle kiss to my lips.

"For you?" I murmured, "always."

He held me for a long moment, and I could feel his spark pulsing worry.

~No matter where we are~ I whispered directly into his spark. He held me tighter for a second and pulled back gently, smiling at me.

"Always," he rumbled softly, cupping my cheek. We traded places and he summoned his armour, shrugging into it with the ease of long habit. I stayed to watch his movements with a smile.

"God's fuck that's sexy," I murmured, smirking at my bonded spark-mate.

"The armour?" he rumbled curiously, holding up a gauntleted hand.

"No, watching you move," I murmured, turning and striding down the corridor.

::. I would be grieved to watch you walk away.:: he rumbled over our private comm ::. Except that that is an _exquisite_ view.::

"Flatterer," I called over my shoulder, turning to wink at him and grinning as my wings settled into place. I looked down at Chance as he hovered outside the Med-bay doors. "No, _in_ the med bay, you know how long it takes me to get dressed," I grinned down at him, walking into the bay.

"Kae!" Ratchet called out, "It's over there! Now you thread it into here," he continued his narrative to a fascinated pair of twins.

"Why is there a g-suit in the med-bay?" Chance asked curiously.

"Because it's a new suit," I stated calmly, sitting down on my bench and onlining my holoform beside him. "Autobot technology. We could always hunt down one of the old-school suits if you aren't up for it, but I figured if you want to beat the air breather record you should be wearing up to date equipment."

"Just so we're clear, nothing getting drilled into my skull." Chance stated firmly.

"What is it with drilling into skulls?" Ratchet asked offhandedly. "If _I_ drilled into your skull Chance, you would never_ notice_ it."

"I don't need any more holes in my head," Chance stated defensively.

"Agreed," Ratchet snorted. "The five you have already should suffice."

"FIVE!?" Chance shouted. I began laughing.

"Eyes, ears nose," I said consolingly. Chance stared at me for a second before laughing weakly. "Anyway, no holes, I promise, it's not even going to break skin."

"Deal," Chance murmured with obvious relief. "I have absolutely no idea how you put up with those wires and things going into your skin while you were still human, Kae."

I laughed and picked up the suit.

"What bugs you about it?" I asked with a grin.

"Just... stuff attaching to your nerves, and going through your skin," he muttered. I laughed at him.

"Arms up, Mr. Squeamish," I snorted, lightly strapping the nanite canister to his chest as he watched me warily. "Relax your muscles." I added before poking the activation. The suit grew over him, rapidly expanding into a second skin, leaving only his face showing.

"I'm gonna need a mask, aren't I?" Chance asked curiously, he jumped about a foot as a mask extended lightly over his face.

"Psychic link," I told him with a smirk. "What you want it to do, it will do, just like my pack did."

"That's why you put up with that thing!" Chance grinned, playing with the settings.

"The only reason I had wires going through my skin-"

"Was because Kae would have _fried_ that teleconnector," Ratchet snorted.

"How?" Chance asked with a grin, configuring the suit to be capable of hooking up to me. I grinned at him as he bounced around excitedly, obviously loving the feeling of the suit.

"Well, that suit is configured to pick up your neural pulses," Ratchet grinned as the twins onlined holoforms to poke curiously at Chance. "Think of yourself as the triple-A battery that's running it, it's using the minute amounts of energon you've absorbed from us. In relation? Kae was a nuclear reactor."

"So _you_ needed a higher gauge of wire to connect!" Chance stated with a broad grin, looking at me.

"Good man," I grinned at him. "Shall we?"

_"__YES!"_ Chance howled excitedly, sprinting into the entrance bay ahead of me. I laughed and offlined the holoform.

"Catch you later ∂_Father_∂," I smiled at Ratchet. He waved cheerfully and turned back to the remarkably attentive twins. I walked to the entrance bay and laughed to see Chance surrounded by NEST soldiers.

"New suit!" Chance was grinning. "It's our version of Kae's pack!"

"No holes?" Jacobs asked in fascination.

"No holes dude, not even breaking skin!" Chance grinned.

"What are it's capabilities?" Graham asked intently.

"Bullet resistant, it's going to serve the same function as flight suits, providing cardiovascular support, and in a dire emergency, Optimus, Ratchet, Ironhide, Sideswipe, Bumblebee and I have an emergency override code in it's programming that once activated will allow you to create weapons from it." I stated calmly.

"Bullet _resistant_?" Graham asked interestedly.

"An armour piercing round will go through it, but the nanites that form the suit are programmed to go into the hole and seal up the damages _caused_ by the bullet, removing it in the process if it doesn't go straight through you." I replied calmly. "Unfortunately it's not going to do anything against a headshot."

"I'll take a thousand of them!" Graham shouted gleefully.

"Well let me get it out of it's prototype phase before you say that!" I laughed. "Chance unfortunately is my guinea pig. We're starting out in a semi-safe environment, and if it doesn't work I can easily slow down and provide medical aid while we're still in the air."

"Me next me next!" Jacobs howled amidst several raised hands and bouncing soldiers.

"Unfortunate nothing!" Chance grinned cheerfully. "This thing is damned comfortable."

"Well that's good," I laughed, "except I have no idea how we're going to get in the air for two reasons."

"One, we're standing around gossiping." Jacobs snorted.

"Two we have no proper runway," I stated calmly. "So while you lot are gossiping I'm going to practice my transform... No!" I grinned, "Sorted! 'Mon Chance, let's fly!"

I folded into myself as Jacobs helpfully opened the bay door.

"You want a tow?" he called up to me.

"Nah, I got it," I grinned, rolling out the door with my wings folded back. I opened the cockpit and waited patiently for Chance to scramble in. I extended a binder cable to his chest, which he cheerfully hooked up as the canopy closed around him.

"Airflow check!" he called out, I slowly brought my engines online, pumping cool, fresh air to his suit. "Oh gods I don't think I ever want to leave!" he moaned, running through system checks with me. "I _love_ you Kae! You used the F-22 setup in your cockpit!"

"Ready for liftoff?" I grinned. He nodded enthusiastically. I brought a forcefield online and slowly lifted straight off the ground as Chance ran through the communication's stuff.

"General Moreshower!" he called out gleefully. "This is Lieutenant Daniels flying with Archangel, requesting clear airspace!"

"Airspace is clear Lieutenant, proceed south by southwest," Moreshower called out with a laugh. "Where's Jetfire?"

"He's recharging," I replied cheerfully. "I'm taking air-scout duty for the next couple of days."

"I feel safer already," Chris stated with a grin. "Have a good flight you two."

I grinned and fired up my engines, doing a final systems check before onlining my holoform to sit behind Chance.

"Ready?" I asked with a grin.

"Let's do this!" Chance shouted gleefully. I released my brakes and fired my boosters, launching into the air as the Lieutenant cheered. We got well away from the civilian zones and I blasted to a good coasting speed.

"You wanna drive?" I asked him with a grin.

"You're sure!?" he demanded with a broad grin, lightly running his hands over the controls.

"Well I'm not going to let you crash us," I laughed, "but rather than burning up extra processors it'd be easier if you guys took care of the vectors when I'm scanning."

Chance gripped the controls with a moan.

"Handing over flight control in five, four, three, two, one," I counted down placidly. I had to give the man credit, Chance flew with a light, steady hand.

We circled back around DC eight hours later. Chance shook his legs slightly and stood.

"How the hell am I not falling out!?" he asked cheerfully.

"You have no toxin build up in your system," Ratchet reeled off calmly, scanning the man. "Oxygen saturation in your blood is optimal, there is no cell damage beyond the normal day to day replacement in your systems. Which of course means that I, am a genius." Ratchet smirked.

"I am never, _ever_ going to doubt that," Chance grinned as the medic's holoform deactivated the suit and helped him out of the pack.

"Now go catch a nap," Ratchet grinned at the man.

"I think I might just, zzzz," Ratchet quickly caught the man from falling on the floor, lifting him carefully and settling him onto one of the human sized berths.

"He okay?" Jacobs asked in a shocked tone.

"Lieutenant Chance Daniels..." Ratchet murmured, scanning the man. "Is down for the count, sound asleep," the medic chortled. "I have no doubt he's going to sleep through the night now." He covered the man with a blanket and pulled the curtains around him somewhat.

"Suit cures insomnia?" Jacobs laughed quietly.

"Flying around at mach three cures insomnia, suit pulls man through mach three in excellent shape. Medic Ratchet, for the win," I laughed softly as Ratchet lifted his holoform's hands in victory. "Right, I'm going back up," I added calmly, wandering back toward the entrance bay.

"Can I come?" Jacobs called out with a broad grin.

"I dunno Jacobs, that's between you and your hand," I stated placidly.

The man stared at me for a long second in shock as Ratchet and Ironhide fought desperately to not howl with laughter. Jacobs looked at the medic as he began snorting with laughter.

"I can't believe you just said that!" he laughed.

"That's _my_ niece," Ironhide rumbled gleefully.

"Suit up if you're still coming Jacobs," I grinned.

"With a sense of humour like yours?" the man asked in a deadpan tone. "Dude wild horses couldn't keep me away." He grinned as Ratchet helped him into the suit harness.

Ratchet was smirking, humming cheerfully as he strapped Jacobs in.

"What?" the man laughed at him.

"Data points, I get more daaata points," Ratchet sang cheerfully.

Jacobs looked at him incredulously.

"Just ignore him when he's like that," Ironhide snorted. "Ratch isn't just a medic, he's a medical researcher, anytime he's developing something he starts grinning about just how much information he's going to gather."

"Nerd," Jacobs stated with a snort.

"Uh huh," Ratchet nodded cheerfully. "But if I'm a nerd, what does that make _Optimus_?"

"An archivist," my Optimus rumbled cheerfully at the doorway.

I smiled at my mate.

"Huh?" Jacobs asked curiously, looking at me.

"Ratchet is a medical geek, but my Optimus? He geeks out over any and every piece of information he can get his servos on." I laughed at him gently, reaching up to press a gentle kiss to his jaw.

"Uh... Ratchet?" Jacobs asked with a frown. The suit wasn't responding, at all, refusing to so much as come out of the canister.

"Hmm," Ratchet was immediately frowning at the suit, scanning and collecting data points. "It would seem that the nanites have chosen Chance as their sole host..."

Jacobs promptly looked confused.

"Which means that I'll need a suit harness dedicated to everyone wearing them," Ratchet murmured thoughtfully, lightly unhooking Jacobs and fetching a new one.

* * *

(SPOV)

Sideswipe had seen it coming, he really had, he just hadn't had any idea on how to... you know... nip it in the bud. Sunstreaker was behaving himself, for now, but you just _knew_ he was gonna say something.

And twenty rell said Sides wasn't going to be able to smooth it over.

Especially with the humans. He transformed quickly in the hopes of getting Sunny out of the base, he could feel his brother's patience running thin.

"Hey Sides!?" Jacobs bellowed. "Catch a ride with you?"

Two possibilities. One. He says not today and gets his brother out of the hangar as quickly as possible. Two. He says yes in the hopes of providing a good example.

"_You _let the humans ride in your alt form!?" Sunstreaker demanded incredulously.

Sideswipe transformed back and looked his brother in the face. There. There it was, the sneer was back.

He loved his brother, he really did. But sometimes that attitude made it scrapping hard to.

"Yes, I do," Sideswipe stated as neutrally as he could.

"Why the _scrap_ would you let those disgusting little squishies in your form!?" Sunstreaker bellowed.

Right in front of the entire hangar. Great.

"Because they're my _friends, _Sunstreaker," Sideswipe stated in a placating tone.

"I never thought I'd see the day when my own brother would claim friendship with a bunch of pathetic little fleshbags," Sunstreaker sneered at him.

That hurt. That hurt a lot. Prowl was scowling off to the side, right beside Ironhide. Sideswipe didn't know what to do. For scrap sake he claimed _kinship_ to one of the humans. Former human. It wasn't for _nothing_ that he called Kae his little sister!

It was moments like these that he hated being treated as one unit with his brother. They were different. When the Prowler was doling out punishments for their pranks was one thing, but this...

"Nothing to say about that? That's what I thought, brother, now let's get the hell out of this compound, it's infested with the useless squishies," Sunstreaker smirked at him.

"Would you care to state that to my face?" Mikaela's voice stated in the icy warning tone Sideswipe had come to respect as much as he did the Prime's regality. Sunstreaker's attention was caught by the Prime's mate, giving Sideswipe the opportunity to shoot a questioning glance at the Weapons Master. He hadn't pissed 'Hide off lately, maybe the mech had called Kae in?

A single nod confirmed that thought, Sideswipe promptly allowed his gratitude to show in his optics, and received a look of approval from the Weapons Master.

That was a true rarity.

"Or rather," Mikaela stated in that same icy tone. She held up her hand and winked her holoform online. The tiny, human femme they'd _all_ come to love. "Being as _this_ is my original form. Would you care to state your opinion to _my_ face?"

Once again, Sideswipe couldn't help but admire the sheer force of personality the tiny femme had had in her human form, the personality she had carried to her Cybertronian frame.

The ability to bring a being over forty times her own size up short with a few words.

Sunstreaker was mouthing wordlessly at her, Sideswipe was waiting for him to say it. He knew he'd say it, it was Sunstreaker.

"You mean to tell me, that the mate of my Prime began as a worthless _fleshbag!?" _Sunstreaker finally snarled at her.

Ironhide strode forward, so did Prowl. Scrap, those footsteps ringing down the corridor could only belong to Optimus himself, the Prime obviously sensing the insult to his mate.

But a single, curt gesture had them holding their positions.

"Yes. I began as a human. What have you to say about it?" Mikaela asked sternly.

He had to stop, Sunstreaker wasn't an idiot, Sideswipe _knew_ that. They fought together, pranked together, their twin bond allowed no secrets between them. Sunstreaker wasn't an idiot, Mikaela was not only the Prime's Mate, but a Prime in her own _right! He had to realize it!_

"If I'd known our Prime had stooped so low as to mate with a squishy, I would have kept going," Sunstreaker snarled. "I didn't know the femme I'm supposed to take my orders from isn't even a full Cybertronian!"

"Which is funny, in it's own way," Mikaela purred.

Oh scrap.

"I did not realize that the twin of my brother is a filthy _Decepticon _deep in his spark."

Sideswipe fairly scrambled to stand with Ironhide as his twin's programming promptly switched to berserker mode. Kae knew how to push their buttons, and when it was necessary, she did.

Ironhide looked at him curiously as Sideswipe offered his wrists to Prowl.

"Those are the thoughts of my brother, I want no _part_ of this!" Sideswipe blurted out in a panic. Ironhide shot him a look of gentle understanding as Prowl gently bound his wrists with friction cuffs.

They _all_ knew that if Sunstreaker's damage reports flashed too high, Sideswipe would go to his defence, it wasn't choice, it was instinct.

_Damn_ his brother for making him choose between his little sister and his twin!

Sunstreaker was already on his back, Kae using the tactics her human master had trained her with. It was a style Sideswipe rather envied, because without a doubt she had only taught them a facet within her lexicon of hand to hand combat.

But Sunstreaker just kept going, and the more he did, the more it tore at Sideswipe's spark.

The second he loosed a keen of pain Mikaela was snarling. "Your actions hurt your brother, and yet callously you continue. You degrade those smaller and inherently more fragile than yourself, if those are not the actions of a Decepticon, define!"

Sunny froze, immediately staring at him. The click in his processors clearly visible.

Mikaela allowed him his freedom as Sideswipe's twin came to comfort him.

"It is a common statement among us that to understand a man, you must walk a mile in his boots." Mikaela announced flatly. "And that will be your punishment Sunstreaker, you will assume your holoformatic self and train with the human soldiers under Major Lennox's command. You do not have to like the humans, but you _will_ learn to respect them!"

Sunstreaker still shot a resentful look at her, which Kae evidently chose to ignore... mostly.

"Major," she added calmly, looking at the man. "I would suggest the 'recruit with a bad attitude' treatment." she glanced at Sunstreaker, making the message clear.

"Yes ma'am!" the Major barked, snapping to attention and saluting her.

Sideswipe knew immediately that his brother was fragged when Kae's automatic response to being called ma'am didn't rise to her vocal processors.

Sunstreaker, obviously seeing no flex in Kae's position turned to look at Optimus, obviously ready to protest the orders his mate had given.

"You are dismissed, Sunstreaker," Optimus rumbled sternly.

No luck there.

Sunstreaker promptly released him, turning to stalk down the corridor. He didn't make it two steps before Optimus' voice rang out again.

"Sunstreaker," the Prime stated sternly. Sideswipe's twin turned. "Your holoform."

"But-!" Sunstreaker began indignantly.

"I do not recall my mate making it a _request, _Sunstreaker." Optimus rumbled ominously.


	126. 123 Hard Lessons

**Well, I hope everyone is enjoying their holidays, I'm about to go run around like a chicken with my head cut off, again. Yay! Right, update!**

**Chapter 123 – Hard Lessons**

* * *

(SPOV)

Sideswipe _still_ didn't know what to do, his brother was parked in the bay where Prowl was keeping an eye on him, making sure he didn't just transform and roll out. Sides dejectedly followed Kae and Optimus to the central, the both of them still standing with anger in their stances.

"Please..." Sides whispered. Standing in the middle of the central, Kae turned to look at him. "Please don't stay angry at him, he-"

Sideswipe immediately broke himself off as Kae wrapped him in an enveloping hug.

There was no resonation of anger directed at him, scrap, there was no resonation of anger in her spark at _all!_

"I'm not angry at you, or at him," Kae murmured gently, cradling him as he shivered, the after-effects of trying to deal with opposing siblings.

"But-"

"Sides, I forgave Sunny the moment he turned to comfort you," Kae murmured gently.

"Then-"

"Sunstreaker has a hard lesson in front of him," Optimus rumbled gently, laying a kind hand on Sideswipe's back. "But it is best that he learns it _now,_ rather than when he or other's lives are at stake."

"And _man_ is he going to learn it," Ironhide chuckled darkly. "Point, by the way, Kae."

"Thank you, Ironhide," Kae nodded gravely. But there was a twinkle of amusement in her optics now.

Sideswipe was now completely, _wholly _confused.

"Have you ever _really_ watched the soldiers train?" Ironhide rumbled with a smirk, looking at him.

"We train together..." Sideswipe mumbled, still confused.

"No, I mean have you _ever_ tried to keep up with 'em with your holoform?" Ironhide snorted.

"No... no I haven't..." Sideswipe murmured, admittedly, his curiosity getting the better of him.

"Lemme put it this way, the fact that Kae was keepin' up with them as a human femme is fraggin' _impressive!" _Ironhide snorted gleefully. "When Lennox is in drill-Sargent mode he makes _Sentinel_ look like a fraggin' _cyberkitten! _If I hadn't already respected the man, I sure as pit do _now_! Say what you want about the humans, they have _perfected_ the art of training warriors!"

"Has he already gathered the group together?" Mikaela asked with real humour in her optics now.

"Yup," Ironhide chortled. "The core."

"The core?" Sideswipe asked blankly.

"The humans refer to the veteran NEST soldiers, the ones whom have been training the longest as the core," Optimus rumbled in amusement.

"The vast majority of whom joined us as fully trained Marines, Rangers, and SEALS." Mikaela added.

"He ain't gonna last a _day_," Ironhide snorted.

"Do I sense another pool?" Mikaela asked benignly.

"Five days," Sideswipe stated with a grin. "My brother is _far_ too stubborn to quit."

"That's generous," Ratchet snorted. "I give him three, what about you, Optimus?"

"Two."

* * *

(SsPOV)

He was squishy. It was disgusting. Ratchet had rather gleefully altered his holoform to Archangel's specifications. So now, he knew _precisely _what it felt like to be a human.

The first troublesome thing had been the breathing. His holoform had passed out, his chest burning painfully before Ratchet had explained to him that the human's breathing was split between autonomic and controlled reflex.

It was annoying.

The necessity that he continue doing it to stay online annoyed him enough that it took several of the human's hours for him to realize that it actually kinda felt... _good_ to breathe.

The second irritating thing, was the soldiers' _insistence_ on calling him _maggot._ He had a _name!_ A damned good one at that! Even _if_ his brother still insisted on shortening it to the highly distasteful 'Sunny.' Sideswipe stated that it was ironic, an irony that he did not see.

At the moment, his spinal struts and his pedes were killing him, the sensation passed directly from his holoform. Major Lennox was pacing back and forth, practically a taunt, Sunstreaker had been standing, ramrod straight between two of the frankly _massive_ soldiers. They hadn't _moved_ from the moment that the Major had barked 'attention'. Three hours ago.

His legs were stiff, aching from the lack of movement.

But he refused to give in, if the squishies could do it. He could do it _better!_

"Right face!" the Major barked. As one, the soldiers around him snapped to the right, spinning on their heels, ramrod straight. Sunstreaker was a bit slow in following, but the Major had caught him by surprise, that was acceptable... right?

"Left face!" the Major barked. The soldiers turned and Sunstreaker followed them. "This is your lucky day ladies," the Major began with what could only be called a _sadistic_ smile. "Our latest maggot has made sure we get to stand for _another _hour!"

_SLAGGER!_

Sunstreaker shot a venomous glare at the Major and discovered another thing about the humans.

For what little he could remember of Sentinel Prime, it was entirely likely that this puny human would give the Prime a run for his rells in a glaring contest.

"You got a problem with that Maggot?" the Major snarled at him.

Two options, tell the truth, have a yelling contest and get treated _worse. _Or just suck it up and say no.

As if that's a choice.

"No." Sunstreaker growled.

"I'm sorry, did I forget to tell you how to address me?" the Major growled. Scrap. He was supposed to say 'sir no sir,' so much for eidetic memory, didn't help much when you didn't feel like _remembering. _

"Lieutenant Jacobs!" the Major barked.

"Sir!" the behemoth beside him barked back.

"Did I forget to educate our maggot?"

"Sir no Sir!" the man beside him shouted.

Traitor.

"So I ask again, you got a _problem with it Maggot?" _the Major bellowed.

"Sir no Sir!" Sunstreaker barked back. Good, now he'll go away, let them go, let Sunstreaker go nurse his aching body.

The Major glared at him for another moment and began pacing again.

He didn't let them go.

Slagger.

True to his word, the Major made them stand for another hour. Sunstreaker was positive he wasn't going to be able to move, the second the human dismissed them he was going to wink his holoform off, transform and collapse onto his berth.

"Left face!" the Major barked. Sunstreaker was ready for it this time, he turned and faced the next soldier's back.

"Forward march!" the Major barked.

What now?

But now the soldiers were moving, _moving at the same time!_

"Left foot first," the man behind him muttered. "Before you even _think _of glaring at me, think about it this way, you wanna stand to attention for _another hour?_"

"No..."

"Then for Primus sake _march!"_ the man growled.

It took him a couple of undignified, hopping steps but Sunstreaker finally caught hold of it, matching his steps to the man in front of him.

It took him about thirty steps more to realize that the man had used a Cybertronian phrase. He stumbled when he made that realization, but the man behind him had his shoulders, keeping him upright.

"Left, right, left, right," the man was muttering. Sunstreaker did that, and the second he had his footing the man released him.

"It's your lucky day ladies! You've got a two hour date with the green tick!" the Major barked then.

Green tick?

Twenty minutes later, Sunstreaker wished he'd never heard that phrase.

Apparently, the green tick was an enormous backpack. An enormous, very, _very_ heavy backpack.

His feet already hurt, now he had to stand still with this... this... _tick!?_

No. Worse.

Now, _now _they were _running!_

Sunstreaker stumbled his way through the first half mile, until his legs kinda loosened up from standing so long. The next mile wasn't so bad.

Of course, in his _proper_ form he could have covered this distance in a _minute! Less!_

Stupid fragging _tiny_ squishies.

The next mile. The next mile was torture.

The pack was heavy, and they'd only been running for fifteen minutes! How the _scrap_ was he supposed to keep going, keep _up_ with these squishies with all the extra _weight!_

It was only when several more of the soldiers went past him that he realized they were carrying the same weight on their backs.

He was panting by the time the fourth mile rolled around, panting wasn't adequate, gasping for air was more appropriate.

_But they just kept going!_

It was then that something happened, something that he was certain would stick with him for the rest of his life. The Jacobs behemoth of a human was running beside him, tugging at his backpack, making it really hard to keep his pace.

But then, then the weight lessened, the man pulled what felt like a ton of weight from his back and shoved it into his own while the Major wasn't looking.

"Try'n keep up," the man rumbled flatly, flipping his pack closed again and picking his pace up somewhat.

Running faster than him and carrying more weight.

Sunstreaker snarled and pushed his aching body to match the arrogant human, they would _not _break him!

They'd run another five miles, back to the base. Then, to Sunstreaker's dismay, he couldn't offline his holoform, distracted by the running, Ratchet had evidently locked his controls. Instead, he stayed parked in the entrance bay, his holoform bunked down in one of the human sized quarters. He could barely move, and it was there, and only there, that he realized that the human had done it on purpose. Because in truth, the only thing that had got him through that final five miles?

His desperate need to keep up with the scrapping squishy.

* * *

A hand banged on his door.

"Rise and Shine ladies!" the Major's voice bellowed up and down the corridors.

Ratchet hadn't switched off his chronometer.

The humans had been allowed to recharge for less than six hours. Less than six hours of rest and Sunstreaker crawled painfully from his berth.

But he managed it.

Somehow, the mess hall, where the humans ate was loud. Loud and cheerful. The Major had tortured them all day yesterday, and they were _cheerful!?_

Sunstreaker sipped at his cup of energon, thankful that Archangel had made that concession for him. But. Out of sight of the humans, he _did_ try a couple of bites of their fuel, Ratchet said it was okay...

Actually, it tasted kinda neat. Bumblebee's attestations that there were _millions _of flavours to their fuel, suddenly made a bit more sense...

"Alright Ladies!" the Major barked. Sunstreaker was certain that he jumped about a foot in the air, an impressive feat for a human currently sitting.

"Quick, chug it," one of the soldiers... Jackson... muttered to him. "Sipping time is over, if you want your energon fuelling you, get it in you, _fast." _in counterpart, the human picked up his own cup of fuel and emptied his glass in a couple of actually impressive swallows.

Sunstreaker followed suit, rising on aching legs and following the humans out.

"Alright! Today we'll be practicing head head kill shots!" the Major barked out.

Jacobs was with him again, quickly harnessing him into a series of straps and things.

Another lesson.

The human's armour? Not comfortable.

Then, for the first time in his life, he saw Ironhide from the human's perspective.

The mech, was scrapping _huge!_

But as tiny as they were, the humans were interacting with him.

Sunstreaker felt a grudging respect for the humans growing in his spark. He hadn't given them the credit that they actually _did_ interact with the bots. Ironhide in particular, it was difficult to interact with that mech on an optic to _optic _level!

In pairs, the humans climbed up to one of the human's catwalks, hooked themselves to lines and dropped, dragging a line between themselves to catch Ironhide's neck struts, their combined weight dragging the mech down.

They landed on their backs, unloaded guns aiming for Ironhide's face.

The mech nodded to them and rose, waiting for the next set.

Sunstreaker watched them and nodded to himself. He could do that.

Jackson went with him, when it was his turn, helping him into the lines and handing him the other end of the garotte line. Sunstreaker looked down, the height approximately what he saw in his own form. But as a human? That. Was a _long _way down.

Jackson walked to the edge and looked at him firmly.

Sunstreaker inched to the edge and held the line, jumping as he'd seen the other soldiers do, catching Ironhide's neck struts with the line.

But then, then the ground was coming toward him. Fast.

He landed on his back, and an explosion of pain went straight through his chest. He couldn't move. He couldn't breathe. The humans needed to breathe to continue functioning. But he couldn't breathe.

Ironhide's cannon was over him the next second. His own gun laying uselessly beside him.

"What the fuck is that Maggot!?" Major Lennox bellowed at him. "You're _dead_ Squishy! And because you failed Jackson is dead too! Is that what you want to take to the Well with you? That your failure killed not only you but your brother in arms!?"

That. That hurt more than the iron bands crushing his chest.

Sunstreaker stayed right where he was, sobbing with what little air his body could get. The Major kept yelling, berating him.

"Lay off Will," Lieutenant Jacobs called out the next moment. Then, then the behemoth of a man was there beside him. "He's done."

The same man that not two days ago he'd insulted, unhooked him from the lines and hauled him upright, slinging Sunstreaker's arm across his shoulders and half-carrying him to the benches lining the walls.

"Relax," the man stated gently, "Your lungs will fill when your body stops panicking."

"Jacobs!" Major Lennox called out.

"Sir!"

"Clean him up," the Major stated in the gentlest tone Sunstreaker had heard from the man. Jacobs nodded and rose, walking away and coming back moments later with a cup of energon.

Sunstreaker accepted it gratefully. Sitting and struggling to relax enough that his body could breathe. Jacobs was unhooking him from the harness.

"How..." Sunstreaker gasped, feeling his lungs beginning to fill.

"We all get the wind knocked out of us, it happens," Jacobs shrugged gently, helping him stand and step out of the harness.

"Why..."

"Would I help you? We're _soldiers_, we fight _together, _we leave no man behind."

The human was evidently a psychic. Try another one.

"Why would you _do _this?" Sunstreaker asked hoarsely. The humans _tortured_ themselves, forced themselves to do things that _hurt!_

"If I didn't, who else would?" Jacobs asked gently. "We build our strength, become strong to protect the ones who can't do it themselves. C'mon, let's get you to med-bay, we'll get Ratchet to unfreeze you and I'll wax your armour."

That sounded like the best thing in the universe right now. But it didn't make sense.

"Why are you doing this?" Sunstreaker asked softly, admittedly humbled by the man's care.

"Will said clean you up," Jacobs shrugged. "This holoform isn't _you_ Sunstreaker, you're an auto-bot. What good is cleaning up an illusion?"

Sunstreaker promptly hurled the holoform onto the human, astonished at how... solid he was, even as he sobbed his optics out like a broken-sparked youngling.

"It's a start," Ratchet's voice stated cryptically, even as Sunstreaker felt his body returned to his control.

"Our human friends are small," Optimus' voice rumbled gently. "But they are strong."


	127. 124 Musth

**Happy New Years everybody!**

**Chapter 124 - Musth**

* * *

(RPOV)

Mikaela rolled in, carefully following Will as he revved the engine on the sport bike Mikaela had first fought on. Ratchet grinned at the man as the g-suit melted off of him.

"Best, suit, EVER!" Will laughed the second he had his helmet off.

"Did I tell you or what?" Mikaela grinned, her holoform onlining. She transformed behind them, stretching. "Ugh, the hummer looks cool, but I'll keep my plane." her wings straightened and settled along her back.

"Will finally test out the suit?" Jacobs bellowed over, "I told you man, you gotta let her take you up flying!"

"I just made my daily commute in under twenty minutes!" Will called back with a snort.

"Yeah, if he went with Kae the commute would take three," Chance shouted over, "then what amount of time would he be able to wear... _the suit!_"

"Maybe we should double your duties if you've got so much time to read comics!" Ratchet called over to him with a snort.

"I beg your pardon?" Chance shouted back, affecting a mockingly affronted expression. "I do not read comics! I watch classic movies!"

"You know what the difference is between me and you? I make this look good." Bumblebee stated with an absolutely straight face, bringing his holo online beside his vehicle form and slipping on a pair of sunglasses.

Lennox took one look at Bee's suit and burst out laughing.

"I want one," he snorted.

"A holoform?" Bee asked curiously.

"Nah, the suit," Chance snorted, Mikaela turned and shot a wink at Ratchet.

"Hey Will!" she called out with a broad grin, snapping her fingers. Will looked down at his clothing. A holoform covered his clothes, identical to Bumblebee's suit. He threw on the sunglasses and stood to attention at Bee's shoulder.

"Shh, I'm hiding," Will stated, sotto voice.

Bumblebee shattered somewhat behind Will, automatically transforming into his root mode and laughing hysterically. Ratchet glanced over at Optimus as the larger mech strode quietly into the bay, watching Bumblebee with amusement.

He caught Kae's eyes and onlined his holoform at Will's shoulder.

"What are we hiding from?" he rumbled quietly, matching the sotto voice. Will spun around and began laughing again as Bee offlined his motor-reflexes for safety sake, howling with laughter as he laid on his back.

"Mikaela," Optimus rumbled calmly.

"Optimus," she smiled, onlining her holoform, and wearing a pantsuit of her own. Ratchet couldn't help it, he began laughing.

She was wearing bright, silvery white silk pants, jacket, and the blue and red shoes she'd fought in in Egypt.

"That's _still_ not blending in, my niece," Ironhide rumbled with a snort.

"Oddly enough that is the absolute _last_ thing I have on my mind at the moment," Mikaela purred, reaching up and resting her hands lightly on Optimus' shoulders. She craned up for a second and kissed his jaw.

"You're worrying again," she murmured in a low tone.

"He just hasn't used the voice of command for a while," Ironhide piped up blandly.

Unnoticeable to the humans, Ratchet noted that Kae had begun slowly pressing binder cables beneath Prime's armour. Both holoform and mech moaned a second later.

"Mikaela! Behave," he rumbled irritably. Kae shot him an innocent look. Ratchet almost sprayed energon across the shop. Trying not to laugh. Arcee was staring at him the next second. Grinning and lightly flicking at her shoulder plate.

"And if I don't?" Kae shot up at him with a perfect inflection of innocence.

"That tone is completely lost the _second_ I look in your eyes," Optimus rumbled with a snort, "you can not fool me, what did you do?"

"Nothing, yet," Mikaela stated innocently before her eyes flicked up to Optimus', she pulled him down lightly, and Ratchet was thankful that Arcee was distracting him, echoing Kae's words. "But I do want you in my berth. Right. Now."

"You think me some kind of youngling to be ordered to bed?" Optimus rumbled in a dangerous tone.

"When you're in that mood?" Mikaela murmured silkily, Ratchet began desperately staring holes into Arcee's armour. The femme took pity on him and reached up, lightly caressing his face as he lifted her into his arms.

Thus buffered, Ratchet turned to scan Optimus, curious as to why the two bots were suddenly staring at each other so intensely. He snorted finally.

"Kae chose her timing to appear quite appropriately," he murmured to Arcee.

The femme grinned and quickly onlined her holoform, delicately directing the humans away from the immediate crushing area.

Optimus looked around himself bemusedly, his optics blearily focusing on Ratchet a moment later. Ratchet took pity on him and simply sent the results of his scans on the Prime.

Optimus promptly turned to stare at Mikaela. Good move.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus felt... dazed... tired, restless, dazed. He didn't like it. He reached for his Kae, across base and she seemed to sense something in him as he walked to the med bay. He turned into the entrance bay, making a beeline for his Kae and stopping dead.

Bumblebee was lying on the ground, laughing hysterically.

::. He lost hold of his alt-form he's laughing so hard.:: Kae sent to him gently. ::. Dare you to online your holoform behind Will wearing the same suit and ask 'what are we hiding from?' sotto voice.::

Those were easy directions, Optimus could do that.

"What are we hiding from?" he asked behind Will, the Major turned to stare at him before doubling over with his own laughter. Optimus looked around at his bright eyed and cheerful unit with a smile. He strode carefully over to his Kae.

"Mikaela," he said, and forgot that it was the holoform speaking at the moment.

"Optimus," she smiled, onlining her holoform, and wearing a pantsuit of her own. Ratchet began laughing off to the side, Optimus simply couldn't take his eyes off of her.

Or his optics.

She was wearing bright, silvery white silk pants, jacket, and the blue and red shoes he simply adored on her. His colours winking from her own.

"That's_ still_ not blending in, my niece," Ironhide rumbled with a snort.

"Oddly enough that is the absolute _last_ thing I have on my mind at the moment," Mikaela purred, reaching up and resting her hands lightly on Optimus' shoulders. She craned up for a second and kissed his jaw. Both the holoform and his body.

"You're worrying again," she murmured in a low tone, strictly to his body. Optimus noted, too late that she had delicately begun slipping binder cables beneath his armour, until they attacked, delicately stroking and teasing every part of his frame they could reach.

"He just hasn't used the voice of command for a while," Ironhide piped up blandly.

Optimus moaned, holoform and body both.

"Mikaela! Behave," he rumbled irritably. Kae shot him an innocent look.

"And if I don't?" Kae shot up at him with a perfect inflection of innocence, except her eyes, she was making absolutely no effort to hide the mischief in those optics.

"That tone is completely lost the _second_ I look in your eyes," Optimus rumbled with a snort, "you can not fool me, what did you do?" he began losing track of himself again. Kae was so close now, her binder cables supporting him now.

That was a relief.

"Nothing, yet," Mikaela stated innocently before her eyes flicked up to his. She reached up and pulled him down lightly, stretching to murmur directly into his auditory receptors. "But I do want you in my berth. Right. Now."

"You think me some kind of youngling to be ordered to bed?" Optimus rumbled in a dangerous tone. It didn't feel right, he wasn't controlling it entirely.

"When you're in that mood?" Mikaela murmured silkily, catching his optics absolutely.

Optimus frowned, trying to concentrate, he reached again for his Kae's spark, she gently met him, a soothing, comforting caress. Optimus glanced over to note Ratchet scanning him. Good, something felt... off... not wrong, just... off...

"Kae chose her timing to appear quite appropriately," Ratchet rumbled with a low snort, Arcee grinned and promptly began clearing the area around him.

"Go," Ratchet stated gently as Kae reached up to cup his cheek. Optimus spent a long moment, reading Ratchet's scans on him before almost falling over.

Kae, his beautiful Kae was there, holding him up, as she always did.

She shouldn't have to do that, he frowned.

~There is no have to~ her spark murmured to his.

"What's happening?" Will called out in a hushed tone.

"Optimus is..." Ratchet began calmly and trailed off.

"Go ahead," Optimus rumbled, leaning on his Kae as she supported him. "It is embarrassing, not shameful."

"_Go_," Arcee repeated, holding her lover firmly, "we can handle the fireworks for a few days without you, go answer nature." she looked up at Kae, "although I'd suggest a blocker this go around, the both of you could use some time to get settled before you let Optimus get sparkings on you."

Kae nodded seriously for a moment before she re-set herself somewhat beneath him.

"You would let me get sparkings on you?" Optimus rumbled with a broad grin.

"Perhaps not this year," Kae murmured gently, "but I will gladly bear your young."

His processors immediately brought up images of his Kae, heavy with his children, the honour of protecting his femme as she carried them, rearing their sparkings...

And of course, practicing getting sparkings on her...

Optimus promptly blacked out.

* * *

(APOV)

"Ratchet!" Mikaela screeched, still holding her Optimus up as he shut down into an automatic reboot.

"I'd suggest you just get him to berth," Arcee stated kindly. She sent the young, absolutely _dear_ sparked femme the pertinent information of what was happening. Kae's optics dimmed for a half second before she nodded, smiling gently and half-lifting, half levitating her Optimus, walking carefully back to their quarters.

"What was that?" Will asked curiously.

"What's the term?" Ratchet murmured musingly.

"Alright, you know how on your planet, females go into heat during the mating season?" Arcee began calmly.

"Okay so Kae's gone into heat?" Will asked curiously.

"No, close, but no," Chromia snorted, "She's a nubile young femme, in reality? She could conceive Optimus' sparkings anytime she wishes."

"That's usually how it goes, too," Flareup chuckled, "no, the males tend to go into..."

"Musth?" Jacobs supplied mildly. "Period of time where a virile male becomes far more likely to reproduce?"

"I like that word," Ratchet grinned.

"Virile?" Lennox asked with a chuckle.

"No, musth," Arcee snorted, "It just sounds so right."

"What's the word for it in Cybertronian?" Jacobs asked curiously. He stared around himself as the bots began laughing.

_∂Pleasant distraction?∂_ Flareup put forth with a grin.

_∂Battle curse.∂_ Ironhide snorted.

_∂Bot getter∂_ Arcee stated placidly.

"_Femme_ getter, oh I said that in english," Sideswipe snorted.

"I really, really want a dictionary, english to common," Jacobs stated with a snort.

"Alright here, say _∂My name is Lonnie Jacobs∂_ Sideswipe snorted.

∂_My name is Lonnie Jacobs_,∂ Jacobs repeated calmly. The bots promptly stared at him. "What? I've been listening to you guys for what, two years? I can pick out the tempo now Kae's fixed my ears." the man shrugged with a grin. "Now what does the different speeds that you've been saying ∂_Pleasant curse∂_ mean?"

Ironhide began hooting with laughter, reaching down and scooping Lennox to sit on his shoulder as bots and humans promptly strode to the Common and settled down, throwing slang back and forth at each other.

* * *

(MPOV)

I half levitated my Optimus, supporting him down the corridor.

"He okay?" Chance asked in a worried tone.

"He's alright, just re-booted, hit the central, I think there's a swear-fest well on it's way," I laughed softly, glancing at the bots striding gleefully to the central with several humans in tow. Chance whooped and jogged down the corridor, another dozen NEST soldiers following him.

::. Kae?.:: Optimus sent over our private link.

::. I've got you, Optimus.:: I murmured fondly, opening the doors to our quarters.

::. _Do_ you know how to activate a blocker?.:: he asked in a rather loopy tone.

::. Arcee piped me everything I need to know.:: I replied with a gentle laugh, laying him down on the berth. ::. Do you want your armour on still?.::

"No, _Primus_ no," Optimus rumbled, bringing his vocal processors online. He sat up and swayed. I lunged forward and steadied him as he rolled to his feet. The next moment he had me pressed tightly against the wall, his binder cables nosing at my valve and couplings.

"Oi, we've got all night you," I told him with a low laugh. "Optimus Prime, remove your armour to allow for your spark-mate's attentions." I added just the barest touch of the voice of command to it, knowing it would both irk and inflame him. He pulled back and stared down at me sternly. I shot him an innocent look.

"I want you naked, on your back in my berth. Now." he demanded roughly, fully using the voice of command.

I promptly disengaged my armour and reached up, dragging his face down to mine, he bent to kiss me, instead I swung my head to the side and caught his auditory receptors.

"Say please," I purred, smirking and listening to a few of his processors pop. He moaned for a second, then began to growl, his armour coming away beneath my hands. I promptly grabbed his protoform and shoved him backwards, pressing him tightly to the wall and running gentle lips down his chest, teasing his spark chamber.

"I could simply take what I want from you," Optimus snarled softly, he bodily picked me up and grasped my arse, his spike nosing at my valve again. It was a true effort to not simply let him take me then and there.

"You can try," I smirked at him, overbalancing him and using the momentum to get away. "In fact, I'd like to _see_ you try," I added, standing coyly beside our berth. I reached for his spark, making sure he was okay.

~What fun is a mate that would simply roll over and let me use her?~ he sent back with a broadening smirk.

"Oh I'll let you use me," I replied, walking toward him with the predatory grace that always had him staring at me. "But you're going to have to earn it first," I walked two fingers up his chest before he caught my hand. He brought it to his face and kissed my palm tenderly, before he used the wrist control to drag me against his chest, holding me in a partial submission and promptly tossing me down on the berth.

In a second I had rolled to my stomach, coiling around and presenting him with a nice view of my arse.

* * *

(OPOV)

She commanded him to remove his armour, and used the voice of command. Just barely, but it was still a bit of an effort to not automatically follow that order. One look into her optics said exactly why. She was teasing him. The voice of command swelled from him. He tried desperately to stop it, knowing he would regret forcing her against her will.

"I want you naked on your back in my berth. Now." he demanded of her, and instantly felt regret swell in his spark as her armour disengaged.

And then, the first of his processors popped as she dragged him down to her level. He automatically leaned down to kiss her, and was shocked anew as she avoided him, bringing her mouth to his auditory receptors.

"Say please," she purred.

Two words. Two words and several more popped processors. He disengaged his armour immediately, moaning at the power of his Femme. His equal, exquisite femme. The second his armour was free her hands were on his frame, shoving him lightly back against the wall. She pinned him, running gentle lips down his chest and teasing his spark chamber.

He felt free. For the first time in aeons, he was free. His moans morphed into a quiet growl as he reached forward and grasped his Kae again.

"I could simply take what I want from you," Optimus snarled softly, he bodily picked his Femme up and grasped at her aft, nosing her valve with his spike again. She was so wet already, one shove and...

"You can try," Kae smirked, overbalancing him and using the momentum to get away again. "In fact, I'd like to _see_ you try," she added, standing coyly beside the berth. Oh she wanted to play did she? Her spark reached for his, a gentle caress, making sure he was alright. His beautiful, loving, perfect femme. He set aside a backup processor to memorize this moment, and to remember to wake her up in the morning with a gentle, caring overload. Although for now...

~What fun is a mate that would simply roll over and let me use her?~ he sent back with a broadening smirk. There was a flash of lust in her eyes, the game was on.

"Oh I'll let you use me," Kae replied, walking toward him with the predatory grace that always had him staring at his Kae. "But you're going to have to earn it first," two fingers walked toward his spark chamber again.

Optimus grasped her wrist and brought it to his face, kissing his Kae's palm tenderly, before he used the wrist control to drag her against his chest. He thought about tactics for a second before lightly tossing her onto the berth. See what she did then.

In a second she had rolled to her stomach, coiling around and presenting him with an incredible view.

Everything that he would ever truly need, laid out on his berth. Their berth.

The predator in her watched him beside the loving femme, and now, _now_ she would be his prey. An admittedly gleeful snarl tore out of his vocal processors as he took in the entirety of her position.

"Still defying my orders are you?" he snarled with a smirk, "what shall we do with you, my willful, disobedient femme?"

Carefully, slowly, he strode forward, pinning her down with his gaze. The air tasted of her pheromones, he could feel her overload slowly building through their joint sparks.

"Whatever do you mean, Optimus?" she asked innocently, squirming on the berth slightly, the movement bared her valve somewhat, and Optimus couldn't stop staring at the blatant invitation.

One that at the moment, he had absolutely no compunction in accepting. He lunged forward, one hand catching her hip and flipping her to her back. Optimus dove between her legs, successfully nosing his spike at her valve until he blinked and was laying on his back.

He almost overloaded that second.

Kae's hips danced over his, teasing his spike, letting him nose at her valve but never getting to a position that he could enter her as he moaned beneath her. Primus, _Pit_ every last one of the gods and goddesses listening, he wanted his femme, right now, he wanted to wrap himself in and around and through his femme and never let go.

But first he was going to make her scream.

A hand darted up and began playing with the bared couplings that graced her side, she began moaning, twitching even as she continued to tease his spike. Optimus onlined every processor he had available, a desperate bid to keep enough concentration to make her overload first.

Her hands caught his wrists, jerking him to sit up against her.

"I'll see your processors and raise you an overload," she purred directly into his auditory receptors, strongly impaling herself on his spike as her spark flashed out to merge with his own.

Too much, his processors cut out in series as the energon from their dual overloads danced between them. The backup he had running noted idly that the lighting in their room was flickering as the circuitry in the building struggled to keep up with the torrents of energon flooding the systems, his vocal processors made no noise, evidently having cut out before the roar that tore directly from his feet – taking a leisurely trip through his spike and spark – could damage it. Nothing else registered as even that backup cut out, spark-consciousness scattered among the stars.

* * *

The silent, eternal darkness was broken by a warm wave of light, drawing him delicately to his body, settling over and around him with the tender comfort of a lifelong lover.

~Rest, beloved~ Kae whispered in his spark, he had the vague feeling of being laid down gently, a warm, gentle body stretched out beside his, pressed tightly against him.

He heaved a spark-deep sigh and directed his body to curl against hers, to wrap an arm around her and pull his other half closer as the darkness and her presence became a blissful piece of heaven.

He dreamed of Cybertron, and watched as the scorched and barren wasteland of his home planet was healed.

* * *

(APOV)

Arcee held onto Ratchet firmly as Kae carefully carried her Optimus back to their quarters.

"Thank you," he murmured to her, softly. She smiled up at him and followed as bots and humans trouped to the central.

"Alright, that's settled," Ironhide snorted gleefully.

"What is?" Will asked curiously.

"Optimus is _never_ going to live it down," Ratchet snorted.

"The thrice blessed bastard bot," Ironhide laughed.

"You keep calling him that," Jacobs grinned, climbing the catwalk and dangling his legs over the edge beside Sideswipe/ Sunstreaker spared a tolerant glance for the human. _Primus_ but he had come a long way in a short Orn.

"Because it's true," Sides grinned, holding up a hand and beginning to tick things off his didgits. "First he finds a Femme that sees _him,_ not simply a Prime. Then she proves to be strong enough to defy the voice of command and a predator _anyone_ would be proud to fight beside. She took his mark, allowed herself to be changed, not only bound herself to him, but raised him to be her equal, and just proved something else."

"What?" Chance grinned up at the mech.

"She loves him so much that when he blacked out in musth she wasn't repulsed or scared away, she was worried for his health." Ratchet chuckled.

"A bot in musth is sexy," Flare giggled.

"But a Prime in musth can be absolutely terrifying," Arcee added gently.

"Translation!" Will called out with a grin.

"Well, you've heard Kae and Optimus both use the voice of command," Chromia shrugged.

"Still don't entirely get that one," Will frowned.

"I totally do," Chance stated flatly, "you remember at the Smithsonian, you sent me back to get Kae out of there?"

"Yeah," Will frowned.

"I got to her, told her to come with me. She told me to get out, so I told her in no uncertain terms that she needed to evacuate. Will... she stood up, a civilian girl a head shorter than me in four inch heels and commanded me to get out of there," Chance explained quietly, "I swear to whatever god is listening, it was a tone that said there was no other option but to obey. I was running the other way before I even realized it."

"The voice of command," Ironhide nodded, "part and parcel with being Prime, the gift of true leadership abilities. But if you ask Optimus, he'll tell you it's the curse." the bot snorted. "Of course that's why I never went rogue when Sentinel disappeared, if anything? Optimus is the better leader."

"He almost never uses the voice," Arcee explained, smiling at Will's confused look. "Instead he allows us to argue with him about orders, not that we ever really do."

"Is that why he gives his orders twice sometimes?" Will asked with wide eyes.

"The first are more a request," Ratchet smiled, "it's an unspoken deal we all made vorns ago, he hates using the voice of command, doesn't like forcing others against their will, so he first gives us the option to say no."

"Then why does he use it at all?" Jacobs asked, leaning into the conversation interestedly.

"He has to," Ironhide shrugged, "Optimus spends so much time keeping it under control it's a testament to the bot that it doesn't just explode out of him." he grinned suddenly. "Hey Ratch, you remember on the plane?"

"What, when Kae defied him while still bleeding to death?" Ratchet snorted. He glanced at Will and onlined the holo.

...

_"__Optimus," Mikaela said quietly, "I will die eventually, at least let mine have meaning."_

_"__We will discuss this later," Prime stated, barely touching the voice of command._

...

"I remember that," Will grinned.

"Watch his eyes," Ratchet grinned.

...

_"__Yes, we will," Mikaela replied in a deliberately light tone, his optics imperceptibly narrowed at the girl as she squirmed to the edge of his hand. "Lennox, how have you been?" _

...

"She agreed with him," Will frowned.

"In a tone that plainly stated that they'd _argue_ about it later," Ironhide snorted. "I almost felt bad for the bot, he couldn't decide if he should be irritated or revved right up."

"So Primes are scary in musth because..." Jacobs prompted him.

"He's losing control of himself," Ironhide snorted, "I have absolutely no doubt that he's ordered Mikaela to strip naked and get on her back in his berth by this point, and regretted using the voice of command the next second. I don't think I've seen that bot dread _anything_ so much as the thought of going into musth."

"It's _Kae_, she doesn't follow orders unless it suits her," Will snorted.

"So twenty bucks says she stripped and laid down on her stomach," Jacobs grinned.

"We need to cough up video," Chromia stated immediately.

"You honestly think he's in the right state of mind to have recorded it?" Ironhide laughed.

"It's _Optimus_ we're talking about!" the femme laughed.

"That bot has so many logs I'm astonished he's actually capable of functioning," Ratchet snorted. "You remember _that_ argument Hide?"

In response, the weapons master began hooting with laughter.

"Story time!" Jacobs bellowed.

"Right, so Optimus decided when he was a youngling that in order to continue to be a good person, he would remember the face and name of every bot he killed," Ironhide stated, "Which he still does."

"That's dedication," Jacobs whispered with an awestruck look.

"Except he insisted on keeping the names and faces in a front processor," Ratchet snorted, "which would be alright if he'd only taken say, twenty lives or so, but after five hundred he was getting so badly backlogged he'd freeze in memories."

"Which is beyond depressing to say the least," Ironhide snorted, "there's nothing worse than watching a bot freeze with remorse humming out of his spark."

"It took Ratchet, Ironhide, Jazz, Prowl and _Sentinel,_ _all_ beating him up to get a sufficient level of irritation back into him for a good argument," Arcee giggled. "Of course they should have just asked Elita, she managed in thirty seconds what took the mechs over three hours to do."

"What'd she do?" Will asked curiously.

"She told Optimus that she wouldn't bond to him if he was always keeping his kills on the front processor," Ratchet snorted, "the one thing she ever did that was ever any good for him, of course she added that if he wanted something on the front processors he was supposed to keep a tally of all the bots and femmes he'd made a conquest of."

"Optimus doesn't make conquests," Chromia snorted, "he's too much a gentlebot, more like he allows himself to _be_ a conquest."

"Mind, in the heyday one smile from him and you desperately wanted to _make_ him a conquest," Flareup giggled.

"Oh so true," Arcee sighed, she climbed into Ratchet's arms, "when we reach the well, love, remind me to hunt Elita down and beat the tar out of her. I could gleefully throttle her for breaking him."

"Mmm, you and me both, beloved," Ratchet rumbled gently. "At least he's back."

"Which brings us to a better topic," Bumblebee called out with a broad grin. "Kae and Optimus, whose who's conquest?"

"Ooh!" Sideswipe bellowed with a grin, collecting Flareup and cuddling her as the femme grinned.

"What!?" Chance bellowed with a laugh.

"Alright, let's lay it out," Chromia trilled. "Kae is the higher ranking, but Optimus is too much a gentlebot to make conquests."

"But officially!" Ironhide rumbled back with a grin, "Kae is the higher ranking, we should let Optimus have the glory of snaring her!"

"Kae had him snared before she was even a bot!" Jacobs piped up with a broad grin.

"Oh! True!" Flareup sang, "he's _her_ conquest!"

"But he had to battle against her training to isolate herself!" Bumblebee shot back, "She's _his_ conquest!"

"She told him precisely _how _to chase her. He's _her _conquest," Ratchet snorted.

"She made him her equal, she's _his_ conquest!" Arcee trilled.

"Theirs is a star crossed love," Will called out in a pious tone, "no conquest is necessary, they belong together absolutely."

Ironhide looked at him with a grin.

"Yeah, but how do _you _intend to tease the bot?" he rumbled cheerfully.

"Tease nothing, I'm off rota for a week," Will smirked, "When he finally emerges we're going out for beer and gossip."

"So ∂_Pleasant curse,∂_" Jacobs smirked.

"In english?" Ironhide grinned, looking around himself.

"Bot getter!" Chromia shouted with a grin.

"Battle curse," Ironhide retorted immediately.

"I'm sticking with Musth," Ratchet grinned.

Arcee smiled as bots and humans both gleefully got down to a true meeting of the minds, trading oaths and expletives as true comrades. Ironhide and Ratchet both looked up at the cathedral of neural fibres as it flickered and glowed.

"Whoaa..." Bumblebee whispered.

"What's that?" Jacobs asked in an awed tone, watching as energon began to float between the wires.

"Aurora borealis," Will whispered.

"It's the energon Kae and Optimus are producing together," Arcee stated gently.

"I have _never _seen that much at one time though," Ratchet rumbled quietly. "That's absolutely incredible."


	128. 125 Rota

**Chapter 125 - Rota**

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus roused himself, enjoying the quiet, beautiful hum of the spark beside his own. With a small smile, he called up the recordings made by the backup processor and watched his gorgeous femme as she teased him into one of the most powerful overloads he'd ever experienced, and noting his personal reminder with a grin.

Kae stirred slightly beside him, venting a sweet, contented sigh as she pressed a bit closer to him in her recharge. With infinite care, Optimus began to stroke her body, watching with a smile as she slowly onlined, arching into his touch.

He caught her hand and gently brought it to his lips before delicately pinning it above her head.

"Let me take care of you this morning," he whispered, leaning down to feather gentle kisses down her neck and shoulder.

"Are you alright?" she asked softly, her free hand reaching up to cup his cheek gently.

"Better," Optimus rumbled over her spark chamber, kissing her mark, then his own before he rose to hover over her, looking into her optics. "Every morning that I wake with you by my side, the universe could end and I would be content."

"Flatterer," she chuckled before gasping, her legs spreading to hitch around his hips as he nosed his spike against her valve. Optimus moaned softly, she was so wet already, she squirmed beneath him, bucking into him and moaning as he slowly, gently thrust into her.

He rolled slowly, carefully to the side as her leg hitched to hook around his hips. Keeping him nestled deep in her valve.

What felt like minutes went past, simply holding, stroking and kissing his Kae, loving the way her hands mapped his frame. His internal clock stated it had been over an hour; he could gladly spend an eternity kissing her.

Her hips rocked against his lightly, Optimus smiled and pulled back slightly, threading a gentle hand into her chamber as she moaned.

"Tell me what you like, my goddess," he rumbled softly, utilizing the tone that he knew would thrill her sensors, her valve spasmed around him.

"Optimus," she whimpered softly as energon built around and through her, a wayward processor noted a group of bots and human soldiers making a beeline for his quarters. He vented a mildly irritated sigh, torn between being up and ready in deference to his Kae's human heritage, or giving the bots a show. Kae registered it and moaned. "Make me scream," she whispered.

Optimus smirked broadly, drawing back and thrusting deeply into her perfection, they could interrupt if they wished, but that most certainly didn't mean he had to cut this short. Kae's spark chamber opened in front of his, their sparks merging absolutely once more as she wriggled against him, gasping and beginning to beg.

"Rise and shine love... birds..." Ironhide rumbled and trailed off, an entire entourage standing and staring in shock as Kae overloaded in his hands, he followed gently behind her with a quiet groan. He quickly re-synced his processors and looked at Ironhide.

"What is the emergency?" he rumbled placidly.

"No emergency," Will stated from Hide's hand, blushing furiously.

"Good, then either go away or join us," Kae murmured, burrowing herself into him a bit more. Optimus smirked, knowing he looked precisely like the cat that had not only got the cream, but had thoroughly enjoyed it. He loved how kittenish his Kae got after an overload. He gathered her a bit more closely and lightly tucked her helm beneath his jaw, loving the way she cuddled into him as he stroked her sensitive frame.

"He's back!" Chromia squealed, immediately rolling into the room and disengaging her armour, scrambling onto the berth to jump on Kae.

Optimus laughed as Kae did, they simultaneously reached out and caught the little wildcat of a bot, tickling her mercilessly as she laughed.

"That is _definitely_ my cue to run away and call Sarah," Will stated, red-faced and struggling with his expressions.

"You're allowed to laugh, or put on a look of horror," Ratchet stated blandly, "we already_know_ your species is bizarrely uncomfortable with sex."

"I'll take laughter, more manly," Jacobs snorted, "Right, Optimus, seeing as Will is now completely and absolutely distracted and desperately thinking of his wife we're dragging you lot out for beer and gossip later. Moreshower's joining us."

"Boys night out?" Kae piped up with a bright smile.

"Femmes are invited," Jacobs laughed, "now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go for a nice wank to get the sound of you screaming for more _out_ of my head."

"You are welcome to join us, Jacobs," Optimus rumbled placidly.

"Flare is quite possibly the most talented multi-tasker this side of the universe," Sideswipe added with a grin.

"After all, what happens in the Primes' quarters, stays in the Primes' quarters," Flare purred, onlining her holoform to wind around Jacobs. "Sexual harassment charges are worth it just to see if I can get you to blush."

"I really, _really_ need to call my wife now..." Will mumbled.

"Are you alright, Major?" Ratchet asked in a concerned tone.

"No I'm good," Will nodded, "but at this point I'm definitely thinking I'm going to take you up on your offer Kae." Ironhide snorted and lightly set him down. "I neither saw nor registered Flare's proposal either, we're both off rota anyway. All yours man." Will added over his shoulder to Jacobs. The man grinned and promptly lifted the holoform to his hip as Flare beamed at him, Sideswipe promptly picked the femme proper up and carried her into Optimus' quarters, closely followed by Ratchet and Ironhide.

Optimus onlined an extra processor and hacked the room controls, opening the reveal.

"The rocking bed is still there," he added with a broad smirk.

"Always wanted to try that thing out," Jacobs rumbled cheerfully, promptly carrying Flareup's holoform through the doors and laying her out on the bed.

"I've got a human conquest, Chrome," Flare smirked at her sister, "top that."

"Currently sandwiched between two Primes," Chromia shot back at her. Arcee laughed at the both of them and disengaged her armour, winding herself around Ratchet.

"Really? As a gorgeous femme, and a field marshal, don't you outrank me?" Jacobs rumbled.

"You're going to quibble about being a conquest?" Sideswipe laughed at him.

"Oh I'll gladly take the title conquest," the man snorted, "I just want it established, my beauty, that I fully recognize you as a true, drop dead gorgeous creature."

"Oh look at him go!" Arcee murmured as Jacobs stripped his shirt off and leaned down to murmur in the holoform's ear.

"I want to make you scream, I want to make you writhe beneath me as I pound myself into you, I want you to overload so many times you'll need to recharge for days, but as always you have but to bid me, and I stop, do you wish a safeword, my beauty?" he whispered, feathering kisses down her neck.

"Safeword is Starscream," Flare whimpered. Jacobs and Sideswipe both grinned.

Flareup was gasping the next second, she and her holoform both winding themselves around the males holding them.

Ironhide smirked and disengaged his armour as Chromia grinned at him, he plucked her out of Kae's arms and promptly began teasing her couplings.

Optimus looked around at his earthbound unit with a smirk and promptly returned his attentions to his beloved Kae.

Her fingers danced over his frame, making him moan softly. He caught her hand and kissed her palm again, caught in her gaze.

Paradise.

* * *

(WPOV)

Will hovered outside Optimus' door, laughing as Jolt walked past, carrying a laughing Lena on his shoulder on their way to Communications central.

"Do I want to know?" he called up with a grin.

"Best. Back massage. Ever," Lena grinned down at him. "Jolt's spoiling me."

"But it's so much _fun_ spoiling you!" Jolt laughed. "You keep getting the short end of the stick besides! No pun, by the way," Jolt added with a grin. "I get a lot more out of the contact than you do."

"You spoil me rotten, let me get some of the best shuteye I've _ever_ had and you're still claiming that I've got the short end of the stick?" Lena laughed. Will watched them with a grin as they carried on down the corridor.

"It's nice to see Jolt capable of being in a symbiotic relationship again," Ratchet stated with a smile beside him. Will looked up curiously.

"He's a technician," Ratchet explained. "He stayed alive for two vorn by allowing his captors to live parasitically from him before Arcee got him out of there. On one side of the scale we are sustained by contact with each other, on the other, it is possible to take without giving."

"Wow," Will whispered, turning to watch the pair as they disappeared into communications central.

"I would appreciate it, Will, if you allowed Lena to remain with Jolt without scorn," Ratchet added quietly, onlining his holoform beside him. "She does not realize it, but she is pulling Jolt away from his own cliff edge. She _is_ actually giving more than she receives right now, Jolt has been desperately needing spark-contact for the past couple of vorn..."

"Duly noted," Will nodded firmly. "I'll pull Lena aside later, with you, if you don't mind."

"Thank you," Ratchet nodded with a smile. "Now, shall we go enjoy the time off?"

"YES!" Will grinned cheerfully as the doors to Optimus' quarters opened, bots piling out and laughing raucously. Jacobs was smirking broadly as he walked with Flareup's holoform on his arm.

"Don't tell," Will commanded with a snort. "That expression is a thousand words more information than I think I can digest without my wife holding my hand."

"Duly noted," Jacobs snorted. "Can you do me a favour then?"

"What?" Will asked curiously.

"Turn around a minute?" Jacobs smirked. Will groaned and turned around, listening to the catcalls as Jacobs no doubt dipped Flare in his embrace and kissed her.

"_Do_ try to not scar the humans?" Optimus rumbled placidly. "Care for a lift, Major?"

"Please," Will grinned up at the mech, sitting comfortably in the offered hand.

"Where we headed?" Kae asked cheerfully.

"Red Rose Pub on seventh," Will grinned. "Practically everyone walks to it, or takes a cab, so there should be enough parking for you lot.

"Excellent," Ratchet grinned, he looked at Ironhide. "You ready to get whipped at whatever game we can find there?"

"Bring it you cocky old bot," Ironhide smirked. Will couldn't help but laugh at them.

"Ready?" Optimus rumbled, grinning down at Will. He looked up curiously.

"For?" Will asked curiously.

"Don't move," Mikaela giggled beside him. Optimus promptly transformed around Will, depositing him lightly in the passenger's seat with barely a jostled limb.

It was freakin' _cool_ to see all of the big man's moving parts from this perspective as he shrugged into his truck form.

"So cool," Will moaned, looking around.

"I know right?" Mikaela's holoform giggled from the sleeper as Optimus backed into the smaller trailer she formed on her own.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus took point, driving casually to the bar Will was directing him to. He listened with a light spark as his unit teased and bantered with each other. His femme was calmly allowing him to tow her along behind himself, connected to each other absolutely.

"If you sound any more content with your lot in life, I _may_ have to hit you," Will stated with a perfectly straight face.

"You have a wife and hatchling, whom I am going to escort you home to this evening," Optimus rumbled in amusement. "And yet you wish to harm me for being content that I now have my Kae? I thought you were my ally!"

Will began howling with laughter.

"Which reminds me, is your government going to accept their bonding as a wedding, or do we still get to dress them up and parade them around!?" Chromia called out gleefully.

"Oh we're totally gonna dress them up and parade them around," Will stated seriously before he burst out laughing again.

Optimus snorted and reached for his Kae.

"Admit it Chromia!" she called out with a laugh. "You're just trying to find an excuse to go clubbing!"

"That too," Arcee trilled cheerfully. "You need to transform into your land vehicle mode so we can ditch the menfolk for a little while and go dancing."

Mikaela began laughing.

"I'm already bonded, whose engagement are we celebrating now?" she asked cheerfully.

"We're gonna _celebrate_ your bonding, _my_ raising to Ironhide's spark-guardian and we're gonna go make the human males _drool_," Chromia stated smugly.

"Oh, done deal," Mikaela laughed.

Optimus couldn't help but smirk about that.

"So you gonna drop me off and go make an entrance?" Will murmured with a smirk.

"Oh we totally are," Ironhide rumbled over the radio.

"Totally are what?" Chromia asked curiously.

"We are going to drop Will off and have a proper male's night," Optimus rumbled calmly. He could feel his Kae's amusement at the slight omission.

Optimus spied the pub Will pointed out and circled around back, gently releasing his Kae as she quickly transformed from trailer to her land-vehicle mode.

Holoforms winked online. Mikaela bounced over to him and caught the arm he offered to her with a smile. Together, they walked around to the front.

"Over here!" Chris Moreshower bellowed, already nursing a pint beside Barry.

Ratchet and Ironhide promptly walked in and began scanning the area.

"Where are the games?" Ironhide rumbled with a small frown. Will laughed and caught hold of Ironhide's arm.

"We've got pool, darts and air-hockey," he grinned, pointing them out.

Optimus snorted as the medic's face blanked for a moment before a full fledged Ratchet smirk caught hold of his face.

"Be back," he muttered to Ironhide, walking back out of the pub.

"Where's he going?" Will asked curiously.

"Darts," Ironhide smirked.

"Ratch fancy himself a thrower?" Barry smirked, opening his briefcase.

"Is that why you're always carrying that damn thing around?" Chris demanded with a snort. "Just how much crap do you have _in_ that thing?"

"When a man builds you a compartment for your darts, you take your case _everywhere_," Barry stated airily.

"Brother," Ratchet stated formally, handing Ironhide a set of darts.

"Thank you, brother," Ironhide rumbled just as formally before the two of them promptly grinned at each other.

"Shall we win some drinking money then?" Ratchet smirked.

"I believe we shall," Ironhide smirked.

"Oh here we go," Optimus snorted, settling down beside Chris and wrapping an arm around his Kae's holoform.

"What?" Chris asked with a laugh.

"All we need now is for somebody to find a steel ball and the lobbing will begin," Optimus snorted in amusement as his senior officers began their routine.

"Lobbing?" Will asked curiously.

"It is a game, of sorts," Optimus snorted. "Two bots of a generally equal size take turns throwing a ball of dead-metals at each other until one falls over."

Kae began giggling softly. Optimus smiled down at her.

"Ratchet was the lobbing king, wasn't he?" she laughed softly.

"The _medic!?_" Chris demanded incredulously.

"_Everybody_ says that, they forget to take into account that _as _a medic, Ratchet has in his memories the specifications for _every last_ one of our forms, modified or _not_. He knows _precisely_ where to throw a ball to make a bot fall over," Optimus snorted. "_Anything_ that requires balance or throwing he _will_ beat you at. I promise."

"Well he doesn't seem to be throwing all that well," Chris stated calmly, watching Ratchet and Ironhide's game with a critical eye.

"They are laying their trap," Optimus snorted, he pointed.

"Oi! You bandy boys up for a match!" an already somewhat tipsy man bellowed, proffering his own darts.

"I don't know," Ironhide shrugged, looking at Ratchet.

"Got better things to do than whittle around with wager-less games," Ratchet grumbled.

"Alright, how's this, fifty that I whip your tails!" the man growled.

Optimus bit down a snort as Ratchet and Ironhide looked at each other.

"You're gonna need a second man," Ironhide rumbled calmly. Optimus reached out and lightly snagged Barry's arm for a moment.

"It would be wise to observe your opponent's skills before challenging him to a match," Optimus rumbled calmly. Barry rolled his eyes.

"Oh let him be," Mikaela laughed softly beside him. "Barry's quite proficient."

"I shall buy the first round then," Optimus snorted. "Ease the sting."

"Yes dear," Mikaela stated contentedly, tucking herself into the circle of his arm as they sat back to watch the match. Barry promptly shook the tipsy man's hand.

"Hope you're a hot todd-e," Barry nodded to the man.

"Wha's that mean?" the man asked.

"You throw well after a few," Barry snorted, shrugging out of his blazer and tossing his darts in a practice throw.

"This shall be interesting," Optimus rumbled with a grin, looking down at his Kae. She looked up at him and laughed softly.

Caught by her eyes, Optimus couldn't help but lean down to press a light kiss to her lips, loving the way she smiled at him as he pulled back.

"Saps," Chris snorted.

"Without a doubt," Optimus rumbled contentedly, smiling as Kae's head rested lightly on his shoulder as they watched the match.

It rather quickly became a death match between Ratchet and Barry. The two of them were grinning rather manically at each other as the first match concluded, monies handed over and the tipsy man wandering away with Ironhide.

Optimus couldn't help but smile as Ironhide bought the man a drink. He always had excellent manners in the correct arena.

Ratchet and Barry were quickly renewing their game.

"They're gonna wear out that dart-board, and _I'm_ gonna have to save the winnings just to buy this place a new one," Ironhide snorted, slapping the money down on the table. Mikaela looked over and smirked.

"I'm going to go shark for a little while," she smiled up at him. "Cee, Chrome, Flare, shall we go win a bit of clubbing money?" she smirked.

"You go," Arcee laughed softly, she shrugged out of her own coat and leaned back. "_We're _going to make sure none of us have to pay for a drink."

"That's my sister," Kae laughed softly walking behind Arcee. "Ready?" she murmured.

Arcee promptly reached up and caught Kae's hair, the two of them kissing lightly as the men in the crowded bar gaped.

"You... your..." Will sputtered slightly across from him.

"Is buying the next round," Optimus rumbled innocently.

"Right in front of you?" Chris demanded.

Optimus turned confused eyes on the General.

"Aren't you even the least bit worried that they'll run off together and leave you behind?" Will demanded incredulously.

"Our sparks are bound," Optimus rumbled with a snort, leaning back in his chair again.

"No matter _where _the lot of us run to, Optimus will _always_ know where his Kae is," Arcee stated comfortably, smiling at the men.

"It is remarkably difficult to feel jealous of the attention my Kae receives," Optimus laughed softly, watching as his femme stood calmly beside the pool tables as a drink was pressed into her hand along with a pool cue.

She smiled gently, took a sip of the drink, set it down and set herself up to make the first shot, pointing that gorgeous arse in full view of the men. The fact that the male's eyes were glued to her arse no longer bothered him. It didn't have to, she was his.

"Okay, that's taking tolerance to an entirely different level," Will stated flatly.

"Why? She belongs to him," Ironhide shrugged, watching his niece with a smirk as she began schooling the men on how to _play._

"Isn't that a bit chauvinistic?" Barry asked with a frown, accepting the drink Chris shoved in his general direction.

"It would be," Arcee shrugged, smiling as an enormous tray of shots was placed in front of her by a smirking waiter. She smiled at him and reached for her wallet.

"No!" the waiter protested immediately, he leaned down toward her confidentially. "Compliments of most of the men in the bar who want to see the two of you kissing again."

Arcee caught the man's eyes as they smirked at each other.

"Well played," the waiter smirked, nodding to her and making his retreat.

"Where was I?" Arcee asked calmly, lightly collecting a few of the shots and gently placing the tray in the middle of the table.

"It would be chauvinistic," Will prompted her calmly.

"Except that Optimus equally belongs to Mikaela," Arcee nodded. The three femmes picked up their first shots, clinked them together and threw them back.

"You mind?" Chris asked curiously, pointing to the tray.

"Have at," Chromia giggled, "there's gonna be more where those came from."

"So on Cybertron, did you have anything like this?" Chris asked curiously, looking at Optimus. He smiled tolerantly as the femmes began laughing gleefully.

"Central Hub!" Chromia crowed.

"Oh now _those_ were the days," Arcee sighed with a smile. "Even during the war, the nights that Central Hub was lit were some of the best orns."

Optimus laughed as the humans looked confused.

"I shall have to bring up the holoform of Central Hub when you have returned," he told Will with a smile. "Picture a neutral zone, where bots of every size, creed and caste would gather together, a place where politics were practically _banned,_ even the most eloquent of speakers would be shunned the moment they tried to..." he trailed off in thought, looking for the correct phrase. He reached for his Kae.

~Stand on their soap-box and preach~ his Kae sent through their sparks. He smiled.

"Stand on their soap-box and preach," he rumbled.

"Kae's helping you translate across the _pub?_" Will demanded with a snort.

"Their sparks are bound," Chromia shrugged. "Technically, Kae could help him translate from the other side of the universe."

"How does that work again?" Chris asked curiously.

"Our sparks are twined together," Optimus rumbled calmly. "In essence, half of my spark now resides in her chamber, just as half of her spark remains in mine, but the essence of our _selves_ remains our own. Our sparks are split in half but remain whole, everything that we _are_ an extension of the other."

"Wait, so the colour variations between the two of you were your sparks literally splitting in half and binding to each other?" Barry asked interestedly.

"Precisely," Optimus nodded, he looked around carefully and leaned in among the group of men, extending his holoform into a minute diagram of two bared sparks. "Our sparks are whole within themselves, we have no skeleton or skin, but there is a boundary around our spark nevertheless. When you _split_ a spark there is a moment when there is an evident difference between it's outside and centre, and a powerful magnetization that struggles to draw the two parts back together. When Kae and I _bound, _our sparks split in half and bound to each other."

"Doesn't that hurt?" Will asked curiously.

"If a spark is split by accident? It's excruciating," Arcee stated calmly. "It takes _vorns_ to heal properly, and at times a bot will lose several memories in the process. But done safely, in a guarded circle between two physically bound together, the sparks do not split entirely until the healing has completed. It _still_ hurts, but much the same way..." Arcee trailed off, thinking hard. "I need Kae's help to find a parallel." she admitted calmly after a moment.

* * *

(MPOV)

I smirked slightly as the men stared at my ass, feeling Optimus' amusement that I felt the need to start my evening teasing them.

I sank the last ball and another slapped a fifty on the table, smirking as he chalked his cue. I let him break, he got three down before he scratched.

I cleared half the table before purposely scratching. Didn't want to appear _too_ good, after all. A good predator looks innocent so as to not scare away her quarry. A killer whale to their sharks.

I felt my Optimus struggling for a phrase, he trailed off and reached for me, a motion that had become automatic between the two of us.

~Stand on their soap-box and preach~ I supplied calmly. He smiled at me and their conversation continued.

The games continued, I racked up again and noted that I'd already made seven hundred. I let the next man win, he took fifty. The graceful way to exit.

"Next round's on me boys," I smiled at them, throwing a hundred down.

That got a cheer, the best way to leave a competition. I swayed my hips as I walked back to my Optimus.

"If a spark is split by accident? It's excruciating," Arcee was stating calmly. "It takes _orns _to heal properly, and at times a bot will lose several memories in the process. But done safely, in a guarded circle between two physically bound together, the sparks do not split entirely until the healing has completed. It _still_ hurts, but much the same way..." Arcee trailed off, thinking for a long moment. "I need Kae's help to find a parallel," she stated calmly.

"Which sucks, because I can't really _think_ of one," I stated musingly. "In _theory_, a female losing her virginity, where pleasure overrides the pain..."

Optimus looked up and reached for me, tucking me into the circle of his arms.

"It doesn't bother me, beloved," I murmured gently, stroking his cheek. "I had _you _as my first interface. That's what counts."

Optimus smiled and pulled me a bit closer. I shot him an impish grin.

"However I do believe that us girls are gonna leave you to your manly devices and go dancing." I smirked, holding up my wad of cash as Chrome, Flare and Arcee began cheering.

"Wait!" Chris grinned at us.

"Chris?" I asked curiously.

"A Banes, A Moreshower, and a Matteer walk into a bar," Barry stated innocently.

I grinned wickedly and went to the bar, waving the bartender over.

"I'm going to make a bit of a scene, family reunion type, do you mind?" I asked with a grin.

"Is shit going to get broken?" the man asked worriedly.

"No, but I am going to steel a barstool for five seconds," I smirked.

"Okay," the man shrugged.

I grinned and stood up on the barstool.

"Ladies and Gentlemen!" I called out loudly. "The next pint is on us!"

The bar erupted into cheers then quieted as I stayed for a moment longer.

"As I went home on a monday night, as drunk as drunk could be," I began walking through the pub, singing brightly. "I saw a horse outside the door, where my old horse should be, so I called me wife and I says to her will you kindly tell to me, who owns that horse outside the door where my old horse should be?"

Barry and Chris stood up so quickly they toppled their chairs, belting out the chorus with me.

"Ah you drunk you drunk you silly old fool, still you cannot see! That's a lovely sow that me mother sent to me, it's many a day I've travelled a hundred miles or more! But a saddle on a sow sure I never saw before!"

The entire pub began cheering raucously.

"And as I came home on a tuesday night, as drunk as drunk could be, I saw a coat behind the door, where my old coat should be, well I called me wife and I says to her, will you kindly tell to me... who owns that coat behind the door where my old coat should be?" Chris picked up the second verse cheerfully.

The Pints began making their way around and the three of us were standing together, holding them up as we sang. The fact that the holoforms were all standing and singing with us just made it so much better.

"Ah you drunk you drunk you silly old fool, still you cannot see! That's a woollen blanket that me mother sent to me, well it's many a day I travelled a hundred miles or more, but buttons in a blanket sure I never saw before."

"As I went home on a Wednesday night, as drunk as drunk could be," Barry sang, sounding perfectly tipsy and grinning as he managed to get his tie around his forehead. "I saw a pipe upon the chair, where my own pipe should be..."

"So I called his wife and I says to her, will you kindly tell to me..." Chris broke in with a grin, the pub began roaring. They mockingly glared at each other for a second before grinning.

"Who owns that pipe upon the chair," the chorused.

"Where my old pipe should be," Ironhide broke in with a shit eating grin. I caught him in an enormous one armed hug.

"Ah you drunk you drunk you silly old fool, still you cannot see, that's a lovely tin-whistle that me mother sent to me. Well it's many a day I've travelled, a hundred miles or more but tobacco in a tin whistle sure I've never seen before."

"And as I came home on a..." Ratchet started, he trailed off, putting on the appearance of being truly bad off.

"Thursday," Ironhide nudged him with a smirk.

"Thursday night, as drunk as drunk could be, I saw two boots beneath the bed where my old boots should be. So I called me wife and I says to her, will you kindly tell to me, who owns the boots beneath the bed where my own boots should be?"

"Ah you drunk you drunk you silly old fool, still you cannot see, they're two lovely geranium pots me mother sent to me, well it's many a day I travelled, a hundred mile or more, but laces in geranium pots I never saw before."

"Well as I came home on a Friday night, as drunk as drunk could be, I saw a head upon the bed, where my bald head should be!" Chris called out with a laugh, rubbing his head, the pub cheered him on. "Well I calls me wife and I says to her, would you kindly tell to me? Who owns that head with you in the bed, where my own head should be?"

"Ah you drunk you drunk you silly old fool, still you cannot see! That's a baby boy that me mother sent to me, well it's many a day I've traveled a hundred miles or more but a baby boy with his whiskers on sure I've never seen before."

The pub was howling, stomping, people were pouring in from the street to see the ruckus. The bartender was beaming at us.

The pub goers pressed pints into our hands. I looked at the girls. They grinned.

"It's gonna be a _looong _night!" Chromia sang. Arcee was looking at Optimus with a smirk. Men thundered down the stairs carrying instruments.

"We got singers!" the eldest bellowed with a grin. Optimus smirked and strode over, murmuring in the man's ear. I watched him, puzzled as the men hooted and grabbed chairs, picking up a lively tune.

"I took a stroll down the old long walk on the day I ay I ay," Optimus sang out with a grin. My bot had such a gorgeous voice. "I met a little girl and we started to talk on the grandsoft day I ay-"

"And I ask you friend," Optimus rumbled gleefully, clapping a man on the shoulder and gesturing to me. "What's a fellow to do? Cause her hair was black and her eyes were blue. And I knew right then, I'd be taking a whirl, round the salthill prom with a Galway girl." the unit all sang out brightly. Optimus grinned and caught my hand, twirling me around. The flatterer.

"We were halfway there when the rain came down on the day I ay I ay. And she took me up to her flat downtown on the finesoft day I ay I ay." Ratchet and Optimus sang together.

"And I ask you friend, what's a fellow to do, if her hair was black and her eyes were blue?" Ratchet sang demandingly, cupping Arcee's face.

"So I took her hand, and I gave her a twirl, and I lost my heart to a Galway girl." they sang together again, Arcee was laughing, dancing with Ratchet. Ironhide scooped Chromia up, even as Sides caught Flare with a grin. We couldn't stop laughing as our males danced us around the cheering pub to the lively music.

"But when I woke up I was all alone, with a broken heart and a ticket home." Sideswipe sang out with a pout.

"And I ask you friend, what's a fellow to do? If her hair was black and her eyes were blue. See I've travelled around, I've been all over the world, I've never seen nothing like a Galway girl." the males sang out gleefully, dancing us around.

"MORE!" the pub shouted out.

I caught Arcee, Chromia and Flare.

"You ready for a challenge?" I murmured with a smirk, quietly passing the lyrics to them. They smirked right back at me.

"A 'níon mhín ó sin anall na fir shúirí," I began singing quickly. A mháithairin mhín ó, cuir na roithléan go dtí mé."

"Dúlamán Dúlamán Dúlamán na binne buí, dúlamán Gaelach Dúlamán na farraige, b'fhearr a bhí in Éirinn," the girls chorused with me.

The Irish in the bar began hooting, cheering us on. The four of us smirked as we sang the song for seaweed.

"Alright, my turn," Ironhide rumbled with a smirk. We all stared at him in shock as he walked to the band. "Red Rose Cafe," he rumbled. The men grinned at him.

"They come from the farms and the factories too, they all soon forget who they are. The cares of today will be soon washed away as they sit at a still by the bar. The girl with green eyes in the rolling stones shirt doesn't look like she works on the land. And the man at the end he's a very good friend of a man who sells cars secondhand." Ironhide sang out beautifully. Everyone was staring at him in shock.

"Down at the Red Rose cafe, in the harbour. There by the port just outside Amsterdam. Everyone shares in the songs and the laughter, everyone there, is so happy to be there."

He shot everyone a shit eating grin. I couldn't help but cheer him on as Chromia beamed at her prospective mate.

"Well the salesmen relax with a few pints of beer, they try not to talk about trade," Ironhide continued with a grin, men at the bar raised their pints to him with a grin. "The poet won't write, any verses tonight, but he may sing a sweet serenade. So pull up a chair and forget about life, it's a good thing to do now and then. And if you like it here well I have an ideare, tomorrow let's all meet again!"

Everyone cheered.

"Down at the Red Rose cafe, in the harbour. There by the port just outside Amsterdam. Everyone shares in the songs and the laughter, everyone there, is so happy to be there!"

"Down at the Red Rose cafe, in the harbour. There by the port just outside Amsterdam. Everyone shares in the songs and the laughter, everyone there, is so happy to be there." We all sang with him, Chromia was beaming, winding herself in his arms.

"Why didn't you tell me!?" she demanded.

"What? That I _am_ in fact, capable of carrying a tune in a bucket?" he rumbled with a smirk. "You didn't ask."

Chromia pouted at him, and he leaned down and pecked a kiss to her nose.

Which had her melting.

"We'd better go before you melt," Arcee teased her gently. Ironhide snorted as Chromia giggled, pressing a gentle kiss to his jaw.

"Kae!" Barry shouted. "Hallelujah before you go!"

Optimus grinned and gave me a gentle shove. I rolled my eyes somewhat and gestured toward the piano. The man rose with a grin and I laid my hands lightly on the keys, rapidly downloading the musical method and playing chords as a microphone was grinningly placed in front of me.

"I heard there was a secret chord that David played and it pleased the lord, but you don't really care for music, do you? Well it goes like this the fourth or fifth the minor fall and the major lift baffle king composing hallelujah. Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah..." I sang softly, the entire pub murmuring the hallelujahs with me.

"Well your faith was strong but you needed proof, you saw her bathing on the roof, her beauty in the moonlight overthrew you. She tied you to her kitchen chair and she broke your throne and she cut your hair and from your lips she drew the hallelujah. Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah..." I sang, a bit of pain touching my voice as I recognized how the song would touch my Optimus. I caught his eyes and my voice almost broke as he strode forward, cupping my shoulders in his hands.

His beautiful voice joined mine, singing in astonishing accompaniment.

"Maybe there's a god above, but all I've ever learned from love was how to shoot somebody who outdrew you. It's not a cry that you hear at night, it's not someone who has seen the light, it's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah. Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah..."

I gently released the piano and stood, turning to cup my Optimus' face in gentle hands.

"I will wait for you," I murmured gently.

The sadness in his eyes melted away, he smiled at me. I reached up and pressed a lingering kiss to his jaw.

"I'll see you later," I murmured, smiling and holding his hands for a second before letting the girls drag me off.


	129. 126 Club Night!

**Right, so just to keep it straight in my own brain **_ƒfemme speakƒ_** Also. Review. Please? We'll return to some more serious plot soon, but for now, it's about time everyone got to have a bit of fun right? :D**

**Chapter 126 – Club Night!**

* * *

(MPOV)

We piled out of the pub and looked at each other for a long moment.

_ƒFur?ƒ_ I asked cheerfully. We began cheering, running to our respective forms and roaring off. I found it marginally irritating that I could barely keep up with them in my land-vehicle mode through the streets.

::. So what's with the stretch hummer?.:: Arcee asked teasingly.

::. I always wind up carrying bloody dignitaries,.:: I snorted. ::. Otherwise I would have taken Optimus' form myself.::

::. Oooh! Can you imagine Kae and Optimus side by side looking like that?.:: Flare demanded gleefully.

::. Gorgeous,.:: Chromia purred.

We began laughing, and I thought for a long moment, ducking into an alleyway and changing forms, marginally smaller than Optimus, _far_ more comfortable.

::. Whaddya think?.:: I asked gleefully, pulling out behind the three of them again.

::. I think _you're_ driving home!.:: Chromia trilled gleefully.

We began circling parking lots, looking for a spot close enough to the bar, and big enough for me to _fit. _Tight corners in my Optimus' form? Oh he _made_ it look easy.

::. Right, you three scout me a spot big enough and you can just stay on my chassis.:: I finally snorted in amusement.

::. Deal!.:: Arcee laughed.

::. Ooh! Found it!.:: Flareup added cheerfully. ::. Grab my co-ordinates, I'm guarding!.::

::. Rendezvous with Flare!.:: Chromia sang.

I laughed and frowned slightly, driving carefully around corners toward the GPS ping on my sensors.

::. Oh! Whaddya think you're doing buddy?.:: Chromia demanded.

::. I'm parkin!.:: a drunk sounding man shouted.

::. This spot is reserved.:: Arcee stated rather menacingly.

::. Yeah, for me, thank you ladies.:: the man smirked at them just as I made it around the final corner.

::. Get your own spot!.:: Flareup shrieked at him.

::. I believe I am.:: the man shouted back, menacing them with a one ton.

::. KAE!.:: Chromia shouted indignantly.

::. Oh I'm on it.:: I growled, creeping forward slowly. He didn't seem to notice me, I lightly touched my air-horn. He waved at me irritably. 'wait'.

I parked slightly and made my holoform climb out of my cab.

"Sir, you will find that my friends have been saving that spot for me," I stated coldly.

"Well you can go find somewhere else." he sneered. The scent of alcohol on his breath was practically sickening.

"Is that so?" I flicked open my cellphone and dialled the cops.

"Washington City Police," a man answered.

"Hello, I would like to report an intoxicated gentleman trying to menace his way into the parking space my sisters have been guarding for me." I stated firmly.

"And your location?"

"One block north of the Fur Nightclub, parking area five," I reported calmly.

"We have a unit dispatched," the man's voice stated calmly.

"YOU FUCKING BITCH!" the man in the truck began screaming, getting out and coming after me. My sisters were flanking me the next moment, I gestured a hold your positions as the man froze and a group began gathering around us.

"Be warned," I stated sternly. "We do not wish to initiate violence, however we will not back down to bullies."

"Oh what, four against one?" the man sneered. Chromia snorted.

"Sir you are both outnumbered, and outmatched by any one of us," Arcee stated sternly. The man snarled and with the logic of a drunk man, threw a sloppy punch at me.

I caught his fist and had him facing one eighty in seconds, on his knees with his hand behind his back.

He began howling, struggling to get out of my submission and succeeding only in getting himself further trapped.

"Holy crap!" one of the gathering crowd shouted out.

"What the fuck is going on?" one of the bouncers bellowed, running toward us.

"No dude, she's totally in the right!" another man stated quickly.

"Well let him go!" the bouncer shouted at me. I nodded calmly and backed up a couple of steps. Of course the drunk staggered to his feet and tried to come after me again.

He was flat on his back the next second, courtesy of an impressive haymaker by the bouncer.

"Ah. One of those," the man stated mildly, flexing his hand.

"Are you alright?" I asked in concern, looking at his hand.

"Busted a knuckle, haven't had the chance to let it heal," the man grunted.

"Here, let me take a look," I stated calmly. I looked around and frowned somewhat. "Can I have ten feet space around the semi?" I shouted before slowly, carefully transforming. I knelt, slowly, making absolutely sure nobody got beneath me and brought myself to his level.

"Sorry, need my proper form to use the scanners," I stated cheerfully, delicately reaching out and taking his hand over one of my fingers. A rapid scan and I nodded. "Yep, you did a number on it, bone chip has dislocated from your knuckle, may I have permission to heal it properly?"

The bouncer stared at me in shock and nodded.

"Thank you, now, don't panic, this is gonna look stupid weird, but it's not going to hurt," I told him soothingly, sending out a small string of neural fibres from my finger and carefully slipping them into the man's hand, aligning the bones properly and sending a small flush of energon into the wounds, letting the nanites rebuild it properly before they retreated back to my frame.

"Right," I stated through the holoform, taking a swath of bandages from my own hand and carefully wrapping his. "Our... sorry, _human_ bodies tend to react somewhat bizarrely when it comes to advanced healing, so try not to move your hand too much for the next several hours, and if you have _any_ issue with your hand, you can contact me here." I smiled at him, offering my card with my phone number.

The man grinned and tentatively flexed his hand.

"Don't even _hurt_ now!" he exclaimed cheerfully.

"Good," I smiled. "But _do_ remember to treat it as though it's still broken for the next oh, eight hours or so."

"Got it," the man grinned, turning to scowl at the idiot on the ground. "You gonna scan him?" he asked curiously.

I shrugged and did a scan.

"You broke his jaw," I shrugged.

"You gonna fix it?"

"Bad idea."

"Why?"

"He's drunk, his jaw'll stop hurting and he'll start flapping his gums again. And when he does _that_ he'll just re-damage the healed areas, except _then_ he'll have a broken jaw and some _massive_ scar tissue." I stated with a shrug.

"So don't move my hand."

"You catch on quick," I grinned at him as the femmes transformed.

"Uh, Kae?" Chromia asked curiously, poking my hip.

"Yeah Chrome?"

"Drunk idiot's unconscious, we can shove the truck out the way, would you _park_ already so we can go dancing?" Arcee asked cheerfully.

"Mm, point," I murmured, I looked at the man's truck and _very_ carefully pushed it out of the way. Didn't so much as scratch the paint.

What the hell, I straightened somewhat and centred myself properly in the space, transforming precisely eight inches from the curb.

"There see? I _told_ you you'd get the hang of it," Arcee congratulated me cheerfully, patting my hood before the girls stepped up onto my chassis and resumed their alt forms.

I thought about it for a second and extended binder cables toward them, lightly connecting to my sisters and battening them in.

Our holoforms winked online beside each other, grinning in our clubbing clothes.

Just as the cops showed up.

The bouncer walked up to the car and leaned in the window.

"Dude, you missed all the fun," he grinned.

"The usual?"

"Totally _un_usual," the bouncer snorted. "Drunk idiot on the ground there decided that picking on _Auto_-_bots_ was a brilliant idea."

The cop looked at him as though he were insane.

"Oh here, why don't I clear this up?" Arcee stated brightly, walking forward. The cop got out of the car and offered her a hand. "Good evening Officer, my name is Arcee, that's Chromia, Flareup and Archangel Prime, but everybody still calls her Mikaela. Now. I know you don't believe me, so just to clear things up-"

She winked her holoform out and lightly freed herself from my cables, transforming and sitting lightly on my chassis.

"Right, now that _that's_ cleared up, here's what _happened. _Drunk idiot there tried to menace the three of us out of the spot we were guarding for Archangel. For two minutes, but we _definitely _got here first. Where she's parked, actually."

"They asked him real polite like to move along," one of the standers-by said earnestly, "and I mean _real_ polite, more'n he deserved. Great loudmouthed bully 'e were bein', s'not cool to try t' push a bike out'a spot by bein' bigger."

"He went after the dark haired little one there," his buddy continued calmly, pointing to me. "She ninjitsued him onto his knees, prob'ly didn't even bruise him and held him there till the bouncer guy here told 'er to let 'im go. Which she did."

"At which point our drunk idiot tried to go after her again, and I gave him the usual woman-beater treatment." the bouncer finished.

"I thought your hand was broken," the cop snorted.

"Yeah, about that, turns out if you help out an auto-bot, they'll help you right back," the man grinned, holding up his hand.

"What, she bandaged you up?" the cop snorted.

"Reset the bones and everything," the bouncer grinned.

"He was definitely driving?" the second cop asked, looking at Arcee.

"I can give you video if you wish," she stated calmly.

The cops stared at her.

"Do you have a spare chip compatible to your computers on hand?" she asked calmly, leaning toward them.

The man nodded and scrambled back to his car, digging out a chip and offering it to her. She scanned it for a second and nodded, inserting it into her arm.

She began rapidly loading the video of what had happened.

"Don't forget to make it two dimensional and readable by human programs," I added mildly.

"Right," Arcee snorted, beginning again. In moments she had it loaded and delicately ejected the chip, handing it to the officer.

"It jumps around a bit," she stated apologetically. "Taken from my alt form and holoformatic perspectives."

"It's all good," the cop stated, staring at her in shocked awe. Arcee smirked at him.

"Didn't your parental units tell you it's rude to stare?" she asked wryly. "Of course I know _why_ you're staring, it's because _I. _Am gorgeous."

"Oh quit showing off and online your holoform already!" I laughed at her.

"Is that an order Prime?" Arcee smirked at me.

"Of course not, my Lady Baroness," I smirked at her. "Politics do _not_ mix with club night! Now come on! How is it _I'm _the one dragging you off to go dancing!?"

Arcee laughed and transformed, settling herself onto my chassis and onlining her holoform again. The four of us turned to grin at the cops, hands slipping into back pockets.

"Can we go can we go!?" Flareup trilled cheerfully.

"I think that's everything, yeah," the cop snorted. "Unless you want to press charges?"

"Nah, DUI should suffice," I stated gravely.

"Off you go then," the cop laughed.

The bouncer looked at us hesitantly.

"Hey! Do we get to stroke the bouncer's ego? He came to our rescue, after all," Chromia grinned.

"That's entirely up to him," Arcee chimed in with a grin.

"Sure?" the bouncer asked curiously.

The four of us whooped and split, Flare and Chrome grinning as they threaded their arms into his. Five wide, the bouncer promptly began grinning like a madman.

"Lead the way sir!" Flareup trilled cheerfully.

"And be prepared to strut, because Primus knows _we_ are," Chromia added gleefully.

The bouncer straightened and led us to the nightclub, a broad smirk on his face as every man in the lineup looked at him enviously.

Straight past the lineup and into the club.

The bouncer paused among the grouping of his co-workers.

"Memorize these faces, boys, they go straight in," he smirked.

Chromia and Flare promptly squealed gleefully, reaching up to kiss his cheeks.

The scent of envy was heavy on the air.

The bouncer grinned at us and gestured us to continue in.

We went straight to the dance floor, dead centre, dancing and grinding against each other to the strong beat. Joined together, the four of us were thrilling with the heightened euphoria of the night.

A couple of hours, and several free drinks from hopefuls and our males made a rather dramatic entrance.

My Optimus had point, Ratchet and Ironhide flanking him, and Sideswipe directly behind. I saw them, the girls didn't until they were on us.

"Thought you'd get away on me?" Ironhide rumbled with a smirk, ensnaring his Chromia, she promptly squealed and threw herself on him. Flareup was twined around Sides the next moment as his holoform smirked broadly. Ratchet and Arcee were already dancing together, a good number of the men around us looking at his older holoform speculatively.

My Optimus had me by the waist, we weren't dancing, yet, simply gazing into each other's eyes. My arms crept up his chest as he pulled my holoform tightly to his.

I smirked and began grinding against him, earning a contented, sighing moan from him as we began dancing, pressed tightly together.

Men began trying to squeeze their way between my sister femmes and their potential mates. And a few women tried to go after our males. After a few minutes a group became rather irate. A man tried to throw a punch at Ratchet.

Arcee caught that fist, idly shoving the man back and continuing to dance with her consort. That went over well.

"What's the matter old man? Can't fight on your own?" the man sneered.

"Just ignore him," Arcee stated airily.

"As my beloved consort wishes," Ratchet rumbled with a patient smile, guiding his Arcee around again.

That went over _really_ well.

"Who let the old guy in!" the man began shouting irately, trying to shove his way into the grouping the eight of us had automatically formed together.

Several people began shoving us.

"Kae? What is the human norm in this?" Optimus rumbled curiously.

"To remain peaceful? We either engage the bouncer's attention on these people, or we leave," I stated calmly. "However at this moment, I would suggest formation five."

Automatically, the eight of us spun, caught each other's shoulders with our own and dropped into a mildly threatening stance, eight together, watching each other's backs.

"With all due respect, Sir," Optimus rumbled loudly, catching the first man's eyes with a mild glare. "We are not here to fight, we are here to enjoy a night out together. Kindly leave us be." I couldn't help but smile at my bot, he had impeccable manners.

The bouncers strode over and stood between us and the irate group of men.

"Problem?" the bouncer whose hand I'd repaired asked mildly.

"We have no desire to cause a ruckus, sir," Optimus rumbled politely, nodding to him.

"Ruckus just seems to follow those gorgeous women of yours," the man stated in amusement, looking around at us.

"I cannot help but agree," Optimus snorted. "On both counts, they handle themselves well, don't they?"

"Military cut and royalty groomed," the bouncer grinned at us.

"Who the hell let the old guy in?" the drunk man demanded.

"That would be me," another stated flatly.

"What the hell is an old man doing in a club?" the man sneered. Ratchet snorted in irritation.

"Shirts off," he stated flatly, stepping forward. Optimus gently touched his shoulder.

"Ratchet," he stated calmly.

"I've had _enough_ of this youngling rip calling me old," Ratchet growled. "Let the gathered decide whom is the better formed!"

"Humans don't do that," Optimus rumbled with a snort.

"We can in this case," the bouncer stated cheerfully as one ran off and grabbed the microphone, pressing it into his hand. "Ladies and Gentlemen!" he called out over the speakers as the music quieted. "We have a challenge tonight! Let's hear your vote ladies! Who's the better looking with his shirt on!"

He pointed to Ratchet, and despite the holoform's more mature appearance, he got a good round of applause. He pointed to the other man, youth taking advantage.

"Shirts off boys!" the bouncer announced. The drunk guy took his shirt off with a smirk, showing off a narrow waistline.

That's about all he had going for him.

Ratchet smirked and pulled his shirt off, his body flexing, and the muscles translated from his true form rippling.

Even the irate guy was staring.

I watched in amusement as Ironhide, Optimus and Sideswipe followed suit.

"Warriors Proud!" Ironhide roared.

"Warriors True!" Sideswipe bellowed back to him.

"Warriors' Honour!" my Optimus barked proudly.

"Warriors' Form," Ratchet growled, crossing his arms and taking his spot in the phalanx at my Optimus' side. They all glared the man down. Who at this point looked rather pathetically weedy next to our males.

Arcee caught my eye with a smirk and wound herself around Ratchet.

"Give us a fat beat boyo!" Flareup called out, proudly winding herself around Sides. The DJ obliged her gleefully, and a familiar song began playing, the lot of us began hooting gleefully.

"I'm Fucked uuup! If you're not drunk ladies and gentlemen! Get ready to get fucked up, let's do it ha ha!-"

Club night was the night we could let our hair down and our sparks out. A couple more hours and we were grinning madly at each other.

"What do you think, your place or mine?" Sides asked Flare teasingly.

"Mm, let's go to your place," she purred at him.

I couldn't stop smirking as my Optimus led me toward the doors, nodding cheerfully to the bouncers as our unit exited together.

Optimus promptly began staring at me as I pulled out of my space. The girls cheerfully climbing into my cab before offlining their holos.

He was tailing me the entire way home, all of the males were. The femmes transformed and shot sultry, commanding glances at their males.

I could barely hold back my laughter as I drove to my mate's quarters, he was tailing me like a lost puppy.

He transformed and laid a heavy hand on my cab.

"Stay," he rumbled with a smirk as I parked and looked at him curiously, his hands began teasing my armour, and I was hard pressed to stay in my alt form.

His holoform onlined and he smirked at me, bringing out a polisher and wax.

"My turn," he rumbled with a broad smirk.

"Oh Primus," I whimpered softly as he began wiping my armour down and polishing me to a gleaming shine.

He spent an hour tormenting me until I couldn't take it any longer.

"What- ohhhh..." he moaned as I transformed, tackling him onto our berth.

A good night, after all, is a night a femme can spend making her bot moan.


	130. 127 Intentions

**Chapter 127 - Intentions**

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus glanced at his medical officer and the Major as they sat, obviously having a spark to spark... heart. Kae smiled at him from the jeep she was servicing, her holoform delicately closing the hood before it offlined, her body rising and coming to greet him.

"Optimus, there you are," Ratchet stated a second later. "Would you mind sticking around so that we can have a proper spark to spark with Jolt?"

"Of course, you wish to speak to him about Lena?" Optimus rumbled calmly. Ratchet nodded. "I shall get them, then."

He pecked a gentle kiss to his Kae's forehead, smiling as she kissed his jaw and released him. The walk to Communications Central was a quick one. For him, at any rate.

"Jolt, Lieutenant Davies, a word?" he rumbled calmly, walking in a few steps from the door. Jolt looked at him curiously and nodded, rising and offering a hand to Lena, she settled into it easily, obviously struggling to keep a neutral expression on her face.

Optimus turned silently and led the way back to the med bay, catching the sound of Jolt's spark resonations of worried curiosity, and the occasional whiff of Lena's pheromones denoting guilt and anxiety.

He strode into the Med-bay and sat down beside his Kae.

"You've been letting them sweat, that was unkind, my Optimus," she chided him with a low tone of amusement.

"I simply asked for a word," Optimus rumbled with a snort. "It is not my responsibility should they sweat over a guilty conscience."

Optimus turned back to look at the technician and his favourite human.

"At ease, you two," Mikaela soothed them gently. "This is not a reprimand, we simply want a word."

Jolt relaxed immediately, Lena hesitantly following his example a moment later.

"Alright, let's get started," Ratchet stated calmly. "Let me put forth, to begin with, that I am glad for you Jolt. That you have found someone with whom you are comfortable enough to share a symbiotic relationship with, however you choose to define it, is a great ease to my processors."

Optimus observed Lena relax a bit more, her eyes sparkling with curiosity as she looked at Jolt.

"Lena," Mikaela stated gently, looking at the woman. "I know you well enough to know that you haven't made any assumptions, however we _are_ uncertain as to what you have received for explanations."

"Have you declared your intentions properly as yet?" Optimus added, looking at Jolt. "Simply because we are on another planet does not mean we should behave uncivilly."

"You're right!" Jolt said immediately, a look of contrite surprise flashing through his optics. "I apologize that I did not think of that myself, Prime."

Optimus smiled at him and nodded.

"Declare intentions?" Lena asked with a mildly worried look.

"You're thinking along the lines of proposals, Lena," Mikaela said with a small smile. "You're right, in one sense, however it is considered proper among auto-bots to declare your intentions toward another bot."

"Or human," Optimus added in counterpart, nodding to her.

"Primus knows it would have saved Optimus and I a great deal of time and stress if I had remembered the traditions-" Kae started.

"Or if I had not been so dense about setting your human discomforts as a group into stone," Optimus snorted. His beautiful Kae laughed softly.

"But long story short, Lena," she smiled at the woman. "Even if it is simple friendship, friends with benefits, an intent for courtship, it is proper to declare it from the outset to prevent misunderstandings later on."

"Which you may do publicly, as is our tradition, or privately, whichever you prefer." Optimus rumbled calmly.

"May..." Lena started, she trailed off uncomfortably.

"Go ahead, Lena, this is staying in the med-bay," Will stated with a small smile from his spot beside Ratchet.

"You..." Lena started, looking at Will with a small frown.

"Ratchet has requested that I remain open-minded," Will chuckled.

"Because you're not already," Lena snorted before bringing herself up short. "I'm sorry, sir, that was-"

"Don't worry about it," Will snorted. "Permission to speak freely until we part."

"Thank you, Sir," Lena grinned. "Right, so may I ask why you're bringing this up?"

"Well, Ratchet wants me to pull you aside to discuss your relationship with Jolt, which is what we're doing." Will grinned, leaning back somewhat.

"So you're not-" Jolt started and stopped himself.

"Permission to speak freely," Optimus rumbled to him calmly.

"Thank you sir," Jolt nodded. "So you're not going to order me to stop fraternizing?"

"I am hurt that you would think me so petty," Optimus rumbled quietly.

"Don't be," Ratchet snorted. "Jolt served under Magda, remember?"

"Jackass," Optimus rumbled with a snort, rolling his optics. "True, my apologies, Jolt."

"Translation?" Lena asked timidly. Optimus smiled at her.

"Think Optimus _Prime_," Jolt snorted. "Except with Director Galloway's personality."

"Oh god do I have to?" Lena groaned, wrinkling her nose.

"No, but we've gotten off topic," Ratchet stated firmly. "_Personally_ I asked for this meeting to request of you, Lena, that if you are still comfortable to continue your relationship with Jolt."

Lena looked around herself curiously.

"I'm missing something, are you uncomfortable speaking about it?" she murmured, looking at Jolt.

"A little, but you deserve to know," Jolt murmured. "I..." he trailed off uncomfortably and looked pleadingly at Optimus, Ratchet and Kae. "You guys are better at the explaining bit."

"Lena," Optimus rumbled calmly. "Our kind are sustained by contact with others. Not simply for the sake of sharing energon, but emotionally. Our sparks are bared beneath our chambers, surrounded by metals rather than the warmth of flesh. Our consciousness and forms entirely dependant upon our sparks."

"So when we become emotionally unstable, it is entirely possible for us to die of depression. Our sparks simply cease to burn." Ratchet stated quietly.

"I wasn't lying," Jolt murmured in a subdued tone. "Every time you touch my spark, I get a great deal more out if it than you do. I haven't... I..."

"Jolt?" Lena asked gently. He looked up at her. "You can tell me."

"When we were captured, on Cybertron," Jolt stated quietly, "I was held prisoner for a vorn, maybe a bit more, I stopped counting the orns after a while. They let me live, because I allowed them to take from me-"

Lena gasped, a look of horror flashing into her eyes.

"They raped you," she whispered in a strangled voice.

"Slagged, most of the time," Jolt whispered. "The only reason they bothered to put me back together was that I'm a fairly proficient technician. I was capable of repeated..." he trailed off in a choked tone. "I'll understand if you wish to sever contact with me." Jolt murmured, looking down and away in shame.

"Prime," Lena stated in an icy tone. "I request weapons technology for the sole use of hunting those bastards down and blasting the _shit _out of them for hurting my Jolt."

Jolt's face flashed up to stare at her in shock. She turned to look at him, the ice melting from her eyes.

"I'm not going to give you pity," she whispered. "I _know_ that pity. Above all else, it's one of the worst feelings. Worse than the hurt, the shame, the feeling of having been used. The pity is almost harder to bear." the woman reached out and lightly touched Jolt's face. "It's hard to even talk about, isn't it?"

"It is, even with our society being so open about interfacing," Jolt nodded. "I can only imagine how hard it has to be on you humans with such repression about talking."

"I am honoured that you put your trust in me," Lena whispered.

"As am I," Jolt murmured, looking at the femme with respect in his optics.

"So what's the answer on that?" Lena added, turning to look at Optimus with the icy fire returning to her eyes. "Can I borrow a gun or three to blast the shit out of those bastards or what?"

"Arcee kinda already took care of that," Jolt snorted softly.

"Good, remind me to thank her," Lena nodded firmly, she smiled at Jolt somewhat. "And I would like to declare my intent to be your friend, Jolt, friends with benefits if you wish, with the potential of becoming more. I mean, only if you want." she added shyly.

"Lena Davies, I would like to declare my intent to be your friend, friends with benefits if you will accept me, and I would definitely enjoy becoming more, at some point." Jolt smiled at her. "Was there anything else, sirs? Or may we return to duty?"

"Well, I would like to request that the two of you remain discreet while on duty," Will called out, blushing a bit.

"Absolutely, Sir," Lena nodded firmly.

"That's a given for me," Jolt nodded with a grin at Optimus.

"Thank you," Optimus rumbled, nodding to the both of them. "You may return to your duties as you wish."

"Thank you sir," Jolt grinned, rising with Lena on his shoulder.

"And here you had me feeling guilty that you were always putting up with my human foibles," Lena laughed softly.

"That was not my intent," Jolt snorted. "You have no idea how nice it is to have a friend who doesn't mind just laying down for a cuddle."

"Oh amen, Jolt, amen," Lena sighed, cuddling into his shoulder. "Which speaking of, thank you for the cuddle yesterday, I desperately needed it."

"Anytime," Jolt smiled. They reached the doors to med-bay. "Game faces?"

"'Till we reach your quarters," Lena smirked, straightening on his shoulder. Optimus watched in amusement as they left the med-bay.

"That went well," Will grinned.

"Indeed, thank you, Will," Ratchet nodded at the Major. The man fell silent.

"Is it true?" he asked in a subdued tone, looking at them sadly.

"Is what true?" Optimus rumbled gently.

"Can you guys really die of depression?" Will asked sadly.

"In order to live, we must have the desire to remain alive," Optimus murmured softly, sadly, "If we do not desire to remain alive, we simply cease to function, we remain alive for up to a vorn after the will leaves us, our body maintaining our spark as best it can. But if we stop, then eventually we simply run out of energon and cease to be." he slowed, remembering his days alone without Elita, before he'd even met Kae. Duty alone keeping him moving. As though sensing his thoughts, his Kae scooted closer to him, squirming into the circle of his arm and holding him gently. He instantly felt better, returning to the present.

"Optimus," Mikaela whispered, a soft tone of comfort. Her spark beside his, the most potent reason to continue to live. To protect her, to love her.

"I have a true reason to live again," Optimus rumbled softly, letting his content show through in his voice. He reached up to touch his Kae's cheek. "And now, so does Jolt. There may come a time when they outgrow their need for each other."

"But the now is truly what matters, because it is now." Kae murmured gently. "By your leave, love, I think I'm going to head to my recharge."

"I will be there soon," Optimus rumbled gently, watching his Kae as she rose and walked from the Med-bay.

* * *

(WPOV)

Will sat on the berth that Ratchet had deposited him on, deep in troubled contemplation. It hadn't even occurred to him just how fragile the bots could be, when you got right down to it. They seemed so strong at times, living, sentient weapons on the battlefield. He recognized Optimus' gentle spirit, he had almost right off the bat. But the thought of a bot dying, simply because they didn't have the will to live... that was intense. And painful.

"Think of it as extremes," Ratchet murmured as they watched Optimus freezing in memories, he sounded so lost, alone. Will saw, once again and brand new, just how much Kae meant to the bot as she roused him with a gentle shift in position and a single word. His name spoken with an absolute of love and compassion.

"How so?" Will asked in a subdued tone.

"We live as absolutes, when we love, we love deeply. If we wish to live, we live. If we cannot stand to live, we die. When we fight, we fight with all that we are, all that we have. When we believe, it's bloody hard to get him to change his mind." the medi-bot finished with a snort. Will stared at him in shock as Kae quietly rose and strode from the med-bay.

"You of all people should know that," Optimus rumbled with a snort of amusement. "Your superiors have spent how much time trying to convince me to relent and upgrade your weapons technology?"

"I was thinking more along the lines of the two years I spent trying to convince you to call Mikaela. On the cell-phone that she made_ sure_ you had the number for." Ratchet snorted.

"I _did_ call her," Optimus rumbled with a snort.

"You _what!?" _Ratchet demanded incredulously. Will couldn't help but laugh at the bot.

"Did you never see the phone records?" he demanded with a snort.

"Practically every time I became downtrodden I called her." Optimus rumbled softly.

"Then why the _Pit_ did it take you two so damnably _long_?" Ratchet demanded.

"She belonged to another," Optimus shrugged with immense dignity, looking at the door his Kae had walked through. Bumblebee chose that moment to wander in.

"She _wouldn't_ have if you'd declared your intentions," the scout snorted. He brought a holo online in front of his Prime, freezing it.

"Are you gonna _say_ explain, or can I just unfreeze it?" Bumblebee asked innocently, grinning at his Prime.

Optimus rolled his optics at his scout.

"Cough it up bot!" Ratchet snorted with a broad grin.

* * *

Kae answered her cellphone.

"Hello?" she asked with a smile that hadn't yet reached her eyes.

"Mikaela," Optimus' voice rumbled softly.

"Optimus," she smiled, a real smile now. "How are you doing?"

There was silence on the other end of the phone.

"That good huh?" she asked sympathetically. "Politics being a pain in the processors again?"

"How you always know that is beyond me," Optimus rumbled with a low sigh.

"Yours is an incredibly expressive voice," she murmured consolingly, "I'm just sitting with Bumblebee, do you want to hash it out?"

* * *

"That, was possibly the best sentence I had ever heard," Optimus rumbled quietly, watching the holo with a smile.

* * *

"I do not know how to deal with..." Optimus' recorded voice began.

"The humans?" Mikaela asked with amusement, stroking Bee's hood as she held the phone to her ear. "It might help just to remember that we aren't Auto-bots, we aren't as advanced or intelligent as you are, and frankly, that's going to terrify most of us."

"How do I deal with it?" Optimus asked almost desperately, "How do I get rid of the fear your people have of me? My primary goal is to _protect _your planet!"

"Have you said as much to anyone else? Besides Ratchet or Ironhide?" she asked gently. "I would suggest that you find one of the humans..." she paused for a microsecond, a look of deep thought crossing her features, "is Lennox still there?"

"He is," Optimus rumbled irritably.

"He's the one continually asking about the weapons information?" Mikaela asked gently. "Has it occurred that he may not be the one asking personally? He has several people above him in the line of duty. It's entirely possible that _he's_ mentioned to his superiors that they're making his life just as difficult as they are yours by making him ask."

There was silence again.

* * *

"They really, _really_ were," Will snorted.

"I apologize that it had taken Kae suggesting it for it to occur," Optimus rumbled quietly, looking at the major.

"Well you called her, that's something," Will grinned at him.

Optimus smiled at him.

* * *

"In your culture, how do I repair it?" Optimus rumbled softly. "How do I ask?"

"Well, humans tend to pull each other _aside_ for truly meaningful dialogue," Mikaela stated calmly. "I would suggest pulling Lennox aside and speaking to him one-on-one, remember to give him the freedom to speak his mind to you, as of now, I would imagine that he is feeling constrained in his dialogue with you."

* * *

"Holy shit, she's psychic!" Will muttered, leaning forward intently.

"And then she blames me for the same," Ratchet snorted.

* * *

"How?" Optimus rumbled intently.

"Observe him, When he appears to be irritable, offer to take him for a drive," Mikaela shrugged. "Find somewhere somewhat secluded and be blunt. Say that you wish to pick his brain, no alien technology involved, nothing drilling into his skull. Offer an ear, tell him straight up that he is free to yell and rant in confidence. Give him the outlet that I have no doubt that you _both _want. Let him speak his mind, and if he is a trustworthy man, he will no doubt return the favour. Let him see the wry sense of humour that you _have_, dearspark," she smiled. "even if it is to say nothing more than that you _are_ big and strong enough to take him yelling at you."

Optimus snorted in amusement.

* * *

"_That's_ why you chose that day!" Will stated with a broad grin, turning to look at Optimus. "She told you to pick the day that I needed to get my frustrations out. She's _good!"_

"She is," Optimus rumbled proudly, gently, looking toward the door again where his Kae had disappeared.

* * *

"Thank you, Mikaela," Optimus rumbled softly on the recording.

"Anytime, Optimus," Mikaela smiled, her voice was gentle, cheerful, but the look on her face was wan, a look of longing in her eyes. "I'll talk to you later?"

"Absolutely," Optimus rumbled with a smile before the sounds of the line going dead played.

"Kaaeee!" Bumblebee whined softly.

"Beeeee!" Mikaela turned to him curiously.

"We should totally... go visit him," Bumblebee played the soundbytes cheerfully.

Mikaela sighed then, a soft, sad sound.

"If he wanted me to visit, he'd invite me," she murmured. "Admit it Bee, he's surrounded by annoying humans, the last thing he needs is _another _one. Besides, I'm supposed to be playing 'normal human femme' remember?"

Bumblebee sighed sadly, nodding.

"School," Sam groaned the next moment, yawning as he walked into the garage. "Hey Angel, how was work?" he smiled at her and caught her waist in his hands, leaning down somewhat to press a kiss to her lips.

"It was alright," Mikaela stated quietly, shrugging. "Work, at least it's halfway's quiet."

Will couldn't help but shake his head as Mikaela visibly sagged behind Sam, forcing herself straight and struggling with a smile the next moment.

* * *

"You should'a told us, Bee," Will stated quietly as the holo offlined.

"She wouldn't let me," Bumblebee chirped sadly. "She just said, 'we have our orders, little brother, ours is not to question why, ours is but to do or die."

"Excuse me?" Optimus rumbled, getting to his feet suddenly.

"Where you going?" Will asked curiously.

"I cannot repair the past," Optimus rumbled quietly, turning to look at him. "But I can do my level best to make her present and future count for more."

"Good bot," Will nodded, smiling at him. "I'm going to head out to see my wife."

"I shall see you in a few days then," Optimus nodded with a smile. He turned and left.

"About time." Bumblebee snorted.

"Heh?" Ratchet looked over at him.

"Well, Ironhide sent me in to get Will, but getting Will means getting rid of Optimus. Getting rid of Optimus means sending him off to my sister." Bee grinned. "It makes it a lot less rude than coming in and saying 'Oh by the way, Ironhide says that there's gonna be a throw-down if he doesn't get to see his favourite hatchling soon."

Will burst out laughing at the scout.

"Well I've been told," he grinned at the medic. "Don't work too hard or Kae's gonna kick your ass-plates.

"Is it ironic that Optimus just sent that over the primary?" Ratchet snorted, he held up a finger, idly gesturing to his helm.

Will howled with laughter and jumped over to the grinning scout's offered hands.

"Area clear?" he asked seriously.

"Unknown sir, permission to infiltrate?" Bumblebee replied just as seriously.

"We go in together," Will nodded grimly before they both burst out laughing, Bee carrying him into the entrance bay.

Will surveyed a grumpy looking Ironhide.

"Can we go _now!?" _the bot demanded. "How is it that _I'm _more excited to see your wife and child than _you_ are?"

"Humans are sometimes a bit more subtle," Will blurted out, he thought about it for a moment. "Ratchet's right, you guys live in extremes. Comparatively, I just sort of coast along." he grinned up at the bot.

Ironhide snorted and shrugged into his truck form.

"_Boring_, that's what you're turning into Will. Boring, you want that?" Ironhide rumbled tauntingly, opening his door. Will burst out laughing at the bot.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus observed the sad longing on his Kae's face, the look in her eyes captured before she knew that he would gladly stand by her side and love her.

"Excuse me?" he rumbled, quickly getting to his feet.

"Where you going?" Will asked curiously.

"I cannot repair the past," Optimus rumbled quietly, turning to look at the man. "But I can do my level best to make her present and future count for more."

"Good bot," Will nodded, smiling at him. "I'm going to head out to see my wife."

"I shall see you in a few days then," Optimus nodded with a smile. He turned and strode out of the med-bay and toward his quarters.

Not toward his quarters, toward the beautiful, softly humming spark that was bonded to his own. That surrounded him with cherishing love every second of every day. That provided him with patience. He smiled and reminded Ratchet to take it easy, or his mate would kick the medic's aft. He could hear laughter from the med-bay again. A sound he cherished.

Optimus strode through the doors and laid optics on what he knew to be one of the most beautiful sights.

His Kae had shrugged out of her armour, as was her habit and laying on her side of the berth. She was already recharging, curled up with her hand resting where his spark should be. And in this moment, there was nothing in this universe that could ever stop him from putting his spark precisely where it _should _be.

Optimus shrugged out of his armour and levitated it carefully to the floor, climbing carefully onto their berth and lightly taking her hand.

Gently, he laid her hand where she wanted it. Over his spark.

Her optics onlined dimly to look up at him.

He felt a new surge of cherishing love surround him as she looked at him.

Optimus wound himself around his Kae, the way they always woke up together regardless of how they fell into their recharges. A position he knew that she cherished as much as he.

Kae buried herself into him, and Optimus smiled, knowing he was taking advantage of his sweet femme, and letting her know that he knew.

No words were necessary, they knew each other's sparks absolutely.

It was the well. He was certain of it.

"If this were the well," Mikaela murmured in amusement, as she always did. "We would not need bodies."

Optimus chuckled and leaned down, contentedly kissing his sweet Kae before they dropped into their recharge cycles. Completely entwined.


	131. 128 Days Off

**Chapter 128 – Days Off**

* * *

(MPOV)

I woke up precisely as I had gone to my recharge: completely entwined with my Optimus, the rich, sweet sound of his spark so close to my own.

I onlined my optics and smiled up at his sleeping form.

No Decepticon could ever hope to guess just how sweet he looked as he slept. I noted my chronometer, we'd been in deep recharge for two days. My Optimus would be waking soon, raring for his hours off.

I listened to his spark intently for a second, waiting for the minute tonal change that said he was beginning to rouse.

The moment I heard that sound I began squirming in his grasp slightly, bringing our chests together and reaching for his spark with my own. I began caressing his chamber.

"That is how you do it," Optimus murmured softly, onlining his optics to look down at me impishly, even as his spike inflated and nosed at my valve.

"You brat," I murmured gently, smiling as he leaned down to kiss me.

"Your brother is a brat," Optimus rumbled cheerfully as he promptly impaled me. I began moaning, twitching against him. "_I_ prefer unholy terror."

"Which is all well and good," I gasped as he thrust again. "Except you don't scare me, love." I added, smiling impishly at him.

"Oh no?" he rumbled gleefully.

His spark began connecting to mine, and we began gasping against each other. Moaning and twitching as the critical mass hit us so easily. We held each other tightly as our intertwined consciousness was blasted out to the stars and back.

I onlined my optics again, my cells showing green across my sensors.

Optimus was pouting slightly. I looked up at him and began giggling at the expression on my bot's face.

"Spoilsport," he rumbled down at me.

"Oh how?" I murmured, smiling at him. "We have a day of playing ahead of us, and a lifetime to spend making you overload as many times as I scrapping well can." I dropped my voice to a sultry level and flipped my Optimus to his back, lightly nipping his neck struts before making my escape.

Not fast enough, of course. It was shocking just how fast my bot could move when he wanted to. He was on his feet and snaring me the next moment.

"You, are a spoilsport, because I spent an hour contentedly dozing with you in my arms, waiting to see how you always have me so Primus damned aroused the second I wake," Optimus rumbled with a grin, pressing his spike into my back again. "But then you blast my consciousness to the stars before I can log it."

I began giggling, stretching somewhat and winding myself backwards around my Optimus.

"It never occurred that I'm simply a gorgeous femme with her ways?" I asked silkily.

"Many times," Optimus snorted, lifting me up and impaling me as I moaned. He dragged me backwards, sitting on the berth and directing me to straddle his lap, using his superior height and strength to trap me on his spike.

His hands began dancing over my body and spark chamber.

"It never occurred that I simply like making you overload?" I gasped, leaning against him.

"You are not alive to serve me," Optimus murmured into my shoulder. "You are due _several_ days of spoiling, my goddess."

"But I overload every single time you do!" I protested before gasping, Optimus had found a particularly sensitive spot and was teasing it mercilessly.

"_That_, is a secondary charge load," Optimus rumbled in amusement. "I want you to know, my mischievous femme, just what you do to me every morning."

I began whimpering uncontrollably as Optimus teased my senses, keeping me snared in the most exquisite of traps. A hand buried itself in my chamber, stroking my spark with infinite care. My overload grew, this time, not simply a flash flood into my senses, here and gone. An almost agonizing pleasure grew and radiated from every place that my Optimus held me, my protoform magnetizing to his.

And then he began playing with the magnetic fields. Critical mass flowed through me, the energon sloughing through my frame and over his. Optimus grounded himself and continued on, I could feel the gleeful pleasure in his spark as I sagged against him, moaning and twitching as he continued to play with my systems.

"I do _not_ torture you so deeply," I groaned as he reseated himself in my valve.

"Mmm, _that_ is because you have mercy in your spark for me," Optimus rumbled gleefully, stroking my spark again. "However _I_, am going to make you overload so hard you won't remember what hit you, as you do to me, my beloved," he finished, murmuring in the tone that he knew flashed across my sensors like sheet lightning.

And I was gone, whimpering like a helpless youngling as he invaded my couplings without remorse. A hand remained, stroking my spark continuously as he flipped us around, settling me to rest on my knees as he pistoned himself into my valve.

Too much, too fast, my consciousness was blasted into the stars again.

I looked around at the empty darkness in terror, but then he was there with me. A soft, gentle blanket of cherishing love, light and protection.

~Come back to your body, my beloved~ his spark whispered to mine. I wound myself around him, nuzzling against him as he protected me from the darkness.

* * *

(BPOV)

Bumblebee poked his head into the Prime's quarters and smirked.

Optimus was making Kae overload again, his sister was pretty much absent from the world as she sat sprawled across the Prime's lap. Optimus caught his optic and winked at him, flipping Kae onto her knees and pounding his spike into her as she keened.

Her vocal processors cut out a second later as her entire frame glowed with new energon before she went dark.

She went _really_ dark... Bee thought worriedly. Optimus chuckled softly and arranged Kae to lay comfortably on the berth, cuddling her. His own spark flared toward hers, and she hummed back to her normal tones again.

Bee stayed quiet for another couple of moments until Kae's optics onlined again.

"Race you to the airport!" he called out with a broad grin.

Kae groaned and buried her face into Optimus' chest.

"You're driving," she mumbled. Optimus promptly began laughing and rose, carrying Bee's sister.

"Could you get our armour, Bee?" he rumbled cheerfully.

Bumblebee began laughing as his sister's mate carried her from their quarters and toward the central. He utilized the trick his sister had taught and levitated the armour, towing it along behind himself as the bots all crowded into the corridor.

"We're naked in central again, aren't we?" Mikaela muttered, not even onlining her optics.

"Mmn hmn," Optimus rumbled cheerfully, looking around. Bee made it through the door and stared around himself in shock.

It had doubled it's size.

"If I ask you why am I going to get a straight answer?" Mikaela asked placidly.

"Perhaps," Optimus rumbled with a snort.

"Why are we naked in central again?" Mikaela asked curiously, finally onlining her optics to look at her mate.

"Because it would seem that every time _you_ NFO, Central doubles it's size," Bumblebee chirped gleefully, looking around.

"That and you just like carrying me around stark naked?" Mikaela added with a low laugh.

"You know me too well, beloved," Optimus rumbled placidly.

"I also know that you didn't overload when I did," Mikaela murmured, and several bots surrounding them covered vocal processors to stop the flow of laughter.

Oh now he was gonna get it.

Bots scurried out of the way as their Prime's mate got him down on the floor.

"Kae-" Optimus started. She impaled herself on him and he was lost to the stars.

"Two NFO's in one day?" Ratchet asked curiously, poking his head into the central.

"He asked for it," Mikaela reported cheerfully, sitting on her Optimus for a moment before gently sliding to the floor beside him, rousing him with a gentle, loving flare of her spark to his.

Optimus opted to just stay sprawled on the floor, looking around in bemusement as his unit howled with laughter.

He looked at his mate irritably for a nanosecond before their adoration for each other showed in their optics again.

"I should have warned you before you chose to be my guardian, my beloved," Kae murmured with an impish grin. "I have a compulsive need to get the last word."

Optimus snorted, looked at his mate and struggled to sit up for a second before he collapsed back onto his back, howling with laughter.

* * *

(OPOV)

"If I ask you why, am I going to get a straight answer?" Mikaela asked him placidly.

"Perhaps," Optimus rumbled with a snort.

"Why are we naked in central again?" Mikaela asked curiously, finally onlining her optics to look at him.

"Because it would seem that every time _you_ NFO, Central doubles it's size," Bumblebee chirped gleefully, looking around.

"That and you just like carrying me around stark naked?" Mikaela added with a low laugh.

"You know me too well, beloved," Optimus rumbled placidly, holding his Kae a bit more tightly as they surveyed the central.

"I also know that you didn't overload when I did," Mikaela murmured, and several bots surrounding them covered vocal processors to stop the flow of laughter.

Optimus had just enough time to think 'oh scrap' before Mikaela had spun and pinned him on the floor, bots scurrying out of their way and laughing. He was looking up at her, bemused the next moment.

"Kae-" Optimus started, she didn't have to make him overload, humans weren't generally comfortable with such displays-

Mikaela impaled herself on his spike, flashing energon through his system and he didn't have any more time for thought.

Except of course for the errant musings of his spark as he floated around in space, the warmth of his Kae's spark tethering him to his body.

There was absolutely no hope of him living this down to his unit.

Of course he didn't really mind, not only did he have a mate who loved him absolutely, and let him know it every day. His unit was now comfortable enough with him to tease him about being blessed by his Kae.

Overall it was better that way, they accepted him as not being infallible. Which was far better. He had Kae to fall back on, the duality of her instincts and his training were an immense relief.

Two heads, of course, were far better than one.

And of course the nineteen sparks thinking together, speaking freely with each other and working problems out together was the true blessing.

His Kae, his beautiful Kae's spark reached for him gently, drawing him back to his body. He onlined his optics and looked around at his laughing unit bemusedly.

Optimus opted to just stay sprawled on the floor, looking at his mate irritably for a nanosecond before her love for him swept through his spark again, sparking his own.

He couldn't help but adore her. She knew his spark absolutely.

"I should have warned you before you chose to be my guardian, my beloved," Kae murmured with an impish grin, lounging beside him. Optimus looked at her. "I have a compulsive need to get the last word."

His own words to her, that he should have warned her of the danger to herself snapped back to him. But put like _that..._

Optimus struggled to sit up for a second before giving up and flopping back onto his back, howling with laughter.

"What did that thrice blessed, Primus damned bastard do _now_?" Ironhide's voice called out tauntingly. Optimus groaned as his scout obediently sent Ironhide his video relay.

Ironhide was silent for a moment before he began howling.

He finally appeared in the central and surveyed the lounging, laughing bots lining the walls and Optimus sprawled on the floor with his Kae still beside him.

"Where do I even _begin!?" _Ironhide demanded with a shit-eating grin.

"_You_ begin by picking your femme up," Mikaela stated calmly, looking at Ironhide with a perfectly serious expression on her face.

Except for her optics, there was always laughter in her optics at a time like this.

"That's a good point," Ironhide nodded seriously, promptly plucking Chromia up as she giggled cheerfully.

"Now, where were we?" Mikaela asked placidly, looking at Optimus.

He promptly rolled over and pinned her in his arms as she squealed with laughter.

"We were discussing the probability of racing to the airport with Bumblebee," Optimus rumbled placidly, he turned and looked at his scout, standing the closest to the entrance bay. "Which he seems to be winning, despite the fact that _he _isthe one who has been kind enough to bring our armour."

The scout promptly grinned and set their armour down.

"And if you don't hurry up I'ma beat _all_ you old bots!" Bumblebee chirped gleefully, striding carefully toward the entrance bay.

Mikaela laughed and gave Optimus a gentle shove, summoning her armour to her frame and standing.

"Flying is cheating," Optimus rumbled with a snort, looking down at his Kae as she tested her wings.

"I never said _I _was racing," she laughed softly, kissing his jaw. "I'll likely be the last to the airport anyway, I'm going to make a couple of circles and meet you there."

Optimus laughed at his mate as she skipped away, the unit following as he quickly shrugged into his own armour and strode to the entrance bay.

Kae leaned down and lightly stroked her brother's paintwork while the bay doors opened. She took a couple of running steps and folded into her flight frame in a flash.

"I. Can't _wait_ until she's comfortable enough to transform around a human." Chance grinned viciously, watching the space she'd been.

Optimus chuckled at the man's sentiment and idly shrugged into his alternate form. He glanced around at the humans as they watched Bee revving his engine somewhat. Optimus smirked and brought his own engines to life with a roar, revving up right beside his scout.

The humans grinned at them and backed well out of the way as bots transformed and revved up.

Chance was standing at the bay doors the next moment, holding up a flag.

"FIVE!" the man bellowed. Auto-bots revved.

"FOUR!" the entire hangar shouted together. "THREE! TWO! ONE!"

Chance was frantically waving his flag, grinning like a madman as Optimus burned rubber beside his scout. He couldn't help it. He had fully charged cells and a full day to do whatever he wanted.

And a brilliant start to that day, making his Kae overload.

She buzzed the airspace high above them, scouting the area.

He watched her fondly as she played in the air. Every last bot was racing today, laughing over the primary as they taunted each other. Even Jolt was among them today, hooting with laughter as his Lena joined the banter beside him.

They were a good match. Optimus smirked to himself somewhat and began menacing his scout a bit, they _were_ racing after all.

::. Oh is that how you're playing mate of my sister?.:: Bumblebee demanded with a grin, menacing him right back.

::. You are a scout are you not?.:: Optimus rumbled with a smirk ::. I have no doubt that you have found a stretch of road suitable for racing.::

::. Who _me_?.:: Bumblebee sent innocently.

The unit promptly began laughing harder.

::. Where?.:: Optimus grinned.

::. Oh, I dunno...:: Bumblebee began musingly, but he was grinning, Optimus felt himself holding back some power, prepared to race after his scout ::. See, _normally_ I use... _this exit!_.::

Optimus swerved right beside his scout, keeping pace as the unit exploded with laughing indignation.

::. Oh! You keeping up with that? Try keeping up with _this!._:: Bumblebee howled as Optimus stayed on his bumper, he revved up and took off like a plasma shot.

Optimus watched the little bot proudly as he utilized his power, revving up and chasing after him.

Remarkably difficult to do when one is laughing...

Regardless, Optimus poured every ounce of available power he had into the drive, the feeling of his parts heating up, his body working harder than he normally did was exhilarating.

He felt like a youngling again, remembering his days on Cybertron, when _he _would race his Prime.

Sometimes, Sentinel would even let him win.

Optimus watched with a smile as his scout slowed and took the exit to the airport, and he followed, watching proudly as Bee resumed driving calmly, watching for pedestrians and the human's cars.

::. Scrap. Traffic.:: Bumblebee sent with a pout.

::. I shall simply have to declare it your win then.:: Optimus sent back in amusement, coming to drive carefully behind his scout.

::. Nah, tie, you were holding back.:: Bumblebee snorted.

::. How you always recognize that is beyond me.:: Optimus laughed.

::. You were laughing.:: Bumblebee snorted ::. You can't laugh and race at the same time! Takes power away from the engines!.::

::. Is that why you are always taunting opponents larger than yourself?.:: Optimus rumbled interestedly.

::. They laugh at you it means they have more to bring, they get angry it means I'm right, and they _are_ stretching themselves out to catch me.:: Bee grinned.

::. Very sneaky little brother.:: Mikaela sent in amusement, buzzing the airspace above them again. ::. By the way if you turn right in two blocks you're going to miss the accident.::

::. Accident?.:: Optimus rumbled worriedly.

::. A real snarl up.:: Mikaela sent sadly ::. I'm landing there now to see if I can offer any help, call if I need backup.::

Optimus nodded and turned right with his scout.

* * *

**A quick note, I _will_ return to some more serious plot soon. Promise ;)**


	132. 129 Hand to Hand

**Chapter 129 – Hand to Hand**

* * *

(MPOV)

I stroked my brother's paintwork and waved to the soldiers opening the doors for me, taking off and flashing into the air.

Primus it felt good to be in the air, full power in my cells and the skies my kingdom. Idly, I swooped around the city, listening to General Moreshower's occasional instructions of where to go to get out of the latest traffic zone.

He sounded remarkably cheerful today.

::. Good mood today General?.:: I sent cheerfully.

::. You and Jetfire are both in the air, but sentient creatures that you are, fully capable of destroying my base of operations with a half dozen shots, you _still _don't seem to mind that I'm telling you where to fly.:: he replied with a laugh.

::. You're keeping us from crashing, that's a bonus right there.:: I laughed, buzzing over the unit as they sped and raced through the roads that had been temporarily closed for just that purpose.

Bumblebee and my Optimus were racing each other in earnest, laughing the entire length of the road. I listened to them as I scouted the city, barely visible to the traffic below, so it was with wary shock that I noted an enormous crash in their path. I looked closer, reading the tire tracks, scanning for energon signatures.

Nothing.

Just a crash then.

::. They laugh at you it means they have more to bring, they get angry it means I'm right, and they _are_ stretching themselves out to catch me.:: Bee grinned on the primary.

::. Very sneaky little brother.:: I sent in amusement, buzzing the airspace above them again. ::. By the way if you turn right in two blocks you're going to miss the accident.::

::. Accident?.:: Optimus rumbled worriedly.

::. A real snarl up.:: I sent sadly ::. I'm landing there now to see if I can offer any help, call if I need backup.::

I felt Optimus nod, even as I carefully transformed and landed beside the fire truck.

"Is there anything I can do to offer assistance?" I asked worriedly, kneeling carefully down to the firefighters.

"Civilians trapped in the cars, we need the jaws of life, there's one really bad off in the blue civic," the chief reported quickly. "We can't _get_ to it!"

"Alright, let me see what I can do," I stated calmly, picking my way carefully forward and surveying the wreckage. "You want the cars to stay in the same formation?" I barked quickly.

"Lives first, investigation after!" the chief bellowed. I nodded and carefully picked up the civic, carrying it to the ambulance and setting it down lightly. The firemen were running toward us with the jaws, I waved at them and lightly caught the door, tearing it off with a flick of my wrist.

"Awesome!" the paramedic muttered before they were stabilizing the passengers.

"This one next!" the chief called out in a relieved tone. I nodded and carefully picked my way toward them, shifting cars and removing doors at the chief's instruction.

"We need to get this one out of here!" one of the paramedics bellowed.

"Can you fly her out?" the chief asked hopefully.

"Unfortunately no," I stated with a frown. "I can't take off or land without jostling her, I _can_ get the helicopter safely to ground though if you can call it in."

The man nodded and got on the radio as the Chief and I continued going through the wreckage.

"What are my chances of hiring you?" the man bellowed up to me, "This one!"

"Sorry, I've already got a ton of other jobs," I stated wryly, carefully pulling the next car back and tearing it's doors off. "Although you're welcome to see if there are any bots in the area for mashups like this, just ask for Jolt on the scanner."

The man nodded and looked up with me as the helicopter came in.

::. Chief we got nowhere to land!.:: the pilot sent angrily.

::. Helicopter Pilot this is Archangel Prime, standby for helipad.:: I sent to him soothingly. I took a moment to focus and brought up a combination levitation field and hologram over my hands, extending it above my head.

::. Holy CRAP!.::

::. Helicopter Pilot you can land now.:: I sent with a small smirk ::. I got you.::

The chopper settled down on the holo-pad perfectly, cutting his engines.

Slowly, carefully I turned and knelt, settling the helicopter down in the street. The Pilot looked around and stuck his head out.

"How do I take off now?" he asked curiously.

"I'll lift you back up to the clear zone," I smiled at him as the paramedics rushed to load up the patients.

He gave me the thumbs up and settled in.

"We're clear! It's a go!" the chief shouted.

"Chopper Pilot standby," I stated calmly, aloud and over the radio.

::. Standing by.::

The chief looked at me and waved the go ahead, I snapped the levitation field back into place and carefully lifted the chopper.

::. Chopper Pilot you are clear to engage engines.:: I stated calmly, holding him above the buildings ::. I will be maintaining the pad until you have achieved proper lift, please advise when you are at speed and clear.::

::. Will do.::

I felt the pressures of the downward thrust air against the field and frowned slightly in concentration, maintaining that field.

The chopper took off.

::. Archangel please be advised we are free and clear, thanks for the lift.:: the Pilot sent calmly. I smiled and disengaged the field, turning to look at the chief.

He was surveying the area.

"Well, that's a first," he stated idly.

"Hmn?" I asked curiously.

"That the cars have been completely shifted and evacuated before we even thought of photographs," the man shrugged. He looked up at me. "Forensics is going to hate us."

I snorted.

"I mapped it out, no worries," I grinned as another truck pulled up. A man jumped out and glared around himself.

"The cars have been _moved_," he growled.

"Lives come before investigation," the chief stated firmly.

"Did you take any photographs? Of course not," the man grumbled.

"Did, actually," I stated calmly, I tapped my helm. "I kept track of every single shift, and I have a scan of the positions of each car before we even started moving them."

"Great, now how do I get at them?" the man glowered.

"You got a laptop?"

He grinned and pulled one out.

"Right," I stated with a smile.

::. Kae, where are you?.:: Optimus sent worriedly, I jumped slightly.

"Still at the crash, we're just dealing with the paperwork, I will be rendezvousing shortly," I replied calmly, aloud and over the primary, lightly touching my helm and looking into the distance to re-iterate the point.

"Right," I repeated myself, crouching down carefully and kneeling beside the forensics van. "Sorry, the boss was calling, let's get the schematics done up."

The men stared at me.

"What?" I laughed.

"_You've_ got a boss?" the chief demanded.

"I have a few of them," I snorted. "I'm second in command to Optimus, anything to do with the military I answer to him _and _the Major and General, flying I obey the flight traffic rules, military and civilian both, when it comes to stuff like this technically_ you're _the boss," I smiled at the fire chief, "and so on and so on."

"I was an auto-bot's boss for half an hour," the chief grinned. I winked and looked at the forensics man.

"You mind?" I asked, nodding to the laptop and winking my holoform online.

He waved me toward it and I began typing quickly, or rather, getting it set to sync with easily. In moments I was connected, carefully loading my scans onto it as the man grinned, watching the photographs and-

"_Video!? _You have _video _of the changes made!?" the man demanded with a broad grin.

"My memories are stored very close to digitally, it's easy to convert and pipe it through," I shrugged with a smile. "Let's see..." I frowned in thought for a moment, added a last few images and disconnected. "And that's the lot." I nodded.

The forensics man took the computer over, quickly scanning through everything with an ever increasing grin.

"You're hired," he told me with a grin.

The fire chief and I _both_ snorted in amusement.

"Sorry man, I already tried that," the chief snorted.

"Damn," the man muttered, he looked at the data, at the crash site and back again. "Alright boys!" he called out to his men. "Do a quick once over on everything so we can release the scene to cleanup!"

"You mind?" I asked with a smile, looking down at the men and gesturing to the sky.

"Yeah, yeah go on," the forensics man grinned.

"So to see if any of you are in the area for stuff like this, I do what again?" the chief asked curiously, looking at me.

"Just request possible auto-bot aid on your normal scanner, we watch all the frequencies," I shrugged.

"Why?"

"You guys handle traffic wrecks, _we_ need to watch for any of our own kind having potentially _caused_ those wrecks."

"You guys cause wrecks?" the chief demanded.

"Two factions, the boss is the head of one, _we_ try to keep the peace, the other faction..." I trailed off and shrugged. "Needless to say they like causing trouble, here, here's my contact information, give me a call, and we'll hash out the potential for lending you guys some help when you need it out here. But I _do_ warn you, we do have a lot of work besides."

"Like what?" the forensics man asked curiously.

"I'm a fighter jet," I snorted. "Half of my week is spent on scout patrol, anytime there's so much as a peep of a threat they have me escorting dignitaries' jets, and that's on top of handling politics, public relations, working in the med-bay sorting out how to modify our technology enough for civilian use, repairing equipment, doing my best to free up our medic to attend to all of the bumped heads and skinned knees. All the while staying alert for potential attack. No rest for the wicked."

The chief nodded sympathetic understanding and I smiled at them, carefully rising and striding to a clear area.

::. Archangel Prime requesting clear airspace to the airport.:: I sent casually.

::. Archangel you are clear for liftoff.:: General Moreshower sent calmly. I nodded and took a hard step, launching myself into the air and transforming. A minute's flight and I was landing beside my Optimus.

"Why didn't you start without me?" I asked calmly, looking at him then around myself.

The bots snorted as Optimus rolled his optics at me.

"We did, ten minutes ago," he snorted.

"It's just not the same without you Kae," Bumblebee stated innocently.

"What isn't?" I asked curiously.

"Testing to see how well our newest Prime fights ten to one!" Sideswipe howled.

They converged on me. First instinct kicked in: take the high ground.

In seconds I was in the air, hovering above the lot of them with my cannons online, I began firing energon shots, lightly tagging my unit two at a time. I even got Optimus.

"Hand to hand you glitch!" Sideswipe bellowed, laying flat out on the ground.

I landed lightly off to the side and faced them with a grin, crossing my arms.

"As if," I snorted.

"You need to decide your style eventually," Optimus rumbled with a snort, heaving himself back to his feet. He charged me.

I dropped into stance and was sparring with him the next moment. I kept seeing openings, refusing to take them. I couldn't tell if he was doing it on purpose.

"Primus sake! Close your defences Optimus!" I complained, redirecting another heavy swing and lightly flicking his side. He froze and stared at me.

"Why are you pulling your punches?" he asked curiously.

"I don't see it," Sideswipe commented quietly.

"How the scrap do you lot fight without hurting each other?" I demanded, looking at my hands and back at my mate.

"Oh scrap, no wonder you're so reluctant," Ratchet snorted. "Here, dampening fields." he began piping me the forcefields to surround my fists with. I released a relieved sigh, immediately surrounding my hands with the fields. For good measure, I surrounded my feet, knees and elbows with them too. The bots stared at me.

"What?" I asked curiously.

"Really?" Flareup asked curiously.

"These aren't the only things I hit with," I shrugged, holding up my hands.

"Okay..." Sideswipe muttered uncertainly.

"What kind of fighting did they _teach_ on Cybertron?" I demanded with a snort.

"About to _show_ you," Sideswipe glowered beside his brother. They promptly charged me, fighting side by side quite efficiently, actually. Except Sides had a tell, any hit I aimed at Sunny would have him out of formation to protect his brother.

"You know about that, right?" I asked him amicably, lightly batting the two of them off.

"About what?" Sunny asked curiously.

"Anytime I aim a solid hit to you, he's out of your formation trying to block it, it's going to trip the two of you up-" I threw a hard punch at Sunny, and predictably Sides was out of his stance, making it ridiculously easy to take him down.

They were _both_ lying on their backs now.

"Like that," I stated calmly.

"What the pit!?" Ironhide growled. I looked at him incredulously.

"You are carrying your human styles with you on the ground," Optimus rumbled, crossing his arms. "Teach us?"

I nodded, reached down and heaved them both to their feet again.

"Don't get me wrong, it is _admirable_ that you wish to protect your brother, Sides. But you must _never_ show your soft spots to the ones who will use them against you," I stated firmly. "Again."

They came after me again, and I took them down in precisely the same way.

Sideswipe looked irritable, Sunstreaker absolutely pissed off. I straightened and rubbed my brow. "Alright," I sighed, hauling them up again. "We go slowly. Come at me again, Sunny, half speed. Sides hold your position."

Sunny walked toward me, and I aimed the same punch.

"Sunny, don't stand and take the punch," I stated calmly, freezing in position, I brought my other hand up and lightly caught his. "Your hands are free, instead of trying to play who's arm is longer, _deflect_ me, catch my arm here, right?" I demonstrated, gently whacking my own arm with his hand. "Try it again, half speed."

"But you're stronger than me!" he complained.

"I am. Use it _against_ me," I told him calmly, I backed up. "Remember, _I've_ got the majority of my force and weight going forward to catch you a good one, look at my stance, there's no torsional stability here. _Try_."

I reset slightly and aimed the same punch at him, he grinned viciously as his blow forced mine to barely graze his shoulder.

"Good," I grinned. "Three quarter speed."

We did it again, he deflected the blow, barely moving backward as I skimmed his shoulder.

"Be careful about trying to stay so steady," I coached him calmly. "Right, let's do it this way, half speed, I punch at you like this you?" I slowly punched toward him, he deflected me with a grin. "I punch _this _way, you?" I came at him with my left.

Jerkily he deflected me, not as well balanced. I backed up slightly.

"Close, let's get this drilled into you a bit more," I stated calmly. "I punch this way, you're in stance to deflect it perfectly, I step forward, you take a step back-" he stepped back hesitantly. "No, step directly into stance. C'mere," I lightly dragged him to stand beside me.

"Always in stance," I grinned, defences up, he copied me as Sideswipe grinned at us, I took a step back, switching from left to right. He copied me. "Five steps back, always in stance, always in stance, always in stance always in stance," I chanted as we backed up together, Sunny was grinning broadly as Bumblebee ran to stand beside me, the twins close behind him.

"Again?" I grinned. "Right, always in stance, Left, little farther back 'Flap, there you go, Always in stance. Right, always in stance, right arm a bit lower Bee, protect your spark, good. Left, always in stance right in stance, left stance, right stance good!" I grinned, turning and watching as the younger bots all continued backing up in their stances.

"I think you've got that, come back here you lot." I laughed. They scampered forward. "Sunny, c'mere," I grinned. He pranced forward. "Right, I punch like this, you?" I slowly threw the same punch toward him, he deflected it and backed off a step, I threw a left at him, he deflected, switch stance, we continued on for a little way, the two of us grinning. Finally, "Keep going, three quarter speed," I grinned at him, speeding up a bit, at the faster speed he had the advantage; even with our difference in size. And as we went, I could see that dawning on him.

It was a nice feeling.

"Good," I grinned, standing straight for a minute. "Now... _fullspeed!_" I snapped out, throwing punches at him, it took him a nanosecond and he was deflecting, skipping back on light feet as he redirected my punches, the bots cheering him on. I felt my balance leave, the inevitable opening. "Freeze!" I barked with the voice of command, oops. We both froze. "Sunny, do you see the position I'm in at the moment?" I demanded. He nodded hesitantly. "What's wrong with it?" I demanded.

"You..." he started hesitantly.

"Permission to speak freely, Sunny, sorry, it kinda slipped out," I smiled at him. He grinned and looked at me.

"Well, I've got your arm pushed away, and that's got you turned around in the wrong stance," he stated hesitantly.

"And what do you do about it?" I asked with a smile.

"Um, well I guess I could..." he stated hesitantly.

"You've got your fields, do it," I nodded to him. He slowly, gently punched me high in the abdomen. "You dearspark." I laughed gently. "Come on, reset, we do it again."

We walked back to our starting point and I faced him again.

"Remember Sunny," I stated firmly. "This isn't _just_ for fun, you need to see me as a Decepticon now, you're not going to give _Barricade_ a love-tap, now _fullspeed!_"

I began punching at him, observing the way he backed up, watching for weaknesses, so it actually took me by surprise when I left the opening. He caught me with a good wallop, and in the bad stance, took me right to my back.

I grinned up at him.

"Now _that's_ how you_ do it!" _I told him cheerfully as he stared at me in shock.

"_My brother took down a Prime!_" Sideswipe howled, whizzing forward to scoop Sunny into an enormous hug.

Sunny was still staring at me in shock.

"But... but..." he whimpered.

"What is it?" I asked gently, flexing to my feet.

"But I just beat a Prime!The_ mate _ofmy_ Prime!_" he whimpered.

"One set of punches dear-spark," I told him gently, reaching out to cup his face as Sideswipe cuddled him reassuringly. "I'm teaching you to fight by virtue of defence, the way _I_ was taught, the ways to defeat the aggressor. If _I'm_ playing the aggressor, what good will it be for me to teach a way to _not_ take me down?"

Sunny stared at me, beginning to look confused.

"Here, I'll tell you what, come at me," I snorted, dropping into stance.

Sunny nodded and charged me. I had him on his back in seconds.

I looked down to see him grinning.

"Feel better?" I asked him teasingly.

"Yep!" he giggled.

"You bots are friggen weird, you know that right?" I snorted, pulling him to his feet again. "Alright, Sideswipe, you two love fighting in formation, let's get this sorted."

The two of them grinned and came after me. I sparred with them for a moment before throwing a hearty punch toward Sunny, Sides flinched but held his position as Sunny deflected me, I began going after Sunny, Sides did nothing.

"Freeze," I stated calmly, Sunny nodded. I looked over my shoulder at Sides. "Hey Sides, you doing total opposites now? Giant Decepticon is throwing punches at Sunny, my back and sides are open, what are you gonna do?"

"It is uncivilized to attack a back, and _barbaric_ to-" Skids started indignantly. I straightened with a frown.

"Skids!" I overrode him sternly. "Name one instance when war has _ever_ been civilized! When has fighting for you life against a bot who will kill you as soon as see you been glorious!? Will the Decepticons give you quarter short of surrender to a stronger fighter?"

Shocked, the younger bots stared at me.

I walked forward and knelt down, reaching out and gently touching their faces.

"If I could fight them, every last one of them on my own I would ferry you away, hide you where you would never be found, protect you so that you would _never_ have to know this, _never _have to raise a finger to defend yourselves," I stated softly, looking at the young bots, at Jolt, at Bee, Sunny, Sides, the Femmes, Ratchet, Ironhide... my _family_...

"But even _we_ are not that strong," Optimus rumbled quietly behind me.

"Then..." Skids started softly, staring at us in awe.

"The only way left to us to protect you," Optimus rumbled gently, laying a hand on my shoulder. "Is to teach you how to protect yourselves."

"I'm not teaching you this to make you murderers," I continued softly. "I don't _want _you to fight without honour and courtesy, but there comes a time when the only civility that we can offer, is that we aren't the ones throwing the first punch."

We stood in silence for a long minute.

"Then let's get to it," Jolt stated suddenly, standing straight and flinty eyed. "Because I'll tell you this, come tempest ice or pitfire, they're not taking me alive this time." he banged his fists together.

Re-energized, the bots lined up beside the younglings.

I nodded, then forced a smile, looking at Sunny.

"Now then, where were we?" I asked as cheerfully as I could.

The bots stared at me again.

"Why're you doing that?" Skids asked tentatively.

"Doing what?" I asked calmly.

"You're being cheerful," Bumblebee informed me flatly, "like you did when you were human, even when you were spark-broken, except _now_ we can hear your spark big-sister."

I looked at my little brother.

"If there was one thing I _ever_ learned from my father and uncles," I stated softly. "It was that there will be enough time for grief and spark-break, but _today_, in this _moment_ we are together, we are safe and we are whole," I smiled and straightened. "And if I learned _anything _from my master, it is that a student who is frowning, spends their time thinking about _why_ they are frowning, time they should spend focusing on when I'm next going to _get you!_"

I promptly lunged at Bumblebee, the bots scattering as my little-brother whooped gleefully and took off, transforming in a flash and squealing his tires as he made his escape. A donut and he was charging at me, getting up his speed before he transformed, catching me in a flying tackle.

We both went down, gently whacking at each other and laughing our bumpers off. Finally, Bee simply sat on my abdomen, grinning down at me.

"_Now_ what are you gonna do?" he demanded with a smirk.

I snorted and sat up, curling my legs under myself and catching my little brother, tossing him over my shoulder as I hefted myself to my feet.

"Now what are _you_ gonna do?" I asked cheerfully as he dangled over my shoulder, howling with laughter and squirming as I tickled a sensitive bundle of neurals near his knee.

"Cave _cave!_" he hollered between laughs. I chuckled and lightly set him on his feet.

"Now then, where were we?" I asked with real cheer now, looking at Sunny.

"Gettin' Sides off his lazy aft," Sunny smirked, dropping into stance.

"Full speed," I grinned. I began throwing punches at him, the smaller bot deflecting them beautifully.

"I don't see what I have to do," Sides remarked in a drawl.

"Four punches, freeze," I stated calmly. Sunny and I held our positions. "At this point, it's obvious that I'm probably not going to get Sunny with a punch, but what's going to stop me from doing this?" I brought a cannon up – not online – and aimed it for Sunny's spark.

"That would be me," Sideswipe snarled, catching me with a solid wallop to the side. Sans field. I went down, and two cannons were aiming for me.

"Good," I smiled.

Sideswipe stared at me in horror as I receded the offline cannon.

"It's called a bluff, Sides, one which you called, good," I stated firmly, standing up as they quickly got rid of the cannons.

"But-" Sideswipe started in a horrified tone.

"For Primus sake, Sides," I snorted, bringing my offline cannon back. "How does this _not _look like a large bot is aiming for your brother's spark? You _stopped it._ Teamwork, the only difference _this_ time, is that you _aren't_ going to give me the opportunity to get my cannon anywhere _near_ your brother, and maybe use your field, that actually hurt a little," I snorted, rubbing my side.

Optimus buried his face into a hand.

"Hush you," I murmured, reaching up and peeling his hand away to catch his lips with a gentle kiss.

He rolled his optics at me.

"Yes dear," he rumbled in a lightly mocking tone. I smiled and kissed his jaw, turning to Sunny and Sides again.

"Alright, one more time, let's make sure you've got it down pat," I smiled.

I stood in the open space and they charged me.

A few moments of sparring, and to change things up I went after Sides. He held me off just long enough for Sunny to wallop me, instinct hit and I went after Sunny.

He deflected me twice before Sides was on me absolutely, hitting soft spots and racking up my 'damage' counters.

"That's better, _much _better!" I praised them, even as I continued trying to defeat them.

But two against one I was better at defence. I fell back somewhat and dropped into one of the defensive stances so close to my spark.

But rather than pressing the attack:

"You are outnumbered and outmatched," Sunny snarled. "Disengage your weapons and surrender."

Optimus and I both straightened with absolute pride. Sideswipe looked at his twin with a broad grin, catching him in an embrace. I walked forward and caught the both of them in an enormous hug.

"I. Am so _proud _of you!" I choked.

"Dude, that was _awesome!_" Skids called out.

"Wicked awesome," Mudflap agreed seriously.

"_That's_ what makes an auto-bot," Jolt stated seriously.

"That's _my_ _brother_," Sideswipe stated proudly, planting a firm kiss to his forehead.

Sunny looked down embarrassedly.

"I mean..." he started shyly.

"No, that's precisely correct youngling," Ironhide rumbled approvingly, walking forward and patting Sunny's shoulder. "That's what makes us not Decepticon, we give 'em the option to live peaceful."

Sunny stared at the weapons master in shock.


	133. 130 Sparring

**Chapter 130 - Sparring**

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus watched calmly as his Kae attacked the two smaller bots, training them to take her down. It was with a small smile that he noted them doing so well. His Kae was finally forced back, dropping automatically into her defensive stance.

This was the part that made his spark ache, watching his unit having to attack. But instead he watched the golden frontliner drop into a matching stance:

"You are outnumbered and outmatched," Sunny snarled. "Disengage your weapons and surrender."

Optimus straightened with absolute pride alongside Ratchet, Ironhide and his Kae. Sideswipe looked at his twin with a broad grin, rightfully catching him in a hug. Mikaela walked forward and caught the both of them in an enormous embrace.

"I. Am so _proud _of you!" she choked.

"Dude, that was _awesome!_" Skids called out.

"Wicked awesome," Mudflap agreed seriously.

"_That's_ what makes an auto-bot," Jolt stated seriously.

"That's_ my brother,_" Sideswipe stated proudly, planting a firm kiss to his forehead.

Sunstreaker looked down with embarrassment in his optics.

"I mean..." he started shyly.

"No, that's precisely correct youngling," Ironhide rumbled approvingly, walking forward and patting Sunny's shoulder. "That's what makes us not Decepticon, we give 'em the option to live peaceful."

Sunstreaker stared at the weapons master in shock. Ironhide grinned at him and turned to Optimus.

"_This_," he stated seriously. "Is a unit to be _proud_ of."

Optimus smiled and nodded his agreement, watching the younger bots straighten with their own pride.

"You have Sunstreaker and Sideswipe fighting far more efficiently together," Optimus rumbled with a smile. "Now what do you mean by my defences being down?"

Mikaela laughed gently and dropped into a defensive stance, her deflectors back online around her joints. Curiously, Optimus copied her before charging. Watching his Kae was one thing, battling her new body an _entirely_ different story. He was astonished just how many times her fists, in truth her every _field_ resounded against him.

And to think _he_ was the elite fighter.

Primus.

Although, the more they fought, he realized it was her recovery speed more than anything else that was tripping him up. She would strike and turn, deflect him and strike again before he could even recover his stance.

Fascinating.

"You're relying on your strength too much," she informed him after she'd got him _again_. "Control love, control, you don't have to run your sword through them entirely, a stab does just as much damage as an impalement. Less drama, more _effect._"

Optimus stopped and looked at his Kae curiously. In fact, most of his unit was watching her with surprise.

"Punch at me," she smiled at him.

He sent a light punch at her.

"No," she snorted, lightly batting it away. "Real punch, show off that 'arm going through chest' roundhouse of yours."

Optimus shrugged and threw the punch, throwing his full weight and strength behind it.

But Kae simply whacked his wrist and lightly kicked his leg.

He was lying on the ground looking at her incredulously the next moment.

"The fist, the upper form, using your weight behind the punch, that's fine," she smiled. "But you're throwing so much forward you aren't controlling your own strength."

The bots stared at him.

"Okay normally when bots see that punch coming they're running the other way," Mudflap piped up in a confused tone.

"True," Mikaela snorted, hauling him back to his feet. "But you aren't controlling your punch, my beloved. What happens if you throw that punch and Megatron decides to use one of us as a shield? You aren't _controlling_ it."

Optimus stared at his mate in horror. That hadn't even occurred to him.

She smiled at him and gracefully spun to stand behind him, gently stroking his back and arms.

"You use the strength of your front and arms, but you have a great deal of strength across your back," she told him gently, massaging him, that felt incredible. Her arms wound around him, lightly gripping his forearms.

Her legs tangled with his, pulling him into one of her own stances.

"Control is the ability to punch with force, and far more importantly, the ability to redirect that force and abort a strike." She stated calmly, and Optimus almost gasped in surprise as she began directing his punches, never actually completing them. The control of the strike felt incredible. Safer, and yet more devastating.

He would punch and pull back, only to bring another strike from the other side. She gently released him and stood in front again.

"This is what it looks like," she shrugged. She brought one of his own punches out, he made to deflect it only for the hand to recede, her left catching him hard in the side.

The damage counters promptly told him that if the field hadn't deflected the force, he'd be breaching.

In one punch.

"That is one _pit_ of a critical hit," Ratchet commented cheerfully, reading the scans. "You'd be breaching, and your right torsional control is severely compromised."

"Which makes it ridiculously easy for me to do this," Mikaela added, lightly tapping his helm with her fist. Torsional controls reacting to the 'damage' information, he couldn't defend himself. That was a hard lesson.

But his Kae's spark was there, beside his own. Soothing his hurt pride.

"Reset," she commanded calmly. "We try again."

Optimus nodded and reset the damage counters, charging his Kae. They began sparring, and he made to throw a punch at her.

But suddenly Mudflap was in her hands, the struggling youngling right in the way of his punch. Optimus pulled back sharply, how _dare_ she use another for a shield! it made bringing another punch around and catching her _hard _in the side quite _easy_.

Mikaela was half laying on the ground.

Alone.

She'd twisted, absorbing his blow somewhat.

But she was _alone._

Confused, Optimus looked at her hands, then at the group of bots staring at him. Mudflap was beside his twin, as though he hadn't moved.

Optimus pointed to him in shock.

"Holoform," Mikaela snorted, laying back down and laughing. "Ow."

In horror, Optimus knelt down beside his mate, laying a hand over the minor breach in her side. A breach that _he_ had caused.

"Oh stop that," Kae chided him with a laugh, she winced. "Stop making me laugh, that hurts. I'll be fine in a minute." she batted him off gently and twisted to look at her own side, reaching around and tweaking her plates back into their proper place.

"Mikaela I-" Optimus started.

"I told you to stop that," she commanded sternly, glaring at him. "Need I remind you that in the name of training, I am not simply saying 'okay try this' I am _encouraging_ it to sync with your programming, hitting your soft spots, pushing your buttons, getting you angry. Knowing how to _do_ something doesn't mean you _will _when the time comes, _now_ is the time to learn and _integrate it._"

Optimus stared at his mate. She sat up and cupped his face in gentle hands then grimaced as her energon smeared his cheek.

"Sorry," she grimaced, calling a cloth into being from subspace and delicately wiping his face before he could stop her. Optimus glared at his mate.

"I allowed you to distract me enough that I did not maintain my deflection fields!" he rumbled angrily.

"Uh huh, and?" Mikaela stated placidly.

"_And I caused harm to my beloved_ _mate_!" Optimus shouted, well and truly getting upset.

Mikaela raised her optics to the sky for a moment and reached forward, cuffing him upside the helm.

"Reason it out beloved, you're intelligent," she told him flatly. "I'm your spark-bonded, I know you absolutely, remember? I know _all_ of you, I know your buttons, your soft spots. I _know_ how to raise your ire. That's not the important part, do you realize what you _actually_ did?"

Frozen, Optimus sat down and stared at her.

Mikaela snorted and onlined a holoform in front of him. _Him. _Throwing a punch toward himself. Mudflap was between him and his own punch the next moment, he saw his own optics flatten in rage.

He pointed to himself in shock as holo-Optimus' movements suddenly went from a heavy punch to a fluid, graceful dance, shifting and swinging the other fist around.

The same movement his Kae used with such devastating effect on _him._

The only difference? Kae never _stopped_ dancing. The holo winked out and Optimus looked at his Kae.

She of course, was smugly grinning down at him. That she'd gotten to her feet without him even _noticing_ was a bit of a shock. Kae reached down and hauled him back to his own feet.

"See the difference?" she asked sweetly.

Mutely, Optimus nodded.

"Good," she lilted cheerfully, she backed up and dropped into half-stance. "Again."

"Mikaela I-" Optimus started. He'd already hurt her once, he didn't want to do it again.

"Optimus," Mikaela interrupted him sternly. Warning tone. Optimus straightened and glared at his mate.

"I do not wish to cause you harm," he rumbled firmly.

"Which is nice, dear, but you're forgetting something," Mikaela began, her tone and faceplates austere.

"And that is?" he rumbled angrily.

"_I_ don't use shields," Mikaela snarled, dropping into a full, threatening, Cybertronian Predator's stance. "And with that being the case, I _let_ you hit me. _Orion."_

* * *

(RPOV)

Optimus and Kae were fighting, she kept catching him. Barely hitting him though, 'love taps' Ratchet thought with a snort.

"No, oh here it comes," Ironhide rumbled suddenly. Optimus had wound up that punch.

But Mudflap was in Kae's hands the next second, holding the struggling youngling in the way of Optimus' punch, there was flat rage in Optimus' optics the next second.

Wait she _what!?_ Ratchet whipped to where he could have sworn Mudflap had been.

He was.

The next moment Kae was on the ground, empty handed.

Ratchet crossed his arms with a snort, shaking his head.

"Nice," Ironhide snorted.

"I don't know what's worse," Ratchet grumbled, rubbing his face.

"What? That she knows him _that_ well, or that the twins are gonna be practicing it on each other?" Ironhide asked innocently.

"I. Am going to lose _so_ many wrenches," he grumbled softly.

"More like you're going to lose the bet," Ironhide rumbled softly.

"No, I'm still betting Kae's gonna win." Ratchet stated.

"Final takers?" Ironhide rumbled softly.

"Mikaela I-" Optimus started.

"Optimus," Mikaela interrupted him. Ratchet raised his eyebrows, Kae was hurt, not badly of course, but he needed to know something.

"I _still_ don't know what's worse!" Ratchet snorted.

"Hmn?" Ironhide murmured.

"That I actually believed it was Mudflap, or that I missed seeing the punch." Ratchet murmured, rubbing his face.

"I do not wish to cause you harm!" Optimus rumbled firmly.

"You _missed it!?_" Bumblebee demanded incredulously. He immediately sent the video clip. Optimus never once hit holo-mudflap. Kae twisted away from the blow. Not a bad hit.

"Which is nice, dear, but you're forgetting something," Mikaela began, they were standing now, her tone and faceplates austere.

Ratchet smirked.

"I'm going to win the bet," he stated with a small smirk.

"No you're not," Ironhide smirked right back.

"And that is?" Optimus rumbled angrily.

"_I_ don't use shields," Mikaela snarled, dropping into a full, threatening, Cybertronian Predator's stance. "And with that being the case, I _let_ you hit me. _Orion."_

"Whooooaaaaa," Ironhide rumbled, Ratchet smirked.

Optimus stared at his mate helplessly.

"I love you too, dear, now come at me," Mikaela stated with a smug little smirk. Optimus rolled his optics and vented a deep sigh. Mikaela waited in her stance.

"Autobots _stop_ when someone gets hurt," he rumbled in a resigned tone.

"In battle you can't stop, you have to get up, flush some power to your systems and keep going," Mikaela shot back at him firmly. "Now come at me my mate, I thought you were going to help me decide on my fighting style?"

"That was negated the moment you begin teaching us," Optimus rumbled with a snort.

"No, that was me trying out human style, testing to see how well it integrates," Kae lilted innocently. "One for one, I didn't bond a piker bot!"

Optimus grinned.

"I win," Ratchet murmured with a snort as Optimus charged his Kae.

They began sparring again, using the styles Optimus was far more accustomed to. They looked completely alien to Kae.

"Of course, technically they _are_ completely alien to her," Ironhide murmured thoughtfully. Ratchet snorted softly.

"Doing well for all that it's alien," he replied cheerfully as Kae finally got Optimus on his back, a flat hand on his chest. She leaned down and kissed him.

_Really_ kissed him.

Optimus' processors clicked out.

"Did she just...?" Ironhide rumbled with a snort.

"She did," Ratchet laughed as Kae patiently began tapping her bot's helm.

"Really?" Optimus rumbled with a snort, bringing himself back online fully.

"You thought I could resist that?" Mikaela laughed at him. Optimus dragged her down onto his chest and kissed her.

"Oi! In the middle of battle you're not gonna have time to interface each other! Even _if_ the two of you look gorgeous when you're fightin'!" Ironhide shouted at them with a laugh.

"Exactly Uncle," Mikaela called out cheerfully, sitting on her bot and grinning as he laughed at her. "Gotta take the opportunity when I _have it!"_

Ratchet burst out laughing, leaning down and scooping Arcee into his arms, cuddling her for a moment until the training day got back on track.

He stood back for most of the day, until the earth began turning away from the sun.

"Alright old bot, you've always got my back," Ironhide rumbled with a grin. "Let's make sure them rusty pistons of yours ain't spreadin' to your processors."

"My pistons haven't had rust on them for orns!" Ratchet protested with a snort.

"Mm, true, so now you don't have an excuse," Ironhide shot back at him with a grin.

"Oh, very true," Ratchet nodded musingly. He charged Ironhide, catching the bot by surprise. But if the Weapons Master was good at _anything_, it was getting over his surprise and fighting back. It wasn't too terribly long that Ironhide had him down on the ground, but he was doing better than he usually did. Ironhide grinned down at him.

"You're right, pistons ain't rusty, processors are runnin' just fine," Ironhide stated fondly.

"Your shoulder is doing better, that punch did more damage than it usually does," Ratchet stated cheerfully, lightly shoving the formerly offending shoulder. The two of them rose and viewed the cheerfully combatting unit.

Ratchet glanced up at the larger bot as an arm wound around his shoulders.

"It's bin a long time, old bot," Ironhide rumbled softly. "Long enough that you can actually call _me _old bot now."

Ratchet laughed gently, winding an arm around his oldest friend's waist.

"Never thought you'd last this long, old friend," he stated gently.

"Hah, neither did I," Ironhide snorted. "What is it with these Primes we keep hangin' out with? It's almost like they want us to die of old _age!_"

The two of them looked at each other and burst out laughing as the sky lit up with the brilliant colours of light going through the heavy atmosphere.

The younglings turned to stare at them.

"The earth has turned from the sun," Optimus rumbled with a smile. "Telling her children it is the time for rest. We should return to headquarters, and perhaps nudge Ratchet and Ironhide into telling the story of how they met."

Ironhide looked down at Ratchet at the same time that Ratchet turned to look at the gruff, rough and ready Weapons Master.

The two of them burst out laughing, transforming and driving back toward headquarters. It was going to be a good night.


	134. 131 Friendship

**Well, today is dreadful outside, and tomorrow sounds like it's going to be worse. I'm proudly Canadian, so for me to say that can be considered somewhat epic. My four-by barely managed to get me home from the gym this morning. No work day! Yay! So yes, early update today, and probably tomorrow as well. Stupid snow. Anyway, as always, reviews would be very much appreciated, and anything that you recognize, and maybe a few things you don't I do not own. **

**I think I'll go skiing on the back fourty now *looks out window* Eww, or not. **

**Chapter 131 - Friendship**

* * *

(WPOV)

Will strode past the entrance bay and heard a multitude of engines. He grinned and walked back, just in time to watch the entire unit roll in and transform.

"And then," Ratchet was laughing, obviously continuing his story. "and then that scrapping _idiot_ went and bridged himself right into the middle of the _Cardinal!_"

"He _didn't!" _Mikaela shouted back to him incredulously.

"He _did!_" Jolt howled gleefully, Lena laughing on his shoulder, she had tears in her eyes she was laughing so hard. "So there the lot of us are, standing around, and _Fendie_ says: 'Well, do we follow him?'"

The entire unit promptly began howling, even Optimus was laughing.

"It don't do to speak ill of the dead," Ironhide rumbled calmly as the laughter died down. Ratchet turned to the Weapons Master in amusement. All of the bots turned to look at him. "_Except_ for Magda." Ironhide added innocently.

The entire group of bots began laughing again.

"Alright, _now_ are you gonna tell us how you met?" Chromia demanded with a grin.

"Yeah alright," Ironhide snorted.

"Story time? Are humans allowed?" Will called up to them.

"Central!" Ironhide called out gleefully. Every present human cheered and scrambled for the central ahead of the bots.

Will grinned and settled into his usual spot on the catwalks, his legs dangling over where Ironhide's shoulder usually was.

"Right, you want to start it off Ratch?" Ironhide asked cheerfully.

"No, start with the why you came in in the first place," Ratchet snorted.

"Right, so this was back when I was still a youngling," Ironhide began with a grin. "I was out on patrol with Weapons Master Bladesing, a new apprentice, completely full of myself and thinkin' I was the best built bot this side of the Well." he grinned around himself and settled down in his spot with his usual grunt. "Oomph! So we were out on patrol, and came across some bots fixin' for a fight. Well, Master Bladesing _immediately _told me to fall back. But there I am, barely twenty vorn old and firing right beside him. Now Old Bladesing, he was one of the best. And by the best I mean he was one of the _best_ Masters I've _ever_ had the honour of knowing. When I met him he was over two _thousand_ vorn old and still goin' strong. I have no doubt that if he were still alive he would _still_ whup my sorry aft."

"Whoaaa..." Will murmured.

Ironhide grinned up at him.

"I had the honour of absorbing his spark's energon when he offlined, by then I'd thought I'd known everythin' _he_ did. He'd taught me barely _half_ of his knowledge by the time he passed to the Well of All-sparks, the other half he passed to me."

"Huh?" Jacobs asked in a confused tone.

"We call it the Passing of Legacies," Optimus rumbled calmly. "When the full knowledge of one is passed to a pupil, more often than not to that bot's favourite pupil."

"Which is how Ailee taught _me_," Arcee added calmly. "Her knowledge passed directly to my own spark."

"Oh, cool," Jacobs grinned.

"Anyway, so there's old Bladesing, ducking and dodging about, letting off shots and hitting his mark every single time. Dispatching them bots and all the damage he managed to rack up was to scratch his own paint. Me though, here I am standin' stock still and arrogant the way I always did, firing off shots, catching maybe _half _of my targets 'till the last bot standin' blasted my slaggin' leg off."

"Ooohhh..." Will grimaced. Ironhide snorted.

"So Bladesing dispatched the last bot, turns, looks at me with a frown, picks up my leg and catches me by the chest-plates." Ironhide snorted. "He then _dragged _me for about three clicks, straight into the Med-bay, lifts me up onto the berth, turns to Ratchet and says-"

"Do me a favour, patch this scrapping _hero_ up enough so I can beat some sense into him," Ratchet continued the story with a snort. "Just put his scrapping leg back on and don't bother with the fancy drone-shit.' So I turned and that was the first time I laid eyes on Ironhide of Sigma three, he'd finally caught hold of his leg and was trying to put it back on _himself!_"

Ironhide and Ratchet promptly looked at each other and began howling.

"Then of course, Ratchet snatched my leg up and hit me with it," Ironhide hooted. "He said-"

"You're in _my_ med-bay now," Ratchet stated flatly. "If you want your leg back in one piece you're going to scrapping well let _me _do it properly, or I'm going to offline your motor controls and re-attach it to your aft.' Well then Ironhide just started swearing at me, telling me just how much he did _not_ want to spend hours sitting around waiting for me to get around to putting his leg back in place. And of course all the while he was breaching energon all over my floor, which I had _just_ finished _cleaning_, by the way."

"So he patched me up, a bit, took my leg over to his workbench and began fussing over it," Ironhide snorted. "The two of us were howling at each other by then of course. I was calling him a rusty plated old scrap heap-"

"To which I was calling him a half-stanced little youngling rip – of course he was already bigger than me, but the point stood, at the time he was still on his first cannon, and by then I already had my normal two-" Ratchet broke in with a snort.

"You had your cannons before Ironhide!?" Jacobs demanded.

"Well, yeah, I'm one twenty vorn older than he is," Ratchet shrugged. "I was a full medic when he was still an apprentice. The only _reason_ I was _still_ in my apprenticeship bay was the fact that Medic Spanner _always _had something more to teach. At that point, he and I were experimenting together, finding the fastest, most efficient and highest quality for which to put bots back together again. We were the premier Medic centre in Iacon."

"They'd _still_ be the premier med-bay if the city hadn't been demolished," Ironhide rumbled irritably. "But anyway, that was how we met, Ratchet finally put my leg back on and I peg-legged my way out of there-"

"Because he'd irritated me enough that I welded his knee joint into the open position," Ratchet snorted. "I knew I was going to catch the pit for it, but it was completely worth it."

"So the _second_ time I came back into that med-bay, was because I was walking around so badly that Bladesing dragged me in there a _second_ time. Literally, he knocked me on my aft and dragged me into the bay." Ironhide snorted.

"So he came in, _threw_ Ironhide onto the berth and rounded on me. He said-"

"Alright fine, muck about with the fancy drone-shit, I will not have my apprentice walking around lookin' like a scrappin' fool!" Ironhide continued for him.

"So I rolled my optics at them both and unfroze Ironhide's knee. It didn't take long, he'd almost worn through the welds as it was," Ratchet snorted.

"We didn't see each other for four vorn," Ironhide continued with a grin. "Then what do you know, Bladesing and I got assigned to start up patrol duties in a new sector and I thought I'd seen the last of this blasted medic. But not two orn into our new patrol I caught a blast to the shoulder intended for my master. So he dragged me into the med-bay, a-gain and who's standin' there glarin' at me?" Ironhide laughed.

"Once again, Ironhide of Sigma three, getting dragged in by Weapons Master Bladesing, dripping energon _all_ over my clean floor," Ratchet snorted. "So we started up again, I didn't detach his arm, so there the two of us were, he's calling me a rusty old tin bucket and I'm calling him a half-rate hero."

"And Bladesing just stood there with his arms crossed, laughing at the both of us," Ironhide laughed. "We spent the next fifty vorn doin' that, we wouldn't see each other for a couple of vorn-"

"Eight vorn at the most, and then the time came when you were coming into my med-bay every three orn or so," Ratchet chuckled. "Whether you were dragging Bladesing or one of your unit behind you, or if it was Bladesing dragging _you _in. What I never understood, 'Hide, was of _all_ the medics at that base, you were _always_ bringing them into me."

"Well, you were Ratchet, I knew you," Ironhide chuckled, reaching out and clapping a hand on the old medic's shoulder. "Bladesing and I had your number, you didn't take any scrap, you welded my knee in the open position, yeah, but my leg was in better condition than I'd _started_ with. We sorted that out the second time we'd left your med-bay."

Ratchet smirked at the weapons master.

"And then, upon my two hundredth vorn, I became a full Weapons Master upon Master Bladesing's offlining. He passed me his knowledge, and _I_ began trainin' bots." Ironhide stated with a small smile.

"It was a shock, the first time I saw Ironhide as a full master," Ratchet snorted. "We were rather fast friends after that, he had Bladesing's wisdom, then, far easier to get along with. Oh he _still_ calls me a rusty old tin bucket, but he had the right to by that point, I _was _getting rather rusty."

"Because you weren't takin' _care_ of yourself," Ironhide snorted. "You became a part of Sentinel's unit not long after that. And I stood with you when you bonded Nova-"

"It was a testament to how mature you'd become when you didn't _verbally_ threaten anyone who could potentially deny our binding," Ratchet snorted. The both of them looked at each other and burst out laughing.

"It wasn't long after that-" Ironhide began.

"-Another fifty vorn-" Ratchet added.

"-that we met Megatronix and his spark-brother Orion Pax," Ironhide stated with a smile. "I trained them together, and watched as Megatronix and his brother practically _absorbed_ the information."

"It was _obvious_ that Megatronix was destined to be a Prime," Ratchet snorted. "The two of them learned so quickly, but _Orion_, Orion went _everywhere, _learning _everything _that I, Ironhide, practically every bot on every base we wound up on wound up talking to him. That is of course, when he wasn't bridging off to go find someone _else_ to pester into teaching him."

Will watched with a grin as Optimus innocently refused to meet anyone's eyes.

"Sneaky little scrappin' bastard," Ironhide added baitingly.

"I was in my adult body by then," Optimus rumbled airily. "And I am _still_ bigger than you, Master Ironhide."

"Yeah, and Bladesing was smaller than _me," _Ratchet added with a snort. "It didn't stop him from dragging Ironhide's sorry aft into my med-bay every couple of orn. I swear to Primus, he spent _more_ _time_ trying to beat some _sense_ into Ironhide than he did blasting _Decepticons!_"

The senior officers looked around at each other and began howling with laughter.

"SPILL!" Jacobs howled.

"Right so there was this _one_ time..." Ratchet began with a broad grin.

* * *

(MPOV)

I sat down in the med-bay and smiled around myself. My mentor had excellent taste in surroundings, and as much as I adored flying around and scouting, sometimes it was nice to simply take med-bay duty and tinker. It was the time to become more familiar with the new arrivals, the time to maintain the bots around me.

Not that anyone was well and truly scheduled for maintenance, the post-landing checkups had been done already.

Perhaps a few bumped heads, scraped knees, maybe Wheeljack.

Probably Wheeljack.

Although he _had_ taken rather enthusiastically to my suggestion that he use his holoform and perform small-scale tests before building the large scale inventions.

After all, small-scale test, small-scale explosion... mostly.

I sat back and shook my head ruefully. Last week's explosion had been interesting, Wheeljack had singed the hell out of his holoform, and rather than winking it back to a healthy state, strode all the way across base wide-eyed and burned into the med-bay.

Needless to say the humans kept their distance from his lab now.

"Lady Prime?" Wheelie's voice called out.

"Quit calling me that, Wheelie," I snorted, searching for where his voice was coming from. "Same person, different body, now where the scrap are you?"

"Air ducts!"

Immediately, I looked up toward where his voice was coming from.

"Didja get stuck or something?" I grinned.

"No..."

"Did you take damage?" I immediately demanded, searching for him in earnest now. "Wheels where are you in the ducts?" I began scanning the area, locating him near one of the vents. A flick of a cable popped the cover off, and Wheelie's optics peered down at me. Another scan proved his struts rather badly bent up. "Wheels what _happened!?" _I demanded worriedly, carefully reaching as far into the duct as I could, tiny hands clamped onto my finger, and I gently pulled him out.

"I didn't time my drop into the second level right," Wheelie grumbled as I delicately settled him into my palm. "Knocked out my comm."

Carefully, I scanned him again, a good charge and his nanites could fix the damage in moments.

"Well at least you're not too badly damaged," I murmured soothingly, gently offering him a couple of small neurals for him to grab onto. "A good charge and you'll be right as rain."

Wheelie immediately grabbed onto the neurals, and I began directing the energon through the neurals. In my palm, Wheelie began to grow somewhat, his struts straightening and a nice shine returning to his metals. The little scrap drone heaved a deep, contented sigh and stretched out on my palm.

"Thank Primus you survived," he muttered drowsily. I couldn't help but smile down at him, gently carrying him to the drone-sized med-berth hanging suspended above the human sized cots. I gently used a couple of cables and deposited him on it.

"Get your rest," I murmured gently. Wheelie nodded cheerfully and his optics darkened. I glanced at the monitor as it automatically began surveying his condition and nodded to myself. A good recharge and he'd be good as new. Tiny vibrations rippled through his frame, the Cybertronian parallel of snoring.

Down for the count. I allowed myself a quiet chuckle and returned to my workbench, picking up my tinkering again. The doors opened, and two spark-hums entered, one I recognized easily. Prowl. The second less so. I glanced up and saw only Prowl. Perhaps my audios were acting up.

"Prowl," I nodded to him calmly.

"Lady Prime," he stated formally.

"Quit calling me that, I'm _Kae,_" I responded. It was automatic.

Prowl simply nodded, he tended to do that, and offered me a data-pad.

"Optimus wishes me to give you these reports, as well," the enforcer stated calmly. I accepted the data-pad and scanned it. Munitions reports, the status of our energon stockpiles, inventory of supplies, personnel reports, status of personnel... it matched my own logs as they stood.

"And I do..." I murmured, looking up at him.

"It needs to be signed off, Lady-"

"Kae," I interjected. "Now where do I sign?"

I could have sworn Prowl _almost_ cracked a smile.

"Spark-signature," he informed me patiently.

"Uhh..." I muttered.

"You have never signed a data-pad?" Prowl demanded. I looked up at him and almost cracked up at the incredulous look on his faceplates.

"I've been a bot for the sum total time you have been on _earth," _I reminded him with a snort. Prowl shook his head and extended a cable.

"Simply a point two rell surge of energon leaves your spark-signature," he stated patiently.

"Riiight," I murmured with a smile, following his example. "Was there anything else today Prowl?"

"No Lady-"

"_Kae!_" I stated in exasperation. "You'll call Optimus by name but you won't me?"

Prowl shot me a bemused glance.

"Very well, Lady Kae." He turned and left, and I rolled my optics at his back.

That left three spark-hums in the room. Me. Wheelie. And the half-stranger.

"Whomever you are," I stated patiently, looking toward the hum. "Show yourself."

Mirage materialized out of thin air, staring at me incredulously.

"How did you know me to be here?" he demanded.

"I can hear you," I smiled gently, his frown grew deeper. "What?" I murmured in concern.

"If you can hear me, others may," he stated with a deep frown.

Silence. I pursed my lips in thought.

"Noise cancellation?" I murmured, Mirage looked at me curiously. "Well, your spark hum can't exactly be _stopped... _what about disguising it?"

The mech's optics brightened.

"Is that possible?" he asked curiously, striding to sit across from me at the workbench.

"It's worth a shot," I murmured, leaning forward. "Perhaps a small speaker, playing the direct opposite frequency of your spark..."

"What would that do?"

"It's possible that the frequencies would then cancel each other out, at least it would to a Cybertronian audio receptor..."

Mirage grinned at me, I grinned right back and rose.

"Where are you going?"

"Materials," I murmured, eyeing up Ratchet's aptly termed 'wall of stuff'.

"Now?"

"No time like the present."

Wheelie never stirred for the three hours Mirage and I spent with our helms together, the speaker was easy, the coding? Marginally difficult. Five minutes to build the apparatus, the rest of the time? Tweaking.

Finally, Mirage stood with the tiny emitter tucked beside his spark chamber. He cloaked himself and activated it. For all intents and purposes I couldn't find him.

::. Where am I?.:: Mirage sent over the primary.

::. Planet earth.:: Ironhide's voice snorted.

::. Running an experiment uncle.:: I sent fondly, letting him feel my amusement.

::. What are you up to, my Kae?.:: my Optimus sent fondly.

::. Improving my stealth.:: Mirage responded gleefully. ::. Now see if you can find me!.::

I smiled and rose, offlining my optics and focusing my attention on my auditory receptors.

I could hear everything, and nothing.

Wheelie's snores, the hum of Ratchet's diagnostic tools, the tick of the clock...

"Well if I can't hear or find you, what are the chances other people are?" I asked the air around me, onlining my optics. I looked down and almost jumped out of my exo. Mirage was grinning at me, two feet away.

I couldn't help but grin right back at him.

"Go try it out," I encouraged him with a snort. ::. All call, Mirage is testing out the furtherance of his stealth, try to find him.::

Mirage grinned further and cloaked himself, the only tell of his departure the med-bay doors opening of their own accord. I smiled and sat back on my bench, returning to my projects again and listening as the unit began clearing our headquarters, looking for the spy. Another hour and my little-brother strode into the med-bay.

"=_Hey Big-Sister!=_" he chirped cheerfully, plopping down onto the bench beside me and tucking himself under my arm. "=_Whatcha workin' on?="_

"=_Just tinkering Little-brother=_" I chuckled, leaning down and nuzzling my helm against his.

"I should like to declare you my friend." Mirage's cultured voice announced. Bee and I _both_ started, turning to look where his voice was coming from.

"You snuck behind _me!?_" Bee demanded with an incredulous grin. "You _never-"_

"Managed to shadow you without you catching me," Mirage smirked.

"You've created a monster!" Bee promptly sotto-whispered to me, Mirage simply smirked all the more.

"As my friend, I wish to see if your systems are compatible," Mirage announced calmly, stepping toward me. I looked at him somewhat warily. "Not for interface, but for ability," he added patiently. I relaxed. "She is a good mate to our Prime, Scout."

Bee was grinning beside me. I rolled my optics at the both of them.

"How so?" I asked calmly.

"I have noticed your current need to drive to the airport before taking flight, can you not launch from the ground?" Mirage asked patiently.

"Not without giving away our position," I stated patiently.

"I wish you to use my cloak."

I stared at him.

"When you are invisible, you can go anywhere," Mirage re-iterated patiently, bringing a holoform online of a rather simple appearing generator. "I wish you the same freedom you have improved upon me."


	135. 132 Threads

**And we're back from a weekend of internet-less-ness! Hiya my dear readers! I hope everyone had an excellent weekend :D**

**Chapter 132 - Threads**

* * *

(LPOV)

Lena glanced around the corridors and almost kicked herself for doing it.

"You're _still_ trying to be sneaky?" Sideswipe demanded of her, grinning as he walked past. "Sneaky trick straight from the predator, quit tiptoeing around and try to _look_ like you know where you're going."

"Oh shut up Sides!" Lena laughed at the silver mech, his brother snorting in amusement.

"Hey, I'm just sayin'!" Sideswipe laughed, raising his hands in the air and not even turning around.

Lena laughed and shoved her hands into her pockets, walking to Jolt's quarters with her head held high... okay, admittedly taking Sides' advice and putting on the appearance that she not only knew where she was going, but that she belonged.

"See!" Sunstreaker bellowed from the other end of the corridor, "_way_ better!"

Lena jumped about a foot in the air and turned to shoot a wry glare at the gold and silver mechs. They simply shot matching, shit-eating grins at her and carried on down the corridor on the way to their patrol duties.

Lena yawned and lightly knocked on Jolt's door.

"You know you _really_ don't have to do that," Jolt stated behind her. Lena squeaked and jumped another foot in the air, turning around.

Jolt's holoform grinned at her mischievously. Lena glared at him for a second, only a second, that was about the total length she could _manage_ to glare at him.

Jolt was just such an absolutely sweet bot. He made her laugh, let her cry when she needed it. Cuddled her without any pressure.

He was the first man... male... forget it. He was the first _person_ she'd ever _thought_ about having sex with for a long, _long_ time.

He was addictive, and that was frightening.

Because now, _now_ it was gonna hurt one hell of a lot to lose him.

But somehow, when their... when she was touching his spark, and his was connecting to whatever it was inside of her that he _said_ was absolutely _there_, she could feel _him. _Feel his very soul. Connected so closely together, she felt that not only did he never want to lie to her, but he never would be able to; and connected so closely together, he'd lightly caress the fact that he never wanted her to go. He wanted _her,_ however she chose to be.

It was so much like a dream, she was constantly trying to figure out if it actually _was._

So Lena smiled up at his holoform as he opened the door for her, she quickly ascended the ladder Kae had so nonchalantly given them and smiled at _him._ He reached out and ran an extraordinarily gentle finger down her arm.

"Hey gorgeous," he murmured.

"Hey there handsome," she smiled at him. "D'you mind if I dispel with my armour?"

Jolt looked at her in shock, then in awe. He looked down, blushing slightly.

"I am honoured that you put such trust in me," he murmured, looking back up to catch her eyes with his optics.

That made stripping out of her own mental armour so easy. She'd thought her hands would tremble when she did this, but now...

Lena took her pyjamas off, right down to her birthday suit and felt no shame, Jolt was watching her with such awe it made her feel like the most beautiful creature in the world.

"Oh god Jolt, what the hell am I gonna do without you?" Lena murmured.

"Please don't say that," Jolt murmured, it was heartbreaking just how vulnerable his optics were in that moment.

Lena reached for him, and felt a surge of joy as Jolt pulled her close, his hands always so gentle with her. His spark reached for her, and she caressed it, relaxing into his touch the way she'd never been able to do with another.

Connected so closely, they knew each other so well.

Lena languished in the warmth of the bot, reaching for him, mind and... and soul.

They twined together, and Lena could feel him absolutely, knew his thoughts, saw his memories, cradled him though the painful ones and laughed with him in his joy.

She didn't know how long they stayed together like that. But what happened, happened so suddenly that it jarred her right back into her own body.

The weapons technology, it was in her mind now.

Oh god. No.

She didn't want to know it, she didn't... Lena stared at Jolt as he looked down at her with such caring worry.

"Lena?" he asked softly, worriedly.

She began crying.

"Are you alright Lena?" Jolt murmured worriedly, gently stroking her back. She couldn't stop, she couldn't stop crying, the soft keening turning into full out, body wracking sobs.

"Lena? Lena tell me what's wrong!" Jolt said a bit louder, cradling her. She could hear fear resonating from his spark, she wanted to make it better.

But she'd ruined everything. She knew it, and now she couldn't stop crying.

Jolt's spark began resonating terror, and without preamble, he cradled her close and fairly scrambled to his feet, running from his quarters and down the corridor.

* * *

(MPOV)

I vented a contented sigh as I came slowly online, cuddled against my Optimus.

::. KAE!.:: Jolt's voice bellowed over the primary. I was instantly alert.

::. Jolt! What's wrong?.:: I sent back worriedly. The bot was scrambling through the door to our quarters the next moment, Optimus online and watching with worry.

"Lena and I, we were together, but she got jumped back into her own body and she started crying and I don't know what's wrong and she's not talking to me and I don't know what to do!" Jolt babbled, completely terrified.

"Come here, Jolt," I stated calmly, crawling over my Optimus and sitting on the edge of our berth, holding my arms out to the bot.

He walked over and offered up a sobbing Lena.

I surveyed the scene for a half moment before gently collecting the woman, onlining my holoform in her same state of dress in my own hands.

I wrapped my holoform's arms around her and rocked.

"Lena," I murmured, "Lena tell me what's wrong."

"It's all my fault," Lena sobbed. "It's all my _fault!_ I've ruined everything! You need to offline me it's all my fault."

Optimus jumped in shock, reaching for Jolt as he almost fell over, quickly settling the bot to sit on the edge of our berth with us.

"Lena," I murmured gently, rocking her. "You let me decide if you're supposed to offline, now tell me what you think is your fault."

"Jolt, Jolt and I were cuddling together the way we always do," Lena whimpered. "Except we were closer than we have been before, and I saw it..."

Jolt stared at her in terror.

"What did you see, dear," I murmured.

"The weapons information, I've ruined everything, it's all my fault," Lena began sobbing again. Beside me, Optimus sagged in relief, wrapping a gentle arm around Jolt.

"That was bound to happen eventually, nothing can be hidden between two sparks," he rumbled gently. Jolt nodded hesitantly, still resonating in fear.

"Make it go away, make it right again, I don't want to know it, I don't want to lose my Jolt," Lena sobbed in my holoform's arms.

"Lena," I murmured gently, carefully tipping her face up to look at me. "Lena that does not _matter, _the fact that you are so scared right now, that you feel so much grief is proof in itself that you can be trusted."

Lena looked up at me in shock.

"But what am I supposed to do?" she whimpered.

Optimus released a slow vent in thought. He glanced between the two of them for a moment before straightening in resolve.

I read his intent with some surprise and found myself smiling.

::. Bumblebee, will you come to our quarters for a moment?.:: he sent over the primary.

::. I'm on my way.:: Bumblebee sent worriedly.

::. Nothing bad, old friend, I simply need to borrow your skills as a scout for a moment.:: Optimus sent soothingly. I felt Bumblebee nodding, and after a moment he strode into our quarters, looking at us curiously.

"Is the connection present?" Optimus rumbled curiously.

Bee looked around for a moment and nodded, a shocked look in his optics.

"Yeah, not as strongly as you and Kae were right before she became a bot, but it's definitely there... and a _heck_ of a lot _stronger than yesterday?_" Bee stated curiously. Optimus sagged in relief beside me.

"Thank you, Bee," he rumbled in relief. Our scout looked at us for a long moment before comprehension dawned in his optics.

"I'm gonna head out scouting?" he asked calmly, gesturing behind himself.

"Stay for a moment, please?" Optimus rumbled softly. Bumblebee nodded and came in a bit more, settling down on the bench and leaning back comfortably.

My Optimus turned and pulled Jolt a bit closer to himself.

"It would seem that you have found your spark-mate, Jolt," he rumbled gently, looking down at Jolt.

"I... I already..." Jolt started. "What...?"

"Perhaps a bit of history first," Optimus rumbled gently. I glanced at Lena and summoned a throw from my old quarters, gently wrapping it around her shoulders as I covered myself somewhat. Just a bra and panties, I didn't want her to feel uncomfortably naked in our presence.

"Prime?" Jolt asked softly.

"You may be surprised to know that our scouts did not begin as star-searchers," Optimus rumbled gently. "Instead, they found our mates, a truly gifted scout sees something that we cannot. _Bumblebee,_ sees connecting threads wherever he goes, whether it is the magnetic fields between two objects, or what he says is a thread between two sparks."

"I figured out how to show you guys, if that counts," Bumblebee added calmly. Optimus looked at him in surprise and nodded.

Bee grinned and brought up a holoform, Optimus and I before I'd changed. I didn't see any connections.

"Now, this is what _I_ see," Bumblebee smiled.

I felt myself jump in surprise to see a two toned silvery blue rope extending between the two of us, centred to our sparks.

"I didn't start seeing them for a long time, they appeared several vorn ago, around the time I fully switched my primary to scout." Bumblebee shrugged. He looked between Jolt and Lena and changed the holoform, Jolt standing on one side and Lena on the other. I noted with amusement that Bee had put clothes on Lena, she sagged slightly in my hand in obvious relief.

"Now, the connection between _you two _still isn't quite as strong as Optimus and Kae's before she became a bot, but it _is_ about the thickness I saw spring to being the moment they stood in front of each other." Bumblebee stated calmly, modifying his hologram.

A thread, one that seemed to be growing slightly extended from Lena and Jolt, connecting each other. Green and gold. Complimentary colours between them.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Jolt asked curiously.

"Cause the _first_ time I said anything about it, it _freaked_ the _pit_ out of the bots," Bumblebee snorted. "Of course that was pretty much because it was Roadrunner and Neutra, and nobody could even _comprehend_ just how much they liked each other spark-deep."

"Roadrunner and _Neutra!?_" Optimus rumbled incredulously.

"I know right?" Bumblebee snorted. "Couldn't _look _at each other without fighting, but for some reason they just kept gettin' drawn together. And the connection just grew stronger. Dunno if anybody knew that they wound up accidentally bonding to each other." Bumblebee finished, pointing to the thread. "Of course between you two, you started out the same as Kae and Optimus, a thread connecting the two of you like this, but it _has_ been getting stronger. _Really_ started getting stronger about a month or so ago. And _today_ it looks like _this._" he changed the holoform slightly, the thread seeming to have started weaving itself into an intricate braid.

"So..." Lena started softly in my hand.

Bumblebee looked at her with worried optics.

"I know it's hard to believe, Lena, and I know that humans _really_ don't like having their mates chosen for them, by fate or whatever, that's why I didn't tell Kae and Optimus that they've been tied together since the first time they _saw_ each other. Same goes for you and Jolt, I can only..." he crossed his eyes. "This is where the metaphysical stuff starts knotting my processors, I can only _assume_ that the ties are the vestige of a spark-bond from the _past_ life."

"But..." Lena frowned, she looked at Jolt. "I'm twenty-eight, if our sparks were dancing together through lives, wouldn't we be around the same age?"

I looked at my little-brother as he grinned, leaning forward.

"_Finally!"_ he crowed.

Optimus, Jolt, Lena and I stared at him curiously.

"I'm sorry," Bee stated immediately, looking down. "It's just I've now got two human-bot connections in the same room, so I've been meaning to ask:" Bumblebee looked at Jolt. "Around twenty-eight annum ago, can you remember even the smallest twinge, a wrench, something in your spark that you couldn't understand, and then a little while later you felt happy again, even just the littlest bit?"

I looked at my Optimus curiously as shock began resonating through our joined sparks.

"Nineteen annum ago, I felt that," Optimus rumbled softly, looking at me.

"I did..." Jolt murmured in a confused tone.

"I _knew it!" _Bumblebee promptly stood up, threw his arms in the air and began doing a victory dance.

I watched my little-brother in amusement for a moment.

"Victory dancer needs to spill," I stated with a low laugh.

"Jolt and Optimus felt your previous lives end, and then knew when you were born," Bumblebee smirked. "Of course they didn't _know_ that they knew, but they felt it! Which means _my_ theory is correct. Hah."

I felt my Optimus' amusement as we watched Bumblebee dance around a bit more.

"So..." Lena started softly, sitting shocked in my hand.

"So it means that I'm right!" Bumblebee crowed, he crouched down a little to look Lena in the eyes. "Further proof, you've started feeling addicted to Jolt, being around him is like the greatest drug in the universe, 'cause not only do you feel better, a little more whole when he's near, but you can't help but feel like _losing_ him is gonna hurt like the pit itself."

The way it was between Optimus and I.

_I _jumped about a foot in the air when a familiar sensation touched my hand.

Sparkflare.

"Lena!" Jolt stated in shock. She was grasping her chest with tears streaming down her face.

"Jolt," she whispered in a choked tone, reaching for him.

"Lena your spark just flared!" Jolt stated in a shocked tone, Optimus and I couldn't help but smile as the two of them reached for each other, their movements as automatic as ours were. Bumblebee was grinning like a mad-bot.

"Well, I suppose that leaves us with only one thing left to do," Optimus rumbled contentedly as Jolt accepted Lena into his hands and pulled her close to his spark.

The two of them looked at us in shock as I nuzzled into my Optimus.

"We _should_ ask her first," I murmured with a snort.

"I believe that was the one thing left for us to do," Optimus murmured in amusement.

"No it's the one thing left for _you_ to do, which if she says yes means one hell of a lot of work for _me _to do," I shot back at him with a low laugh.

"_Really!?"_ Jolt demanded, looking between the two of us in shock.

"Really," Optimus murmured with a smile.

"You... you mean I-I can..." he stammered. I couldn't help but smile as the purest tones of hope began resonating through his spark.

"Human in the room needs translation," Lena called out in a wry tone. Jolt looked down at her and she gasped. Optimus and I smiled at each other at the look of love in his optics.

"Lena," Jolt whispered. "Lena Elizabeth Davies, know that in no way do I ever wish to put pressure on you. Know that you have become the most important person in the universe to me, and I would joyfully stand beside you and behind you to the end of days." I felt a small amount of amusement as my Optimus silently sent a suggestion of what to say.

"For the universe, Lena," Jolt whispered, "For the universe I would not change you, for my own selfish desires I would ask to change you to keep you forever."

Lena sat in shock in Jolt's hands.

I looked up at my Optimus in amusement as he shot me an innocent look. I reached for his spark with my own, letting him feel my approval that he would help another to snare the one whom they cared the most about.

He wound an arm a bit more closely around me, the two of us pressed tightly together.

"I mean you don't have to say yes or no now," Jolt added softly. "Take as long as you want to decide, I'm not going anywhere."

"Yes," Lena whispered. She turned and looked at Optimus and I, then back at Jolt. She looked at me again. "Kae, what did you say to Optimus, when he said that?"

I felt my Optimus shoot a wry look at Jolt. Our communications technician grinned.

"I said I would leave my body for a stronger one, for my own selfish desires I would change to keep him forever," I murmured.

"Good, what she said," Lena stated perfunctorily, grinning before she hurled herself to wind her arms around Jolt's neck.

He sat in shock.

"Jolt?" Lena asked worriedly. I scanned him for a moment and laughed.

"Don't worry about it, Lena," I laughed softly. "Give him a minute to online his processors and sync them. You just blew his mind dear."

"His processors are _really quiet!" _Bumblebee stated with a grin. "Right, I'm out."

"No speeding tickets," Optimus rumbled with a snort.

"Aaww..." Bee snorted before perking up and walking out the door.

Optimus looked at me curiously.

"You forgot the high speed chases," I told him calmly. Optimus scrambled to his feet and poked his head out the door.

"No high speed chases!" he rumbled down the corridor.

"_Awww_!" Bumblebee called back, trying to sound petulant, but anyone could hear that grin. "How about the races next month?"

"Are they legal?" Optimus rumbled with a laugh.

"Yep!"

"Then yes."

I began laughing softly as Bumblebee cheered, the sound of him transforming and squealing out caught my auditory receptors before Optimus was back beside me again, winding me into the circle of his arms and nuzzling at my neck.

"You realize you've just doubled my workload again, right?" I told him in amusement.

"Mmm, how do I make it up to you?" he murmured wickedly, a hand slowly creeping toward my spark chamber.

"Well, you hold off until Jolt and Lena have made it back to their quarters, I'm certain Jolt doesn't mind, but it _is_ your own rule to not ooohhh..." I broke off as he pressed one of the connections on my side. "Your own rule to not scar the humans," I murmured with a snort, looking at a blushing Lena. She looked terrified. I thought for a moment and understood why.

"Does that ever stop?" she asked softly, looking between the two of us.

"Not appreciably, but then I've never actually _wanted_ him to stop," I informed her with a low laugh, pinning my Optimus' hands as they began wandering again. "Between us human girls, Lena, they aren't like human males, where you marry them and they change, becoming wife beaters or rapists-"

"Which I wouldn't be able to do anyway," my Optimus murmured, nuzzling my neck again. "How could I raise a hand against such beauty?"

"He's..." Lena choked softly.

"He's _always _been like that," Jolt laughed softly, cuddling his Lena. "Listen to Kae's spark, she's actually struggling to not simply pin him down and interface the hell out of him at the moment." True. "I'm not like that, I mean, I _could _be if you really wanted but..."

Lena stared at her Jolt then back at the two of us as I held my Optimus tightly in check. I knew that the second she looked into his optics she would see the loving mischief dancing in them. My bot had such expressive optics.

"We all desire something in our males," I stated gently, looking at Lena. "I know it's hard to understand, sometimes, and I got a lot of flack from it as a human, but I _do_ have one hell of a libido. You don't need to worry about Jolt jumping on you like Optimus does me, and if you don't believe me, I would suggest that the two of you return to your quarters and entwine again. Lena, we _can't_ lie to each other spark to spark, when your souls are interconnected like that you cannot hide anything from each other, and you cannot lie, because the spark beside your own will see and feel it. I know it feels like a dream, but it's real, he's right there beside you."

Lena sagged in relief in Jolt's hands.

"Everything I felt..." she whispered, looking at him. "Everything I felt from you... it's true?"

"Everything," Jolt whispered. Lena crawled up his arm and cuddled against his cheek, awkwardly dragging her blanket with her.

"I love you," she whispered. I smiled at her.

"By your leave," Jolt murmured, looking at us. I risked freeing a hand to wave our permission to him. Jolt smiled and rose, carrying his Lena back to their quarters.

Optimus and I sat in silence for a long minute after the doors closed.

"I did something wrong?" he murmured curiously.

"Not really, Lena is somewhat more fragile about sex than most," I murmured. Optimus set his forehead down on my shoulder.

"I am a glitch." he rumbled flatly.

"No, there's no damage," I laughed softly. "However there _will_ be if you don't do something about the raging lust you've gone and fired up in me again." I added with a smirk, dragging his hand to my spark.

"Oh thank Primus," Optimus rumbled, dragging me back onto our berth and pinning me with his superior size. I began moaning as he lipped his way down my neck, his hands drifting everywhere.

Because in the mornings?

Oh there was _nothing_ that was going to keep our hands off of each other for long.


	136. 133 Knots

**Chapter 133 – Knots**

* * *

(JoPOV)

Jolt carried his Lena... _his_ Lena, that felt so good – back to his quarters and laid down on his berth, stroking a gentle finger up and down her back.

They laid in silence for a long moment, Lena cuddled into her spot on his chest. The spot that felt so incredible when she was there.

"So, our sparks were fated together?" Lena asked softly. Jolt looked down at her with a smile.

"If Bumblebee is correct, which he generally _is _when he wants to be, it means that at some point you and I were bonded, not necessarily the two of _us_ but our sparks, our souls. We left our bodies for the well of all-sparks, and returned again. When two are bonded, they are not simply bonded for one life, our souls dance from one life to the next, always looking for each other." Jolt murmured.

Lena cuddled into him a bit more. Which felt incredible.

"That's incredible," she whispered. "So what is it with Optimus and Kae, it's like they just can't keep their hands off of each other."

"A couple of things, I suppose," Jolt murmured. "Optimus is one of the first picks for a first guide, he's interfaced with a _lot_ of bots. And I mean a lot even by _bot_ standards. He was bonded to Elita, but when she died she refused to let him come with her. So he went from being essentially one of the most desirable bots to a complete introvert, unable to bear the thought of that level of spark-break again. You can feel it in his spark when he's not paying attention, sometimes, he remembers a _long _time of being alone."

"Until he found Kae," Lena whispered. Jolt nodded with a smile.

"When he found Kae?" he murmured, "it was like watching... the sun come out... after a lifetime of darkness. When it comes to Kae? She's been just as alone a lot of the time, especially since she was trained to keep others away. But when you put the two of them together, their sparks are an absolute of complementary to each other. I imagine they'll slow down a bit as the annum pass, or not, it's Optimus, but you have to admit, seventy vorn. He's got a _long_ time of loneliness to make up for." Jolt giggled. "There's a _reason_ the femmes are always teasing him about his lack of conquests."

"Huh?" Lena asked curiously tilting her head to look at him.

"Well when you get right down to it, Optimus is one _pit_ of a gorgeous bot, his build is incredible, he's powerful, gentle, and a _Prime_. There was a time when he didn't even have to _try_ to have a bot in his berth. And come on, it's Optimus, he _never_ turned a bot from his berth, because a lot of the time not only were there bots looking for a bit of fun, but there were bots who needed spark contact, or to simply be held against the loneliness that creeps on us. And whatever that bot needs, he provides, it's not just a Prime thing, it's an _Optimus_ thing."

"So..." Lena murmured with a smile. Jolt smiled at her.

"So he's like that, because it's Optimus, I've been here, and haven't had an interface from the time Arcee freed me, to the first time you touched my spark. I could quite _easily_ have gone to Optimus. It's not uncommon for a bot to interface with their Prime. But as glitched out as I was getting, he _never_ forced me to his berth."

Jolt smiled to feel the relief in his Lena's spark.

"So that's what they're doing?" Lena giggled. "Making up for lost time?"

"In _spades,_" Jolt giggled. A thought occurred, he looked at the video relays for a moment and snorted. He glanced at Lena for a moment and smirked.

"What?" she asked with a low laugh.

"You wanna see them?" he chuckled.

Lena looked at him for a moment.

"What's the catch?" she asked warily.

"No catch, Prime forgot to shut off the closed circuit feed in their room again," Jolt snorted, he brought up a holoscreen of the two of them, they were still sitting on the edge of the berth.

"I did something wrong?" Optimus rumbled softly, curiously.

"Not really, Lena is somewhat more fragile about sex than most," Mikaela murmured.

Optimus froze for a long moment and leaned his head on Kae's shoulder.

"I am a glitch," he rumbled flatly.

"That, is so sweet," Lena murmured softly.

"No, there's no damage," Kae laughed softly. "However there _will_ be if you don't do something about the raging lust you've gone and fired up in me again."

Jolt snorted and Lena giggled as _Kae_ dragged Optimus' hand back to her spark chamber. The changes in Optimus' expressions were priceless.

"Oh thank Primus," he rumbled, dragging her back onto their berth.

"She was serious," Lena murmured with a smile. "Behind closed doors she'll jump him just as much as he will her."

"Not necessarily behind closed doors, either," Jolt laughed softly. "Just mostly out of sight from the humans. You wouldn't _believe_ just how smug Optimus has been since we found out that Kae's human libido transferred into her bot form."

"They were having _sex_ even when she was still a _human_?" Lena asked in a shocked voice, she looked up at him incredulously.

"Every chance they got," Jolt nodded with a smile. "Either her with his holoform, in the mindspace when she was touching his spark, she'd make him overload while she was cleaning and polishing his armour and protoform, he'd tease and stroke and make love to her with his cables... they wanted to, so they found a way. _Several_ ways."

"Jolt..." Lena murmured softly, reaching up and caressing his spark chamber. He looked down at her curiously and found an incredible look in her eyes.

"Lena are... are you sure?" he whispered.

"With you? Somehow I'm always sure," she whispered.

And that felt really good too.

"Except for the how part," she murmured with a low snort of amusement.

"Do you remember the mindspace?" Jolt smiled at her, she grinned and began caressing his spark chamber. Which felt incredible. He reached for her with his spark, caressing her hand as he always did before tentatively, reaching along her arm for her body.

For her mind and spark.

"Jolt yes," his Lena moaned, pressing closer to him.

::. This way.:: he whispered, caressing her spark and drawing her to the mindspace.

He watched her eyes open, surrounded by the light for the first time.

She looked down.

::. I'm...:: she started in a confused tone.

::. A femme?.:: Jolt murmured in amusement ::. Here, we are whatever we wish to be.::

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus watched the goings on around himself somewhat worriedly, his Kae was holding him tightly in check from teasing her senses, seeming to be smoothing something over, but for the life of him, Optimus didn't know what.

Jolt and Lena left and the doors closed.

"I did something wrong?" he murmured curiously.

"Not really, Lena is somewhat more fragile about sex than most," Mikaela murmured.

Oh scrap. She and Jolt shared common markers in the past. Optimus resignedly set his brow on his Kae's shoulder

"I am a glitch." he rumbled flatly.

"No, there's no damage," his Kae laughed softly. "However there _will_ be if you don't do something about the raging lust you've gone and fired up in me again." she added with a smirk, dragging his hand to cover her spark.

Which meant that his frag up was repaired, and he was forgiven.

And his Kae wanted him.

"Oh thank Primus," Optimus rumbled in relief, his interface panel was burning for his Kae. He dragged her back onto their berth and pinned her down, lipping his way down his exquisite Kae's neck and making her moan. He mapped her frame with his hands, of course he already knew each and every spot that would make her moan and squirm, but he loved the feeling of his Kae's metals.

Pinpoint targeting was for getting his Kae's attention.

_Stroking_ his Kae, no _that_ was for when he wanted to drive her over the edge.

Because in the mornings?

Oh there was _nothing_ that was going to keep his hands off of her. Well, unless she told him not to. But she never had, not yet. And _his_ Kae insisted that if they ever got angry at each other, they fight it out, they discuss it and they don't go to their recharge until they weren't angry at each other.

If it meant coming online beside his beautiful Kae and being allowed to touch and caress and kiss and make his gorgeous femme overload every chance they had.

Oh he was going to take that.

And this morning? Oh he wanted her screaming his name. Which meant that these five cables connected to her panel here, simultaneously, because that much sensation tended to make his Kae insane.

He loved that little piece of information. And he _adored_ the way she keened and writhed beneath him as he connected to her. She began bringing extra processors online, which brought a smirk to his face.

It meant that there was going to be a battle on this berth.

The fight to see who would make the other overload first.

The best kind of battle. They both won.

Sure enough, her hands began tweaking his frame, little zaps of energon flying from her fingers as she began hyper-stimulating his circuits.

How she was so Primus damned capable of finding just that-

"Ohhhhh," he groaned as she hit _that _circuit. The one that drove him so close to the blasted edge and had his spike inflated and nosing at her valve.

Fine, if she wanted to play it like _that..._

Optimus extended a cable to begin teasing the knot of neural fibres at the small of her back, the knot that formed a juncture between spark, valve and legs.

The one that always made her make the _best_ squeaky moan as she automatically arched to take his spike.

Which was _his _cue to just keep nosing that soaking valve, drawing it out, teasing her.

"You know what I want to hear," he rumbled directly into her audio receptors. Utilizing the tone that he knew made her core temperature rise was cheating.

In this case, he _loved_ cheating.

"Orion," she whimpered.

His old name, good for a smirk, but he wanted to hear _his_ name.

"Say it," he whispered in his best seductive tone.

"Oh Primus please," she began whimpering, her movements changed slightly, rubbing against him in the most Primus damned evocative dance.

Her metals twitching and rubbing against his, her legs twining, tangling with his, drawing him closer to the spot his spike was demanding he go.

Now.

"Say it," he growled softly and felt himself lose the last of his restraint, diving into his spark-bonded mate's soaking valve. Kae screamed his name as she overloaded, their sparks twined together.

That sound, her spark, her body, he was overloading right beside her, their dual consciousness blasted to the stars, entwined absolutely.

In the darkness, he onlined his optics, feeling his Kae as she began teasing him.

A femme capable of enough focus to continue making him writhe even without their bodies.

_This_ was the well.

~No, this is us floating around in space~ Kae whispered into his spark in amusement. ~We're going to have to find our bodies eventually. But first...~

She began stroking him, the raw feeling of their entwined sparks almost more than he could bear. He returned the favour, massaging her as she did him.

They both felt the inevitable tug of their sparks reaching for their bodies, and followed it. Optimus onlined his optics to look down at his Kae.

She was looking at him with mischievous amusement twinkling in her optics.

"Kae?" he rumbled curiously.

She reached up and caught his lips with hers, which brought their chests together.

Before he knew it, her spark was caressing his, pressing a secondary charge load through him.

Sneaky gorgeous femme.

He was going to get her for that.

Once he could move.

She laid him out comfortably on their berth.

"I'll see you later, my beloved, I need to get to work," she murmured into his auditory receptors.

_Blasted _sneaky gorgeous _fragging_ femme.

If she needed to get to her work, it meant it was about time that they'd be expecting him in communications central.

Except he was going to be down in semi-conscious reboot for the next hour or so.

Oh. He was _going_ to _get_ her for this.

::. Optimus.:: Ironhide called out.

Scrap.

::. He's down for the count for the moment, what's wrong Ironhide?.:: Kae sent back calmly. Well. At least she was capable of minding the shop. There was silence for a moment.

::. What did you do?.:: Ironhide sent in amusement.

::. I pressed a secondary chargeload through him.:: Kae sent innocently ::. He needed it anyway.::

::. Mmm, true, which means he's _listening_ right now, half-conscious and thinking about _revenge_ on you, you know that right, my niece?.::

::. Oh I know.:: Kae stated cheerfully ::. So what's the problem?.::

::. Oh nothing much, the humans are wondering where Optimus is.:: Ironhide shrugged ::. Oddly enough for _decency_ sake I'm going to tell them _you_ wore him out and he's catching a rapid-fire recharge so that he's capable of _standing_ again.::

::. That is so sweet.:: Mikaela snorted.

Primus bless his raunchy minded Weapons Master, Optimus thought cheerfully.

::. Oh, as a side note, Optimus I'm pretty sure you can hear me, if you can _stay_ recharging for another _two_ hours, you're gonna miss Galloway the second's entrance and exit.::

::. I got him.:: Mikaela snorted.

Optimus grinned and squirmed down into the berth a bit more, happily dropping back into his half-cycle.

Half-cycle, because the other half of his mind _was,_ as Ironhide had so happily stated, focused on enacting a bit of revenge on his beloved Kae.

* * *

Optimus came out of a leisurely two hour cycle feeling like an entirely new bot. He onlined his optics, looked around for a long moment and stretched, he rolled to his feet and stretched again, humming at the wonderful feeling.

He summoned his armour, shrugged into the familiar, bizarrely comfortable plate metals and checked the Primary. The usual light banter. He scanned the frequencies and noted that Jolt and Lena were both deep in their recharge cycles.

Completely entwined. Optimus smiled, happy that they had found each other.

He strode out of his quarters and made sure there were no humans in his direct path.

Squishing humans was _not_ something he intended to do, _especially_ not today.

_Today_ was an _excellent_ day.

"Morning sleepyhead!" Lieutenant Jacobs called up with a laugh.

"That it is still morning is good enough," Optimus snorted, crouching down somewhat. There was a group of soldiers headed the same way he was.

The soldiers stared at him in shock.

"My legs are longer," Optimus smirked at them. "Several of you have been in my hands before, you know I do not drop what I hold."

The group promptly began laughing, the lot of them scrambling into his hands and grabbing hold. He lifted them carefully and stood.

"First stop, Entrance bay," he rumbled placidly.

Jacobs began howling with laughter.

"What the _fuck_ are you doing making train announcements!? We're trying to get it across to the public that you _aren't _mindless machines!"

Optimus grinned down at him.

"The fact that I _myself_ am capable of making such an announcement without the aid of a human speaking for me does nothing?"

The humans promptly began hooting with laughter.

"Hey! So when do _you _do the training duty?" Corporal Nelson called out with a grin.

Optimus burst out laughing, he couldn't help it.

"There is nothing that I know of fighting that Ironhide cannot teach you," he snorted. "Especially since it is our dear Weapons Master whom trained _me." _

_"__No _sense trying to get the _pacifist_ to train you," Ironhide snorted. "Unless of course you're having difficulty learning how to read, he is _all_ over that one."

"Seriously?" Nelson demanded, turning to look at him.

"Seriously," Ironhide snorted. Optimus rolled his optics at the bot. "Now don't get me _wrong_, Optimus is still capable of beating the tar out of whatever crosses him the wrong way, but you can sure as scrapping bet he's gonna try to ask _why_ the whatever crossed him like that did it in the first place. Now _come on_ boys, _it's suit day_."

The amassed soldiers in the entrance bay promptly began howling, Mikaela and Ratchet smiling somewhat as they carried an enormous trunk of the suit harnesses between themselves. Holoforms winked online as the soldiers lined up, lightly shoving at each other like excited younglings.

"Alright, by now you lot have heard the drill, but we're going through it _again_," Ratchet barked out. "I did _not_ develop these things for you lot to kill yourselves with them. Now. If for _any_ reason you feel lightheaded, nauseous, tired, whatever, it doesn't necessarily mean you need to take the suit off, what it _means_ is that you need to shout out for me. Got it?"

"Sir yes sir!" the soldiers bellowed in unison. Ratchet looked at them in shock.

Ironhide burst out laughing.

"Welcome to soldiering old bot, you done me proud," he snorted.

Optimus chuckled and idly snuck up behind his Kae, sending a light shock of energon directly into the node that drove her crazy.

Kae jumped about a foot in the air.

~The scrap!~ she demanded through their sparks.

~Payback~ Optimus rumbled cheerfully, feeling her lust slowly building as he teased that node for another moment before turning for communications central.

~I. Am going to _get_ you for that!~ Mikaela sent to him firmly.

~Promise?~

* * *

(MPOV)

Optimus snuck up behind me, the way he always did.

Not so much sneak as quietly stride up to touch me somewhere. I was expecting a hand on my waist.

No.

Far more forward.

A solid energonic blow straight into the juncture between spark and valve. The one that made my legs tingle and shake like jelly.

"_Jesus_!" my holoform squeaked, winking out.

Evil.

~The scrap!~ I demanded.

~Payback~ my Optimus replied cheerfully, teasing me a bit more before wandering away. _Evil_.

~I. Am going to _get_ you for that!~ I sent firmly.

~Promise?~

Ironhide was lightly tapping on my helm.

"Really? He blew _your_ mind?" my uncle drawled cheerfully.

"No, he got me in the ∂_sweet spot∂_," I replied irritably, bringing my holoform online again.

Uncle Ironhide began snorting gleefully, leaning against the wall beside me as our holoforms helped the soldiers into their new suits.

Chance, Jacobs and Will were already playing with their settings. Will had actually managed to convince the suit to look like a tuxedo.

"I could wear this thing everywhere," he grinned, strutting around in his tux.

"Call him a penguin," I muttered to Ironhide. My uncle snorted in amusement.

"Hey _Penguin_!" he shouted. "What are you gonna _shoot_ with now?"

"I, am going to destroy their defences with my charming smile, and take them down with my razor sharp wit," Will stated airily.

"Bull, you're gonna blind them with your stupidly white teeth, open your mouth and everybody's gonna commit suicide," Jacobs snorted, giving Will a shove.

The hangar promptly began howling.

Ironhide was hooting right beside me, because _anything_ goes on suit day.


	137. 134 Archives

**Chapter 134 - Archives**

* * *

(MPOV)

My Optimus was feeling tired, not low on energon, just tired, saddened. Drained.

Homesick.

I'd thought about that for a long time, but finally we had several hours free now...

"Optimus," I murmured gently, winding my arms around his waist from behind.

"Kae?" he rumbled softly.

"Come with me," I murmured with a smile, lightly pulling him backwards.

He began resonating a tiny amount of amusement at that. Mostly because I was actually _capable_ of pulling him backwards. He turned and lightly caught my hand, letting me draw him to the entrance bay.

"Come on," I smiled, transforming and waiting for him.

He transformed and followed me.

::. Where are we going?.:: he sent curiously.

::. It's a surprise.::

A few minutes.

::. Are we there yet?.::

I began laughing, picking up my speed somewhat.

::. Come on brat.:: I smiled.

::. Your _brother_ is a brat.:: Optimus rumbled with a snort.

::. And so are you.:: I shot back at him with a grin ::. we're here, park here.::

Optimus obediently parked and looked around.

::. We are downtown.:: he rumbled curiously.

"Uh huh, online your holoform," I grinned, winking mine into his passenger's seat.

Optimus obeyed and looked at me curiously.

"Now come on," I laughed, scrambling my holoform from his cab and waiting for him on the sidewalk. "You aren't allowed to look, either."

I caught hold of his hands as he looked at me irritably.

"Where are you taking me?" he rumbled.

"It's a surprise, humour me," I grinned, lightly tugging on his holoform's hands.

He released a sigh and closed his eyes, letting me lead him down the sidewalk.

Several people looked at me rather oddly at that. Especially since I was leading him right into the library of congress.

"Step," I grinned.

"Step?"

"Stairs, love," I laughed. Optimus sighed and let me pull him up the stairs. I pulled him to the desk. "Stay," I commanded with a grin. He crossed his arms irritably, eyes still closed.

I beckoned to the curious librarian.

"Can I take him in? I'll pay you gladly, but I want to surprise him," I whispered.

The lady looked at me like I was insane but nodded, following, just to see.

I pulled my Optimus into the centre of the library, surrounding him with hundreds of years of learning. He was smiling somewhat, already feeling the hushed, reverent atmosphere around him.

"Where are we?" he murmured softly.

"Open your eyes," I told him with a smile.

He looked around, and the most peaceful, happy expression crossed his face.

"Welcome to _our_ archives, my beloved Optimus," I smiled, reaching up to kiss his jaw.

"You guys are auto-bots," the librarian whispered. I nodded as my Optimus looked around at the thousands of books with reverence.

"You brought me to the archives, oh my Kae," he whispered, reaching out and pulling me into a crushing hug. "My Kae you know me so well."

I smiled and kissed his jaw again.

"Go, look around, I'll take care of the admissions and whatnot," I smiled at him.

His face lit up, and he slowly paced toward the corridors.

"Is he alright?" the librarian asked me worriedly.

"He's just fine," I smiled at her. "He's been quite down lately, I brought him here to cheer him up a bit."

"To the library?" the woman asked with a small snort. I laughed softly.

"His first job was as a librarian, or rather, he was an archivist, it was his job to travel around, learning everything he could to add it to the archives. History and learning was his first love."

"And so you brought him to our library," the woman smiled.

"Shall we take care of the registrations and whatnot?" I asked with a smile.

"Will he be wanting a library card?" the woman asked earnestly, leading me back to the desk.

"Absolutely," I smiled, reaching for a pen.

We began the paperwork, quietly chatting.

Almost as soon as we were finished, a baby started crying.

The mother was desperately trying to get her newborn to quiet, apologizing profusely. I turned and smiled as my Optimus was there the next moment.

"I am _so_ sorry sir," the woman stated, she looked so upset.

"May I be of assistance?" Optimus rumbled earnestly, the woman stared at him, nodding in shock as Optimus lifted the infant up, I smiled at my bot as he cradled the tiny child with infinite care.

The second he started crooning, singing a soft, Cybertronian lullaby the child hushed, listening wide eyed and astonished to my beloved's voice as he rocked.

In minutes the child was asleep, sucking his thumb.

The humans in the room were grinning, the mother looking intensely grateful.

"He loves kids?" the librarian asked in shock. "The auto-bot loves kids?"

"Auto-bot? He's one of the Auto-bots?" another demanded.

In the hush of the library, that shocked exclamation resounded through the entire area. Stunned eyes turned to Optimus, still cradling the infant and humming softly.

"You're one of the Auto-bots?" an older gentleman demanded softly.

Optimus nodded.

"Then what the hell do you care about children?"

"The care of the young ones falls to all of us," Optimus rumbled quietly in a confused tone. "Does it not on this planet as well?"

"You lot have children?" another demanded.

"We all begin as sparkings," Optimus shrugged, carefully, he never once jostled the baby. "Just as unformed and dependant upon the care of our elders as your own children." he smiled as the infant shifted slightly in his sleep, cuddling against Optimus a bit more.

"How the hell does that work?" the older gentleman asked intently, sitting down and looking at Optimus interestedly. "And what's your name anyway, lad?"

"My name is Optimus Prime," Optimus rumbled with a smile. "We came online in the hatcheries, the sanctuaries where the sparks of our children were housed in our spark-chambers..."

I couldn't help but smile as any number of professor appearing people gathered around my Optimus, bringing chairs and settling down for a good yarn.

And until he woke, needing to be fed, Optimus held and rocked that tiny child.

If _ever_ there was an action to lend credence to his story, that was it.

I sat and listened to him speaking, answering questions the learned public was evidently hungering for. They sat for hours, talking, debating. Finally Lennox called me over the Primary.

::. Kae, where the hell have you two disappeared to?.:: he demanded worriedly.

::. We're at the library.:: I replied calmly.

::. Well check your book out and get back here!.:: Lennox commanded worriedly ::. We need you guys here now!.::

I sighed and told him we were on our way. I rose and gently touched my Optimus' shoulder.

"The politics call again, unfortunately," I sighed softly.

Optimus groaned.

"I know," I murmured consolingly, rubbing his shoulder.

"Problem?" the older gentleman asked curiously.

"Yet _another_ politician who has come to the opinion that I am a mindless killing machine before we were even introduced," Optimus sighed. "And yet _another_ period of time that I must endure him shouting at me, informing me that I am a danger to society and for the safety of the universe I should be offlined here and now."

Optimus sagged, and I wound my arms around him.

"Well bucko, you'd better get to rememberin' that it don't matter what people say about you, you gotta remember who you are." the gentleman stated firmly. He dug out a card. "You keep havin' troubles with him you give me a call."

Optimus took the card and looked at it in surprise. I felt my eyes widen.

"Doctor William MacKin, Professor of Political Sciences," he read aloud softly.

"Former Professor," the man shrugged. "the card is a bit outdated. But if you lot need a hand, or another brain behind you, you've convinced me."

I watched the man with raised eyebrows.

"Of?" I prompted him calmly.

"You lot ain't the enemy," the man stated sternly. He nodded toward the mother walking out the doors with her child in a carrier. "If a man can live by the philosophy that children are under the care of all? I'm on your side."

"I'll second that," another man stated calmly, the men whom had stayed, asked the most intelligent questions all dug out cards, handing them over.

I looked at the names and felt my eyes widening in shock.

Doctors, professors, some of the most intelligent humans in this city.

"With that, I do believe that you've formed yourself something of a human brain-trust," William MacKin stated, shrugging and looking around at the nodding professors.

"Thank you, all of you," Optimus rumbled softly, holding the cards in a delicate grip.

William nodded, lightly flipped his hat onto his head and wandered out. In a few moments we were alone.

Optimus looked up at me with a smile.

"Thank you," he rumbled softly.

"What on earth for?" I laughed softly, linking my arm into his as we walked out again.

"For introducing me." he rumbled calmly.

"How so?" I asked with a laugh. "I just brought you to the library, everything else was mere serendipity."

Optimus looked down at me in shock.

"You mean..." he rumbled, wide eyed.

"That you're capable of making friends on your own?" I laughed. "You don't need me for that, you just have to let the people see the bot that I fell in love with. I have a present for you," I added with a grin.

"What?" Optimus laughed. I caught his hand and lightly slapped his library card into his holoform's palm.

"What does it do?" he asked curiously.

"_That_, is the card that says that you can go into the library and read any of the books available to the public. If you finish those and want to read the ones not normally available to the public you're going to have to ask the president." I smiled at him.

Optimus beamed down at me, he wound an arm around me and kissed my temple.

"I love you too," he rumbled in my ear.

"Good," I smiled.

* * *

(JoPOV)

Jolt sat, rather bored actually, he wanted to get _out_ of here and cuddle with his Lena.

Director Stilson was yelling again, he was actually rather curious that the man's vocal processors hadn't begun giving off static.

Fascinating. He looked at Lena, she looked rather desperate, sitting beside her friend. Jennifer was biting her lip, her legs crossed. Her stomach had begun swelling somewhat, Jolt had been rather apprehensive about that until Ratchet explained that the femme was growing a new life.

_All_ of the bots were rather excited about that. Ratchet was ecstatic, especially since Jennifer had given him the permission to scan her daily. Will was looking at her worriedly, too, _everybody _knew that the new life growing beneath her heart exerted a great deal of pressure on her systems.

She needed to relieve the pressure in her systems regularly.

It was an imperative.

Except she had not been allowed to leave for the past five hours. The poor creature.

Jolt was tempted to just go over and pick her up before Prime began in on his retort to the Director. Prime would forgive him that, he was certain of it.

"Your answer?" the Director demanded.

"Is still no," Optimus rumbled sternly. "You may go."

"I _what!?_" Stilson shrieked.

"I know you do not have an internal chronometer as I do, so I shall inform you that you have been yelling for five hours." Optimus rumbled mildly. "As such, you may take your leave, allow your vocal processors to heal and we shall continue this tomorrow. Good day, Director Stilson."

The Director stared at him in shock.

"That's probably a good idea," Will murmured to him.

Infuriated, the Director stomped his way from the communications room.

Optimus shook his head irritably and immediately stepped closer to the catwalks, extending his hands carefully to Jennifer.

"My legs are longer than yours," he rumbled gently.

"Oh thank god," Jennifer exploded, immediately scrambling into his hands.

The poor femme looked close to tears.

"I apologize that you have had to wait for so long," Optimus rumbled, immediately turning and striding toward the exit.

"You coming back?" Will called out.

"Probably," Optimus nodded, not turning around.

Communications sat in silence as the doors closed behind him.

"You know," Will stated casually, leaning against the catwalks. "If he keeps doing stuff like that the lot of us might actually get _attached_ to him."

Jolt turned to look at the human incredulously, he'd thought they were already a tightly knit unit.

Until Lena started laughing.

Ah, a joke. Jolt grinned as the communications room laughed.

* * *

(IPOV)

Ironhide flumped down into his place in the central and smiled as Chromia immediately leaned against his legs.

"So, the third huh?" Prowl asked her cheerfully.

"Yes, third, of thousands," Chromia stated airily.

Prowl made to add something, but Lennox chose that moment to wander in.

Nice timing.

He'd known that Chrome had been the one. But he'd waited.

Because he knew that she'd need that comeback, someday. And he knew she would have found it. He'd been impressed, actually, she'd flown through her conquests, it'd made him wonder if she knew that she was the one for him.

But he'd waited.

But then... then he'd been called away.

And for all he knew. He'd lost her.

But she was here, leaning against his legs.

"Mm, nothing wrong with that," Prowl nodded sagely.

Oh scrap. Here it comes.

"Shame, really," Prowl mused, of _course_ it would be Prowl, the only thing Ironhide knew to get that logician and enforcer to grin? The chance to razz him back. The enforcer had a bizarre taste in revenge for the number of times Ironhide and Jazz had gone out of their way to make him glitch.

"What is?" Will asked curiously. Oh great, the _straight-man._

Here it comes.

Kae walked in and glanced around, taking her place in the central and smiling at them. Thank. Primus.

"What's this now?" she asked cheerfully.

Scrap.

"I'm just wondering why the two of them took so long. Or did nobody tell you that you were all he talked about from the moment you left his quarters?" Prowl stated mildly, looking at Chromia. "Shame about all that lost time, really."

Ironhide had no idea what to say about that. Except Chromia started crawling up his body. Backwards.

How the _scrap_ that exquisite femme did that was beyond him. Because somehow every time she did she'd brush against every single sensitive spot she could reach.

Which was most of them.

Ironhide stayed stock still as his Chromia wound herself around him.

"Precisely why we're making up for lost time," Chromia murmured in a sultry tone. To him. Ironhide grinned as Prowl snorted, conceding the game.

Ironhide couldn't help but reach up and delicately stroke her. She didn't stop him.

Hmm.

He was going to use that.

Ironhide shifted slightly, the minimal things that caused Chromia to practically lock onto his frame. She did. Idly, his hand slid to cover her, as though hugging her gently. Holding her.

Perfectly acceptable, she was his spark's guardian.

Ironhide lightly slid a cable to caress her chamber.

Optimus walked in and settled down, a good number of bots following him.

Mikaela courteously ignored him. Prowl was smirking.

"Hmn?" Kae stated cheerfully, looking at him.

"And _you_," Prowl grinned at her. "Where the scrap have _you_ been hiding?"

"Oh, planet earth, here and there," Mikaela shrugged. "waiting for him to show up, and he did." she smiled, sliding to press against Optimus' side.

Optimus was beaming down at his Kae, he leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her lip plates.

Adorable.

He'd say it aloud, but he had Chromia cuddled against him.

"Now then, reports?" Optimus rumbled, smiling around at the unit.

"Are pretty much the same as last time," Sideswipe grumbled. "Nothing happening, not a Primus damned thing."

Optimus nodded to him sympathetically. Point to him.

"Well, carry on," he rumbled quietly. "I will try to find you some time for target practice?"

Sideswipe grinned. Another point to Prime.

"Mm, which reminds me, Barry wants a meet," Mikaela murmured, looking at her mate.

"For?" Optimus prompted her gently.

"He wants to know if anybody wants to check out Nevada," she smiled.

"It would be a _shame_ to pass up that road-trip," Bumblebee stated musingly.

"Terrible shame," Sideswipe agreed.

"_Horrible_ shame," Sunstreaker added, the way twins did.

"Does he have a time frame?" Optimus chuckled.

Mikaela smirked.

"He's wondering if Bumblebee could kindly pick him up in a half hour."

In moments, two predators and a scout were vibrating in their seats. Optimus was looking at them in amusement.

"No faster than you can process your scans," Optimus rumbled in amusement.

"Make it an order!" Bumblebee chirped gleefully. "Do it! =_Do-it-do-it-do-it! You-know-you-wanna-do-it!_="

Ironhide snorted back a laugh at that, Bee was annoying, sometimes, particularly before his vocal processors had been damaged. But he'd give the little bot this: He was damned good when it came to nudging the Prime into easing off the pressure inherent to the voice of command.

Will was staring back and forth at them.

Optimus was snorting back his laughter for all he was worth.

"Bumblebee, you, Sideswipe and Sunstreaker and... anyone else?" he asked curiously, dropping the voice of command and looking around.

"Skids, Mudflap, you're with me," Ratchet immediately stated.

"Aw yeah," Mudflap grinned.

"Yes sir!" Skids added cheerfully.

"Home patrol!" Prowl called out.

"Communications!" Jolt grinned.

"On call," Ironhide rumbled.

"Training," Arcee stated patiently.

"Inventing!" Wheeljack called out cheerfully.

"Recharge?" Mirage asked hopefully.

Optimus nodded.

"Auto-bots, roll out," he commanded with a broad grin, looking at the three.

Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, and Bumblebee all whooped and trotted out, down the corridor the sounds of them transforming and burning rubber had Ironhide grinning.

"Now then, if you could kindly unhand Chromia so that she is capable of _functioning_ enough to state whether you are in your berth or on training duty," Optimus rumbled in amusement.

"Berth. Now." Chromia stated flatly.

"Can't argue with that order," Optimus rumbled innocently.

"Oh really?" Mikaela asked innocently.

"Really," Optimus rumbled with a nod.

"Berth. Now." Mikaela stated flatly, barely touching the voice of command, more like a tease for another Prime.

Optimus smirked, stood and threw Kae over his shoulder.

"I shall return shortly, Major," Optimus rumbled with that same smirk.

"Not _that_ shortly," Mikaela stated quietly. "So when are we taking you on second honeymoon Will?" she added cheerfully, still dangling from Optimus' shoulder.

The Major lost his battle against howling with laughter, even as Optimus carried her out of the central.

"Hint hint?" Chromia asked sweetly.

Ironhide stood up and followed them.

Who was _he_ to defy his femme's order?


	138. 135 The Brain Trust

**To all of my dear readers and reviewers, a minor note and response to a few who ask for progression and a bit more drama: It's coming! I swear! Please please no flames I swear to you the drama and twists are coming! I already have it written out, the plotholes have been filled and the documents are already sitting (and glaring at me) in the Doc Manager.**

** My only excuse is this: I wrote this story as a hobby, never intending to actually publish it, except now I am. The only _r__eason_ I'm not appeasing (even my own, really) the multitude whom wish the story to pick up it's excitement quickly, and therefore update several of these slower chapters in one day, is that I'm rapidly running out of pre-written material. Once I'm _out_ of pre-written material I'm going to be down to once per week updates (If I'm lucky, my muses are being mean at the moment -_-) which I personally find kinda... scary. **

**But anyway, now I'm rambling... sorry... the DoTM arc is scheduled as it stands to begin in t-minus five chapters, I'm sitting on the edge of my seat, praying to all the gods currently listening that you my dear readers and reviewers will enjoy my personal little spins on it. However in the meantime:**

**Chapter 135 – The Brain Trust**

* * *

(OPOV)

Wednesday, according to the humans.

People were yelling at him again.

Optimus just wanted to get to the Library. The group of men who had cheerfully named themselves his human civilian brain-trust were going to be there in an hour.

He really didn't want to have to call and cancel again. He felt horrible every single time he had to do it, all because this new, interim director felt like yelling at him.

Again.

He glanced at Jolt to see the bot eyeing him rather sympathetically, in fact, the bot was running several processors and frequencies.

::. Your brain-trust is meeting in three quarters of an hour, right?.:: Kae sent to him quietly.

::. They are.:: Optimus rumbled sadly, watching the Director with a purposefully bland expression. Pit. Even _Will _was looking at him sympathetically.

::. Fidget.:: Kae sent to him. She sounded downright mischievous.

::. What?.::

::. Start fidgeting.:: she sent cheerfully.

Uncertain what his Kae was planning, Optimus began fidgeting. Which admittedly wasn't that difficult to do, he wanted to _anyway..._

Will and several of the techs were looking at him in astonishment the next moment. He rarely, if _ever_ allowed himself to fidget. Jolt was struggling not to just grin.

Five minutes of fidgeting and Kae strode into the communications central.

"Optimus," she stated perfunctorily. "For Primus sake _go_ already."

::. Look at me irritably.::

He turned to look at her irritably.

"We both know you're not going to get anything important done while you're fidgeting," Kae stated in amusement. "_Go._ Answer your instincts and come back with a fresh mind."

She patted his shoulder with a smile.

Optimus nodded and took no time in obeying his mate's orders.

::. What is your scheme?.:: he asked the second the doors closed.

::. Listen.:: she replied with a silent laugh.

"My apologies, Director, Gentlemen, my Optimus hasn't had the opportunity of late to answer his primary function," Mikaela stated calmly.

"What the hell is that supposed to be?" Director Stillson demanded.

"Research," Kae stated calmly. "Much as I am bound to serve as a healer at every chance that comes across, Optimus is still an archivist deep in his spark."

"What does that have to do with anything!?" Stillson shouted.

"Well, you can't exactly go against your nature," Jolt snorted. "You can't _help_ but get a bit antsy and irritable if you aren't allowed to perform your chosen profession after all."

Brilliant, wonderful bots, that's what his unit was. Brilliant, _wonderful _bots.

::. Jolt?.:: he asked in amusement.

::. Don't even worry about it.:: the technician sent to him cheerfully ::. I owe you several already, now go meet your brain-trust.::

Optimus grinned and fairly sauntered down the corridor, transforming and driving to the Library. His new favourite place next to his quarters.

There was a difference though, his quarters were only his favourite place when Kae was there with him. He _adored_ a good archive.

He parked, onlined his holoform and walked up the steps. The scent of knowledge, of paper and the hushed, reverent atmosphere immediately eased the tension from his processors. He had half an hour still, so he went to the precise book he'd left off at, gently taking it down from the shelf along with a half dozen more.

That should cover a half hour.

He settled into his favourite spot and opened to the right page, slowly scanning his way through the human's knowledge. He could scan it far faster, but he wanted to savour it.

The librarian looked at him in amusement anyway as he flipped another page every two seconds. But she was used to him now, occasionally laughing at his tactic of starting in one corner of the archives and reading his way through to the other corner.

He liked this place, he could be himself here.

Twenty five minutes passed, contentedly leafing through books.

"You made it!" Willy MacKin called out cheerfully, plonking down beside him.

"By the grace of my mate having the presence of processor to lie for me," Optimus snorted, leaning back in his chair and rolling his eyes.

"If your _woman_ makes your excuses for you to make your way here to gabble with us old fogies you sure as hell better _keep_ that one," Danny McAllistar stated cheerfully.

"To the end of days," Optimus nodded with a grin. "And beyond, she is my spark-bound after all."

"How's that work?" Roland Olsen_ –_ Rolly – asked cheerfully.

"Our marriage tradition is rather different from the humans'," Optimus rumbled with a smirk. "by virtue of bonding, our two sparks have become tied together, half of mine remains with her, and vice versa. We are tied together until one denies the other at the gates to the well of all-sparks."

"That's one hell of a belief," Rolly snorted.

"More than a belief, I _had_ a mate deny me at the gates," Optimus rumbled sadly. "There was a time, approximately one of your weeks, that I spent stretched between life and afterlife, begging her to let me follow her into our next lives."

"Jesus Mary and Joseph," Danny stated in a muted tone, shaking his head.

"Then the femme you have now?" Willy asked softly.

"Tells me every single time that I think of Elita, that she will wait for me at the gates, no matter how long it takes me to rejoin her," Optimus smiled fondly. "To the end of days and beyond I will follow and protect my Kae."

"Kae... wait... as in Mikaela Banes?" Ted Quesinberry demanded.

"The very same," Optimus grinned.

"So it's true? You made her an Auto-bot?" Ted demanded with a grin.

"For the universe I would not have changed her, she was already perfection," Optimus rumbled earnestly. "To save her life, we changed her to keep her forever."

"She was dying and still made that speech?" Rolly demanded with a grin.

"At the time she had already died and been revived," Optimus nodded. "And at the time we did not know she was dying again. My medical officer built her a new body, primarily so that if she continued to do the dangerous things she seems to _gravitate_ to, he would have a body to put her in when she destroyed her human one."

"So what happened?"

"We are still uncertain," Optimus rumbled with a frown. "I do not believe that even _Ratchet_ understands what the catalyst was, but Kae's body essentially converted itself into energon, it did not stop to preserve her life's functions, it did not stop to rationally understand that as it broke itself down into energon it left her spark completely vulnerable without a chamber to protect it. Ratchet barely had enough time to _finish_ her body before her spark was floating freely without protection."

"So you're not gonna make us a slave race, upload the lot of us into bot bodies?" Rolly grinned.

"Primus no!" Optimus snorted. "Kae was an anomaly which terrified us all. We have a human officer among us now who is slowly becoming bonded to my technician, we will upload her as well, but _only_ because she wishes it, so that they may spend a lifetime longer than your human one together. I have no doubt that when she offlines he will follow her, and personally, I would like that young bot to have the opportunity to _live_ again."

"That's adorable, now why did you blow us off last week?" Willy demanded with a snort.

"Not by choice," Optimus rumbled with a groan. "Director Stillson decided that it was in our best interest to spend five hours yelling himself hoarse."

"Five _hours!?_" Rolly demanded.

"I honestly felt bad for the soldiers in our communications room," Optimus rumbled with a snort. "Unfortunately, they are not to leave their post while one of the Directors is in the room. How _he _goes without food, drink or rest is beyond even _me. _And _my_ day is the equivalent of two of your _weeks._"

Danny burst out laughing.

"So then what, did you spend a few hours telling the man what an idiot he is?" he demanded with a broad grin.

"Unfortunately no," Optimus sighed. "For compassion sake I had to simply tell the man that he could take his leave."

"Compassion sake?"

"One of our female techs is pregnant, after five hours she looked close to _tears_ waiting to go to the bathroom. The second the Director had left I practically carried her there myself." Optimus snorted.

The men laughed and thumped his shoulders.

"Right, so lets get down to some serious debating," Jack Esker grinned.

This was the moment Optimus loved the most.

They spent _hours_ arguing, not one of them caring that he was an auto-bot, or an emperor. He was just another guy.

They moved to the café the second the human's stomachs were grumbling, and kept on arguing. It was how he learned. He loved it.

::. If you're still with your brain-trust.:: his Kae sent toward the end of the evening ::. invite them to _our_ place for your next wednesday meeting if you like.::

Optimus grinned as the food disappeared and the humans sat back contentedly.

"Gentlemen, I have a proposition for you," he rumbled with a grin.

"And that is?" Willy asked cheerfully.

"My Kae has offered to host our next meeting," Optimus smirked. "Which knowing her, means that she is _somehow_ scheming to irritate Director Stilson _further_."

"We get to see _your _headquarters!?" Danny grinned. "I'm in."

There were nods of enthusiastic agreement, and Optimus wrote down the instructions for them to arrive and gain entrance.

They bade each other good evening and Optimus winked his holoform out, as had become his habit around them. He revved his engines up and lightly touched his air horn as he drove past the group.

Mostly because it made them laugh.

He drove back to headquarters and found his Kae calmly removing her armour in their quarters. He smirked and disengaged his in one go, tackling his gorgeous femme to their berth and interfacing her to kingdom come.

She looked at him drowsily, a contented smile on her lips as they lay exhausted and tangled together.

"So I'll cook up some stew, annoy Director Stilson and leave you be," she murmured with a smile.

"You do not have to leave us," Optimus rumbled earnestly.

"You deserve to have your mechly brain-trust time to yourself," his Kae laughed softly.

"With you, I will gladly share everything," Optimus murmured contentedly, smiling and pulling his Kae closer.

* * *

(MPOV)

Wednesday arrived, I had a nice stew bubbling away in my human quarters. Optimus was still cheerful, his brain-trust was coming in today.

Even if Stillson was shouting again, the bots were all rather excited to meet Optimus' human group of new friends. It had reached the point that Barry and General Moreshower were kicking around somewhere. Actually, appearing in my doorway. Again.

"Are they gonna be here soon?" Barry demanded with a grin.

"What are you two on about?" I laughed at them.

"A man is defined by the men he calls his friends-" Chris started seriously.

"We wanna see what kind of people Prime gravitates to outside of military leadership stuff," Barry smirked at me. I laughed.

"Or you could save us the trouble, maybe let us steal a bowl of that stew..." Chris grinned, creeping up behind me, again.

"_Or,_ you can hold off and have a bowl of properly _finished _stew and fresh bread," I told him with a smirk.

"But it smells so gooood," Bumblebee whined.

"But it'll taste _better_ when it's _done!" _I replied for the umpteenth time.

::. The Brain-trust is arriving and Director Stilson is on the move.:: Sideswipe reported gleefully. I smirked.

"Bumblebee," I commanded. "You are under orders to guard this stew!"

He shot me pleading eyes. I rolled my own.

"Fine," I snorted, fishing out a couple of three spoons and scooping out a chunk of meat in each. "Taste and leave my stew _alone_!"

The males gleefully accepted the spoons, Bumblebee immediately wolfing his down and doing a bit of a dance as the hot meat and gravy burned his mouth.

"No, see you're doing it wrong son," Barry stated magnanimously, blowing delicately on his stew as I winked my holoform out.

::. What am I doing wrong?.:: Bumblebee asked curiously, putting their voices on the primary.

::. It's the first bite! You gotta let it cool for a moment, then just nibble at it for a while. You know, savour the fact that you got the first chunk of stew meat.:: Barry smirked.

::. You know the rules.:: I snorted, striding down the corridor.

::. Guard the stew.:: Bumblebee nodded firmly, but he was still grinning.

I made it to the entrance bay and haunted the door for a moment, lightly waving my Optimus back.

"What the hell are _they_ doing here!?" Stilson was shouting. "Who the hell gave them clearance!?"

"That would be Optimus and I, Director," I stated urbanely, striding into the entrance bay and towering over the man. "I apologize for his rudeness, Professors."

"Whoa! I thought you'd be _smaller_!" William MacKin grinned up at me in a normal tone. Optimus had obviously rubbed off on him.

"How the hell do you expect them to hear you talking that quietly? _Professor._" Stilson sneered quietly.

"By recognizing that my hearing is actually_ quite_ acute," I stated coldly, glaring down at the man.

He paled.

"Wow, gotta give him that, _normally_ folk are _running_ when she gives 'em _that_ look," Sideswipe piped up cheerfully.

"Oddly enough, at times I _prefer_ the running." I stated just as coldly.

"A smart man knows when he's gonna get squished," Danny nodded musingly. "Which means _we'd_ probably do better... oh... by that gold guy over there, he looks nice, and that's a _seriously_ wicked paintjob."

He promptly wandered over to Sunny.

It was all I could do to not laugh as Sunstreaker grinned at the man.

I glared at the Director for another moment before rolling my optics.

"Gentlemen," I smiled at the brain-trust, winking my holoform online. "Shall we adjourn to the war room?"

"Do we get to blow shit up?" Danny asked cheerfully.

"Perhaps not today," I stated musingly.

"Damn. Let's go anyway," Rolly grinned. The group promptly laughed, following my holoform to the other end of the Entrance Bay. Danny threw Sunny a bright salute and scrambled after us.

"I like him," Sunny grinned to Sides.

"You like anyone who compliments your paintwork," Sides grinned at his brother.

"The squishy has good taste in paintwork," Sunstreaker stated airily.

"Go on brother, I'll be there shortly." Sides snorted.

Sunny immediately strode after us.

I shared a glance with Sideswipe as he continued idly sharpening his blades, watching Stilson out of the corner of his optic before looking back at the man.

"Good evening, Director," I stated calmly before turning and walking after myself.

Out in the corridor, my holoform froze slightly as I walked.

The Professors were looking at me in concern.

"You need not worry," Optimus stated with a smile, striding carefully toward them and meeting me at the doors. "For the best of us, simultaneously running a holoform and walking is a true test of wills. Not only is it two visual perspectives at radically different heights, but our true forms _do_ require far more care when moving in the same arena as those smaller than us. Willy, Danny, Jack, Rolly, Ted, it is good to see you again," my Optimus rumbled with a grin.

"Holy _crap_ you_ are_ huge!" Ted stated cheerfully, looking _way_ up at my Optimus. "One of these years you're gonna have to try 'n explain how you squash down into that truck form of yours. That's just cool."

Optimus laughed and knelt down, offering his hands.

"Care for a lift? For your strides it is a sizable distance to our quarters," Optimus rumbled with a grin. Five humans cheerfully plonked down into his hands.

"For _our_ strides, how long for _yours_?" Willy snorted.

"Twenty-five steps when he's showing off," I laughed, offlining my holoform. "Thirty two for me now, but it took me three hundred and seventy-eight to get from my quarters to the med-bay as a human, double that for communications. We're going to have to wait to eat for a bit, Will, Sarah, Anabelle and Ironhide haven't arrived yet," I added, looking up at my Optimus.

"Primus forbid us to eat before Ironhide gets here," Optimus snorted.

"The throwdown would be epic though," Ratchet piped up cheerfully, finally emerging from the med-bay. "Can you imagine it? He'd be demanding the throwdown and so completely distracted by Anabelle in his holoform's arms Skids and Mudflap would have him on his aft in minutes!"

"Gentlemen, may I introduce my First Medical Officer Ratchet-" Optimus rumbled.

"Hold off the introductions youngling," Ratchet snorted. "At least wait until we're sitting down and have the holoforms online, no sense in saying 'hi I'm Ratchet' and then say it _again_ so I can shake some hands."

"That sounds like an ongoing argument," Jack snorted.

"Which would make you correct-" Ratchet started.

"However I have you in my hands at the moment, which has saved me being hit by a wrench," Optimus finished with a snort, turning into our quarters. I laughed and settled down on the berth, waving Sunny in to join us as Bee promptly began bouncing around.

"Are they here can we eat yet!?" he demanded with a grin.

"They are here, but we must wait for Ironhide," Optimus rumbled with a snort, lightly setting the humans down. "Jack, Ted, Willy, Rolly, Danny, our scout, designation Bumblebee." Bumblebee chirped gleefully, waving with his mech form before jumping up on our berth and squirming in to cuddle against me, Sunstreaker right beside him.

"Remind me to thank Ironhide, again," Optimus rumbled with a smile, sitting down and winding an arm around me. I looked at him curiously.

"It was his insistence that gave us these joined quarters," he smiled.

"I will," I laughed gently before onlining my holoform with his.

"Oh, wow, it _is_ you then," Willy grinned at me. I looked at him curiously.

"_You're_ the gorgeous femme who's always shooing Optimus out of here," Jack snorted. I began laughing, looking at my Optimus fondly.

"You know you were perfectly allowed-" I started.

"To state that it was simply my own free will that gets me to the library?" Optimus snorted. "What is the fun in that, I have the perfect mate-"

"Gotta let your bot brag," Rolly grunted amiably. I laughed at the lot of them and turned to see another group of bots standing with broad grins at the doors. Even the wreckers had flown in for tonight, Epps sitting gleefully on Leadfoot's shoulder.

"Don't forget to save some room for Ironhide to sit," I stated firmly. "We're going to wind up sitting on each other if we're all on the berth, so Jolt, go for it," I snorted.

The tech whooped and scrambled up, his Lena laughing and holding on for dear life as he squirmed into my chest-plates. He onlined his holoform on my legs, helped Lena down and took her hand. They both walked to the edge of the berth and looked down.

Sideswipe was laughing at them as he lifted them down.

I rolled my holoform's eyes and smiled at the newest humans in the group.

"Don't be shy, and don't be strangers you lot," I smiled as they stared around themselves in awe. "The human sized stuff is this way, and no doubt the lot of them will sort out their spots and online their holoforms in short order."

I turned and walked into my quarters and shot a mocking glare at my little-brother's holoform as he stood innocently.

Which of course meant he'd done something.

"What did you do?" I demanded with a snort.

"Don't blame him," Barry stated cheerfully, "He didn't even get to _taste_ his _first_ bite of meat, can't blame him for grabbing a second."

"And of course if _I_ got a second chunk what's the fairness that _they_ didn't?" Bee asked innocently.

"_Just_ a second?" I asked in amusement.

"Just a second," Bumblebee nodded firmly.

"Brat that he is," Chris grumbled, struggling to keep his face straight.

"Fair enough," I snorted, "away with you, I'm starting to think you're more interested in my kitchen than settling your bet."

"How'd you know we have a bet going?" Barry asked curiously.

"When do you ever _not?_" I demanded with a snort.

"True," Chris shrugged as the groups of humans and holoforms began wandering through the open 'new technology reveal'. "Professor _MacKin_!?"

"General, still blowing shit up?" Willy asked cheerfully, walking forward and shaking the man's hand.

"Nah, haven't you heard? Way easier just to let this lot do it," Chris snorted.

"How is _that_ easier? Optimus _still_ won't take my recommendation to vaporize Stilson." Willy snorted.

"What gives you that authority?" Barry demanded.

"I _taught_ the idiot, if _he's _in politics, Optimus would be doing _humanity_ a _favour." _

"Ah."

"So what happened to our usual hours of sitting around shooting the shit?" Jack asked in amusement as Optimus winked his holoform to stand among them, his hands shoved in his pockets.

"It _began_ as me simply cooking the six of you some dinner and leaving you be," I snorted from my kitchen.

"The lot of _us_ just invited ourselves along," Ratchet added cheerfully. "Optimus is just too scrapping nice to say 'no! I want my alone time with the brain-trust."

Off in the corner, Lena was looking at Jolt's holoform somewhat critically again.

"What?" Jolt laughed at her.

"Don't get me wrong, it's a nice holoform, but I still like _you_ better," she stated with a small pout. Jolt beamed at her.

"OH! You're _that_ one then!" Danny stated cheerfully, reaching out and shaking her hand as she looked at him in bemusement.

"Sir?" she asked curiously.

"Sir nothing, 'Professor' if you absolutely must, Danny is preferable. Now then, Miss Davies? I'm told you're going to become a bot-" the man started cheerfully. Lena stared at him warily. "Oh! I'm sorry, Doctor Daniel MacAllistar, I'm a psychologist, I was wondering if I could study your mind during the transition."

"See, _that's_ why you never have any patients Danny, you don't have the patience to ease your way into not scaring your patients away." Jack stated cheerfully. Sideswipe howled.

Bots and humans were everywhere, I checked the timing on the bread and commed Ironhide.

::. What's your ETA uncle?.:: I asked him cheerfully.

"Two minutes ago," he rumbled aloud with a snort, walking into Optimus' and my quarters, he lightly picked Chromia up and settled her in his lap as she sighed appreciatively.

Will, Sarah, Anabelle and Ironhide's holoform walked in the next moment.

"They're _here!_" Bumblebee howled. "_Now_ can we eat!?"

Then of course the dearest of scenes, Sarah grinned and set Anabelle down. The toddler surveyed the scene for a moment before spying my mate's holoform.

"Unka Oppamus!" she squealed at the top of her lungs and promptly scrambled through the multitude of legs to launch herself at my mate's knees.

Optimus laughed and scooped her up.

_How is it with you, cherished one?∂_ he rumbled with a fond smile.

_Good good,∂_ Anabelle stated cheerfully, she turned to look at the Brain-trust seriously as Optimus looked at them.

"Gentlemen, our Major's daughter, Anabelle," Optimus stated with a smile. He looked at Anabelle. "'Bell, this is Danny, Jack, Willy, Ted, and Rolly."

"Iss nice a meechoo," Anabelle stated seriously, nodding. "An _don_' say I a parro, I know wha I a sayin!"

"Remarkable!" Danny stated wide-eyed. "How old are you Anabelle?"

"I fwee," Anabelle stated proudly, holding up her fingers. Three.

"Anabelle's palate is still soft and forming," Ratchet stated seriously. "I have no doubt that by the time she is five her accent will be better."

"Fanks wa'chet," Anabelle grinned at him. She held her arms out and the gruff and grumbling bot's holoform immediately softened into a grandfather's beaming smile. He lightly plucked Anabelle from Optimus' arms and wandered away with her, the two of them chatting in Cybertronian. I couldn't help but laugh softly at that.

Bumblebee promptly attached himself to my hip, shooting puppy dog eyes at me.

"You." I stated firmly.

"Me?" he asked innocently.

"Are very lucky that I have dessert for this evening as well, or you would be in deep drone-shit little-brother," I smirked at him.

"Do we get to eat _yet!?_" he demanded with a broad grin.

"Yes we get to eat," I laughed, hugging his holoform. "Grab the dishes out of the cupboard you dastardly tall little bot!"

"I don't get it, you call him little-brother and he's taller than you?" Rolly asked curiously.

"Kae matured faster than me 'cause she's human and you guys mature _really_ fast," Bumblebee stated cheerfully. "So before she was a bot she was perspectively older than me cause she's smarter and more mature and she's my big sister because her spark is more powerful than mine anyway."

"Not by much," I laughed.

"Enough that you're a Prime and rightfully bonded to our Prime!" Bumblebee chirped excitedly, setting bowls down and bouncing as I began ladling bowls full from the enormous pot.

"Alright, _walk!_" I commanded Bumblebee as he gleefully accepted his bowl of stew. "If you spill that it'll take _forever_ to get it out of your systems!"

"It would be _so_ worth it though," Bee stated musingly. I glared at him as he chirped with laughter, walking to my enormous coffee table and plonking down on a cushion beside Jolt and Lena. In moments I was surrounded by a mob of hungry people and gleeful holoforms.

"I didn't know you guys ate normal... sorry, human food," Danny stated cheerfully.

"It's more of a treat for us," Ratchet snorted. "We don't get much energon from it, but my spark-daughter is a true master of your human cuisines, it's _still_ a shock to us that you don't vaunt the sheer sensuality of eating."

"And once again," I laughed. "We... ugh, sorry, _humans_ generally eat three times a day, it becomes as routine as transforming."

"What's it like to transform?" Rolly immediately asked with a broad grin.

"Oh Primus," I laughed. "It's... how do I _explain it!?_ I thought it would be painful, every time I saw Ironhide transforming he had sparks shooting from his shoulder-"

"But you fixed it," Ironhide snorted. I grinned at him.

"But it's not, we simply... fold? We become compressed, I don't know, in my alternate form the best I can explain it is that I'm curled up."

"So when you're back in your root mode?" Danny asked intently.

"It's like having been curled up for several hours, and then the glorious feeling of unwinding from your chair," I smiled. "The feel of your muscles _working_ again... sort of... I don't really get cramped up anymore, no lactic acid, just the tingling feel of your muscles working again."

"Like stretching out on your bed just before you go to sleep?" Willy asked curiously.

"_Exactly!_" I grinned.

"I felt that through you," my Optimus rumbled musingly. "It _is_ an incredible feeling..."

"Annie Kae!" Anabelle demanded, clinging to my holoform's skirt. I lightly scooped her up and deposited her on my hip.

"Yes my dear?" I smiled at her.

"Me too?" she asked cheerfully.

"Yes you too," I laughed gently. "Just don't forget to blow on it, it's still hot."

"Yes Annie Kae," Anabelle grinned at me.

I grinned and pecked a kiss to her forehead, walking with a small bowl and settling her at the table between Ratchet and Arcee.

"Why I a-ways get da widdle bowl?" Anabelle demanded.

"Because you and I are tiny people, and tiny people eat small bowls," I smiled at her, indicating my own small bowl as Optimus set it down. "If you're still hungry after you've finished that you can have more." I added.

She grinned and immediately poked her finger into the bowl, pulled it out, licked the gravy off and sat patiently, looking around herself as she waited for her stew to cool.

The professors were looking at her in fascination.

"Wha?" she asked curiously.

"How is it that you are so advanced?" Danny asked in fascination.

Anabelle screwed up her face in thought.

"Unka Oppamus _∂how do I explain my education?∂"_ she asked curiously.

"By stating that your initial human speech patterns closely paralleled Cybertronian," Optimus rumbled with a smile. "Rather than trying to blindly learn your parent's language, we were simply able to translate for you."

"Wha he sai'," Anabelle stated with a broad grin, pointing at my Optimus.

The entire group laughed, Anabelle right along with them.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus sat back on the sofa, pulling his Kae's holoform tight to his side and loving the way she still squirmed slightly into just the right position.

Willy looked at them with a benign smile.

"It takes a good woman to make a man feel like a king," he stated with a smile. Optimus snorted slightly.

"I was already an Emperor, and ruled Cybertron for five vorn before she was torn apart by war," he rumbled placidly. "No, it takes a true femme to make a bot feel _worthy_ of that title."

"So cute," Ratchet snorted.

"Sap," Ironhide added tauntingly.

"Oh let him have it, he has incredible taste in femmes after all," Chromia laughed.

"Oh, I'll agree with that, a woman that'll make her man's excuses for him to run off to waste several hours talking with _us!?_" Jack demanded with a laugh. "I propose a pact, here and now. If Optimus _ever_ let's that woman go we get together and beat the _tar_ out of him."

"Done!" Ironhide rumbled with a snort, reaching his hand to the centre of the table.

Optimus couldn't help it, he reached his hand forward and covered the grouping of hands.

"Come off it! You're joining a pact to beat _yourself_ up!?" Ted demanded with a laugh.

"I happen to agree with you, if I were ever foolish enough to let her go, I would _deserve_ to be slagged." Optimus rumbled firmly.

"Ugh, remind me to tell you what it _feels _like to be slagged before you say _that._" Jolt shuddered beside his Lena.

"My apologies, Jolt," Optimus immediately rumbled, reaching for the technician's holo.

Jolt looked around for a moment and cocked his head slightly, looking at his Lena.

"Albeit..." he stated musingly. "You're right, you know, a slagging's _nothing_ to losing your intended."

"_Amen,_" Ratchet muttered vehemently. Arcee promptly buried herself into him, stretching to press a kiss to his jaw, making him smile again.

"But onto better topics," his Kae stated gently.

"Indeed, why haven't you vaporized Stilson yet!?" Willy demanded.

Optimus couldn't help but grin as the room began howling again, albeit quietly, Anabelle was sound asleep on the enormous rocking bed behind the screens. Optimus looked around himself, surrounded by friends, family.

His Kae cuddled against him a bit more, in both body and holoform.

Out of the sight from the humans he turned slightly in his spot on their berth and caught his Kae's temple with a gentle kiss. He was jolted somewhat back into the perspective of his holoform.

"Where'd you go?" Willy demanded with a laugh.

"His mind snuck away to kiss Kae," Jolt reported cheerfully.

"Okay _that_ can be forgiven," Danny nodded with a snort.

"That is very kind of you," Optimus rumbled in a mockingly serious tone. The group laughed again, the banter and debates continuing late into the night.

Willy finally couldn't bite back a yawn.

"You're welcome to stay the night," Will stated with a smile. "We have a good number of guest quarters here."

"Excellent idea," Rolly yawned. "Thank you, Major."

"We still rolling back?" Epps asked Roadbuster curiously.

"Aye, I think so," the Wrecker nodded calmly. "You want to catch us up?"

"Nah, you're driving," Epps snorted.

"Done!" Roadbuster grinned.

"Good to see you again man," Will grinned, catching Epps' shoulder.

"You still coming for christmas?" Sarah asked cheerfully.

"Wouldn't miss it, see you guys around," Epps grinned before following Roadbuster's holoform. Optimus watched with a smile as the crowd dispersed, both from his Kae's human quarters and from their own.

"My place or yours?" Lena murmured to her Jolt with a small smirk. Jolt looked at her for a long moment.

"Lena..." he started softly.

"Oh... uh..." she started, blushing slightly and looking down.

"Would..." Jolt stuttered softly.

Optimus looked at them worriedly for a moment as they looked away from each other, he couldn't help but sense that there was a miscommunication happening somewhere, but for the life of him he didn't know _what._

_Did you wish some time to yourself, Jolt?∂_ Mikaela murmured to his metal body.

"No!" Jolt's holoform stated in shock.

"Huh?" Lena asked curiously.

"Oh, uh... Kae just asked if I wanted time to myself, I don't, I wanted to know if..." Jolt trailed off again, blushing.

"Jolt," Lena murmured with a small smile, lightly catching his holoform's hand. He looked at her shyly. "It's _me." _

Jolt snorted.

"Would you mind if I started referring to my room as _our_ quarters?" he asked softly.

Lena's eyes widened in shock. She looked at his holoform for a moment and ran through the doors to the Prime quarters proper.

Toward _Jolt._

Jolt was sitting in shock in his Kae's lap. Optimus shook his head with a low snort as Lena stopped at the base of their berth and swore.

"I need a damned _ladder_!" she shouted.

Optimus chuckled and leaned forward, gently offering her his hand.

She beamed at him as he delicately deposited her onto Jolt's re-animated form.

"I'd be honoured," she murmured, climbing his chest-plates to press a gentle kiss to the technician's faceplates.

"Don't take it too hard, Jolt," Optimus rumbled in a gently teasing tone. "I _proposed_ to my Kae and she left my holoform in the middle of the room."

"But we'd rather say it to our _bots,_ not your human representations," his Kae murmured with a gentle smile. "I wanted _you,_ not your holoform."

"Exactly," Lena nodded firmly, kissing her Jolt's faceplates again. The technician's spark began resonating the sweet sounds of joy. Optimus smiled at them as Jolt cradled his Lena close, squirming off of the berth and toward the doors.

Finally, it was simply the two of them sitting side by side.

Mikaela's holoform was wandering around her former quarters, quietly clearing away the last of the mess, singing softly as she did.

He onlined his holoform and looked at her curiously, waiting for her to give him a task.

"Don't worry about it, my love," she smiled at him. "I'm almost done."

Optimus thought about that for a long moment.

He offlined his holoform, reached over and began lightly playing with his Kae's body. Her singing broke off with a small squeak.

"Optimus!" she moaned softly.

"Mmm?" he hummed curiously. "I _still_ do not know how you managed with a single processor, my Kae. Perhaps now that you are a bot you can show me?"

He slid a hand down and began teasing her sweet spot.

"Thats... scrapping... _cheating!_" she moaned, sagging into him.

Her hand reached out and began stroking his codpiece. Almost of it's own accord, his spike freed itself to nudge at her hand.

It was his turn to moan, his Kae turned and straddled him, lipping at his neck struts the next moment.

"Optimus Prime, disengage your armour to allow for your spark-mate's attentions," his Kae purred into his auditory receptors, lightly caressing the voice of command.

"Thats... scrapping... _cheating!_" Optimus moaned, even as his Kae smirked at him and his armour fell away from his frame.

His gorgeous, powerful, exquisite femme.

* * *

**Oh, and Director Stilson (I know I haven't really given _any_ depth to his character) is simply an interim Director to be replaced quite soon. He's literally Galloway the second, and to be honest? I wrote out his rant, and even imagining him _screaming_ it I was literally bored to tears re-reading it. Hence the exclusion. **

**But really, Galloway and Galloway the second aren't allowed to talk anymore. I duct taped their mouthes shut. **


	139. 136 Speed Demons Come in All Forms

**Chapter 136 – Speed Demons Come in All Forms**

* * *

(BPOV)

Bumblebee was bouncing around, he knew it. He knew he looked like a little youngling _doing _it. But he couldn't _help_ it.

The races were next week, half an orn. He thought about it for a long moment and grinned, bouncing into the med-bay; see if his sister would do a full systems check on him.

He wanted to be at his absolute _fastest!_

Kae looked up at him and began laughing as he plonked his head on her workbench.

"Let me guess, you want a full tuneup?" she asked with a tolerant smile, just the way his big sister _always_ did. Bee couldn't help but grin.

That was _his_ big-sister.

"Pleeeaaassseeeee?" he asked gleefully.

Kae laughed and sat back on her bench, onlining her holoform.

"Well then get down here you great prat!" she called up to him cheerfully.

That was just cool.

Bee immediately transformed, idling toward his sister's holoform as she directed him to the lift. It was automatic for her, she drained his oil, changed his filter, filled it up and closed his system properly. Then she went back and took care of his coolants, his secondary lubricants.

"=Alright little-brother, rev it up!=" she told him cheerfully. In scout. He _loved_ it when the Primes talked to him in scout. He brought his engine online and revved up gleefully, feeling the new lubricants working their way through his systems properly. That _always_ felt awesome. Kae had his hood up still, she was listening to him intently.

"=Getting a bit of a hesitation in the third piston,=" she stated calmly, she reached into his systems and began gently tweaking his timing. Once she did he noted where it was going off.

"=My-=" he started.

"=Injector is a bit loose,=" Kae continued for him, the way she always did, even as she tightened it to just the right spot.

Bumblebee revved up until the pre-warnings began firing off. He checked his RPM and began hooting gleefully.

Fifteen thousand, the other cars couldn't even manage _ten!_

Oh he was gonna _win! _Not only was he gonna win he was gonna make the other cars _cry._ Kae was laughing at him.

"Just remember, keep it to the speeds that you can still sufficiently scan for obstacles," she admonished him with a smile.

"Warp factor two," Bumblebee played the soundbyte gleefully.

Kae lightly whacked his fender with her holoform's hand and wandered off, Bumblebee began idling toward the med-bay doors.

"And where do you think you're going?" Kae called out indignantly, carrying a bucket and her polisher toward where he'd been.

Bumblebee immediately let loose his own burbling chirp of glee, immediately plonking himself right back into his spot.

"You thought now that I'm a bot I'm not going to polish your armour anymore?" Kae asked in a mockingly hurt tone.

Bee brought his holoform online to catch hers in a hug.

"But it makes it just that more special to me," he stated earnestly. Kae kissed his cheeks and began wiping his armour down.

Not only was he gonna make the competition cry, he was gonna look _damn_ good doing it. He began humming contentedly as his sister spoiled him the way she always had. She spent a long time making sure he looked just right, even repairing the almost microscopic nick in his paint.

He couldn't stop humming gleefully, singing with his sister as she maintained him. He had the bestest sister in the universe. And he was gonna go race and he was gonna make the competition _cry_. And then he would be able to come back here, and give his sister the trophy, because it was because of _her_ that he was the fastest and best looking racer.

"There we go," Mikaela told him gently. "Did I miss anything?"

"Nope!" Bumblebee chirped gleefully, transforming and striding to his sister proper. He caught her in as big a hug as he could manage, and he couldn't stop grinning as she hugged him back, cuddling him.

"Right, we'll give your armour a touchup and your engines another once over just before race day," Kae told him teasingly.

Bee couldn't stop his gleeful chirp as he scampered off for his scout duty.

He loved his unit, he wanted to keep them safe. He loved his sister, he loved being a scout. Life was _awesome!_

He was still watching the website, waiting for the _second_ the signup opened up.

Finally, _finally _it unlocked. Bumblebee instantly loaded the form and scanned the rules, driving back toward headquarters.

His processor stopped dead.

'All vehicles must have no more or less than one human occupant'

Human occupant. No less than one _human_ occupant.

Which meant they'd probably known that he was gonna enter. They didn't want a bot in their races.

Bumblebee took off for headquarters, drove into the entrance bay and transformed. He fairly ran into the med-bay and hurled himself onto his sister, sobbing his optics out.

* * *

(MPOV)

I watched with a smile as Bee scampered off for his scout duty. My dear little-brother had been behaving himself _impeccably_ for the past three months, he wanted to race that badly. He didn't know that the entire unit was quietly preparing to stand at the finish line to cheer him on. A race was a brilliant thing after all, and my little brother's enthusiasm had spurred _everyone's _efforts.

Even several of the soldiers were coming along.

I looked up and smiled as my Optimus strode in, settling down comfortably beside me as General Moreshower wandered in beside Will. He was looking rather longingly at my espresso machine.

"Coffee General?" I asked him teasingly.

"Please?" he asked with a grin.

I laughed and brought my holoform back online, walking to the machine and turning it on. I leaned against the counter and looked at him in amusement.

"Did you want to learn how to use this thing, or am I better off just making it for you?" I asked him with a smile.

"You always make it better than I could," Chris snorted. "To business?"

I looked up at my Optimus curiously.

"You are my second in command," Optimus rumbled with an innocent look. "I find it a relief to have your point of view."

"Flatterer," I told him with my own body, stretching slightly to kiss his jaw.

I listened calmly as they went over the week's issues.

"Last but not the least irritating," Chris stated amicably. "Any change on the weapons thing?"

"Nope," Optimus rumbled calmly.

"Logged as another reaming out aand, done," Chris Moreshower grinned as Lennox laughed beside him. I looked up in alarm as Bumblebee fairly ran into the med-bay.

Automatically, I held my arms out and pulled him close as he hurled himself onto me, sobbing his optics out.

"Bee? Oh Bee what happened baby brother?" I asked gently, rocking him as he cried.

Several minutes, and a gallon of tears.

"They... they don't want..." Bee began choking out. I rocked him as Optimus watched his scout worriedly.

"Bee?" I prompted him gently.

He burst out sobbing again and sent me the rules to the races. I scanned them and sighed.

"Is..." General Moreshower asked gently as I rocked my sobbing brother. Optimus scanned the rules as well and slid closer, winding his arms around us both.

"Bumblebee has been behaving himself impeccably for the past few months, waiting for the races next week," Optimus rumbled gently. "However he just received the entry form and rules, there is a paragraph stating that all cars need no less than one human occupant."

"They don't want a bot in their races!" my little brother howled miserably, burying himself into my chest plates and sobbing.

For the first time in a good while, I had absolutely no idea what to say about that.

"What does the paragraph say exactly?" General Moreshower asked curiously.

"All vehicles must have no more or less than one human occupant." Optimus rumbled sadly, rubbing my little brother's back gently.

"Oh! _Shotgun_!" Chris Moreshower howled.

"What? Oh no fair!" Will howled beside him. "I vote we draw straws, winner rides with Bee to fill in for the human occupant!"

"Nope, _I _called _shotgun_," Moreshower smirked.

"Fine. _Next _year, we draw straws," Will grumped, I looked down at him in amusement as he smirked regardless.

Bumblebee hiccoughed and stared at them in shock.

"You mean?" he chirped hopefully.

"At the human level I _might_ have to carry your trophy around for you, but I'm _definitely_ gonna make them put your name on it." Chris smirked at him. I beamed at the man.

Optimus was grinning.

"Our human allies are strong," he rumbled, smiling at his scout. "I have no doubt that you will drive with the utmost caution for pedestrians and your passenger. No faster than your scanners can process."

Bumblebee squirmed out of my arms and began howling, doing a dance.

"Warp factor two Captain!" he played the old soundbyte gleefully.

"So you're gonna come pick me up for the races?" Chris asked cheerfully, darting in to whack Bee's ankle. "You know, use my generalship for a warmup lap?"

I covered my mouth as Bumblebee swooped down, gathering Chris into his hands and dancing around again.

Optimus and I watched somewhat worriedly until Chris punched his arms in the air, belting out 'we are the champions' right alongside my little brother.

Optimus looked down at me in amusement and I couldn't help but stretch slightly to press a gentle kiss to his lips.

::. Are we set still?.:: he rumbled over our private channel.

::. We are.:: I smiled at him.

* * *

(BPOV)

Race day. It was race day.

Bumblebee practically scrambled off of his berth, fully charged cells, he scampered carefully into the med-bay and grinned at his sister as she laughed at him.

But she still onlined her holoform.

"Get down here you brat," she laughed at him.

Best morning ever.

She checked his lubricants and coolants, and tightened his timing until his engine was purring perfectly. Then, then she polished his armour until he was _gleaming. _

He revved up gleefully and checked his chronometer.

"Sunstreaker and Sideswipe have your scout duty covered, they don't want you to scratch your paint for the races," his sister informed him with a laugh.

Bumblebee chirped a laugh and settled for driving circles around headquarters.

Major Lennox looked at him for a long moment as he waited for the humans to get out of the way.

"You know General Moreshower is waiting for you to pick him up right?" he asked with a grin, looking at his watch. "Or he will be in twenty minutes."

Bumblebee chirped and idled into the entrance bay.

"Knock 'em dead!" Ironhide called out to him with a broad grin, transforming in the bay. "Bring the _hurt _my nephew!_"_

"Sir yes sir!" Bumblebee chirped gleefully, he squealed his tires a little before driving up the ramp. A quick drive and he parked out front of the Pentagon.

General Moreshower was being followed by a few more humans.

"But sir!" one of the men protested.

"I'll be back in a few hours," the General snorted.

A disappointed group of humans watched as the General slipped into the driver's seat. Bee took off.

"So it's agreed, I sit here and pretend to drive while you take care of the vectors?" the man grinned.

"You, are the best _ever!_" Bumblebee chirped happily, speeding a bit along his favourite stretch of highway.

"Races start?"

"Half an hour," Bumblebee smirked. He revved his engine up just as he parked in the spot one of the humans directed him to.

The General got out and promptly began showing him off.

That felt awesome. The general got respect 'cause he was already a general.

But the _general_ was bragging about _him. _

_Awesome. _

Bumblebee was almost bouncing on his tires as the General finally slipped back into his seat.

"All yours," he murmured, touching the ignition for a moment before laying an idle hand on Bee's steering wheel.

Bee couldn't hold back the vicious grin as he idled into his spot.

He chose the back.

"Really?" Chris murmured curiously.

"It's only fair, let them get a head-start," Bumblebee smirked.

They waited. The general was grinning.

Finally, _finally_ the flag waved and the cars ahead of and beside him sped off.

Bumblebee took off at a modest pace.

"What!?" the general demanded.

"It's not enough to win, General," Bee told him airily. He smirked. "_We're_ gonna make them _cry." _

Every car was now a half mile ahead of him.

Maximum overdrive.

Bee squealed his tires and took off.

The General was howling. Cheering him on.

The rear cars tried to block him.

Pff, _Decepticons_ were harder to pass. Bumblebee squeezed through the inadvertently left opening and raced ahead. The lead car was struggling, Bee could smell the exhaust, he wasn't burning his fuel efficiently.

Sucker.

A burst of speed to make his non-sentient counterparts envious and Bee was in the lead. He scanned ahead of himself.

Oh scrap.

There was a person on the road. Crossing the road. _Standing in the road!_

_Person standing in the middle of the road!_

"Emergency Action!" Bumblebee barked out. He transformed, the general in one hand, the stranger in the other. Bee rolled, carefully deposited the pedestrian on the sidewalk with a field stabilizing him – not a scratch – and transformed again. General in the seat, he took off at high speed. Still in the lead.

The general was silent for a moment.

"You good?" Bee asked cheerfully.

"THAT WAS SO COOL!" the general finally bellowed.

The two of them were howling with laughter as Bee whizzed through the next stretch. He tuned into the commentary and laughed as the humans howled about him being in the race. They were going on and on about the human he'd just saved.

Because they'd seen it. Camera point. _Sweet!_

The human had gone walking in the middle of the road.

_He'd _stopped a major accident and that person gettin' squished.

And he was still in the lead.

One more mile, he turned a corner and almost screeched to a halt.

His unit. His _entire unit_ was standing transformed at the finish line.

"_Bring the hurt Bee!_" his Uncle Ironhide bellowed at him.

Bee threw on every ounce of speed he had, the General thrown back into his seat and howling.

He passed that finish line at top speed, his unit cheering him on.

Best. Day. _Ever_.

He'd transformed once, the gig was up. So he transformed, the General hooting and cheering in his hand.

Humans were running toward them, people shouting angrily.

"Let me down," the general murmured with a frown. "You won that race fair and square, and you let 'em have a head-start to boot. _This_ battle is _mine."_

Bumblebee looked down at the general in shock.

Moreshower nodded to him and Bumblebee set him down.

"What's the problem here?" the General asked sternly, walking to stand in front of the bots with his arms crossed.

"What the fuck is an alien doing in our races!?" one of the other drivers demanded. He sounded completely furious.

"Winning," the general stated calmly. "After giving you a head-start."

"Well what name do we put on the trophy?" another asked, several humans turned to yell at _him_ instead. Bumblebee recognized him finally, one of the race organizers.

"Listen up!" the Major shouted, the people went quiet.

"Bumblebee followed the race rules to the letter," the general barked sternly. "Specifically, there was no more or less than one human occupant riding with him. Simply because it was _him_ driving, keeping his speed _down_ to the point that he was fully capable of processing his scans of the forward areas you might say that he was the _safest_ driver in the race. _His_ name will go on the trophy."

"Why the hell aren't you having your own races?" another demanded sternly.

"We _had_ our own races," Optimus rumbled _far_ more sternly. _Nobody_ could beat his Prime in vocal extremes. "however, being as our planet has been destroyed by war, I cannot enter my scout into our own races, there is no one left _to_ race. But that does _not_ mean that I will allow the younglings under my care to lose out on the experiences and games I matured with."

"Well then why aren't you just racing among yourselves?" the driver demanded angrily.

"Bin there, _done_ that one hundred and forty eight times," Ironhide rumbled with a smirk.

Bumblebee looked around himself, quite ready to cry. His entire unit was standing around him, behind him.

"What is it little-brother?" Mikaela murmured, kneeling down and gently cupping his cheek.

"I'm sorry that I don't getta give you the trophy big-sister," Bumblebee stated softly. "I only wanted to give it to _you_ anyway."

"What need have we of trophies?" his sister asked with a gentle laugh, winding her arms around him. "I have _you." _

Bumblebee grinned, then looked down at the car that had come in second.

"Trophy's all yours," he smirked. He turned around and looked at Ratchet in shock.

The Medic had innocently pulled a trophy out of his subspace, the very thing showing every indication of having been a group effort in it's creation.

Because those welds were clearly Ratchet's work, but that chrome work could _only_ have come from Sunstreaker and Sideswipe! They'd worked together for _him!? _It was _gorgeous!_

"That one's kinda _puny_ anyway," Ratchet smirked, nodding to the trophy in the human's hands. The humans looked kinda awestruck at the size of _his _trophy.

"Race you to the pentagon?" Bumblebee asked innocently, looking down at the General.

"You wanna clear the racetrack?" the general smirked at the organizer.

"No flying," Sides smirked at Kae.

Big-sister smirked right back at the predator and folded into the same configuration as her mate. Ratchet handed Bee his trophy, which he subspaced, folding back into his alt-form.

A flag man ran into the middle of the road as the unit lined up, engines roaring. His Primes flanked him, giving him a few inches forward.

When the flag waved, even _Ratchet _squealed his tires.

Best. Day. _Ever_.


	140. 137 Weapons Master's Niece

**Chapter 137 – Weapons Master's Niece**

* * *

(IPOV)

Ironhide looked around himself irritably. The Dires were in the city, somewhere, hiding out. And he was sitting on his aft in the headquarters.

The humans were being far, _far_ more annoying than usual.

House arrest.

Fagh.

Mikaela was allowed to go anywhere she Primus well pleased still.

For the first time that he could remember, he was suddenly irritable with his niece.

She was a bot now, the rules should apply to her, too.

Mikaela chose that moment to walk through the entrance bay doors, dropping her concealment and shaking her head irritably.

Soaking wet.

Ironhide couldn't help but feel mildly vindicated about that. Until he heard her muttering.

"Stupid motherfucking gods forsaken salt water and sand. Salt water and _sand!_" she grumbled to herself, she waved her arms in the air and flinched. Ironhide was running toward her the next second. Her spark was humming in pain.

"Niece!" he rumbled worriedly.

"Ironhide, thank Primus," Kae stated flatly. "I need your help, we need to get back out there, the Dires decided that seeing as I'm the only bot out there at the moment, tackling me into the edge of the bay was a brilliant idea. 'Hide you gotta come out with me." she caught his shoulder and turned, walking back toward the doors.

"Why didn't you call for backup?" Ironhide demanded blackly, dragging his niece toward the wash bay instead.

"Ironhide I don't have time for a fragging shower!" Mikaela snarled. "They've got sand in their joints too, we gotta go get them while they're there!"

"Why didn't you call for backup!?" Ironhide snarled back at her.

"The water shorted my comm!" Mikaela snarled irritably. "Primus only knows how they managed to sneak up on me. Little _slaggers!_" she snarled, gesturing angrily and flinching again. Ironhide could hear the sand grinding in her systems.

::. Ratchet! Optimus!.:: Ironhide sent quickly ::. Kae's got sand in! We need exec decisions _now_!.::

The sound of footsteps getting quickly to the entrance bay began echoing through the headquarters. Ratchet was beside them the next moment.

"How the scrap did you get sand in _your _joints!?" he demanded blackly.

"I made the _fragging_ mistake of transforming while they were tackling me," Mikaela grumbled irritably. "Now can we _go!?_"

"You're not going anywhere," Ratchet growled at her as Optimus strode toward them.

"Try and stop me!" she snarled at them, turning and striding toward the doors.

Director Stilson decided to wander in.

"And where do you think _you're _going?" the man sneered at her with a grin. Mikaela was on all fours the next moment.

"Back out to protect your _worthless_ hide! Back out to protect my _birth_ race in the event you don't remember, and seeing as you've kindly made sure my backup isn't allowed to come _back me up_," she snarled at him. "I'm going back out to go make sure that the bots that would kill you as soon as _look_ at you _don't. __**Alone**_.You got a _**problemwith that!?**_"

Ironhide looked at his niece proudly, and the human with disgust as he leaked lubricants on the floor.

Mikaela summoned a cloth from subspace and tossed it to the man.

"Clean yourself up and get out of my way," she snarled. She stood, and anyone could see the agony in her motions. She strode to the entrance bay doors and made to transform.

She made it halfway to her alt form before screaming in agony.

Ironhide ran toward her, catching her as she automatically returned to her root mode.

At a loss, he dragged her to the wash bay, inwardly cringing at the pain he was causing her as she moved. But outwardly, he couldn't allow it to show, his niece needed maintenance.

Now.

The Dires would have to wait.

Ironhide snatched up the pressure washer wand with his binder cables and began blowing the high pressure stream of water against her.

"Transform niece," he commanded sternly, blasting the water over her joints.

Kae looked at him for a second and obeyed.

The second her joints opened, he blasted water into them, hopefully getting the sand out. Water in joints was bad, but sand in joints was worse.

The sheer amount of powdered stone collecting on the floor was horrifying.

Mikaela finally made it to her alternate land form, and began transforming back. Her joints were screaming in protest. Literally. The screeching scream of metals being abused.

But she never said a word, transforming back and forth as Ironhide blasted water into her joints.

He'd never be able to bring himself to be irritable with her again.

Ironhide scanned her, the sand was gone. But so were her lubricants.

He strode to the fill station and snatched up an injector full of oil.

Kae was following him, grimacing as she moved.

Now wasn't the time to be polite, Ironhide jammed the injector into her fill point, flooding her systems with the lubricants.

Kae was moving the next moment, working the lubricants back into her systems.

"Let's roll," she commanded sternly, already striding to the doors with Ironhide hot on her heels.

"Mikaela!" Optimus rumbled behind them.

They both turned to look at him.

"There are three Dires looking to raise hell in our territory," Mikaela growled. "They forced me into a retreat, that's _not_ going to stand!"

She took three quick steps and transformed into her air form, using her forcefields to get clear of the building before blasting her engines.

Ironhide was following after her quickly, tracking her co-ordinates.

::. Is this working _yet!?_.:: Kae demanded over the primary.

::. Good to hear your voice again, co-ordinates!.:: Ironhide rumbled sternly. He nodded firmly as she immediately sent him her last known co-ordinates for the cons.

::. For Primus sake Mikaela! You just had ten pounds of sand removed from your joints and you're back out again!?.:: Optimus demanded angrily.

::. I told you love, they forced me to retreat, that's not going to stand.:: Mikaela growled.

Ironhide pulled up to the river, a deserted bank. Mikaela was already striding the length of the river, scanning.

"They're not here," she snarled softly. "Where the _pit_ have they disappeared to..."

"Give me a replay," Ironhide commanded sternly.

Mikaela piped her logs to him as she continued scanning.

Ironhide watched as she scanned the area, the ground came toward her and she shifted into her land mode, driving along the river.

Three vehicles converged on her, just as an energon signature registered on her sensors. One transformed and made to tackle her in her alt form.

She was half transformed when he hit, even at the speed she was transforming, no wonder the sand had got into her joints.

Ironhide winced at her readings as she began tearing into them, her pain levels were far too high for proper fighting. He watched with grim satisfaction as she held her own. Three against one with sand in her joints.

She threw one into the sand, hard, if it didn't have sand in it's joints Ironhide would be shocked. The three kept coming at her, Ironhide looked around at the disturbed sand and noted where the fighting had truly happened. Mikaela took to the air again, scanning.

Actually, it was a wonder she was doing it. No doubt the three cons had retreated themselves, even damaged herself, she'd done one _scrap_ of a list of damages to them.

::. Come on Kae, let's get back.:: Ironhide rumbled irritably. It was the last thing he wanted to do, but her joints were going to be scrapping _raw_ for the amount of movement she'd done with the sand in her joints.

::. Absolutely not.:: Kae snapped. ::. I want to know how those bastards got the jump on me mid-scan!.::

::. Come off it niece!.:: Ironhide commanded sternly ::. You did enough damage to them that they're going to think twice before even showing themselves again, now get back to base, your joints are clean but they're gonna be scrapping rubbed thin at this point. They're gone.::

He transformed and drove back toward their headquarters. Pissed off.

No doubt by the time they got back, they'd be under even _stricter_ house arrest.

Will's superiors were complete idiots sometimes.

Kae landed a few moments after he drove into the Entrance Bay, striding after him.

She looked as pissed off as he felt.

"Fucking salt water, fucking sand, fucking comm, fucking house arrest, fucking politics," she muttered as she strode into the bay. Ironhide transformed and began pacing the length of the bay again, spinning his cannons irritably.

"Mikaela!" Optimus bellowed at his femme.

"Don't start, don't you even _start _with me!" Mikaela snarled, pacing beside Ironhide.

"Engaging the Decepticons-" Optimus started.

"She _didn't_," Ironhide growled. "They ambushed her, look at her scrapping damage reports, her comm shorted or we wouldn't _be here,_ we'd be chasing those bastards off this scrapping _planet_!"

Director Stilson emerged, looking like he was thinking of going round two.

"I wouldn't," Ironhide snarled at the man. "And seeing as _I_ wouldn't, I would highly suggest you_ leave_ before you '_accidentally'_ get under _foot_!"

The man paled and ran to hide behind Major Lennox.

"As you can tell, Director," the major stated calmly, looking over his shoulder at the man. "The bots don't take well to being cooped up. Ironhide, status report?"

"Kae got ambushed on the ground," Ironhide rumbled angrily. "They got sand and salt into her joints. She did a fair bit of damage to them, but not enough to keep them in place for the rest of us to deal with them. They're gone again."

Mikaela snarled to herself, her wings flashing into blades and back again.

Ironhide could sympathize as his cannons whirled agitatedly.

Optimus leaned against the wall tiredly, reaching up to touch his brow irritably.

"What were you doing on the ground, Kae?" he asked wearily.

"I wanted to get my tires on the surface, see if I could sense anything through the ground," Mikaela grumbled. "What's the sense of stoneseeking if I'm not on the ground?"

That made sense.

Ironhide continued to pace beside her.

"Thanks for getting the sand out of my joints," she added as they passed each other again. They turned.

"You've done the same for me," Ironhide rumbled.

"Mm." she shrugged.

::. Jolt, are the sensors picking anything up?.:: she asked with her usual patience with the tech.

::. N...no... sorry...:: Jolt murmured over the primary. Mikaela synced her processors irritably. Ironhide could sense Jolt feeling somewhat wary, scared regardless.

::. I'm not angry at you, Jolt.:: Mikaela sighed silently.

Ironhide felt the Tech's relief and nodded to himself. She deserved to be Prime. She knew how to deal with them _all._

::. But...:: Optimus murmured over the Primary.

::. How do you figure there's a 'but' in there?.:: Kae murmured. The way she always had.

::. There's always a but.:: Ironhide rumbled.

::. Oh come off it.:: Kae snorted. ::. If they - aw _scrap_...::

::. What?.::

::. Kae?.:: Optimus rumbled worriedly.

::. They caught me in the air, they were waiting for me to come to ground. There's no way I should have missed their sensors pinging mine. How the _PIT_ did I miss their sensors?.::

::. 'Cause they used a key!.:: Jolt howled ::. Kae! Need your logs! NOW!.::

::. Jolt what?.:: Kae asked in shock, piping her logs to him regardless.

A key.

The equivalent to the Decepticon's version of the evening post. In five days, they'd have every frequency the Decepticons used.

The two of them paced for an hour, Sunstreaker, Sideswipe and Bumblebee got into the entrance bay and looked hopefully at Optimus.

Prime simply shook his head tiredly, reaching up and rubbing his brow again.

Sideswipe growled to himself and began pacing beside Ironhide. Bumblebee crossed his arms, glaring at his chest and leaning against the wall beside Sunny.

Another hour of pacing.

Ratchet walked into the bay, watched Kae for a long moment and sighed irritably, leaning against the wall beside Prime.

"This is ridiculous!" Bumblebee finally shouted. "I'm a _scout_, I should be _scouting!"_

Director Matteer drove in, parked, got out of his vehicle and looked around at them with astonishment in his eyes.

"What are all of you doing _here?_" he demanded incredulously. "I just got a report of a skirmish on the river front and you're standing around in _here_!?"

"No, we are pacing," Ironhide snapped half-sparkedly.

"The President has decided that it is best for us to remain in our headquarters at all times," Optimus rumbled blackly.

"He what," Barry demanded flatly.

"The President has-"

"I heard you the first time, rhetorical," Barry waved irritably. "I just came in here to ask if Bee and Sides would mind watching my agents' backs on a dirty job. If you'll excuse me, I have a President to cross-examine."

He got back in his car and drove out again.

"Nice to know at least _one_ human is on our side," Ironhide grumbled.

"Oi!" Will called up irritably.

"Two."

"_Dozen_, every human in this _complex_ is on your side," Will grumbled.

"Thirty six humans on our side, fine." Ironhide grumbled.

They began pacing again. Even _Will_ was pacing now.

An hour later, a fuming Barry drove back into the Hangar.

"President doesn't know what the fuck is going on," he snarled. "He thought Kae was in the skies, somebody's fucking with you lot. Prime, trade you, I've got a few agents on their way to try to figure out who's screwing with you. Can I borrow Sunstreaker Bee and Sides?"

"By all means," Optimus rumbled in a relieved tone. "Bumblebee, Sideswipe, Sunstreaker, objections?"

"Gimme co-ordinates! Point the way, I don't care, we're already _there!_" Bumblebee immediately chirped, pushing himself off of the wall as Sideswipe initiated a rapid weapons check beside his brother. The three of them transformed, idling to Barry.

"Don't bother with campfire," Barry snorted. "Usual meet place." he jerked his thumb to the door.

The three bots were immediately burning rubber, getting out of headquarters.

"It's safe to say you lot can get back to your regular schedules," Barry stated flatly. What a treasure the human was. "With the provision you watch your backs, if the Decepticons decided to hack the government again, they're luring you into another god's forsaken _trap_."

Ironhide watched in amusement as Mikaela nodded irritably, rubbing her shoulder.

Barry looked up at her worriedly.

"Ah crap," he muttered. "They already sprung a trap, didn't they."

"They're _mine_," she growled softly. The hangar promptly looked worriedly at her as she strode toward the doors again.

"Mikaela!" Optimus barked.

"If it's the last thing I do I'm going to find those bastards," she growled.

"You'd better stop her," Barry muttered. Ironhide fairly ran to get in front of her.

"You're not goin' anywhere niece," he growled at her. Kae leaned down and caught his optics.

"Try me," she snarled softly.

Alright then.

Ironhide wound up a damned good punch and caught her square in the chest plates.

Her armour squealed in protest as she slid across the floor to Optimus' feet.

She was on her own feet in seconds, charging him.

Oh scrap.

Thank Primus, Optimus had her in his arms the next moment.

"Don't make me shut off your motor controls," Optimus snarled at her.

"You wouldn't _dare!_" Mikaela snarled right back at him, batting him away. Or trying, Optimus stayed right there.

"You are distracted Mikaela!" he rumbled sternly.

"Noted," she snarled.

"If you want to have it out, fine!" Optimus snarled, he spun her in his arms and had her on the floor again.

That never worked for long, Mikaela had him on his back in moments. The rest of the bots scrambled to get the humans out of the way as Optimus got Kae back on the ground again, pinning her down as she snarled in rage.

The hangar stood in shock. She was still struggling, struggling _hard. _That wasn't like her, at _all._

_"__I am going to rip the miserable chambers from their __**chests**__!_" Mikaela shrieked, throwing Optimus off of herself.

She _really_ threw him. Oh Primus.

There was murder in her optics.

That left only one thing to do.

Ironhide brought his cannons fully online, aiming for her.

Mikaela strode toward him, snarling in rage.

There was murder in her optics.

"Get the murder out of your optics, niece, I swore to you, remember?" Ironhide growled flatly. "Don't make me kill both of my Primes in a single day."

He aimed for her spark.

"Stand down, Ironhide," Mikaela snarled.

"There's murder in your optics, niece, and if it don't leave, one of us is dying today." he snarled softly. Sometimes it was the only way to get through to them. "You gonna kill your uncle because a couple of 'cons scratched your paint?"

Mikaela stared at him and collapsed.

Ironhide knelt in front of her and pulled her against his chest. She began keening against him. Gently, he reached for her spark with his own, caressing her chamber.

She allowed him in, and he touched her spark.

Firsthand, he saw the stress she had been dealing with, being awake for what she still perceived as two weeks was wearing on her, on top of shifts in Med-bay, taking the meetings with the Directors, supporting Optimus through his own insecurities, and then scout duty, because for the past two orn she had been the only one allowed out of base.

For Primus sake she wasn't even a vorn old yet!

"Of course," Ironhide rumbled irritably. He promptly wound his arms a bit more tightly around Mikaela, lightly cuffing her helm. He looked up at the unit irritably.

"What?" Chromia demanded worriedly.

"Once again, we're faced with a Prime who insists on bearing the weight of the world unaided." Ironhide snorted, he looked at Optimus. "What the scrap do you think _we're _here for, youngling? No wonder your mate just snapped."

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus glared down at his mate.

"Why, the scrap, have you been _sheltering_ me?" he rumbled angrily. Mikaela looked up at him irritably.

"What, you mean the way you did me as a human?" she demanded sternly.

Optimus looked up at the heavens and snorted.

"Our positions have well and truly switched," he snorted, sitting down in the slowly gathering group of mechs. He looked around for a moment and snorted again. "It never occurred to you that I have been _trained_ over several _vorns_ to attend to these tasks? That your presence is what makes my duties bearable? I do not need you to do it _for _me!"

Mikaela looked at him irritably.

"What?"

"You do realize that I have been trained since I was a _youngling-"_

"You're _still_ a youngling, either species," Ironhide rumbled blandly. Mikaela whacked him lightly.

"Not the point, fine, you realize that I've been trained from my _hatchlinghood_ to attend to these duties? I'm not pissed that they scratched my paint, I'm _pissed_ that they're planning to do it _again!_" Mikaela snarled softly. "Bumblebee, Sunstreaker and Sideswipe are already out there, and you lot have been cooped up for so long that I have no doubt our headquarters is going to be _deserted_ in five breem. It doesn't stop, and _I _can't stop."

Optimus watched worriedly as her face jerked slightly, looking at the wall the way she tended to do when someone was comming her.

"Great, and _now_ airforce one wants an escort overseas," she groaned. She looked around at headquarters and dropped her head to rest on his shoulder for a long moment.

"Prime calling Jetfire," he rumbled out immediately.

"Yes Prime?" Jetfire asked cheerfully, wandering into the entrance bay from the corridors. "Do I get to go out again?"

"Will you escort Airforce one overseas in Kae's stead?" Optimus rumbled worriedly. "She has been running herself ragged."

"Aye, and I'll be taking me air-scout duties back after that," Jetfire nodded with a vicious grin. "The vacation's been nice, granddaughter, but it's your turn."

His beloved Kae sagged in his arms, and he felt firsthand her abject relief. Optimus nuzzled his mate's neck gently.

"We are strong _together," _he rumbled gently.

"How the _pit_ do you lot do it?" she moaned.

"We have you to keep us energized," Ironhide snorted, rubbing her back. "We've also had several _vorn _to get used to full orn duties. I _onlined_ in a world where our _sun-cycle_ is an orn. Primus sake niece, you're usually so patient when you're taking a shot, why are you so impatient to serve?"

Optimus' spark lifted as Kae snorted.

"My human side is showing again," she muttered at a passing attempt at irritability.

"We've all got our little glitches," Ironhide teased her gently. "Me for example, I have this _terrible _habit of aiming for my Primes."

Kae reached out and whacked him gently.

"Thanks for caring, uncle," she murmured with a small smile.

Ironhide laughed softly and rubbed her back again before heaving himself to his feet.

"All due respect, Optimus," he rumbled calmly. "You and Kae had best stay in for the next little bit. The rest of us, no less than two together out there."

"Agreed," Optimus nodded calmly. He rose and gently lifted his Kae into his arms. She looked at him warily.

"You're imprisoning me in Med-bay, aren't you?" she demanded tiredly.

"We _weighed_ the amount of sand you carried in here," he rumbled patiently. "You are going to stay in the med-bay until your spark father says otherwise."

"OPTIMUS!" Will was bellowing the next moment.

"Status report!" Mikaela commanded automatically.

"Cons! They've crippled a plane!" Will shouted.

Kae was on her feet the next moment.

"Mikaela!" Optimus shouted at her. "They're trying to draw you out!"

"I know that! Grandfather is already escorting Airforce one!" Mikaela shouted. "Co-ordinates! I'm not engaging the Cons, I'm going after that _plane_!"

Optimus nodded sternly.

"Auto-bots! Roll out!" he roared as the major shouted out the Washington airport.

Kae was already running, out the doors and blasting into the air.

* * *

(MPOV)

Optimus lifted me into his arms, I sagged into him, I knew I was bad off when I wasn't protesting being carried.

"You're imprisoning me in Med-bay, aren't you?" I demanded of him. Well, at least I could work on the jeeps with my holoform...

"We _weighed _the amount of sand you carried in here," my Optimus rumbled patiently, "You are going to stay in the med-bay until your spark father says otherwise."

Fair enough.

"OPTIMUS!" Will was bellowing the next moment.

Fuck.

"Status report!" I commanded automatically.

"Cons! They've crippled a plane!" Will shouted. FUCK.

In an instant I was on my feet.

"Mikaela!" Optimus shouted at me. "They're trying to draw you out!"

"I know that!" I shouted. "But Grandfather is already escorting Airforce one! Co-ordinates! I'm not engaging the Cons, I'm going after that _plane_!"

My Optimus nodded sternly.

"Auto-bots! Roll out!" he roared as the major shouted out the Washington airport.

I was already running, out the doors and blasting into the air.

::. General Moreshower! Where's the clear airspace!?.:: I practically shouted on the comm.

::. They're getting out of your way! Just break the fucking windows!.:: Chris barked back. I nodded and flashed my engines to their full power. Mach three in moments.

I saw the plane before they could ever hope of seeing me. I slowed drastically and snapped a levitation field around it, forming it around the damaged wing and returning their airfoil.

::. Civilian pilot this is Archangel Prime.:: I snapped out over the frequencies ::. I've got your wing, prepare to land!.::

::. Thank fucking god!.:: the pilot shouted.

::. DCA which runway?.:: I snapped out.

::. Archangel we are clearing all runways, Runway five is already clear.:: flight control snapped out.

::. Civilian pilot-.:: I started.

::. Mack.:: the man snapped out.

::. Mack, I'm gonna scratch your paint, if you want to tell your passengers to stay calm and assume the crash landing procedures, this is gonna be a bit rough.::

::. Duly noted.:: the man snapped out. I listened grimly as the announcements were being made over the plane's speakers. I finally matched his speed and transformed, getting in underneath of him.

I saw them at the same time they saw me.

But I was busy holding a plane in the air.

::. Optimus, the Dires are in the middle of the fucking _airport!_.:: I practically shouted over the primary.

::. We are en route!.:: Optimus rumbled immediately.

::. Keep them there Kae!.:: Ironhide added sternly.

::. Yeah, Uncle? _Kind_ of holding a jumbo _jet_ up at the moment.:: I snapped at him.

::. Oh scrap.::

They began firing on me. That did it.

::. Mack, do me a favour, put your landing gear down.:: I commanded sternly.

::. Yes Ma'am.:: he snapped out.

::. Good, switch to auto-pilot.:: I stated calmly.

::. But...::

::. I can't override your manual control, but I can override the auto-pilot.:: I informed him calmly ::. I need control of the plane Mack.::

I felt the auto-pilot switch on and nodded grimly, reading the plane's data. They'd just taken off. Full fuel tanks.

Fine.

I fired it's engines up a bit more and circled the airport.

Coming down toward the Dires.

Wait for it.

Fuel dump.

Right on them.

They fired at me again, and lit the fuel I'd casually doused them with.

Hah.

Alright. Landing.

::. Mack.:: I called out ::. Get ready to brake hard!.::

Fifteen feet in the air I reversed the thrust on the engines.

::. _HOLY FUCK!_.:: Mack began shouting. I rolled my optics and extended my temporal fields, giving the plane double it's wingspan. The plane practically floated the last few feet to ground. The tires touched and I released the plane, skidding along the ground beneath it for a moment until it was fully passed over me. I was on my feet the next second, forcefield on the wings, I braced myself and let it drag me for twenty or so feet, wirelessly, I shut the engines down.

::. Air tower, get a tow on that plane, get it out of here!.:: I commanded, turning and taking off after the offending cons.

"_**Round two!**_" I bellowed at them.

The three charged me, cannons coming online.

Fuck that.

Blades formed across my back, I looked into the optics of my opponents and for the first time, drew those blades.

There was murder in those optics.

Out of the corner of my optic there was movement, but there was no time for that, a fine edge of plasma extended along my blades.

I held their optics as their cannons began to fire.

They never got the chance. In seconds, I had sliced through their weapons. A rapid spin, my blades an extension of myself I cut through their murderous sparks. My blades returned to my back, ready to be drawn again in a second if I needed them. I turned to face the movement that I had seen.

Optimus, Ratchet, Ironhide and Prowl stood stock still.

Staring at me.

_What?∂_ I asked curiously._ ∂They started it.∂_

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus ran through the Entrance bay, hot on his Kae's heels.

Until she was in the air. He could hear her barking out questions and orders as his beautiful Kae's engines blasted full power, driving her through this planet's atmosphere at an incredible pace.

Ratchet, Ironhide and Prowl were fast behind him.

::. Ratchet, Prowl, take point!.:: Optimus commanded.

Sirens blared and lights flashed as the emergency vehicles sped ahead of him. The traffic cleared.

Not fast enough.

::. Optimus, the Dires are in the middle of the fucking _airport!_.:: Kae practically shouted over the primary.

::. We are enroute!.:: Optimus rumbled immediately.

::. Keep them there Kae!.:: Ironhide added sternly.

::. Yeah, Uncle? _Kind_ of holding a jumbo _jet_ up at the moment.:: Kae snapped back.

::. Oh scrap.:: Ironhide growled. There was a roadblock ahead, this was ridiculous.

The four of them transformed, running past the cars, they needed to get to Kae.

The road cleared, they transformed, burning rubber to the airport.

Finally, _finally, _the lot of them transformed and fairly jumped the fence, pounding toward Kae's last co-ordinates.

"Holy scrap," Ironhide rumbled flatly.

Optimus watched in terror as his Kae charged three fully armed, battle ready cons. But a second later, those cannons made to fire.

Except they were exploding, shrapnel flying around them.

Then, deathly silence.

Three cons were flat out on the ground.

Kae sheathed her blades and straightened, battle ready as she turned to them.

For the life of him, Optimus couldn't stop staring.

He automatically knew that he wasn't the only one. His senior officers and the enforcer stood stock still beside him.

_What?∂ _Mikaela asked curiously. _∂They started it.∂_

That did it.

Ratchet began glaring irritably, Prowl crossed his arms, only his optics showing his amusement.

Ironhide was snorting back his laughter for all he was worth. Mikaela looked at them for another moment before turning. She strode quickly to the plane. She looked at it with a frown.

"Stand clear of the door!" she bellowed, shook her head and carefully dug into the plane's fuselage, peeling the door off.

A panicked, terrified human almost fell to the ground.

She caught him.

"For Primus sake calm _down_, they're _dead!"_ Mikaela commanded in exasperation, lightly transferring handfuls of humans to the ground. "Whope, no, go _that_ way." she added, carefully blocking the group from running toward the engines.

"Archangel!" a man wearing pilot's stripes bellowed. "They're gonna blow!"

"What are?" Mikaela asked calmly.

"The engines! We have full fuel tanks-"

"No you don't, I dumped your fuel on the guys who shot at you," she stated calmly. "Evacuate the plane, absolutely, _stop panicking! That's how people get hurt!_"

"Archangel the systems are overloading!" the pilot shouted at her. Mikaela whipped around and stared at the engines for a moment in shock.

"OPTIMUS!" she bellowed.

He was already running, the bots hot on his heels. The four of them tore out their own doors, immediately collecting humans and carrying them to the ground.

"Quickly quickly," Prowl was muttering, it did a spark proud.

In short order they had the plane evacuated.

"HUMANS! THIS WAY!" Prowl bellowed, backing away carefully from the plane at a pace the humans could easily catch up with.

Optimus observed the majority of the humans looking intensely relieved as they ran toward the enforcer, in minutes the three hundred and forty were standing crowded around him, well away from the plane.

"Engaging Temporal Forcefields!" Prowl called out immediately.

They _all_ watched in relief as a field extended around the grouped humans. Shielding them. Mikaela turned and glared at the engines, scanning them even as Ratchet did.

"I don't _get_ it! I _shut_ the stupid things _down!_" she complained to her mentor.

"Mm, it looks like the Dires decided to turn them back on again just before you tore them apart," Ratchet stated flatly. He dug into the fuselage for a moment and sliced a few wires. The engines powered down again. He nodded to himself.

"That's got it," he stated calmly as Mikaela nodded.

"Did you _really_ have to tear 'em apart that good?" Ironhide snorted.

"Their chips are intact," Mikaela shrugged.

"Mmnph, good enough," the weapons master snorted, turning to stride toward the downed cons. Ratchet was immediately striding to the humans.

"Is everyone alright?" he demanded, scanning them. He turned and looked up at the sun, "Kae, you'd best take over shielding them, they're overheating," he stated flatly.

Optimus watched proudly as Kae carefully strode to Prowl's side and knelt down, extending her wings over the humans. He turned to survey the scene fully, wondering where the emergency aid humans were.

Ah, there they came. Police men, ambulances, fire trucks, ah, and Will, the soldiers were coming as well.

Good.

"Major," Optimus nodded, kneeling carefully down to look at the man.

"Sit Rep?" the major asked quickly, nodding to him respectfully.

"Three Dires, the same that attacked Kae earlier," Optimus rumbled calmly. "At present, all humans have been evacuated from the plane. Ratchet, injuries?" he added, looking at his medic.

"Scans show the humans are still afraid, a few in shock," Ratchet reported stoutly. "The older are suffering from the heat, but that is being minimized by Kae's wings."

"Kae, damage reports?" Optimus rumbled, looking at his mate.

"The Boeing 797 has massive damages to the starboard wing caused by a blast from the Dires, additional damages are six places in the fuselage, five inflicted for the purpose of evacuating the passengers, one to _re-_shut the engines down. Runway seven is scratched and dented all to hell, which is my fault, I forgot how heavy my footsteps are... mmm... oh, and I scratched my paint. Again." she added, rolling her optics.

Beneath her wings, a couple of the humans were chuckling softly. Will nodded and began taking care of the details.

Optimus nodded to himself and rose, turning to join his Weapons Master.

He summoned the downed cons' memory chips and began scrutinizing them.

There was work to be done.


	141. 138 The Saboteur

**Side note, last chapter I _did_ in fact wish to call them the Dires, as in dire wolves. I know the three in DoTM are the Dreads, I don't want them dead quite yet. Yet. Ironhide called dibbs. I didn't want to argue with the cannons. Let's see... Oh! Song for this chapter is 'Song for the Mira' by Celtic Thunder, and once again, anything that you recognize I do not own. I wish I did, but I don't. **

**Chapter 138 – The Saboteur**

* * *

(MPOV)

I sat down in the med-bay and stood up again. Ratchet looked at me curiously.

"Scoot," I smirked at him.

"What?"

"You're thinking about Arcee again, you have a 25.2 percent chance of regaining your focus if you remain here, and a 90 percent chance if you _give up and go interface her already!_ For Primus _sake._" I snorted.

Ratchet grinned and rose, striding from the med-bay. I strode into the newly established intensive care unit and checked on Jazz's condition.

Fully healed.

I smiled and set the unit in motion to slowly shut down, therefore allowing Jazz to wake up of his own accord.

Kinder that way.

I strode back into the med-bay proper and sat at my workbench.

Two hours and a tired, pale looking Bumblebee wandered toward me, I offered him a gentle smile and extended an arm toward him.

"=Hey little-brother,=" I murmured gently as he wound himself around me. "=Can't sleep again?="

Bee nodded and cuddled into me.

"=You want to talk about it?=" I asked gently.

"=I was watching you die again=" he whimpered softly. "=You just collapsed Big-sister, you looked so healthy and then you just collapsed.="

My little-brother began crying softly, I wound my arms around him and rocked, gentling him. I listened to his spark and began singing softly, as I always had.

"Out on the Mira, on warm afternoons, old men go fishing with black line and spoons. And if they catch nothing, they'll never complain, I wish I was with them again. As boys in the boats call to girls on the shore, teasing the ones that they dearly adore. And into the evening, the courting begins, I wish I was with them again."

I smiled as Bee cuddled into me a bit more.

"Can you imagine a piece of the universe more fit for princes and kings. I'll trade you ten of your cities for Marion Bridge and the pleasure it brings.

"Out on the Mira, the people are kind, they'll treat you to home brew, and help you unwind, and if you come broken they'll see that you mend, I wish I was with them again. Now I'll conclude with a wish you go well, sweet be your dreams and your happiness well, I'll bring you here, for our journey begins. We're going to be with them again."

Bee was deep in his recharge, propped against my side with a small smile on his face.

I smiled and kept an arm around him, idly working on schematics as I sat in the med-bay, waiting. I lightly touched the frequencies, checking on our unit. Jazz was slowly waking, Ratchet deep in recharge with Arcee, most of the bots at headquarters were asleep. My Optimus was in communications, calm, idly scanning the frequencies as Jolt slept.

Jetfire was lazily coasting on the thermal updrafts over Africa, all but invisible and chatting with Gouge. Prowl was parked in his favourite spot, watching the goings on.

I turned my attention back to the schematics, smiling as my little-brother snuffled in his sleep somewhat, cuddling closer to me. I shifted slightly and he wound up tucked comfortably against my side. He shifted and stilled, sound asleep.

Another three hours.

"Wheah am ah?" Jazz's voice demanded quietly.

"Jazz," I acknowledged him with a small smile. "You are at the Auto-bot headquarters, Milky way Galaxy, system Sol, third planet from the sun, designation Earth."

"You know meh, but ah don't know yeh," he frowned at me.

"You do not know my body," I smiled. "Designation Archangel Prime. Call me Kae. Welcome back to the dimension of the living, Jazz. You have a million questions running through your processors, sit, ask, what I know I will tell you. I'd offer my arm but I don't want to wake Bee."

"Just as well, ah don't know ta trust yeh yet," Jazz stated calmly, settling down in front of me, he looked at Bumblebee as he mumbled in his recharge for a second before shifting slightly, an arm crept up to wrap around my waist as his face buried it's way into my side. In moments, he was out cold again.

Jazz smiled at me.

* * *

(JaPOV)

Jazz was floating, resting, and frankly? _Bored_. It took him a moment to realize that he was becoming conscious again, but the second that realization crossed his processors?

No then, _then_ he onlined quickly, triggering a re-boot code to bull past the degrading stasis firewalls.

Subtly though, he most certainly did _not_ want whomever had _placed_ that firewall to know he was pushing past them. It took a moment, but his systems rapidly came online, he daren't leave one offline.

Wherever he was, he wanted to be damn sure that if he had to fight his way out, he'd do so at the top of his game. That thought was immediately followed by a rapid systems diagnostic, which caused him to pause for a moment. He was in _damned_ good shape. Better than he had been in for a long while. So he had been repaired, and left in stasis to regenerate.

That was promising.

But hope would _not_ get in the way of him being battle ready!

Next step was to access his logs, last memory file, his frame had been heated, he'd landed on a strange planet along with the Prime, Weapons Master and first Medical Officer to rendezvous with Bumblebee. Details were becoming sketchy after that...

His internal chronometer stated that the difference in time was 115.189 orn between now and that last memory. Scrap.

Jazz synced his processors, somewhat, he was still groggy. Systems diagnostics showed a _lot_ of damages having been repaired.

He was also completely devoid of his armour.

_Scrap._

Cautiously, he onlined an optic.

Nobody in the immediate area. The second optic onlined quickly.

He needed to know what was going on. He was repaired from whatever damage he had sustained, a final diagnostic showed every sign of a good repair job. Tops.

Cautiously, he strode toward the closest signals.

Bumblebee. And a stranger... sort of?

His spark remembered another, one that had brought him back.

Who knew the way back from wherever he had been.

He glanced back, as was a habit, and froze.

His stasis pod... had been a _casket_? No...

Death was one thing, he could sense Optimus' spark close by, the fool had _kept him!?_ That was a liability. He immediately did a deep scan on his processors. None of them were missing. Nothing had been erased. Oh. Prime was gonna get a new access port for _that! _But first things came first.

Frowning, Jazz strode toward Bumblebee and the stranger's signals. Doors slid open in front of him, recognizing him.

No sense hiding, it would seem they were expecting him.

But that didn't mean they needed to know that he was expecting them expecting him.

He quickly took stock of the area, and did a double take, because _that_, was _exactly _how Ratchet insisted his store rooms be organized!

Still, he quickly called up a few schematics, building weapons. A saboteur needed his tools, after all. The whole time he was doing this, the majority of his sensors were locked on a closed door near his hiding spot. The two energonic signatures were on the other side.

Bumblebee's was faint.

Either sleeping, which meant he trusted his surroundings, or dying. Which meant that bots needed to die.

He approached the final door and strode through, there was only one other signature, but he had the weaponry to take them out now.

Or not.

Holy scrap.

There were two things, three things... the count of apparently obvious traits in the bot began to rack up in his processors.

One. His prospective opponent was almost as big as Optimus.

Two. She was a _femme_! A _gorgeous_ one at that.

Three. His lieutenant Bumblebee was deep in his recharge, propped against her side as she worked on schematics over a holo-table.

Four. Her weapons weren't online, but that minor signature? That was Ironhide.

_Ironhide_ had provided her with weaponry.

"Wheah am ah?" Jazz demanded quietly.

"Jazz," the femme acknowledged him with a small smile. "You are at the Auto-bot headquarters, Milky way Galaxy, system Sol, third planet from the sun, designation Earth."

Well. That was efficient.

"Yeh know meh, but ah don' know yeh," Jazz frowned at the femme.

"You do not know my body," she smiled. "Designation Archangel Prime. Call me Kae. Welcome back to the dimension of the living, Jazz. You have a million questions running through your processors, sit, ask, what I know I will tell you. I'd offer my arm but I don't want to wake Bee."

Jazz liked this femme.

"Jus' as well, ah don' know tah trust yeh yet," Jazz stated calmly, settling down in front of the femme, he looked at Bumblebee as he mumbled in his recharge for a second before shifting slightly and burying his face into her side, in moments, Bee was out cold again.

Impressive.

Jazz smiled at the femme. If there had been anything he'd learned from Bee, it was whom to trust.

"Mah armah?" Jazz asked calmly.

"Is fully repaired and waiting for you, along with your weapons, Ironhide took care of them personally."

So the old Weapons Master had survived just fine. Not that it was a surprise, more of a comfort. If Ironhide died, then, _then_ you knew the scrap was in the pit.

"An' Optimus?" Jazz smiled.

"Is in Communications Central, currently thinking of you, actually, his ear finials must be burning." the femme informed him cheerfully.

Jazz laughed softly.

"Ah come back from the dead and ain't nobody' here ta greet meh," Jazz stated with a mocking pout.

"Because they don't currently know that you're back online. I apologize that I know your mind more-so than you know mine, I thought you'd like to sneak up on him." Archangel stated with a small smile. "And quit calling me Archangel, I'm Kae."

"Ah haven't called yeh anythin' _yet_," Jazz teased her, he couldn't help it. He _liked_ this femme, he liked the way she thought.

"Precisely, don't start," she smiled at him.

"If ah'm gonna sneak up on him, ah'm gonna need mah armah, wha'da'yeh think Kae, should we wake up Bumblebee?" Jazz grinned.

Kae winked at him and leaned over slightly.

"Bumblebee, wake up =_little-brother._=" she whispered. The fact that she spoke scout to him was brilliant. It meant he'd be waking up without giving off his signal.

Bee's optics onlined. He stared at him for a long moment.

"Whah!? No fifteh _questions_ today lieutenant?" Jazz stated cheerfully.

The next minute he was off the ground, in Bee's arms as he chirped in scout.

"=_Jazz you're back you're alive you've missed a ton of stuff Primus' hands I can't believe you're back! You gotta tell me where you went and what you _saw Jazz!_="_

Jazz laughed, hugging the scout. He couldn't believe that he'd missed the bot's enthusiasm, but he'd _missed_ Bumblebee's non-stop talking.

Kae rose with a smile and strode over to a cabinet, opening it and retrieving his armour, she levitated it toward him and calmly set it down on a med-berth. Bumblebee finally released him and he summoned his armour, shrugging into it with one _pit_ of a lot of relief.

"Have I the repairs properly done?" Kae asked calmly, scanning him with a healer's optics. Jazz stretched and shrugged in his armour, testing it himself.

Pit, they'd even fixed the stuff he'd been putting up with.

"Nice build," Jazz nodded with a smirk. "Now, wheah th' pit is Optimus?"

"This way," Kae laughed.

"Lieutenant?" Jazz looked at Bee.

"That's Kae, my big sister and Optimus' bonded mate," Bumblebee reeled off his usual reports cheerfully. His vocal processors were repaired, Jazz grinned and followed the gorgeous femme, out another door.

Wait. _Bonded mate!?_

"Protocol fahve," Jazz muttered, grinning at Bee.

Bumblebee promptly scampered to walk right behind the femme, Jazz tight against him, using the marginally larger and far flashier bot as cover.

They saw Bee, not Jazz's optics and cannons.

Through another portal.

"Kae?" Optimus' voice rumbled calmly.

"I've got a problem, Optimus," she stated calmly. Optimus looked at her worriedly, Jazz took that opportunity to sneak into the shadows.

"You see I seem to have developed a yellow tail," Kae stated cheerfully, turning to reveal Bumblebee all but magnetized to her aft. It took a great deal of his training to not laugh at that spectacle. Optimus was chuckling, which meant that Jazz had missed a _lot. _

But at the moment he was distracted by Bee and Kae.

Jazz practically strolled up behind Optimus, considered for a nano-Click and balled up a fist, whacking him in the aft.

"What have ah told yeh about lettin' femmes and scouts distract yeh?" Jazz demanded flatly. "Now what would'a happened if ah were bent on _shootin' yeh?_"

"JAZZ!" Optimus bellowed!? The next moment he was in the Prime's arms.

Optimus was giving hugs out.

"How thah _scrap_ have yeh sof'nd up this much in three of this planet's cycles?" Jazz demanded, grinning. "Yeh're givin' out _Prime hugs again!?_"

"I _told you _you missed out on a lot of stuff!" Bumblebee chirped gleefully.

"And what's this about a bondehd mate?" Jazz grinned, turning to Kae. The femme shrugged casually.

"Optimus has bizarre taste in femmes, he's always insisting I'm his other half," she stated, glancing at the Prime with gentle humour in her optics.

Still in the Prime's arms, Jazz looked in shock as his spark chamber emerged, turning to show Optimus' mark completely interwoven with the femme's.

"You _are_," Optimus rumbled with a small smile.

Optimus had a bonded mate, not just a bonded mate, they were _fully_ bonded.

Jazz beamed at Optimus and gently stroked the combined mark.

"She looks good on yeh," he told the Prime with a smile.

"You should see her without the armour," Optimus rumbled with a smirk.

"Oh I intend tah," Jazz smirked at him. He smirked even more as Optimus' spark began humming a very soft resonation of jealousy. "It's nice ta hear yeh haven't changed _tha'_ much," he smirked at the larger bot.

It was one of his favourite pastimes, after all, teasing the Prime.

"Be nice, he's barely had Kae for a half annum," Bumblebee chirped out with a laugh.

"Snagged her just befoah ah woke up huh?" Jazz promptly shot at Optimus. "Good thing teh, I'd ha' given yeh a run foh yah rells."

Bumblebee snorted softly, then burst out laughing.

Mikaela looked at him in amusement.

"Not even close Jazz," Bumblebee chirped gleefully.

"Ah beg yah pahdon?" Jazz shot at the scout with mocking indignation.

"They were tied together before she was even a bot," Bee grinned. "Zero doubt, you would've been whacking Optimus around, trying to get him to summon up his boundless courage to ask her _out_."

Jazz snorted.

"Well yeh've got her now, good, gives meh the chance teh steal hah," Jazz smirked.

Like clockwork, Optimus' spark began humming a bit of worry.

"Optimus," Kae murmured calmly.

Perfect chance to see their dynamic.

"Kae?" Optimus rumbled quietly.

"Quit worrying about losing me," she stated in an amused tone. "No matter what happens, I will be waiting for you."

Jazz couldn't have stopped beaming at the femme if he'd wanted to. Still dangling in the Prime's arms, he was front row centre to hear and watch as Optimus became himself again. Calm, happy, and without a single doubt, completely and desperately in love with the femme soothing his worries.

"Mirage has been waiting for you to online, Jazz," Optimus rumbled quietly the next moment.

"Mah _brothah's_ heah!" Jazz shouted. "_Heah! ALIVE!?"_

"Here, alive and quite well," Optimus rumbled to him in amusement.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus couldn't stop smiling as he sent out a gentle all-call, aimed primarily at Mirage. The bot had taken a great interest in catching up on the recharge he had missed out in the past three vorns, his ability to cloak himself making him invaluable when it came to stealing energon from the Decepticons as the Xantium had slowly made her crippled way through the stars.

He guided his friend to the central, and wound his arms around his Kae as the entire unit stampeded to the central to celebrate the return of one of their own.

Mirage had Jazz in his arms, well above the ground as the two pounded each other's armour. Noble sentiments and calm demeanours be damned, the brothers had returned to each other.

Prowl strode in ten minutes later.

"It is pleasant to see you among the living once more," the bot stated calmly, nodding to Jazz.

"Ah'm not _alive_ Prowl, Ah'm a ghost," Jazz promptly grinned at the enforcer. "Ah came back to tell yah that ah squared the circle, thought yeh'd wanna know."

Prowl promptly glitched. Optimus reached up and covered his faceplates tiredly, because some things never changed.


	142. 139 Wedding Day

**Thank-you's first go to Alice of the Forest, who introduced me to the song at the end of this chapter. Even **_**if**_** I had to search for half an hour just to hear it :D. Also, a million thank-you's to my dear beta Bee, who is far too patient with my foibles, and to my readers and reviewers, frankly I'm stunned you've stuck with me this far XD. As always, anything that you recognize, I don't own.**

**Chapter 139 – Wedding Day**

* * *

(APOV)

Arcee came online as rapidly as her codes would allow.

Because today, today she was a maid of honour.

In moments, she was sending a gentle thought along her sister's line, Chromia immediately rousing and gently disconnecting from her potential mate, and Flareup... already waiting at her door. Cheeky thing.

Ratchet mumbled as Arcee lightly disconnected from him.

"Two more breem," he murmured, reaching out for her. Arcee chuckled softly and crawled up her consort's body, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips.

"Two more breem and you are waking up, beloved consort," she murmured gently. "You need to attend to Optimus, then walk your daughter down the aisle."

"Mm, you're off to tear her out of his arms, aren't you?" Ratchet murmured, his optics onlining dimly.

"Mm-hm, have you the instructions still logged?" she murmured in amusement.

"I do, beloved consort," Ratchet smiled at her.

"Good," she murmured with a smile, kissing him again. She rose and immediately summoned her armour, striding to the door.

Of course, that most _certainly_ didn't stop her from shooting a wicked glance at her consort. A few of his processors popped, and he slumped back down again.

She loved doing that, but more so, she _loved_ the fact that Ratchet still allowed his processors to pop when she shot him that glance. Flareup was grinning at her already, Chromia striding down the corridor with a smug look in her optics.

"Did you pop _his_ processors too?" Arcee asked with a low laugh. Chromia promptly shot her the innocent look that they three had picked up from Kae. Arcee chuckled and idly made her way into the Prime's quarters, shaking her head at the two primes completely tangled together. She crawled up onto their berth and lightly nudged Kae.

"Sweet-spark," she whispered.

"Do I have to get up?" Optimus mumbled, pulling his Kae a bit more tightly into his chest.

"Not immediately, but your bonded _does,_" Arcee informed him wryly.

Kae mumbled something incoherent, although it rather sounded like she didn't want to bother with the human wedding in favour of staying right where she was.

Arcee snorted in amusement and lightly tapped on Kae's shoulder, making an incessant tinging sound until her optics onlined.

"I'll be out in a moment," she murmured.

"I don't believe you," Arcee informed the femme cheerfully.

Kae pouted slightly and turned, pressing a gentle kiss to her mate's lips before lightly disentangling herself from his arms and cables.

Optimus groaned slightly at the loss, which made the four femmes chuckle somewhat.

"You get to announce to the world how much you adore her today," Arcee informed him with a low snort. "Now let her _go_ long enough to get _ready_ for it!"

That had the mech perking up, online and sitting up the next second.

"Wedding day!" he rumbled with a broad grin.

"You know, according to human traditions you're supposed to be freaking out so that I can bust your chops that you got yourself into this mess in the _first_ place," Will called out cheerfully from the door.

Mikaela was laughing as she summoned her armour to her frame, leaving her mate in Will's hands. Arcee chuckled as the femmes began leaving.

But not before bearing witness to Optimus plastering a mocking look of flat panic onto his faceplates, making the major howl with laughter.

That was priceless.

* * *

(MPOV)

I wasn't really fully online until my sisters and I sank into the lubricant bath, then, and only then did the realization of what today's events entailed finally hit me.

My sisters were beaming at me as my spark flared with joy, because today I was going to bind myself once again to my beloved, following the human traditions I had never believed would be in my future. We didn't spend too much time in the baths, the girls fairly dragging me from the decon chamber and to the central.

Then came the first surprise, my dear, sweet little brother was there, his holoform already online and grinning as he held the polisher.

"It's my turn!" he chirped gleefully as I laughed.

"Down!" Arcee commanded with a grin as the femme's holoforms onlined, beginning to polish each other to a gleaming shine as my brother came after me.

I could suddenly see why my little-brother had so enjoyed me polishing his armour, somehow, the sensations were different for all that he and my Optimus used the same techniques with the polisher. A strong, relaxing massage rather than the foreplay that my mate and I indulged in. My brother spent extra time, polishing me to the gleaming shine he so prized in his own paintwork, beaming the entire time that he repaired the inevitable nicks in my paint.

He scampered off when he'd finished, grinning as Arcee shot him an amused glance that she hadn't even had to tell him to scoot.

Then, then came the holoforms, the four of us tweaking each other's programming until our 'makeup' was flawless, and our dresses perfect. My sisters were beaming at me as I made a final tweak to their gowns, lightly changing the embroidered detailing to match their own colours, rather than my own.

Somehow, it just felt more appropriate.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus nodded to Will as his best man gave him the thumbs up. It was seven thirty-three, June twenty-fifth. He waited for another twenty seconds and began to stride down the aisle, Will right beside him.

Because three years ago, to the minute, he had entered this planet's atmosphere. General Moreshower was doing his level best to keep a straight face as he stood at the altar.

"Welcome to planet earth," he murmured quietly. Ah. Now it was Optimus' turn to smirk slightly. He had, of course, several millennia of practice keeping a straight face.

But that was not for this night.

"Thank you," he rumbled gravely. Chris was beaming at him the next moment.

"It's nice to see a man standing so patiently," Chris informed him with a smile. "Means I don't have to bother with calming you down enough to stay put and wait for your fiancee."

Optimus smiled as Will snorted softly. In truth, he was counting the astro-seconds until finally, his chronometer stated that it was seven thirty-five. He turned somewhat as the music began playing, Will's Anabelle promptly made her appearance, beaming that she was the current centre of attention as she marched down the aisle, scattering rose-petals on the path his Kae would take.

Will was beaming at his little girl as she reached the spot Arcee had gently informed her of, tossed a handful of rose petals in the air and scampered to her mother, crawling up onto Sideswipe's lap the next moment. Then came the attendants' holoforms, Chromia and Ironhide in the lead, arm in arm to guard his bride from the evil spirits, tricking them from recognizing the two to be wed, the two of them visibly struggling to conceal the practically identical smirks.

The promise of a sound ribbing to come.

Optimus already had his response in processor, no matter what ribbing was shot at him during the reception, he was simply going to sit, a smug expression plastered to his holoform's face as he sat with his Kae's holoform at his side.

Then Flareup and Jazz, his spark sang that his dear friend was there, alive, the saboteur himself was looking rather smug with Flare on his arm.

Then, then his chronometer sang with the sweetest note.

At seven thirty-seven, his Kae stepped into view, her hand resting lightly on her spark-father's arm as the medic smiled, guiding his daughter toward him. She looked absolutely exquisite, her dress a pale silver, subtle blue flames twinkling up her bodice. Arcee was at her other side, Maid of honour, and femme guardian, as was tradition. The femme to stand down any who would defy their binding.

The second the seconds ticked away, at seven thirty-eight, his beautiful Kae's eyes raised to meet his. The moment she had laid eyes on him, three years ago.

This was the well, he was certain of it.

* * *

(MPOV)

Ratchet was beaming as he walked me down the aisle, pressing a gentle kiss to my forehead before he took my hand from his arm and placed it in my Optimus'.

"Love her, guard her and respect her," my spark-father commanded, holding our joined hands together and holding my Optimus' eyes.

"With all that I am, father of my mate," Optimus rumbled firmly.

That had a few of the ladies in the crowd tearing up already, and we'd barely even _started!_

Ratchet smiled and went to stand beside Ironhide, my spark-father, and one of Optimus' closest friends. Arcee stood beside me, smiling, even as her eyes scanned the crowd.

The warning to any nay-sayer.

Chris stepped forward and smiled at us.

"Wilferd Arian Peterson wrote, that a good marriage must be created. In marriage the little things are the big things. It is never being to old to hold hands. It is remembering to say, 'I love you' at least once a day. It is never going to sleep angry. It is having a mutual sense of values, and common objectives. It is standing together and facing the world. It is forming a circle that gathers in the whole family. It is speaking words of appreciation, and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways. It is having the capacity to forgive and forget. It is giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow. It is a common search for the good and the beautiful. It is not only marrying the right person, it is being the right partner. Today, we stand witness beneath the stars, to the marriage of Optimus Prime to Mikaela Banes."

It was all I could do to not tear up myself as I stood beside my Optimus, hearing the words I never thought I would live to.

"Optimus, please face Mikaela, and hold her hands, palms up, so you may see the gift they are to you."

I looked up at my Optimus as he cradled my hands, a gentle thumb stroking my palm.

"These are the hands of your best friend, smooth, young and carefree, that are holding yours on your wedding day, as she pledges her love and commitment to you all the days of her life. These are the hands that will hold you tight as you struggle through difficult times. These are the hands that will comfort you when you are sick, or console you when you are grieving. These are the hands that will fight beside you, to protect you when you are low, the hands that heal you. They are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years, for a lifetime of happiness. These are the hands that will give you support as she encourages you to chase down your dreams, together as a team, everything you wish for can be realized."

I'd have to ask Chris later if he knew just how true those words really were.

"Mikaela, please hold Optimus' hands, palms up, so you may see the gift they are to you."

I obeyed and felt the first tear escape my eye as I looked at my Optimus' hands, then up at him.

The devoted love in his eyes the gift I never thought I would have.

"These are the hands of your best friend, young and strong and vibrant with love, that are holding yours on your wedding day," Chris stated gently. "These are the hands that will work alongside yours, as together you build your future, as you laugh and cry, as you share your innermost secrets and dreams. These are the hands that will fight to protect you as you bear his children to the sanctuary. These are the hands that look so large and strong, but will eternally be gentle with you. These are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years. These are the hands that will comfort you in illness, and hold you when fear or grief wrack your mind. These are the hands that will countless times wipe the tears from your eyes: tears of sorrow and tears of joy. These are the hands that will tenderly lift your chin and brush your cheek as they raise your face to look into his optics: eyes that are filled completely with his overwhelming love and desire for you."

My spark flared with love as my Optimus did just that.

* * *

(WPOV)

The assemblage released a practically simultaneous sigh of happiness as Optimus reached up and gently wiped a tear from his Kae's face, the very motion so deeply endowed with the love they had for each other. In that moment, the politics of this union were completely forgotten, instead, it was a simple, heartfelt and beautiful wedding between two star-crossed lovers.

Literally.

Will could see his Sarah tearing up as he stood with Optimus. It was one of the things he loved about his Sarah, when the training of a soldier got in the way of his own emotions, he could always rely on his wife to express them for him. When he came home, and his daughter was fast asleep, his wife showing her vulnerability to him, allowed him to do the same as he grieved the men he'd lost. Will felt joy for the gentle titan as he stood with the holoform, joy that the bot had someone as well.

As far as he knew, nobody had written Chris' words for him, his respect for the general upping itself yet another notch. Apparently, the man had been paying attention to what the bots told him.

"Mikaela and Optimus have prepared their vows to each other," Chris told the massive assembly with a gentle smile, in his own way, obviously enjoying the chance to apply his generalship for something other than war. Mikaela looked up at her Optimus with a gentle smile as the bot began to speak.

"Mikaela," Optimus began softly, his voice carried on the gentle breeze. "Three years ago I saw you, and three years ago I could not look away. Three years ago you fought beside me, prepared to sacrifice yourself for a purpose you had not yet learned. In three years, across distance and togetherness you have become my dearest friend, my ally, my life. You honour me with your love, your trust and your friendship, your very presence making me a better person. With joy, three years to the day I pledge my love to you, give my spark to you to hold for your own as your husband, your bond-mate."

Will smiled as he gently offered Optimus the ring Ratchet had quietly slipped to him, that had caused a bit of trouble, especially seeing as the holoforms would dissolve the rings the second they went offline again. It'd precluded having a ring bearer. The rings would stay on the holoform's fingers here on out, but they were of course, the representation of the spark-chamber rings Optimus and Kae's proper forms wore.

"With this ring, do I yield my spark to you, in weakness and in strength, in triumph and in defeat, through joy and through sorrow I belong to you to the end of days and beyond."

Will smiled all the more as Optimus slipped the ring onto her finger.

"Optimus," Mikaela murmured with a smile. "Three years ago I saw you, and three years ago I could not look away. Three years ago you fought beside me, prepared to sacrifice yourself for a world you did not know. In three years, across distance and togetherness you have become my dearest friend, my ally, my life. You honour me with your love, your trust and your friendship, your very presence making me a better person. With joy, three years to the day I pledge my love to you, give my spark to you to hold for your own as your wife, your bond-mate."

Arcee reached forward with a beaming smile, lightly handing Mikaela a matching ring.

"With this ring, do I yield my spark to you, in weakness and in strength, in triumph and defeat, through joy and through sorrow I belong to you to the end of days and beyond."

* * *

(BPOV)

Bumblebee had been adamant in his research of the human's bonding ceremonies.

Not really for his love of learning everything as a scout, he just wanted his sister to have the perfect wedding.

So now he sat, beaming as the humans filed in past his Primes. It was the time for the 'reception'. As far as he could tell, this reception was the first meal shared by the wedded pair, surrounded by friends and family.

It was also the first dance between the wedded pair, and the first chance for their friends to tease them for taking so long in getting married.

Bee was the most concerned with their first dance, he and Jazz had been quietly squabbling over the song from the moment Jazz had heard about the human's bonding traditions.

They'd agreed on this one. Which is to say Bee had beaten Jazz over the helm and made him listen to it.

Because it was perfect.

"Ladies an' Gentulmuhn, Prime Optimus and his bonded mate Archangel," Jazz announced. Bee grinned and began playing the music softly.

Kae had said surprise her with the music. They could dance to anything.

Bee fully intended to surprise her with the perfect song.

Soft piano began playing, and his sister shot a rapid, gently curious look at him as her mate gently caught her waist.

"_When the weight of the world is on my mind and on my shoulders, and I can't seem to find the peace I need. When the burned and battered ground beneath my feet is getting colder, that's when you call me close to you..." _

Kae was smiling, a single tear running down her cheek again as her mate cradled her close, the two slowly spinning around the floor with no heed for those who watched.

"_Whenever darkness falls and I feel like I'm drowning, when every breath of air is hard to draw. When my heart feels like a stone, and I'm struggling on my own, I turn around and find my strength in you..."_

Jazz was grinning at him across the dance floor. Bee grinned right back as the human ladies teared up as they watched the two holoforms dancing with optics only for each other.

"_You're alone, you are one in a million. Everyday in the world on your own, when the battlefield is roaring with silence just remember, when you face the unknown, you're not alone..."_

Bee smiled at the major's wife as she carefully edged toward him, delicately leaning against his hood. He looked his holoform toward the sweet woman.

"Who is this by, and can I have the song?" she whispered. "Will says you're the DJ today..."

::. Perfect song =_little-brother=_.:: his sister's voice whispered on the primary.

Bumblebee grinned.

* * *

**A/N. Sorry, I forgot to mention the song title and artist, it's: You are Not Alone by Frida Amundsen **


	143. 140 Kortes

**Chapter 140 – Kortes**

* * *

(MPOV)

"Kae," a voice whispered.

I groaned somewhat and buried my face into my Optimus a bit more.

"Kae!" the voice whispered a bit more loudly.

"What?" I mumbled.

"Kae we need you in communications," Will's voice whispered apologetically.

I groaned and onlined an optic. Will was standing hesitantly on the ladder to our berth.

"What is it?" I mumbled.

"I don't know, neither does Jolt, or Jazz, or Ironhide, or Ratchet, we tried really, _really_ hard to not wake you up," Will whispered. I quickly cycled my processors and glanced at my chronometer, I'd been asleep for sixteen hours, my cells were registering a full charge, but Ratchet only knew what the charge was _actually_ at. I vented a low sigh and gently squirmed from my Optimus' arms.

He roused somewhat, an optic coming dimly online to look at me.

"I'll be back, my beloved," I whispered, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips.

He nodded somewhat and dropped back into his recharge. I lightly crawled over him and sat on the edge of our berth for a second, cycling my processors again until I was finally,_ finally_ properly online. I offered a hand to the major and rose, lightly carrying him to communications central.

The first bad sign, was that Barry was standing with a frown on his face. Not even pissed off frown.

Massive worry frown.

I looked at the screens in horror, several of the humans were staring at me with just as much horror in their eyes. Jolt looked absolutely shell-shocked.

A massive signal. There was no telling if that signal was a bot, con, grouping, or nothing more than a newly unearthed energon deposit.

"Sit Rep?" I asked quietly, looking around myself.

"It just showed up!" Jolt murmured apologetically.

"Seismic readings are spiking all around the area," Barry added worriedly. "It's not an earthquake, because the vibrations haven't _stopped!" _

"Right, I'll go take a look, Chance?" I sighed.

"Yeah?" the man asked with raised eyebrows.

"Go get Ratchet to suit you up," I stated calmly. The man grinned and fairly fled from communications. In moments I was striding behind him, moving from communications and back to our quarters, I needed my armour.

My Optimus didn't rouse as I walked in, my poor bot had run himself down to almost nothing again, I summoned my armour and pressed a gentle kiss to his jaw before striding from our quarters.

* * *

(CdPOV)

"Right, so that's the Kortes Dam down there," Chance stated with a frown, lightly guiding Kae's alt-mode to circle the area. "Kae?"

There was a minor jerk in her flight.

"Huh?" she mumbled.

"Dude you were _asleep!?" _Chance demanded in shock.

"Well... you were driving," she murmured. He heard her processors re-sync themselves again.

"Why the hell did you agree to this? You're practically dead on your feet!" Chance stated with a deep frown.

"Do I have the choice?"

Chance's heart sank for her, the bots had returned to their own day cycles, which meant they'd need a minimum of two days recharge.

They'd roused her after barely _half_ a day. Not only that, Optimus had nearly been worked to the _ground _last mission, according to Ratchet, the _two_ of them were supposed to be out for _five!_

"Let's get this done and go home," Chance stated gently, Mikaela seemed to nod and began scanning, as evidenced by the screens popping up in front of him.

"Please _please_ be an energon deposit," Mikaela murmured softly.

Chance looked at the screens for a moment and frowned.

"Uh..."

"Hmn?" Mikaela murmured.

"Energon doesn't move on it's own, does it?" he asked hopefully.

"No," Mikaela sighed. "It doesn't Chance, energon isn't alive on it's own."

"Then what the _hell_ is that!?" he demanded flatly.

Mikaela lightly took over control of the vectors and fairly swooped closer, obviously scanning.

"Aaah scrap," she growled softly.

"What?"

"SCRAP!" she was shouting the next second. "Chance! Clench up!"

Instinctively, Chance tightened his muscles, grateful for the warning as Kae dove, transforming around him and landing with him in her hand. She knelt down and deposited him on the ground.

This was quite frankly? An awesome spot. The dam towered over them, the cliff walls tapering away into the riverbed. He could see them fall away into a flood plane perhaps a mile down river.

"Chance," she stated gravely, looking him in the eyes.

Oh shit.

"Orders," he barked out, snapping to attention and holding her optics.

"Thank your lucky stars you've been training with the suit, I'm bringing your weapons functions online, Chance, we've got a sunovabitch of a problem."

Shit. Awesome. But still demanding of a good few expletives.

"Sit rep?" he demanded, immediately switching his suit over to combat mode and bringing the plasma rifle online.

"My scanners are indicating some kind of Cybertronian _termite,"_ Mikaela stated grimly, Chance jogged beside her as she continued scanning, striding toward the dam. "That's the bit that's moving, what I don't understand is this _second_ energon reading. It _honestly_ looks like somebody went and _poured_ a bunch of energon into the dam's _pipes!_ Ugh, Kae to Jolt," she added, reaching up and lightly touching her helm for a moment.

"Jolt responding," the bot's voice called back.

"Can any of you think of some reason that cybertronian termites would be on this planet?" Kae asked with a frown.

"What cybermites? Not unless somebot _put_ them there and poured energon on something they want destroyed," Ratchet stated with a frown.

Chance felt the blood drain from his face. Mikaela was silent.

"How do I stop them?" she asked in a soft, scared tone.

"You shoot the swarm-queen," Ironhide's voice shrugged.

That sounded simple enough. They both had cannons. Shoot the swarm-queen, maybe clean up the corpses a bit, get home in time for dinner.

"Okay, and how am I supposed to pinpoint which one it is?" Mikaela growled softly, her optics were glowing as she scanned the ground near their feet, her cannons swinging back and forth somewhat. One receded and she lightly picked him up by the harness, moving him back thirty feet.

As weird as it was, being picked up and placed somewhere else, Chance couldn't say he minded.

The bots only really did that when a human was in danger of something. He trained his rifle on the spot he'd been standing.

"Well, you don't really pinpoint which one it is, you kinda just shoot them 'till they all fall still," Ironhide rumbled cheerfully. "Makes for a great excuse for target practice, even _if_ it's kinda hard on the infrastructure."

"That's not exactly an _option_ Uncle!" Mikaela snarled.

Snarling Kae was strange. Until you realized why she was snarling, the ground erupted five feet from him, and in moments Chance himself was snarling.

Because _those_ things, looked _nothing _like _TERMITES! _They looked like miniature burrowing scouts, like the one they'd seen in Egypt. If you could call something the size of your _leg_ miniature! There were _hundreds of them!_

_"__We could'a used a bit of warning on how fast these fuckers are!"_ Chance bellowed in Kae's general direction, knowing her comm would pick up his voice and send it, even as he blasted at the little bastards.

"_What the scrap are you two doing on the ground!? GET OUT OF THERE!" _Ironhide's voice was bellowing the next second.

Chance glanced over his shoulder at Kae and let out a hoarse shout.

Because as interested as the majority of the swarm seemed to be in the energon in that dam, apparently there were a good number _very_ interested in the energon running through his friend.

She was easily blasting them away, each shot taking no less than two at a time, but that was not the most horrifying of scenes.

Because as fast as she fired at them, there were more getting past.

Crawling straight past the energon source that was fighting back and digging straight into the dam.

"Archangel requesting backup! _Now_!" Mikaela was shouting, shooting as quickly as her cannons would allow, Chance was firing as furiously as he could, there was a pile of corpses around him by now, but the bastards just kept coming.

"Mikaela! What's happening!?" Ironhide's voice roared.

"The termites are digging into the dam! There's too many of them for Chance and I to hold off!" Mikaela shouted, even as they two continued firing. "Get Moreshower on the line! This dam isn't going to be standing much longer! We need to evacuate everyone downriver!"

Something groaned above him, the sound of abused concrete and metal.

"Chance!" Mikaela shouted. "Chance get into that dam! Evacuate the humans!"

Chance was running the next second, then running in mid-air.

Well, levitation beats rock climbing. He felt his feet hit ground and was running the next second into the control rooms.

The scene he ran in on was straight out of a horror movie.

Three men sat, butchered where they'd stood, the control panels already torn to twisted chunks of metal and plastic. Useless.

He ran back along the dam, the vibrations running through the concrete making balance almost impossible. The termite things began emerging from the concrete, scuttling toward him, menacing him with their little drill-claw things.

Evidently, the tools that had butchered the men inside.

"KAE!" he bellowed. There were _way_ too many for him to hold off up here. Then, then the most blessed feeling.

The second one scurried toward him, he was in the air, drifting down toward Mikaela.

Even as she continued letting off shots. The second his feet touched ground again he was firing.

Then, finally, the ground stilled.

Perhaps a hundred corpses surrounded them.

But that didn't account for the hundred more that had gone past, trickles of water were already leaking from the multitude of holes dug into the base, cracks spidering from hole to hole.

"We can fix it, right?" Chance asked weakly. "I mean, there were only a hundred that went past..."

"Those were the ones that entered through the front," Mikaela stated flatly.

Oh.

Then, then the dam began groaning again. A ripple of energy flashed across it, and Chance stared in awe as Kae lifted her arms.

Using a forcefield to hold it in place.

* * *

Five days.

For the first time in his life, Chance blessed his inherent insomnia.

He'd spent the first day making the occasional forage for something to eat. The second arguing with the local Leos. On the fourth day, Mikaela had scared him shitless when she'd gone to a knee, she hadn't spoken at _all_ during that day.

"Chance," she gritted out.

"Mikaela, what's happening, are you okay?" he'd all but babbled.

"Chance... I need... fuel," she'd gasped out.

That had sent him into a flat panic. Where the hell was he supposed to get high grade jet fuel out _here!?_

"_Any fuel!" _Mikaela had moaned.

Her arms were shaking.

In a flat panic, Chance ran to the cars.

"We need gas!" Chance had bellowed. "Diesel! Anything!"

"The hell for?" the man demanded flatly.

"Because she's out!" Chance had shouted. Seriously, had the man been paying attention_ at all!?_

"What's that matter?"

"She's holding the fucking _dam_ up! If she passes out-"

The look of horror in the eyes of the men was a relief to say the least. In moments, gasoline was being siphoned from tanks and into jerry cans, one man going so far as to roar off in his pickup, going to the closest town to get more.

The soldier in him followed Kae's instructions to the letter, opening one of the valves in her legs and pouring the fuel in. He could hear her body processing it, watched her straighten slightly as she gained more energy. He'd closed her systems back up again at her word, and she'd lurched to her feet again.

On the fifth day, the horror show was made absolute. Unable to withstand gravity, and it's own weakened integrity, the dam collapsed.

Men were shouting in horror, and Chance had fairly attached himself to Kae's leg, determined to stay with her no matter the cost.

A solid wall of water loomed above them now, held back by a bot who could barely stand.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus came online slowly at first, until he felt the stress of his mate.

Then, then no stasis lock could _ever_ hope to keep him in place. He was on his feet the next second, summoning his armour and running down the corridor.

The base was damn near deserted.

::. Ratchet!? Ironhide!.:: Optimus roared over the primary.

::. Oh. Good. You're awake youngling. Get your flight deck and get moving.:: Ironhide rumbled flatly, piping co-ordinates to him.

~Kae!~ Optimus sent worriedly through their sparks.

~Hey... love...~ she whispered.

Through their sparks, he knew immediately her position, her situation. Ironhide was sending him the backlog of status updates.

::. Why did you not rouse me?.:: Optimus demanded furiously.

::. Remember _last_ time I aborted your deep stasis recharge?.:: Ratchet sent irritably.

Oh. Right. Ironhide had practically had to _carry_ him in the midst of a retreat. He'd been delirious. Optimus snarled to himself as he integrated into his flight deck as quickly as the transformations could go, fairly running from the building and blasting himself into the air.

Straight for his Kae's position.

* * *

(IPOV)

Ironhide threw every ounce of power he had into driving to his niece's co-ordinates.

They were running into a trap, he knew it, they _all _knew it. No way cybermites would wind up on this planet on their own. No way Energon would wind up in a hydro-electric dam.

::. ETA?.:: Kae asked softly.

::. One hour.:: Ironhide growled.

Over the Primary, every bot could feel her relief at that announcement. She was almost gone. Ratchet was carrying high grade for her, admittedly, there had been some in-betting whether she would get overcharged or not. Bumblebee whipped out of his tailwind again, the little scout fairly flying down the roads.

On the physical level, Ironhide couldn't feel the bot's scans. Nothing registered on his sensors.

Only the continuous feed Bee sent him _of_ his scans gave any hint that the scout was even looking around. Finally, they found the ground they needed.

::. Wheeljack!.:: Ironhide growled.

::. Sir!.::

::. Set up your fields across the narrows of that plain.:: he sent flatly, wishing, _again_ that Optimus was here. Of _course_ this had to turn up when the Primes were supposed to be in deep recharge.

Finally, _finally:_

::. Ratchet!? Ironhide!.:: Optimus' voice roared.

Ironhide _never_ thought he'd be happy to hear that youngling's _angry_ roar.

::. Oh. Good. You're awake youngling. Get your flight deck and get moving.:: Ironhide rumbled flatly, piping Kae's co-ordinates to the Prime, right along with the status updates he'd been compiling over the past five days. Director Stilson was apparently no longer director, that was a relief, and a new record. Shortest time to get rid of an annoying human. He hadn't allowed them the planes, despite General Moreshower, Director Matteer and Major Lennox individually and as a _group _shouting at him.

The second Stilson informed them that they couldn't back their Kae up however, Ironhide had growled about Optimus' rule of not harming humans being a useless rule and instead took command.

If they couldn't fly, then they'd roll.

In deference to the need for _real_ speed, the soldiers had stayed behind.

In a breem, fully half of the bots were rolling, Ratchet hot on his bumper and Wheeljack harrying after them as fast as their tires would carry them. Prowl had met them en-route, Sunny, Sides and Bumblebee already well ahead of them. One breem, the sum total of time that Wheeljack needed to scramble to his little workshop and pick up some field generators, and for Ratchet to stock up the medical high grade he brewed himself.

The'd driven for four days straight now, barely stopping for fuel. Bumblebee had come in handy in that moment, the little bot running high speed to the next gas station and waiting for them, card in holoform's hand.

Across the country, the humans who happened to be in the gas stations watched with shock as Bee's holoform would online, scurry from one bot to the next, begin the fuelling sequence in the pumps, run back, close the pumps off again and they'd be off. Bee would promptly run into the station house, pay for the fuel and calm the upset humans that a dozen cars had driven in, fuelled and driven out without the benefit of stopping to pay, or having humans with them.

Then, then Bee would take off and catch up to them again.

Ironhide already had it in his personal logs to remind the Prime to give the scout a commendation. Wheeljack was screeching off the road the next moment the twins hot on his bumper as they rushed to get the emergency fields in place.

Kae had been holding the water back, and the humans had been rushing to evacuate the floodplains, and protect the buildings within them. But if Wheeljack's new generators worked properly, then they'd be able to keep those buildings safe, stem the water flow and empty that dam safely.

Forty of the humans' minutes later, Ironhide looked up in alarm to hear a crashing boom resonate through the heavy atmosphere, then vented a sigh of relief.

Obviously, having a flier for a mate had made Optimus far more skilled at the task.

That sigh of relief came too soon, a wall of water rushed toward them, liquid blue thrashed into a foaming, furious white.

His sensors noted Wheeljack's fields coming online behind them. Well, they'd got one thing right, even if it probably wouldn't count for all that much.

Not without their Primes.

* * *

(CdPOV)

The bots were close, Chance was almost ready to breathe a sigh of relief.

He stood beside Kae, doing his level best to keep up a lighthearted, cheerful commentary about life in general. He'd got her to chuckle once or twice, that was good.

But it didn't stop him being terrified on her behalf, he could see her shaking, and just as obviously trying so hard to not shake as she held that wall of water back.

When the emergency was over, he knew he'd never be able to look a 'stopping the tides' joke in the face again. Once again, he ran after one of the lookie-loos, apparently, the spectacle of a bot holding back several thousand tonnes of water with a forcefield was something the common man was dying to see.

The local cops, a couple of whom he'd actually become good acquaintances with by now, were at their wit's end chasing away the rubber-neckers, without fail, there was always _someone_ who figured that nothing would hurt them.

In this case, it was an idiot who seemed to think that he could dive through the forcefield and go swimming. Which he could, technically, but poking holes in a forcefield was just a _bad_ idea. Chance tackled the idiot to the ground, hauled the man to his feet by the shirt collar and dragged him away from the field.

"But I wanna go swimming!" the man protested.

"You. Are a moron, that's two hundred feet of water above you, there's no way in hell that you'll be able to swim to the top in time-"

"I'll just go back out through the field!" the man protested.

"_The field isn't going to selectively let a fucking idiot back out again!"_ Chance bellowed furiously. "What goes in ain't comin' back out again!" he shoved the moron into the grasp of the equally angry Leo's, the cops nodding to him and dragging the man away.

Then, then the worst sound he had ever heard.

"Chance?" Mikaela's voice called out softly. Chance's heart broke, the girl sounded so scared. "Chance get out of here!" Mikaela whimpered, her shaking was becoming far more violent. He looked at the wall of water and froze.

What had been a flat wall, was beginning to bulge.

"Get out!" Chance bellowed at the cops, rangers and civilian gawkers. "It's about to go! RUN!"

It was a riot of panicked humans that scrambled to vehicles.

"I'm staying with you," Chance stated flatly, standing beside his friend.

Mikaela's helm lifted from her chest and looked at the wall. The very motion in itself a Herculean feat.

"Chance!_" _Mikaela shouted then. "_Chance! RUN!_"

Chance turned tail and ran, inwardly cursing himself and her.

Because somehow, human or not, he _still_ couldn't defy that command. He jumped into the waiting ranger's truck and couldn't stop the wracking sob that tore out of his chest.

The men around him seemed to understand, taking a road that twisted to the tops of the cliffs. He scrambled out the second the truck screeched to a halt, praying she would get out of there, somehow. For god sake there had to be a way, some small reserve of power in her systems to get her out of danger. _Something!_

Kae went down on a knee, the forces she'd battled for five days already overcoming her.

The moment he had been dreading for five days finally arrived, the energy of the fields danced across the bulging wall, not unlike the light dancing through water. At any other point it would have been beautiful but for his friend standing beneath that wall.

He felt, more than heard the soft keen of pain as she sagged to her hip, her arms outstretched against the inevitable. Chance forced his eyes to remain open, despite everything in his being screaming against watching his friend swept away by a rush of angry water and rocks.

The swirl of energy across the face of the water became more desperate in it's motions until finally, it was simply gone.

In an eternal moment, that image was burned into his mind.

Mikaela half laid on the ground, looking up with sad resignation at the towering wall of newly freed water as it seemed to take an eternity to begin to fall. And a red and blue blur that appeared out of nowhere, snatching Kae to his chest and curling around her, just as the water swallowed them whole.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus flew as fast as his boosters would thrust him, racing desperately against the time his Kae's spark said she had left.

Simply because death would not separate them, didn't mean he wanted her to _die_. They were supposed to have their lifetime together first!

He briefly spotted his weapons master, scout and medic racing along the roads to Kae, and even though his worry felt a surge of pride that his unit had so quickly gone to her aid against the Director's wishes. Evidently he was no longer director now, that was nice.

He prayed that his Kae would hold on for him, just a few moments longer, she would want to know, she would want the opportunity to state that she didn't wish such a fuss raised over her.

And he wanted to tease her, thank her for raising such a fuss and getting the latest annoyance of a director sacked.

He wanted to see his Kae alive to tease the president for picking such an abhorrent succession of humans to act as their liaison. He lost some height as he went over the canyon, moments from his Kae's position.

Optimus had known her position, had known her situation the moment he had roused and felt her distress.

But seeing it firsthand was horrifying.

A massive wall of water bulged not five units from his mate, the last of her forcefields rapidly deteriorating. There was no time to pull her from it's path.

The decision did not require thought, Optimus dove for his mate, snatching her to his chest and winding himself around her protectively as her fields finally disintegrated, his own snapping out to surround them as moments later, their world became dark, heavy.

~You came~ his Kae's spark whispered.

~Always~ he whispered in soft amusement. She had known he was coming, neither of them had known if he would be on time.

~Cutting it a bit close, beloved~ she teased him gently, as his Kae always did.

~Traffic~ he rumbled benignly, making his Kae laugh, keeping her awake, aware. He saw in her recent memories Lieutenant Daniels doing much the same, he would have to thank the man once they were out of this.

As a matter of course, he integrated an energon line into her systems, he could feel it within her spark, she was not far from stasis lock, it would be necessary for her recovery.

~Ratchet is rubbing off on you~ his Kae teased him softly.

~How can he not? He has _always_ had the wellness of our unit in the forefront of his processors.~ Optimus murmured, gently stroking his Kae's face as they two laid down on the rocky stream bed. It was damp still, but he had managed to capture a small bubble of air. Already, he could feel his Kae's awareness drifting toward stasis, feel the weight of the water receding somewhat.

He settled in, comforted by the closeness of his beloved as he prepared to wait out the tides.

* * *

(RPOV)

Ratchet scowled as he drove up the embankments toward Lieutenant Daniels. Chance was sitting on the furthest edge of the cliffs, staring down at the water. The man was showing every signal of shock, but the humans around him were doing nothing. Ratchet immediately winked his holoform online, striding to the Lieutenant.

"Get away from that scrapping edge," he growled flatly.

"Ratchet!" the man damn near sobbed, turning and hurling himself onto the medic's holoform. "There's gotta be a way, there's just gotta be! We gotta get them out of there!"

Ratchet frowned and scanned the water. At the bottom there were several energon signatures, mostly cybermites, their signatures showing every indication that they'd shorted out. And the two far larger, familiar signatures of Optimus and Kae. Kae's was somewhat weakened, but all indicators showed that Optimus had already integrated her into his own form of life-support. As far as those two were concerned, they could stay under there for a good few days with no harm.

Maybe a bit of irritation, it _was_ rather damp down there, another hour or so and the water would be drained enough away that they could just walk out.

At the moment, Ratchet was far more concerned about the panicking human.

"Lieutenant Daniels!" Ratchet barked in his best no-nonsense 'stop panicking or your gonna get a wrench to the helm' tone. "At present you are in worse condition than those two! Now quit with the extraneous leaking and drink something!"

"What're we gonna do Ratchet?" Chance asked softly, obediently sipping at the canteen Ratchet had shoved into the man's hands.

"We're gonna get her home, I'm going to hook her up to an energon drip for the next week while she recharges, I'm going to make _you_ sleep for the next three days if I have to drug you to do it, and then we're going to watch with matching smirks as Optimus struggles to not physically harm our former Director Stilson as he tears the man a new access port... oh, and you're going to congratulate your commanding officer, your governments have seen fit to make him a Colonel now."


	144. 141 Secondhand

**Chapter 141 - Secondhand**

* * *

(MPOV)

POTUS landed, finally. I circled the airport for a few moments, keeping well out of the traffic. Waiting.

Optimus was in the Ukraine for some reason, he'd been gone already when I'd roused from my own recharge, and Airforce one had all but demanded an escort before Jolt could even fill me in on the past two day's events.

He was going to brief me when I got back, or hopefully, I'd get the information from my Optimus firsthand, actually _see_ my mate. Two months and we _still_ hadn't managed to re-sync our recharge cycles. I had the brief memory of coming half-online, and remaining so only long enough to touch my Optimus' cheek and return the gentle kiss he'd pressed to my lips.

The human governments were _far_ too fascinated with the idea of a Prime always being online for the liaisons to yell at.

Finally, ::. Archangel this is Airforce one.:: the pilot called out. ::. We are clear and landed, thanks for the escort Kae, I owe you one there.::

::. Just because you said that, Dave.:: I sent with a snort ::. Good flying with you man.::

I widened my circle, changing course and getting out of the newest traffic zone. And then it hit me. Shock, absolute, unremitting shock.

I didn't even know I was falling.

It was all I could do, one hundred feet in the air to remember to fire up my boosters, transforming and slowing my descent just enough to not crash... badly.

I sat in shock on the ground, not knowing why.

::. Archangel? Archangel do you read me?:: control called out worriedly.

"Arch... Archangel reading you," I replied faintly, the secondhand shock finally registering as just that, Optimus' shock, not my own. Then came rage. I needed to get to him.

Now.

::. Archangel you have dropped off our radar.:: control told me again.

"Control this is Archangel, Emergency, requesting clear airspace to DC-NEST, Emergency, do I need to repeat-"

::. No repeat necessary.:: Control snapped back, "Archangel you are clear to DC-NEST Operations at thirty seven thousand feet."

::. Mikaela where the pit are you?.:: Ironhide's voice called over my comm.

"I'm on my Primus damned way!" I shouted, "I had to escort the friggen President, remember? What the hell happened!? Why is Optimus two seconds away from breaking shit?" I transformed mid-air and went Angel, blasting into Mach 4 in seconds and scrambling for Washington.

Australia, why in god's name I had to be in Australia _now_ was _beyond_ me. The hours felt like an eternity. Finally, _finally_ I threw on my cloak and transformed again, landing as lightly as I could in a panic and striding quickly toward the hangar with my holoform flickering well ahead of me.

"Lennox, what the hell is happening? What did you find?" I asked with a frown.

"Kae! Where the hell were you!?" Colonel Lennox shouted at my Holoform as he swung off his motorcycle.

"For the last time escorting the Primus damned POTUS!" I bellowed, "like they fucking _ordered_ me to do! I can only fly so _fast_! What the fuck is happening!? Optimus!?"

"Who the hell is the teenager!?" a woman's voice demanded in an irritable tone. I turned my holoform to glare at her.

"The 'Teenager' can fucking hear you!" I bellowed. "What the fuck is happening!? Ironhide! Status Report!" I turned away from the humans and walked toward our weapons specialist as the doors closed.

Ironhide shrugged, accepting a new gun from Wheeljack.

"I still want to know who the hell you are! Who gave you clearance!?" the irritating woman shouted, grabbing my holoform's arm.

"Archangel Prime," I snarled at her, "Formerly Mikaela Banes, now what the fuck did you do?" I shook her off and offlined my holoform, dropping the cloak and striding toward Optimus' truck form. ~Why the hell are we pissed off?~ I demanded through our sparks, ~Optimus, you can't throw a bomb on me like this and not tell me _why!_~

I glanced over as the woman's entourage, escorted by Will walked toward us.

"Oh good, you're here, the name's Que. I do hope you have answers for him, I've never seen him so upset," Wheeljack stated, looking down at Lennox and the irritating woman.

"Optimus you remember Charlotte Mearing, our Director of National Intelligence." Will called out calmly.

"He's in a bad mood," Mirage stated warningly. "He's not talking to anybody today."

They stood in front of Optimus for a long moment.

"What is this, the silent treatment?" Mearing asked in a condescending tone. Jazz snorted in irritation.

"We've seen that and this is not that," Ironhide rumbled as I fidgeted irritably.

"Definitely not," Wheeljack agreed. I growled softly and began pacing somewhat.

"_This_ is worse," Jazz added with a frown.

"It's bad enough that his anger is crossing their connection and affecting Kae," Ratchet added in a stern tone, obviously talking more to Optimus than the humans.

"Kae what's happening?" Lennox shouted up at me.

"If I fucking knew that I'd already be gods damned _fixing it!" _I snarled, stalking back and forth as humans and auto-bot's avoided crossing my path. My wings settled and re-settled restlessly, occasionally transforming into blades and back.

"Prime! Make something of yourself!" Ironhide demanded finally, lightly thwacking his roof.

"Oh 'e's piiissed," Jazz added with a low snort.

Optimus transformed as I moved to stand behind him to the right, crossing my arms to present our united front, he knelt down angrily and pounded the floor.

"You lied to us!" Optimus snarled, "Everything humans know about our planet we were told had all been shared, so why was this found in human possession?"

"Oh," I thought, gently listening to the wash of information that was surging through our connection now. I bristled to know that Shockwave was on earth, and watched with worry for my mate as he sent his logs of the battle.

"We were in the dark on this also," Mearing stated calmly, "it was director only clearance at sector seven until now. The bag," Mearing added quickly, looking at her aide.

The panicked looking aide looked at the collection she was carrying.

"Which bag?" she whispered in a terrified tone.

"Hermes Birkin, green ostrich," she ground out irritably. The aide scurried forward and handed over the bag. "My god," Mearing stated irritably, her face showing her thoughts clearly. I liked her less now.

"This is a secret few men knew, and fewer still remain alive," Mearing started calmly. "Allow me to introduce to you, two of NASA's founding mission directors, and Astronaut Dr. Buzz Aldrin, one of the first two men, to set foot on the moon. Sir," Mearing walked over, shaking Buzz's hand. I synced my processors, calming myself as Optimus did. "Optimus Prime." Mearing introduced the man respectfully before walking back to her entourage.

"And from a fellow space traveller, it's a true honour," Buzz stated with the honesty of a good man.

"The honour is mine," Optimus rumbled gently, walking toward the man and kneeling down far more carefully. I moved to stand behind him somewhat, watching as Mearing went up the communications catwalk to hand over an information cartridge.

"Our entire space race of the nineteen sixties, it appears, was in response to an event," Mearing began calmly.

"Our astronauts investigated a crashed, alien ship, no survivors onboard." one of the directors continued.

"We were sworn to secrecy by our commander in chief," Aldrin added strongly.

"A total of thirty-five people knew the real plan at NASA," the director added.

"The soviets managed to land unmanned probes, somehow they must have picked up that fuel rod," another man added, nodding to the engine part.

"We believe the Russians deduced that the rod was a fissionable fuel assembly, believed they had it mastered and tried to harness it at Chernobyl."

"We landed six missions in all, we took hundreds of photos and samples. We locked them away forever, and the moon program was shut down."

"Well did you search the crash vault?" Ironhide rumbled in a grave tone.

The humans looked at him in shock.

"The ship's name was the ark, I watched it escape Cybertron myself," Optimus rumbled softly. "It was carrying an auto-bot technology which would have won us the war. And, it's Captain."

"Who was it's Captain?" Mearing asked quietly.

"The great Sentinel Prime. The technology's inventor, he was commander of the Auto-bot's before me. It is imperative that I find it before the Decepticons learn of it's location." Optimus stated calmly. "Our auto-bot space craft has the ability to get there, and, you must pray it is in time."

I reached up and rubbed my faceplates for a moment, frowning. Something felt wrong. Tinny's words reached back to me. Something clicked.

Optimus looked over at me.

"Who took care of the money trail?" I asked in a deathly calm tone. Mearing looked over at me with a frown. I sighed. "The accounting, Director Mearing," I said patiently, "The United States managed to keep Megatron frozen in the basement of the hoover dam for years, hid the _cube_ by building the dam _over it_. The potential of gleaning reverse engineered technology would have been too great to simply give up on it."

"It was too expensive," Dr. Aldrin called out in a saddened tone.

"No," I shook my head definitively, "those numbers don't jive." I looked at Optimus. "I'm going to go scout for a while," I stated calmly.

"Don't go to the moon without me," Optimus rumbled with a low tone of amusement.

"Aaaww, I'll be there and back in a few hours," I shot him mockingly pleading eyes.

Optimus snorted.

"We leave in six hours," he rumbled in amusement, "Hop into the flight deck, I'll drive."

I grinned and walked over to him, stretching to kiss his jaw gently.

"While we're here, precisely why is Archangel pissed off?" Jacobs called up. Director Mearing looked at me curiously.

"Mikaela is my spark-bonded," Optimus stated in a calm tone, "what one feels, we both feel."

"Like the smell of anger," I continued calmly, onlining my holoform beside Jacobs. "You know how when you get completely pissed off, and you stay really quiet to try not to have it affect everyone else, but everyone starts getting agitated anyway?"

"Increase that a hundredfold," Optimus continued for me. "Our sparks are interconnected, Mikaela is so calm, so patient most of the time that I often forget that my mood directly affects her." he onlined his holoform to stand in front of mine. _∂I apologize, my mate,∂_ he added, cupping mine's face.

"Just tell me what's wrong, next time," I murmured with a smile, "so that I can move directly from pissed off to fixing, instead of pissed and panicked."

"Let's roll," he nodded to me. We offlined our holoforms immediately, I wandered to the open flight deck and linked up to it along with my Optimus, transforming into a trailer as he assumed his truck form and linked up.

::. That still feels so bloody weird.:: I giggled softly.

::. What does?.:: he asked curiously.

::. You're the male, but every time I assimilate myself into the flight deck I wind up with the male connectors.::

Optimus snorted as we meshed together, attempting to hide his laughter with a few extra revs. Ironhide glanced over at us and began fighting back his own gruff chortles.

"You thrice blessed bloody bot," he rumbled with a snort, lightly whacking Optimus' roof again.

"What's going on?" Lennox asked curiously as Optimus began to pull out.

"For the sake of the clean minded, don't ask," Ratchet snorted, transforming and following us out.

"Later," Ironhide snorted, looking at the grinning soldiers.

* * *

(IPOV)

The humans wanted to know the joke, which was cool, Ironhide was certain now that they'd begun to pick up a bit of Cybertronian. He watched the director go with a carefully neutral expression, and nodded respectfully to the old man. No fear in that one.

"I'm too old to be afraid," the man chuckled softly, looking up at him.

Ironhide knelt down to the man's level.

"We are only afraid when we have something to lose, be at peace," Ironhide rumbled quietly. Aldrin nodded to him in return and wandered out amidst the entourage.

"What are you afraid of, Hide?" Jacobs asked in a soft tone.

"Being the first, and being the last," he rumbled sternly, pushing himself to his feet. Chromia whizzed over and jumped lightly into his arms.

"You won't lose me," she whispered. Ironhide smirked.

"Is it later yet?" Chance asked cheerfully. Ironhide laughed and onlined his holoform.

"Situational comedy," he rumbled with a snort. "Kae rather cheerfully pointed out just how bizarre she finds it to connect to Optimus in the flight deck."

"Why?" Jacobs asked with a grin.

"Oh, well when she connects, she's using male connectors," Chromia trilled. "Take that as you no doubt will, Kae already did."

Jacobs began desperately snorting back his own guffaws.

"I don't get it," Chance frowned.

"Then for the sake of your innocent mind, you're probably better off," Jacobs snorted. Chance frowned for a second before the lightbulb flashed in his eyes.

"Wrong, awesome, wrong," he howled gleefully. Ironhide chuckled, pecking a gentle kiss to Chromia's neck before lightly setting her down.

"Alright boys, let's get some training done," he rumbled cheerfully.

* * *

**Well. I suppose you aught to know. DoTM. **

**It starts. **


	145. 142 Gravity

**Chapter 142 - Gravity**

* * *

(RPOV)

Ratchet's spark-daughter was trying desperately to not bounce about. He glanced over at her as Optimus did and realized something.

"This isn't the first time you're going into space," he chided her with a snort.

"Ionosphere doesn't count," Mikaela grinned, "I'm sorry, I'm trying to be serious."

"Oh go over to the launch pad and bounce about a bit, you are allowed," Optimus laughed softly, watching his spark-mate fondly. She grinned at him and turned, sprinting toward the launchpad. The wreckers caught sight of her and laughed, waving her over to give her a quick tour of the Xantium.

"Nice to have you back, Optimus," Ratchet murmured, glancing at the larger mech.

Optimus shot a grin at him before turning serious optics to the ground crew.

"Ready when you are big guy!" Epps shouted up to him.

Optimus nodded calmly and strode to the ship. Mikaela was standing calmly now, watching him patiently and disappearing into the ship as he nodded to her.

"Two years and you're both acting like a couple of younglings," Ratchet murmured with a snort, Optimus glanced at him, and Ratchet couldn't hold back a grin. "_Still!?_" he laughed.

"What day is it today?" Optimus rumbled with a grin.

"September fifth..." Ratchet murmured.

"Precisely two years ago, Mikaela became my reliant as we fought together," Optimus rumbled placidly, boarding the Xantium. His expression became serious again. Mikaela was standing to attention, waiting patiently for her orders.

"Takeoff in twenty minutes," Optimus rumbled calmly, moving to take the captain's seat, Mikaela stood patiently on his right, a half pace behind.

Ratchet stood back for a long moment, observing the two.

Perfect match there, he thought, grinning again. Mikaela glanced over her shoulder at him curiously.

"Happy anniversary spark-daughter," Ratchet grinned at her.

"That's why you aren't leaving me behind huh?" she murmured to Optimus softly.

"That and you are better at sensing the presence of others," Optimus stated, looking up at her with mute appeal in his optics.

She smiled and reached out, laying a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Good, it saves me some fuel trying to catch up anyway," she murmured placidly. Ratchet quickly moved to the Medic's chair and watched curiously as Kae continued to stand.

"I deal with stronger g's when I'm flying," she murmured with a small smile.

Ratchet crunched through the numbers for a moment and snorted.

"Showoff," he rumbled irritably, settling himself into the medic's chair for inarguably his least favourite thing in the universe.

Kae glanced at him with a small wink and bent her knees lightly, even as her Spark-mate grunted with the force of takeoff.

"Ah _tol'_ you lot, sittin' through it makes it worse!" Roadbuster declared, entering the bridge.

"Be nice, there's a pit of a lot of them available for crashing through the floor," Kae grinned at the wrecker.

Roadbuster snorted and wandered to the instrumentation panels.

"Fer the Femme's amusement," he grinned and promptly cut the gravity. Ratchet began to float off of his seat, irritation immediately giving way to the sheer amusement of watching Kae as she floated in space for the first time, giggling like a youngling.

"Oh the potential!" she giggled, floating upside down and shooting a wicked glance at Optimus.

"Yer a spike tease," Roadbuster snorted, giving the femme a light shove so that she floated sideways. Right into the middle of the open area. She began twisting her arms and angling her wings lightly, and promptly began swearing when her usual flight stabilization techniques did absolutely nothing as she floated sideways.

Ratchet couldn't help it, he began laughing at his spark daughter as she flailed about in the rapidly decreasing atmosphere.

"Fans aren't working!" she stated in irritation, finally drawing close enough to the wall to grab a handhold.

"O'course not!" Roadbuster snorted, "We're dumping th' atmosphere, y'need air fer yer stabilizers tae work!"

"Kae, you don't _breathe_ anymore," Optimus murmured consolingly as her optics momentarily flared in minute panic.

She glanced at her mate with a wry expression. Optimus began laughing at her.

"What?" Ratchet asked curiously.

"An orn in, Kae sorted out her sensory inputs to mimic how she'd felt as a human." Optimus rumbled in amusement, pushing himself out of his seat and toward Kae.

"I sample the air every few seconds," Kae murmured, her spark resonating a small amount of embarrassment.

"Which is how you keep out-smarting me on the diagnostics," Ratchet snorted, "that's sneaky, my daughter, very sneaky."

Kae grinned at him and looked curiously at Roadbuster.

"What's the gravity like on Cybertron?" she asked, delicately settling herself to hover about a foot above the floor.

Roadbuster promptly dialled the settings. Ratchet flumped back into his seat contentedly, good, strong gravity, made you feel like you were actually sitting, not simply sort of floating on your seat. He idly sat back and lifted a leg, crossing his ankle over his knee.

"You've bin missin' her too yeah?" Roadbuster snorted, gleefully striding about in the powerful gravitational field as Optimus stretched against the forces that had made him strong. He glanced at his spark-bonded with a grin.

"How... the fuck... do..." she gritted out, struggling to stand. Ratchet leaped to his feet and strode to his spark-daughter, carefully gripping her arm.

"Of course you're not used to it," he told her soothingly. He began piping the modifications she'd have to make to withstand the gravity.

She began strengthening her frame and took a step forward, promptly collapsing to the floor, swearing in every language she'd downloaded thus far.

"What?" Optimus asked with a low laugh, "you get used to it."

Kae sighed and looked up at her spark-mate mournfully.

"I've just been proven completely useless on Cybertron," she stated firmly, "and you're _still_ laughing at me."

"If it makes you feel any better, I'm constantly feeling off-balance on Earth," Roadbuster stated calmly, "it's too light down there, feel like I'm about to float off."

Kae looked up at the wrecker gratefully and continued the minute modifications to her frame, finally rolling to her feet and moving as she normally did in earth's gravity. She glanced at the readings and nodded to them.

"Time to start the routine," she murmured. Optimus nodded and patched into the radio.

* * *

(OPOV)

"Xantium approaching tranquility basin," he rumbled.

"This is Houston, you're a go for landing," control replied calmly.

"Assuming the Moon's gravitational field," Roadbuster stated calmly, Optimus felt himself grow light again. Kae felt somewhat off-balance as well now, but in moments, she was modifying her balances and stabilizers. She began smirking to herself, she was far stronger now, and considering it a bonus. Optimus glanced at her with amusement. She shot him an innocent look and patiently braced herself for landing.

"Archangel, Ratchet, let's roll," Optimus rumbled calmly, exiting the Xantium. Kae was the second out, the second her feet touched ground he felt a surge of unease flicker through her spark.

~Something's wrong~ she whispered to him. ~I'm going to scout~

Kae promptly dug her toes into the ground for a second before striding off, scanning the ground with every sensor she had available.

Ratchet looked at him curiously.

::. I can't feel her scanning anything, is she sightseeing?.:: he sent curiously.

::. Scouting.:: Optimus sent back.

::. We have company, laying low, a fuckton of them.:: Mikaela sent to them in a low tone. ::. Better get what you're coming for and get out in a hurry.::

::. Duly noted.:: Optimus rumbled just as seriously. ::. We're entering the ark.:: He glanced to Ratchet and brought a cutter online beside the medic's, one green, one blue.

Kae strode after them quickly, and Optimus noted that her eyes were everywhere, the influx of information causing her optics to glow a little bit more.

~Kae?~ he sent to her worriedly.

~I'm alright, we'll share notes later~ she murmured, Optimus could feel her wary frown.

::. The crash vault has remained sealed.:: Ratchet stated calmly, Optimus reached forward and pressed down the activation switch. Kae was frowning even more as it slid open smoothly.

She looked at Sentinel Prime for a long moment before gazing around herself again, seeming to scan the very welds that held the ship together.

::. I would have been on this mission if Nova and Alia had still been alive.:: Ratchet murmured. ::. His levels are faint, he locked himself away to guard the pillars.:: he added in a mournful tone.

::. Sentinel, you are coming home, old friend.:: Optimus murmured, looking upon his old mentor. He glanced up to see Kae still frowning beneath her calm exterior, she reached out and summoned the memory chips from each of the dead crewmen before striding downward into the hold, a true frown on her face.

::. Kae, we should leave, quickly.:: Ratchet called out anxiously. She scanned for another moment before turning, calling the remaining pillars to herself and embedding them into her wings for safe keeping. She was the first out now. Optimus watched her worriedly.

::. All clear.:: she murmured, her gun still out and scanning the area.

::. Ironhide will be proud.:: Ratchet stated calmly, Kae glanced at him and rolled her optics, continuing to scan both ship and area.

She reached the Xantium and carefully levitated Sentinel from Optimus' arms, depositing the body delicately on a berth and sitting down, optics shadowed with processes.

::. Yeh migh' want tae...:: Roadbuster began, Optimus caught his optic and shook his head lightly. Kae didn't want to be disturbed at the moment. He could feel her wariness as she slowly went through every piece of information she'd scanned. Her optics locked on the still form of Sentinel.

~Kae?~ he rumbled softly.

~Later, my beloved~ she murmured ~When you won't need your battle-mask~

::. Attack?.:: he rumbled immediately.

::. No, and that's what's bothering me.:: Kae murmured, still watching Sentinel with a deep frown etched on her face.

::. He's a good bot, a good leader.:: Optimus rumbled, feeling her uncertainty.

::. I trust you, Optimus, absolutely.:: Kae murmured ::. But something feels off, wrong.::

::. But _what_, my Kae?.:: Optimus whispered.

::. I don't know yet.:: she murmured.


	146. 143 Return

**Chapter 143 - Return**

* * *

(MPOV)

I watched Sentinel for the remainder of the trip, forming myself and the flight deck into the trailer around him, and continuing to watch as my Optimus pulled us back to NEST.

Optimus was quiet until we were finally alone, striding to our quarters with Ironhide and Ratchet close behind us.

"We weren't the first to find him," I stated flatly, the second the doors closed behind us.

"The crash vault was sealed," Ratchet stated with a frown.

"Sealed on the moon for sixty years, the ark was still burning when it crashed through sand. And you're going to tell me the crash vault opened that easily after every last system was torn from it? Somebody got into the ship, and welded it back together again when they were finished. There's no way that many Decepticons are in hiding up there without reason."

"How many?" Ironhide growled softly.

"I don't know," I murmured softly. "More than I wanted breathing down our necks. I couldn't risk a full scan."

Ironhide crossed his arms with a frown, already in deep thought.

"Two thoughts," he grumbled. "Either we managed to sneak Sentinel out from under their servos."

"Or they let us go," I growled softly. My uncle and I were scowling into the middle distance together, there were too many variables at the moment.

"All we can do is hope we managed to sneak him out of there," Ironhide finally sighed. "I can't think of any reason they'd _let_ us have Sentinel back."

I could. I just didn't want to say it.

"When are you re-activating him?" I asked patiently, looking at my mate.

"Tonight," Optimus rumbled.

"Let's get going then," I stated quietly, continuing to frown.

"He is a good auto-bot, a good leader," Optimus repeated himself.

I looked at my Optimus for a long time.

"Alright," I said finally. "Do you want to use the matrix, or did you want me to do it?"

Optimus smiled at me.

"I will use the matrix," he rumbled placidly, turning and leading the way to the med-bay again. I glanced down to see Sam of all people walking through the corridors with Will, a pretty girl close behind him.

"Sam, how have you been?" I asked calmly.

"Mikaela!? You're an auto-bot!?" Sam squeaked, I smiled and onlined my holoform.

"I am now, anyway, what's happening?" I asked calmly.

"I got recognized," Sam stated quietly, "Even after all the stuff you taught me about staying hidden, I got recognized. Jerry Wang, he gave me these before a Decepticon threw him out the window of his own office." I looked at the papers with a frown, scanning the information with narrowed eyes.

"Who's this!?" Director Mearing demanded.

"Are we going to go through this again, Director?" I asked irritably. "Director Mearing, Sam Witwicky and... I'm sorry dear, I didn't catch your name." I smiled at the pretty blonde.

"Carly Spencer," she smiled at me.

"Taking good care of Sam?" I asked carefully, searching out her identity. Ah, the embassy girl.

"I try," she smiled.

"Good," I nodded, "It's nice to meet you Carly, military family, I shall vouch for her, Director," I added patiently, looking at the annoying woman.

I glanced at my Optimus as he touched my shoulder and nodded, handing Sam his papers back with my holoform.

"I'm going to give you my phone number," I stated quietly, below Mearing's earshot. "The both of you. I'm sorry Carly, I may wind up stealing your man for a short period of time, he can still move in circles I no longer have access to. I promise I shall not take his affections."

"How'd you wind up as a bot?" Sam asked curiously.

"That's a long story," I laughed softly. "The three of us will get together for drinks once the chaos has calmed though, catch up, alright?" I asked with a smile, looking at Carly. Her body language relaxed immensely as I refused to exclude her.

"I'd like that," she smiled at me.

"Good. I'm sorry, if you'll excuse me, it's go time." I smiled.

* * *

"Let us begin," Optimus rumbled calmly, nodding to the soldiers on the catwalks.

I stood and watched with narrowed eyes as Optimus pulled the matrix from his chest. I glanced up and took note of everyone's positions, Sam and Carly were on the staircase, Lennox with Mearing in the box.

"That's the Great Matrix of Leadership," Lennox murmured. "He holds the only thing in the universe that can re-power a transformer's spark."

Well, one of them.

"This is incredible," Carly whispered.

"Sentinel Prime, we bid you return," my Optimus rumbled, he thrust the Matrix into Sentinel's spark chamber. I winced slightly. That'd be one hell of a morning wakeup kick.

The older prime began convulsing, shouting out in garbled common before his optics onlined fully. In battle mode.

Optimus was thrown backwards, and Sentinel had his blade in hand, following him down.

"Hold your fire!" Lennox bellowed.

"Stop Sentinel!" Optimus shouted, fighting off the older.

Sentinel continued to struggle for a moment, trying to hurt my mate. The voice of command bubbled out of me before I could stop it.

"Sentinel Prime! Stand down!" I commanded tersely. The entire hangar froze for a moment.

"It is I, Optimus Prime," Optimus rumbled as Sentinel froze above him for a moment. "It is alright, you are safe."

I tried to relax as my mate did, watching Sentinel rise.

"There's nothing to fear," Ratchet called out calmly.

"We are here," Optimus continued. "You are home, Sentinel."

"The war," he rumbled worriedly, "The war!"

"The war was lost," Optimus rumbled softly. "Cybertron is now but a barren wasteland. We have taken refuge here on planet earth. It's human race is our ally."

"My ship, we came under fire," Sentinel rasped. "The pillars, where are the pillars?"

"You saved five of them," Optimus rumbled. "Including the control pillar."

"Only five! We once had hundreds!" Sentinel growled. I froze, denying myself the automatic response. Hundreds in the ship. The Decepticons had them now.

"Excuse me, gentlemen," Director Mearing called out. "May I ask, what is this technology you are looking for?"

"It is the ability to re-shape the universe. Together the pillars form a space bridge, I designed and I alone can control it. It defies your laws of physics to transport matter through time and space." He stated calmly.

"You're talking about a teleportation device, aren't you?"

"Yes, for resources, for refugees," Optimus rumbled.

"Refugees, or troops of soldiers, weapons, maybe bombs! A means of an instant strike! That's it's military function, isn't it!"

"It is our technology and it must be returned." Sentinel stated in a warning tone.

"Yes, if humans say so," Mearing stated firmly. "you can't just bring weapons of mass destruction into our atmosphere. You kinda have to clear customs first! A little formality called paperwork, kinda, separates us from the animals."

"I will overlook your condescending tone if you heed the gravity of mine. The Decepticons must never know the space bridge is here, for in their hands it would mean the end of your world." Sentinel growled.

I narrowed my optics, fighting and almost losing the battle against my protective circuits for my battle-mask to cover my face. Optimus turned sharply to look at me, Sentinel doing the same.

::. Don't tell him I'm a Prime.:: I sent tersely to my Optimus over our private channel.

"Archangel?" my Optimus rumbled worriedly.

"Who, are you," Sentinel growled.

"A moment," I stated calmly. "Colonel Lennox, you are probably going to want to get Sam's statements, Bumblebee, are you alright to be Sam's guardian again?"

_∂Yes Ma'am!∂_Bumblebee grinned at me, throwing a cheerful salute.

"Ma'am?" Sentinel asked in a tone that left warning bells ringing in my processors.

"Quit calling me ma'am little brother," I forced through a grin, lightly whacking at Bee.

"You're my sister, I'm gonna call you whatever I want," he grinned at me, but obviously catching the message.

"Sentinel, my first lieutenant, Designation Archangel," Optimus rumbled.

I stood stock still, watching the older mech with narrowed eyes. My human instincts were screaming at me. I could hear a tone from his spark, subtle, quiet, the after-tones of treachery. Sentinel eyed me right back.

"That's our cue to leave," Will murmured, his voice echoed throughout the midges in the soldier's ears.

"But..." Mearing started.

"No seriously, this is our time to leave," Will growled softly. "Collateral damage."

I nodded to Jacobs as he threw a quick salute to me, walking toward the exit, closely followed by the rest of the soldiers.

"Shall we adjourn to central?" I asked my Optimus calmly, still eyeing Sentinel.

"Yes," Optimus nodded firmly, lightly touching the small of my back. I looked up at him ::. He is a good leader, a good auto-bot.:: he rumbled worriedly on the primary.

"Your first lieutenant does not trust me," Sentinel growled.

_∂Trust is not freely given∂_ I stated coldly, _∂it is earned. If you wish to argue about it, I would suggest we remove ourselves to the privacy of the central.∂_

"Kae," Optimus rumbled softly, looking at me with mute appeal in his optics as Sentinel stared between the two of us. I reached up and gently cupped his cheek in my hand.

~I do not doubt you, my Optimus~ I whispered to his spark. ~But I cannot deny my own instincts, something is wrong, the Decepticons know of the pillar's whereabouts~

I turned and gestured to the exit, walking toward it the next second.

"Sentinel," Optimus rumbled behind me.

"Your Prime has not given you permission to leave," Sentinel barked behind me. I glanced over my shoulder, raising a brow ridge incredulously.

"Yes, I have," Optimus rumbled softly. "Come, we have much to discuss."

"'S good to see you again, Sentinel," Ironhide rasped as the bots followed me. "You should be proud of your pupil, he's a good leader."

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus listened to his spark-bonded's emotions, even as she blocked them slightly from him, if only so he wouldn't have to feel them as well.

Mistrust, worry, suspicion.

He watched her walk out of the bay and made to follow.

"Sentinel," he rumbled softly, reaching out to lightly touch his mentor's elbow.

"Your Prime has not given you permission to leave!" Sentinel barked at her. Optimus watched in amusement as she glanced over her shoulder incredulously.

"Yes, I have," Optimus rumbled quietly, "Come, we have much to discuss."

"S good to see you again, Sentinel," Ironhide rasped, he and Ratchet following close behind. "You should be proud of your pupil, he's a good leader."

"I was already proud of Optimus," Sentinel stated calmly. "But I wonder of you, young warrior, why do you allow that young femme such freedom to disrespect you?"

Ironhide snorted in amusement behind him.

"You may as well tell him right off the bat," Ratchet chuckled. "Save him the shock later. A proper introduction wouldn't hurt."

"Indeed," Optimus rumbled with a snort. He smiled at his Kae as she stood in the central, waiting for him before taking her seat.

"You outrank me, beloved Kae," he rumbled in amusement. "You are allowed to take your seat to wait."

Kae glared at him.

"Kae," Optimus rumbled gently, reaching out and touching her elbow. She sighed.

"But if I take my seat, I waste energon making my holoform pace," she shot back at him with her own, wry little smile.

"Proper introductions," Optimus rumbled with a smile. "Sentinel Prime, may I introduce you to Mikaela Archangel Leanne Banes, Predator, All-spark healer and Prime." He watched her proudly as she automatically offered her left arm in salute.

"YOU outrank us?" Sentinel growled.

"Not by choice," Mikaela growled right back at him. "Optimus is my chosen Prime, gladly do I respect and give my deference to him."

"And yet you still do not trust me," Sentinel growled, linking his left arm with her own.

"Gladly would I defer to you, but I do not give deference to those who have not earned my trust. Forgive me, Sentinel, it is a survival mechanism which has served me well."

"You cannot trust a bot who takes your arm?" Sentinel growled.

"I am a watcher," Kae growled softly, moving forward slightly and looking Sentinel in the optics. "I trust what I can see, yet in you I do not see the mentor Optimus has spoken so highly of."

"You _dare_ accuse me!" Sentinel snarled, stepping back from her.

"I dare ask," Kae snarled, "Speak the truth, do I have any reason to trust you?"

Optimus watched in horror as his Mentor charged his bonded, he stood shocked alongside his unit. The Sentinel he remembered had had far more patience, especially with the young.

His spark gave a small wrench as his Kae's instincts proved correct, Sentinel's weapons came online, but she had Sentinel on his back in moments. He was staring at her in shock, struggling against her submission.

"Release me at once!" he commanded. Kae drew a sword from her wings and lightly touched Sentinel's helm with the tip.

"I will obey your order when you heed mine," she snarled, _**Ωnow speak the truth, do I have any reason to trust you, Sentinel?Ω **_

"You do," Sentinel growled.

Optimus' spark flared in pain. He hadn't said it in the language of the primes, the language that defied lying.

"Then why do you stink of treachery?" Kae snarled, shoving him against the floor somewhat more. "Show me your spark!" she commanded.

Optimus felt his spark flare in agony as his mentor sagged against the floor, no longer fighting against Kae as his spark chamber bared itself. So open, anyone could hear his resonations of defeat. She touched it lightly, sending a gentle surge of energon to his spark. Sentinel's optics offlined as he rebooted.

Silence.

"He's been driven mad," Kae stated quietly, looking at Ratchet.

"His need to protect Cybertron," Ratchet murmured sadly, reading her scans. "The Guardian's madness."

"I had to," Sentinel rasped. "We were never going to win the war, I had to save her, I had to protect Cybertron. I have failed." he looked up at Kae with grief in his optics. "Kill me, young warrior, I do not deserve life."

"Oh, so you're going to offline and leave us the mess to clean up?" Kae snarled at him, sheathing her blade again. She rose from the older Mech's chest and stood, walking to her place and sitting down. "No, if anything, you're going to stick around to help clean it up. The Decepticons have the pillars, which I doubt you are ignorant of. Not with that many ships and fighters biding their time hiding out on our moon."

"Why!?" Optimus snarled at them, his spark felt torn, his mentor... his _friend..._ Sentinel rolled carefully to his knees.

"Who controls the pillars," Mikaela asked calmly, looking at Sentinel. "More promptly, who but you or I could revive Sentinel? You are under orders to rendezvous with the Decepticons." She didn't make it a question.

"I am," Sentinel rasped in a heavy tone. Mikaela reached up and rubbed her face.

"Which is why they let us go," she sighed. "It would have been the perfect trap, using Sentinel as the bait. But they _need_ him _online_."

Optimus walked over and sat down heavily beside his Kae, she reached out and laid a gentle hand on his own. He was a fool.

"I'm sorry," he choked.

"Hush my love," Kae murmured gently, reaching up and cupping his cheek. "The game begins."

Jazz settled down and grinned at her. Trust the _saboteur_ to know what his mate was talking about.

"Ol _Megsy_ don't know tha' _we_ now know that Sentinel defectuhed." Jazz smirked at him. "We've got th' upper servo now."

Oh.

His beloved Kae looked around seriously before catching Sentinel's gaze, Optimus felt his spark flare in shock as his Kae's spark began to resonate compassion. She rose and knelt in front of Sentinel.

"You are a good bot, a good Prime," she stated gently, extending a binder cable to the Prime's spark again. "Cybertron is not lost, Sentinel. We will heal her again, _I_ will heal your home, but please understand, I _must_ see to the safety of my own home planet. I cannot allow Decepticons to pillage the earth, as they have Cybertron. The war continues, we have our duty."

Optimus watched as Sentinel stared at his femme, shock and understanding resonated from his spark.

Shock, understanding and acceptance.

"We need a plan," Ironhide growled, taking his place in the central beside Ratchet.

"We need reconnah'sance, info'mashun," Jazz added firmly.

"Come," Kae murmured, gently pulling Sentinel to his feet and guiding him to settle into the collective.

* * *

Optimus onlined his optics in his Kae's mindspace. Ratchet, Ironhide, Jazz and Sentinel immediately settled in beside him. Spark to spark, anyone could feel the pain of madness slowly healing in the oldest spark.

"We need a plan," Ironhide growled again. Bumblebee settled down beside his sister, her spark reached out and hugged him gently.

"Right, so I'll take the human angle," Bee stated calmly. "Follow the conspiracies, like you said Kae. I'll take Wheelie and Brains with me, stay with Sam. He's got good instincts."

Optimus nodded, looking at his Kae.

"Before we split, let's look at the information we already have," she stated firmly, bringing up the information she'd scanned in, and reading the chips from the dead bots.

"The ark has been modified," Ironhide rasped immediately, looking at her scans.

"That's what I thought," Kae nodded firmly, flicking through the information. The bots watched in shock as she brought up her scans of the moon's surface. "Precise pinpoint unavailable, I didn't want to risk that many knowing that we know they're there." she stated gravely.

"Primus, they've got carriers with them," Sideswipe growled. "Warships, twenty fliers to a carrier, we're outnumbered."

"We're gonna have ta make them come ta us," Jazz frowned, looking at the scans.

"The plan, is to bring Cybertron here, using the pillars," Sentinel stated quietly. "They wish to make the human race a slave race to rebuild our home. We are outnumbered, but they are outmatched."

"I will not allow my people to become slaves," Kae stated sternly.

"If you can promise me, that you will save our home, I will swear to you to protect your people," Sentinel stated quietly, looking at Kae.

"I will promise you three things," Kae stated, catching and holding Sentinel's optics. "I promise you, that once the threat to Cybertron is removed, she will live and breathe once more. I promise you that I will protect my people. And I swear to you, if you fire upon my unit, my family, I will ensure that you will not offline until you have felt every ounce of pain that they have endured."

"She's not bluffing," Bumblebee whispered beside his sister. He was staring at her in shock, Ironhide and Ratchet looked back and forth between the two of them worriedly.

"So be it," Sentinel nodded sternly.

"We need a plan," Optimus rumbled.

"Sentinel must carry through as though we are ignorant of his actions." Kae stated quietly. "We _must_ retrieve the pillars."

"Well, the humans have the five remaining locked away," Bee stated musingly.

"Your point?" Sentinel growled. Jazz was smirking again.

"Well, you could always throw one of your shit-fits, Sentinel, retrieve the pillahs, and meet up with ol' Megsy. The Decepticons will come tah Earth from the moon, which is dang'rous, but if they _do_ that then we've picked Ah battleground." Jazz smirked.

"Our human allies are very quick to unite against a common enemy, even among themselves." Bumblebee added in counterpart.

Kae smiled at her brother.

"Sentinel," she stated with narrowed eyes. "If we created beacons, laid them out in a safe area, could you tie them to the pillars. Wherever the main battle is to take place, can you use the pillars to evacuate the civilians?"

"We can do that, you will need to be present, link the beacons to yourself, I will transfer the control of the pillars to you at the correct moment." Sentinel stated, Optimus looked at his mentor in shock as the light of battle began to flicker in his optics again. "We force their hand, we hem them in."

"Cut away the ground they stand upon," Kae continued for him. "We must proceed cautiously, gather evidence against them for the benefit of the humans."

"Mine!" Bee grinned beside her. Kae nodded.

"I must appear to betray you," Sentinel stated quietly. "I will send a message to your United Nations, it must appear that we have no plan. That _you_ have no plan. They will never leave this planet." He turned to look at Optimus with narrowed optics.

"You have much to discuss," Kae murmured, reaching up and lightly kissing Optimus' jaw. "I have preparations to make, and beacons to build."

Optimus nodded and reached out, pressing a kiss to his Kae's forehead. She smiled at him and returned to her body.

"I thought I told you to be wary of whom you bind yourself to," Sentinel growled as Kae rose in the physical world.

"When she was still human," Bee stated defensively. "His mark etched itself into her skin above her spark. She chose him before her own mark was even chosen!"

"What of Elita?" Sentinel growled. "What of your bonded femme?"

"She denied me at the gates," Optimus growled. "Bonded me simply because I was Prime. I loved her as she refused to love me."

"And so you give your spark to another Femme," Sentinel stated coldly.

"We have all seen her spark, joined with her," Ironhide growled.

"My spark-daughter is everything you claimed to be, and more," Ratchet added stonily. "She outranks us all, and yet she denies her rank, she is my _daughter_."

"My niece," Ironhide added.

"My sister," Bee piped in strongly.

"Our sister," Arcee added, standing with the Femmes.

"She is one of us absolutely," Sideswipe stated coldly. "The spark-bonded of our Prime, a healing predator that we are proud to fight beside."

"She raised me to be her equal, even as I instructed her to take the dominant," Optimus rumbled quietly, looking at his mentor. "Gladly would I be her lieutenant. She refuses to take the leadership."

"She defers to Optimus, pit she was mildly pissed off when Optimus made her first lieutenant," Ironhide rumbled cheerfully. "Kept trying to get me to take the post as her senior."

Sentinel sat in silence, staring around himself.

"She has proven herself?" he rumbled finally. Bumblebee burst out laughing.

"How many did she kill in egypt again?" he grinned.

"Kill count!" Sideswipe called out with a snort.

"Scorponok, before _we_ even _got_ there," Ironhide started with a grin, holding up his hand.

"Fourteen kills on the field, multiple critical shots, she took out weapons systems." Ratchet reeled off quietly. "On record, she has maintained us regularly, cared for us. She has saved the lives of seven men, five auto-bots, and repaired major damage on ninety all told."

"And she's..." Sentinel whispered.

"Twenty-three annum." Optimus snorted.

"She took out the wolf pack on her first day after being cast," Ironhide snorted gleefully. "They were outflying the lot of us, she turned 'em around snappish and drove 'em to the ground so we could fire on 'em. A niece to be proud of."

"I'm gonna check status, take Sam and Carly home," Bee grinned.

"Be careful," Optimus rumbled calmly, nodding to his scout.

"Aye Sir," he grinned, winking back to his body.

"I'll take training so you lot can catch up on your stories," Sideswipe grinned unrepentantly at Ironhide.

"'preciate it Sides," Ironhide grinned.

"I should like to work alongside your mate," Sentinel stated formally, looking at Optimus. "If she is to use the pillars, we should work the glitches out whilst I am still here."

"Med bay," Ratchet stated cheerfully, winking into his own body and onlining his optics again.


	147. 144 His Mentor and his Mate

**Chapter 144 – His Mentor and his Mate**

* * *

(SePOV)

"While we're at it, you're seven vorn overdue a physical." Medic Ratchet stated aloud, grinning him. Sentinel rolled his optics and Optimus snorted beside him, standing and hauling him to his feet. Prime or not, he knew better than to try to argue with Ratchet. Bossy scrapping Medic would get his way no matter _what_ argument he used; up to, and most _certainly_ including simply switching his motor controls off. They walked back to the Med-bay.

"Sorted?" one of the multitude of humans in this place called up to Optimus curiously, jogging beside him a few paces.

"Sorted," Optimus rumbled, nodding to the man. "Join us, Colonel?"

"I'd be honoured," the human grinned, hopping into the hand Optimus idly offered, the man squirmed to his shoulder, visibly taking care to not tug or stomp on sensitive metals.

"Sentinel, may I introduce Colonel William Lennox, our human ally on the battlefield for six annum." Optimus rumbled calmly.

The Colonel turned to Sentinel, offering his left arm formally.

_∂Gladly do I greet you, Sentinel Prime.∂ _he stated formally. Ironhide cheered.

"Atta boy!" the mech grinned at Will.

"Did I say it right?" Will grinned.

"Right down to the last syllable," Ratchet chortled as Sentinel stared, the camaraderie was evident among them. A rarity for the weapons master, and moreso for the medic.

"Who coached you this time?" Ironhide grinned.

"Nobody," Will smirked, "I _told _you we'd figure it out eventually."

"Kae coached him," Ironhide snorted.

"Okay I blew it past her before I said it," Will snorted.

"That's the truth," Archangel stated placidly, not even looking up from her work.

"Oh, by the way, if one of the humans offers you a targeting hand, they're not targeting you," Ratchet told Sentinel cheerfully. "The size of humans doesn't vary enough for them to have the same greeting as our own."

"Getting better though," Will snorted.

"True, you haven't accidentally targeted one of us in two years," Ironhide snorted.

Optimus' scout poked his head around the door.

"I'm taking Sam, Carly, Wheels and Brains out now," he reported. "Did you want dailies or hourlies?"

"Hourly, tell me when you get to base, daily after that," Optimus ordered calmly.

"Drive safe little brother," Archangel added, glancing up from her work to smile at the scout.

"You gonna drop by and visit sis?" he grinned.

"I may," Archangel nodded regally. "Visit with them in holoform, bring you some proper fuel and whatnot."

"Seeya later then sis," Bee grinned, he looked at Optimus and Sentinel himself. "Sirs," he nodded formally before taking his leave. Sentinel glanced around to see his former pupil trade a glance with his mate, she canted her head to the side slightly, Optimus nodded.

"What'cha building Kae?" the Colonel asked curiously as Optimus set him down on her worktable.

"Rule twenty four," Archangel stated calmly.

"Boyscout one?" Will asked with raised eyebrows.

"Always be prepared," she nodded. "They're evacuation packs I suppose."

"You wish a synthesis unit," Sentinel stated interestedly, walking carefully toward her and looking at the schematics she was idly working on.

"Portable by humans," she nodded calmly. Sentinel stopped and stared at her before looking at the Weapons Master.

"She intends to play to the strengths of _all_ of your allies?" he demanded in shock. _That_ was a move he had not even _considered._ He needed to discover the precise strengths of the humans if that was the case.

"She's young, but well trained, her ancestors are commanders," Ironhide rumbled comfortably, lounging beside Ratchet.

"We got a battle coming," Will stated calmly. Sentinel looked back at the human, evidently, he was far more perceptive than he'd previously been willing to admit.

"It may not happen," Archangel stated just as calmly. "However we must be prepared for the worst."

"What should I be working on?" Will asked with a frown. Archangel leaned back slightly, looking at him.

"Schematics, every major city in the world so that if we _ever_ have to evacuate a city, it is set up in an entirely different area in the same formation." she stated firmly. "Get the techs working on it. Connected string diagram with your major points the hospitals, secondary are high populace buildings, third are outlying."

"Gotcha," the man nodded, "I'll get them moving, anything else?"

"Scan areas around the cities, drop off points." she stated calmly.

"To put the civilians out of the battle zone?"

"If it ever comes to that," she nodded. "Keep it quiet, though."

"Got it," the man nodded firmly before sliding down a pole extending from the young Prime's workbench.

Sentinel watched the man exit the med-bay in astonishment, then walk back in again.

"Sorry, last one. File?" he called up.

"New file, double encrypt, here, I'll make it," Archangel stated calmly, wirelessly connecting to the computers and building a new archive space. Will stood calmly in the doorway, watching her.

"Right," she nodded as the archive completed itself. "Apocalypse file, password is the first one you put in there."

"On it," Will nodded, turning and carrying on down the corridor.

"Good man there, good fighter," Ironhide rumbled amicably.

"You wish to add the beacons to your synthesis units," Sentinel stated calmly, looking at the Femme. "When they are placed in order, you can get the people to where they are safe, with the necessary equipment for survival."

"Precisely," Archangel nodded, Sentinel looked at her for a long moment, feeling a grudging admiration for her tactics.

"I redact my statement," Sentinel stated, looking at Optimus. "She is a femme worthy of your spark, young warrior. To work."

Archangel smiled at him, and Sentinel could plainly see what had attracted his former pupil to her. The kindness of a healer flowed through her circuits beside the killer instincts of a predator. She idly snapped a levitation field around a bench and drew it to her worktable, indicating it to him with a questioning gesture.

Sentinel sat across from his friend's femme.

"Now then, Archangel," he started.

"Kae," she stated calmly. He looked at her curiously. "You have seen my spark, as I have yours. If I may call you friend, you may call me Kae." she said with a small smile. Sentinel could not help but stare at her formal entreaty, recognizing immediately the rarity with which she offered her friendship.

"Kae," he stated slowly, secretly enjoying the brief, easy way it flowed. A battle name. "Your synthesis units will have to be remarkably powerful to maintain their efficacy as beacons."

"Indeed," she nodded firmly, hovering schematics over the worktable. He looked at them for a long moment and reached out, lightly shifting their makeup.

Out of the corner of his optic, he noted Optimus standing straight with pride. He looked at the young warrior somewhat curiously.

"Scrapping honey," Ironhide snorted, lightly whacking Optimus.

"My mentor and my beloved are capable of working together," Optimus rumbled placidly.

"Harmony remains, blah blah blah, I still want to see what happens if they go at it verbally, can you imagine the sheer amount of learning inherent in one of their arguments?" Ratchet snorted. "Which reminds me, _∂Daughter∂,_ you need to refuel."

"Luxury after the work is done _∂Father,∂_" she replied, sounding as though it were an automatic response.

"Can't very well get the work done if you fall asleep halfway through," the old Medic stated comfortably.

"I'm good for another three days and you scrapping well know it," she stated in amusement.

"Which'll turn to one once you've started producing... which will put you back in sync with Optimus' schedule. Brat." Ratchet snorted.

Sentinel watched in amusement as Kae levelled a benign smile at the Medic before it dawned on him that she'd effectively won the argument before it had even had the chance to get started properly. He narrowed his optics slightly and tweaked her schematic into a minor error. She looked at it with a frown.

"That won't work." she stated calmly.

"Why?" he rumbled intently.

"The cross wiring between the beacon and synthesis unit will cause it to error out," she stated firmly, tweaking the schematic into an entirely different form. He had to give her credit, it was a remarkably efficient setup. He nodded and began changing the beacon as she fit her synthesis unit alongside it effortlessly.

"The receiving units won't need to be as complex," Sentinel murmured, enjoying himself as he worked alongside her. "The sending is far more important than the receiving."

"We can't have an error in the receiving," she challenged him mildly. "Carbon based units are far more reliant on their forms than we, each life is precious, their limbs and functions far more difficult to right than our own."

Sentinel hummed in deep thought and began revising his receiving beacons, Kae watched his schematics interestedly, occasionally reviewing minute systems and simplifying them beautifully.

Finally, in a remarkably short time, they meshed their holographic schematics together and began running tests on it.

Every system she had modified worked flawlessly with the others. Sentinel was at a loss as he ran his own trials against it.

"It is so simple," he murmured in awe. "incredibly complex in it's simplicity."

"Great things are created of many working together," Kae shrugged. "They call us insects, but underestimate the true capabilities of hive minds, taken in perspective, an anthill is a deeply sophisticated piece of engineering, done entirely by collective instinct."

Sentinel stared at her, he couldn't help it.

Kae raised a hand and brought up a holo, it looked like a schematic of a city rather like Teletran.

"Which city complex is that?" Ratchet asked curiously. Kae... snorted?

"_Now_ who's the insect? This is a schematic of a giant anthill," she chuckled. "So if our _insects _build _your_ cities, just how dumb are _your _bugs that Megatron calls _me_ insect and means it to be an insult?"

"That's a pretty good question, did we even _have_ bugs?" Technician Jolt piped up cheerfully from the doorway. "I remember a good few insectoid bots, but they were driven by the larger controllers."

"Scraplets," Optimus rumbled darkly.

Sentinel shuddered and cupped his shoulder, remembering all too well the damage a scraplet could do.

"Scraplets?" Mikaela asked quietly, looking at Optimus.

Sentinel looked at the femme in shock. She looked back at him impassively.

"How do you not know what a scraplet is?" he asked curiously.

"I was born on earth," Mikaela stated calmly. "Born and raised as a human here."

"Most of her knowledge of our languages and traditions are secondhand, passed to her by the All-spark," Ratchet stated quietly.

"I'm still integrating her knowledge," Mikaela stated softly, looking down embarrassedly.

"How long have you been trying to recall everything?" Sentinel asked interestedly, leaning toward the Femme.

"Two annum," she groaned, reaching up and rubbing her face tiredly. "Right now we're _both_ trying to change my thought patterns enough to become compatible with each other."

"What!?" Optimus demanded, looking at his femme. Sentinel looked around at them.

"I'm the younger," Mikaela stated in amusement, looking at her bot.

"But I do not wish your thought patterns to change," Optimus rumbled worriedly, looking down at her with concerned optics.

"Well, I don't have much choice," Mikaela stated wearily. "Have you ever tried to get a personality several _thousand_ vorn your senior to change just enough so you can understand them? Change isn't alien to Mico, without change comes stagnation and extinction, but her thought processes are so scrapping..." she trailed off helplessly. "I know most of the important things now, she placed the method that I need to use to bring Cybertron back to her glory in my mind while I was still _human_, but it's the rest of the histories that I'm having issue with."

"Perhaps I can help," Sentinel stated calmly, looking at the femme with interest. "Your ability to grasp these mechanics are strong, there is a chance that I may be able to help you translate or sort the information properly."

"Well, I suppose that means I'm going to have to refuel," Mikaela stated in amusement, looking at Ratchet. "_Next_ cycle I'm going to sync to yours," she added, kissing her bot's jaw.

"How are their days not in sync?" Sentinel asked in amusement, looking at the Medic.

"Well, Kae's scrapping stubborn at the best of times," Ratchet snorted. "We had an emergency come up a few months ago while the Primes were recharging so we had to wake one of them up. Mikaela convinced Optimus to return to his recharge, he needed it more anyway, except the seven minute emergency turned into a five sun-cycle campaign."

"Optimus slept through the first few days," Ironhide snorted.

"Which I am _still_ irritated about," Optimus grumbled.

"Well you woke up in time to join us fresh and strong," Ironhide stated with a grin. "It'd been one pit of a different ending if you'd not been at your best."

"Mikaela fought far more strongly with a tenth of the rest," Optimus grumbled.

Sentinel looked at the femme just in time to see her rolling her optics.

"You disagree?" he asked the femme curiously.

"I functioned at one quarter capacity, and had to rely on Chance to fly me there while I caught just enough shuteye to keep standing," she snorted.

"_Mikaela!_" Ratchet stated in shock.

"What?" she asked innocently.

"You mean to tell me your only rest period was when you were _flying_ _humans_!?" The medic demanded sternly.

"Not just any humans," Mikaela laughed. "I flew with the pilots I trained to fly me properly. Do you mean to tell me that you've never let one of the humans take control of your vectors while you're scanning?"

"Well... yes... but I'm on the ground!" Ratchet protested.

Mikaela looked at him in amusement.

"What!?" Ratchet demanded.

"You're forgetting the atmosphere again," Mikaela stated in amusement. "When I'm going fast enough through this atmosphere, my airfoil changes the speed of the air going over and under me. The air feels as solid beneath my wings as the ground beneath my feet. Chance, Jacobs, Jaques and McGarrick are just as intent on me not crashing as _I _am."

"With good reason," a human stated cheerfully, wandering into the med-bay toward Ratchet. "Not only do _both_ our lives depend on her not crashing, but Kae's still a one of a kind plane. If we crashed we'd never get to fly with her again."

"Why not simply fly a different plane?" Sentinel asked intently, the human looked up at him incredulously for a second.

"I think I'm gonna need help translating, but here goes, have you ever driven in something, or flown in a particular ship that simply put every other means of transportation you've _ever_ used _completely_ to shame?" the human asked curiously.

Sentinel looked down at the man in surprise and nodded.

"Kae's alt form is that means for the lot of us. Her build, her flight style, her form is the most graceful, responsive, stable and swift of _anything_ that I have ever driven or flown. We'd _tend_ to say that she's stiff competition for even the best of our models, but that's inaccurate. There is _no_ competition and no _comparison_ to flying with her. And believe me, I've _tried, _compared to her, flying an F-22 is like trying to get pinpoint accuracy with a _blimp!"_

"Blimp?" Sentinel repeated blankly.

"Like comparing the Xantium with a mark five planet-hopper," Ironhide snorted. Sentinel stared at the weapons master and completely failed to bite back the snort of amusement. The mark five had been a complete scrap up, and _that_ was saying something.

"That is so sweet," Mikaela stated teasingly to the human.

"Sweet nothing, it's the god-sworn truth," the man stated earnestly.

"Love you too big-brother," she smiled down at him. Chance grinned and looked around.

"Crap, I almost forgot why I came in here, Ratch, I'm supposed to annoy you until you tell me what we puny humans are supposed to do about the latest shipment."

The old medic snorted and rose from his bench.

"The usual, energon scans to make sure there's nothing hiding in there playing dead and then into the storage bay to await teardown. Here I come."

"Got it!" Chance grinned, turning and sprinting back out again. He came to a screeching halt. "Colonel." he saluted.

"What did I miss?"

"Get them to explain a mark five planet hopper," the lieutenant grinned. Ratchet snorted in amusement, stepping carefully over the humans.

"Mark five planet-hopper?" the colonel asked in amusement, walking casually in.

"Let me explain it this way," Optimus snorted. "I am not a spacer, but I could _easily_ use a space launcher, arrive at the next planet and _land _in the same condition as the mark five."

"Correction," Sentinel rumbled with a snort. "You would land in _better_ condition than the mark five."

Ironhide let loose a hearty guffaw at that.

"Kind of comforting to know that they have just as many Hindenburgs as we do, isn't it?" Mikaela stated with a small smile.

"In a sad kind of way, yeah," the Colonel snorted.

"Hindenburgs?" Sentinel asked curiously.

Mikaela gave him a half smile and onlined a holoform in front of them.

"What in Primus name is _that_ contraption?" Sentinel snorted in amusement.

"We call them blimps," Mikaela stated calmly. "One of our earlier methods of flight and carrying weapons. The bag was filled with purified gasses lighter than the general state of our atmosphere, and then passengers and munitions were carried in the carriage beneath."

"Except on the maiden voyage of the Hindenburg, it managed to arrive to it's destination safely, then crashed into it's docking tower." the Colonel took up the story. "The _problem_ was that the light gas they used to float it was hydrogen, which is flammable. Needless to say it caught fire. Several people died in that."

Sentinel shook his head tiredly.

"There are a multitude of gaseous elements in your atmosphere that are non-flammable," he rumbled tiredly.

"Well, we know that _now_," Will shrugged. "For the most part we use helium now, but it's rather disheartening that so many lessons need to be learned the hard way."

Sentinel nodded heavily. The colonel looked out of the med-bay doors.

"By the way? If you're planning on skipping the medical, now's about the time when you two should make a speedy exit." Will stated with a grin over his shoulder. "Ratchet's gone into the storage area, and we _all_ know how picky he is on sorting that stuff out."

"He'll be in there for an hour," Mikaela snorted.

"Anyway, I'm off to bed, you recharging for the next couple of days?" Will asked Optimus casually.

"I am," Optimus nodded calmly.

"Right, good recharge Optimus, I'll see you in a couple of days," Will grinned. "Sir," he nodded to Sentinel.

"Night Will," Kae called out with a smile.

"Night Kae," the colonel called out cheerfully, making his exit.

Kae stood and gently pulled Sentinel back to his feet, she stood back and scanned him. He looked at her in surprise.

"When you two get back from your drive I'm going to have to do a repair on a couple of your hoses, and perhaps get a few of your patchups..." she trailed off and frowned at his shoulder. "What the _scrap_ is that?" she demanded.

"What the scrap is..." Sentinel began with a frown.

"Shoulder plates off," Mikaela commanded brusquely. Sentinel stared at her. She looked at him and rolled her optics. "Sentinel Prime you are in a safe place with friends to guard you. Please disengage your armour for the purpose of medical attention." she stated calmly.

Optimus snorted his amusement off to the side.

"Optimus?" Sentinel asked curiously, even as he shrugged out of his shoulder plates.

"She always forgets the traditional request," Optimus rumbled with a laugh.

"Traditional request my foot, shouldn't need it when the preservation circuits haven't been tripped. It's a mouthful," Mikaela grumbled as she quickly examined his armour. She reached out and caught his bared shoulder.

It was a shock to feel just how gentle her hands actually were.

"Does it hurt, right about here?" she asked with a frown, her fingers were immensely gentle, but the spot she touched still ached. Sentinel flinched.

Her touch had hurt, badly.

"No." he rumbled regardless.

Mikaela snorted.

"And now I know where you got _that_ one," she stated over her shoulder at her mate. Optimus looked at her innocently.

Sentinel looked at the two of them in amusement, he couldn't help it.

"Are you going to make me do the same thing I have to with Optimus?" Mikaela demanded of him. Sentinel looked at her, there was laughter in her optics.

At a loss, he looked to Ironhide.

The Weapons Master was a familiar, old friend.

"It'll be completely worth it to say yes," the bot drawled with a grin.

"Yes?" Sentinel stated curiously.

The next moment Mikaela had him flat on his back on the reclined berth.

She was straddling him and delicately working on his shoulder.

The fact that she could _do_ that, was incredible.

Powerfully strong femme. Wow.

The fact that she _was_ in fact, straddling him didn't register until he shifted slightly.

She was _straddling him_.

Gorgeous femme straddling him.

"_Primus!"_ he squeaked.

_Squeaked!?_ A Prime did not squeak! It was undignified! Un-_Primely-_

"Thank you," Mikaela stated placidly above him.

And suddenly, in the position they were in now, he realized just how much potential was in that voice. A superbly built body, a brilliant mind, gorgeous voice, gentle hands...

Sentinel couldn't help but internally shrug as his processors cut out before they could short. Blessedly, someone had the courtesy to tap on his helm.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus watched with a smile as his Kae rapidly scanned Sentinel, looking for any major damage that couldn't wait.

"When you two get back from your drive I'm going to have to do a repair on a couple of your hoses, and perhaps get a few of your patchups..." she began listing off calmly, she trailed off and frowned at Sentinel's shoulder. "What the _scrap_ is that?" she demanded.

"What the scrap is..." Sentinel began with a frown.

"Shoulder plates off," Mikaela commanded brusquely. Sentinel stared at her. She looked at him and rolled her optics. "Sentinel Prime you are in a safe place with friends to guard you. Please disengage your armour for the purpose of medical attention." she stated calmly.

Optimus snorted back a laugh. That was his Kae.

"Optimus?" Sentinel asked curiously, even as he shrugged out of his shoulder plates.

"She always forgets the traditional request," Optimus rumbled with a laugh.

"Traditional request my foot, shouldn't need it when the preservation circuits haven't been tripped. It's a mouthful," Mikaela grumbled as she quickly examined Sentinel's armour. Optimus couldn't help but wince slightly as he noticed the rough edges of a scraplet trail. She set the armour down and reached out, catching hold of Sentinel's bared shoulder.

Those powerfully strong, gentle hands. Optimus could see the recognition of that in Sentinel's optics. He couldn't help but smile.

"Does it hurt, right about here?" Kae asked with a frown, lightly prodding at an area. Sentinel flinched slightly.

"No." he rumbled.

Mikaela snorted.

"And now I know where you got _that_ one," she stated looking over her shoulder to shoot a wry glare at him. Optimus shot her an innocent look.

Sentinel was watching them with amusement.

"Are you going to make me do the same thing I have to with Optimus?" Mikaela demanded of the older bot. Sentinel looked deeply confused.

At a loss, he looked to Ironhide.

Good move, Optimus thought, biting back another snort of laughter.

"It'll be completely worth it to say yes," the bot drawled with a grin.

"Yes?" Sentinel stated curiously.

The next moment Mikaela had him flat on his back on the reclined berth.

She was straddling him and delicately working on his shoulder.

Optimus looked over at the weapons master. The two of them struggling not to howl with laughter at the shocked look in Sentinel's eyes.

Anyone could tell the old bot was overwhelmed with sensation, information and the strength of Optimus' Kae. His mate was a force to be reckoned with.

"_Primus!_" Sentinel squeaked. He immediately looked furious with himself. Ironhide had given up the battle of simply biting back his laughter, he was covering his vocal processors now.

"Thank you," Mikaela stated placidly.

Sentinel's processors clicked out.

Ironhide promptly began howling.

Optimus chuckled and passed a gentle hand over his Kae's body before settling down beside the berth. He lightly tapped on Sentinel's helm.

"Welcome back, old friend," he rumbled with a smile.

"No that's cheating," Ratchet stated cheerfully.

"What is?" Sentinel asked curiously.

"_I_ shut your motor controls down. _Kae_ just blows your processors and leaves you there till you're fixed." Ratchet stated cheerfully. "Which is cheating."

"No, it's a blessing. What's _cheating_ is her having Chromia blow _my _processors so she can get me in here." Ironhide rumbled with a grin.

"Or Arcee," Ratchet snorted.

Optimus couldn't help it, he simply laughed at them.

"Don't worry about squeaking, she just makes you do that," he rumbled, shooting a mockingly irritable look at his mate.

"What kind of Femme can't make her bot squeak?" Mikaela asked placidly.

"A badly trained one," Arcee replied calmly, striding into the bay. "Which I can proudly state that you most certainly are _not_. Welcome to our home away from home Sentinel," she stated cheerfully.

"Arcee," Sentinel replied, nodding respectfully to her.

::. Bumblebee reporting, we're safely at Sam's place.:: Bee sent calmly. Optimus nodded and sent the reply.

"Bumblebee is in position," he rumbled aloud.

Mikaela nodded and frowned at Sentinel's shoulder.

"Ratchet, do you guys get cancer, or scar tissue... teratomas?" she asked with a frown.

"Teratoma?" Ratchet asked blankly.

"It's a type of tumour in humans, containing one or more types of tissues, but in entirely the wrong spot." Mikaela stated musingly, Optimus looked to see her gently digging in Sentinel's shoulder. The bot was grimacing slightly. "They're known to have hair and teeth, at times." she finished before reaching deeply into Sentinel's shoulder. "Got you you little bastard. Now what the hell are you?" she murmured, holding up a dead scraplet and frowning at it.

"_Scraplet!_" Ironhide roared, his cannons coming online.

"Is that what it is?" Mikaela asked calmly, examining it patiently. "Nasty looking little thing, what the scrap was it doing in your _shoulder?_"

"It burrowed its way in," Sentinel grunted.

"Huh, _really_ nasty little things then." Kae murmured with a frown. She offered it to Ratchet. The medic promptly gave her his patented 'are you kidding me?' look.

"It's _dead," _Mikaela snorted. "Fine, here, if you're so worried about it, here." she promptly levitated it and caught it with a disintegrating beam. "Now then," she continued, gently poking at Sentinel's shoulder, reconnecting wires and repairing the damages.

Sentinel promptly turned to stare holes into Optimus' armour.

"Sentinel?" Optimus rumbled gently.

"Your mate is exquisitely beautiful," the bot choked out. "And she is also straddling me."

"She does that," Optimus nodded calmly. "I find it makes getting repaired _quite_ tolerable." Sentinel stared at him. Optimus laughed. "My old friend, you are struggling to not stare at my mate, I would advise against it, she is quite proud of her body."


	148. 145 Strange Femme

**Chapter 145 – Strange Femme**

* * *

(SePOV)

"Ratchet, do you guys get cancer, or scar tissue... teratomas?" Mikaela asked with a frown, still gently disconnecting fibres in his shoulder. It twinged, but her hands were gentle.

"Teratoma?" Ratchet asked blankly.

"It's a type of tumour in humans, containing one or more types of tissues, but in entirely the wrong spot." Mikaela stated musingly, continuing to dig through his shoulder, Sentinel grimaced slightly, but it was more than tolerable. "They're known to have hair and teeth." she finished before reaching deeply into his shoulder. "Got you you little bastard. Now what the hell are you?" she murmured, holding up a dead scraplet and frowning at it.

"_Scraplet!_" Ironhide roared, his cannons coming online.

It had stayed in his shoulder. No wonder it had hurt so badly.

"Is that what it is?" Mikaela asked calmly, examining it patiently. "Nasty looking little thing, what the scrap was it doing in your _shoulder?_" she looked at him curiously.

"It burrowed its way in," Sentinel grunted. He would have to thank her for removing it.

"Huh, _really_ nasty little things then." Kae murmured with a frown. She offered it to Ratchet. The medic promptly gave her his patented 'are you kidding me?' look.

"It's _dead," _Mikaela snorted. "Fine, here, if you're so worried about it, here." she promptly levitated it and caught it with a disintegrating beam.

That made him feel _quite_ a bit better, actually.

"Now then," she continued, gently poking at his shoulder again, reconnecting wires and repairing the damages.

Which gave him an incredible view of her chest-plates, the gaps in her armour illuminated by the flickers of her spark. He looked down.

Which was not a safe place to look either.

There could not be a single rough _edge_ to this femme, even her _etchings_ were smooth!

Sentinel promptly turned to stare holes into Optimus' armour. That was safe.

"Sentinel?" Optimus rumbled gently.

"Your mate is exquisitely beautiful," Sentinel choked out. "And she is also straddling me."

"She does that," Optimus nodded calmly. "I find it makes getting repaired _quite_ tolerable." Sentinel stared at him, he couldn't help it. Optimus laughed. "My old friend, you are struggling to not stare at my mate, I would advise against it, she is quite proud of her body."

Well, that was a relief. This femme was both gorgeous and somewhat strange.

"That is _still_ a bad idea, she's right over my spike," Sentinel grunted.

Ironhide promptly began hooting with laughter again. It was nice to know that _some_ things never really changed.

"Did you want me to get off?" Mikaela asked him sweetly.

"_No!_" Sentinel barked out before covering his face. "Optimus, precisely what did you do to me, I am act-_behaving_ like a scrapping _youngling_."

"Blame Kae, we all do," Ratchet snorted.

"I deny all allegations," Kae stated placidly. "There we go, that's your shoulder, give it a try." she added calmly, shifting back to sit on his legs. Sentinel promptly began moving his arm about, checking the repairs. Not only was the femme gorgeous, powerful and somewhat strange, she was also remarkably efficient.

Mikaela frowned slightly as he tested his shoulder out, she calmly got off of his legs and began massaging him, stroking his neurals, easing the tension from them and flushing energon through his systems. Repairing him.

It felt So. Scrapping. _Good._

::. Optimus!.:: Sentinel sent to him desperately, it was testing him to the limits. In fact, it was all he could do to not reach up and begin teasing the gorgeous bot's neurals right back.

::. Sentinel?.:: the young Prime rumbled curiously.

::. Your femme, does she never stop torturing a bot!?.:: Sentinel demanded.

"Why do you not ask _her_ that?" Optimus rumbled aloud, fighting, and failing to not laugh.

"I'm sorry, do you mind?" Kae asked in a concerned tone, her hands drawing away from Sentinel's neurals.

"Primus don't stop!" Sentinel moaned. Mikaela laughed softly and got back to work on his body. Those hands, those gentle, powerful, _incredible hands!_ Sentinel shot a guilty glance at Optimus. She was his bonded, after all, but the bot was smiling.

"You're trying to not offend Kae," Ironhide rumbled with a snort. "Don't worry about it Sentinel, if you offend her she tells you. You do the same thing a second time she tells you firmly. Third time she whacks you upside the helm."

And that was a _true_ relief.

"Our kind of Femme," Sentinel sighed, laying back on the berth.

"Now you know why we let her get away with not saying the lines," Optimus rumbled with a low laugh.

Except then those hands began inching toward his spark chamber. How she combined so many functions was beyond him. Multi-tasking was one thing, he'd have to ask how she could simultaneously ease the tension of a bot's neurals and heal so readily.

But that was neither here nor there. Her hands were on his chest.

"By the gracious hand of the All-spark," Sentinel whispered.

Mikaela glanced up at him and her mate caught her optics.

They were silent for a moment.

"You're talking about me behind my back," Sentinel grumbled.

"We are," Mikaela stated calmly, point to her. "When was the last time someone touched your spark properly?"

Sentinel couldn't help but stare at her. Of _course_ he wanted to interface her, but she was his pupil's mate. Relationships like that tended to become... tangled.

And femmes weren't precisely known for their patience for those who took their mates.

All of the bots stared at her.

So this wasn't... normal for her?

"Okay, let's see if I can get this straight," Mikaela snorted, her hands began caressing him again. "You lot spend damn near a year tiptoeing around me, trying not to say the wrong thing and now _I'm _the one being too bold? Wow. Who'd'a thunk it?"

Ironhide began laughing again. Thank Primus.

"Two vorn before we left on the Ark," Sentinel replied quietly. Mikaela shook her head.

"You're a gorgeous bot, why the scrap weren't you taking time off?" she demanded sternly. Sentinel stared at her.

"I am an _old_ bot," he told her flatly. She snorted.

"Grandfather has you beat by a hundred odd vorn, if _he_ can manage to flirt with Flare and get _Mirage_ into his berth _you_ don't get to use that excuse." she stated with a small smile, lightly tapping his helm. Impertinent femme.

He liked her already.

"Beside the fact that you greatly lessen our ageing process?" Ratchet piped up cheerfully. Optimus snorted.

"Completely beside the point," Kae stated patiently, lightly waving her hand.

"How is that beside the point?" Ratchet laughed.

"Because _Sentinel_ does _not_ have the excuse of rust slowing him down," Mikaela stated placidly. "Now, if he says that he did not have the desire I will buy it, however even _Optimus _managed to interface with bots, albiet platonically while he was grieving Elita."

Sentinel stared at her. He was doing that a lot, actually.

Optimus smiled, walking forward to wind an arm around his mate.

"Why did you say nothing?" he rumbled gently.

"You would have seen my spark, seen my betrayal," Sentinel sighed. "All to save Cybertron, and yet still I failed."

"None of that," Mikaela stated gently, sitting down beside him again. She gently took his hand, twining her fingers into his. "It does not do to dwell in the past, simply learn it's lessons and continue on to tomorrow."

Sentinel looked at Optimus' mate. A femme like her...

Cybertron would have been saved, likely would never have _seen_ war if...

"Would that I had had you for a mate," Sentinel finally sighed, gently pulling her hand to his face and kissing her fingers. She cupped his cheek with a gentle smile and rose, striding to the schematics hovering nonchalantly over her worktable.

That re-iterated his belief.

Sentinel sat up and Optimus settled beside him.

They sat in silence, side by side for a long moment. Sentinel watched the femme as she moved, as she _continued_ moving. Working, creating, thinking, all in preparation of a future that they would try to avoid.

Just in case it _did_ happen.

Optimus was sitting beside him again, the way they always had. He decided to test the depths of the chasm, find out what had changed...

"Where did you find her, and where do I get one?" Sentinel murmured.

"She began her life as a human," Optimus rumbled gently. "and as a human I fell in love with her beautiful spark."

He had _what!?_ Sentinel looked at him incredulously.

"You should have seen..." Optimus trailed off with a smile. "Kae, your holoform?" he asked with a small smile. Optimus' beautiful Kae laughed and sat at her workbench, onlining her holoform even as she summoned the metals she needed.

The holoform walked toward them, and Sentinel couldn't help but admire the tiny creature, tiny by even her _own_ species' norm.

But she walked upright, frank and smiling with the unconscious stride of a predator. Her eyes were the same, sparkling with mischief, laughter and more... in her eyes you could see the universe, a universe that was free of oppression. One without fear.

Because she was not afraid.

They were the eyes of a femme Prime, with all the ferocity of a protector, the kindness of a lover, and the wisdom of the ages.

Optimus' spark flared as she stopped, looking up at him with her head cocked to the side. He leaned down and offered her his hand, it looked completely automatic for him.

"It's been a long time since I last sat here," Mikaela commented softly through the holoform, squirming into what immediately appeared to be her spot.

The two of them were far too familiar with it for it _not_ to be.

"If two years is a long time for you, the rest of your life will be interminable," Optimus rumbled with a low laugh.

"Just so long as you're there with me," she stated gently, leaning over to kiss his jaw.

"This was the femme I fell in love with," Optimus rumbled gently, reaching out and stroking the holoform's arm with a finger.

Sentinel surveyed the holoform for a long time, then turned to look at the Kae he had first met. In the holoform, and in the bot he could see the similarities.

That the human had come first...

"Fascinating," he rumbled softly.

Mikaela smiled at him and kissed Optimus' jaw with her holoform before it winked out.

Optimus threw a small pout at her, which Sentinel couldn't _not_ find amusing.

"But all the while I was human, tiny, fragile and sitting on your shoulder, I never _could_ tell you how much I wanted to be this size," Kae murmured gently, rising and striding toward them again. "If only so I can do this."

She wound her arms around him and kissed his jaw.

Sentinel flicked his optics to first observe his former pupil, then the senior officers.

Optimus became the bot he had always been, at peace with himself and the universe when the femme was with him. Ironhide and Ratchet were watching her with a smile, Arcee beaming at the larger Femme.

"You are truly one of them," Sentinel murmured, looking back at Kae.

"I try to be," she shrugged gently. "Unfortunately, my human side tends to get in my way at times."

Optimus promptly snorted in amusement.

"Your human side is the one I fell in love with," he told her with a smile.

"For which we _all_ think you're completely insane, but I love you too," Mikaela lilted cheerfully, pecking a kiss to Optimus' lips before returning to her work.

"You never actually explained why we're thinking he's insane," Ironhide called out cheerfully, looking at his niece.

"What business does the largest of us have falling in love with the tiniest of us?" Mikaela asked with a laugh. "And a human besides, we... sorry, _they_ go squish so easily."

"Is that the only issue you had?" Sentinel asked with a grin.

"That and a few issues with conflicting cultures," Kae shrugged, waggling her hands in the air for a moment before she synced her processors and began producing the model the two of them had perfected.

"Like what?" Sentinel asked with a grin.

"Our favourite glitch got it set in his processors that _none_ of the humans would even _consider_ interfacing with a bot." Ironhide rumbled with a snort.

"I can see it," Sentinel nodded. "But how did it conflict?"

"Well, among my race, sorry, _former_ race, interspecies unions aren't exactly a norm. Particularly since the Auto-bots are the first fully sentient species that humans have come across. I'm _still_ considered a freak in some circles, but then I've never spent any particular amount of time giving those circles much credence," Kae stated with a small laugh. "Lena struggles with it from time to time, right up to the point that Jolt or I are in the room. She's always saying it's damn difficult for people to intimidate her when her seventeen foot lover and her favourite human-turned-bot ally is in the room."

Sentinel snorted in amusement and looked at his pupil.

"What have I taught you about remaining open minded?" he demanded with a snort.

"Oddly enough, Kae _herself_ had to beat _your_ lessons back into my processors," Optimus snorted in amusement.

"Tiny human Kae beat you up," Sentinel snorted.

"Oh, don't _ever_ get on her bad side, by the way. Kae is one of those people who can give you a verbal beat-down that leaves you breaching all over the place," Ratchet snorted.

"Which is why you call her daughter?" Sentinel shot back at the medic with a grin.

Ratchet grinned at him.

"_There's_ the Sentinel we've loved and missed," Ratchet laughed.

Sentinel felt his spark flare at the simple statement.

"You have been missed, old friend," Optimus rumbled gently.

Sentinel couldn't help but smile at his young friend.

"I am grateful that it was you who found me," he rumbled quietly.

"I should have found you sooner," Mikaela groused quietly from her workstation.

"Now Kae," Optimus rumbled gently. She shook her head irritably.

"How would you have found me?" Sentinel rumbled curiously.

"My sister," Mikaela murmured softly. "My human sister told me to look into the human conspiracies, I should have paid it more heed."

Sentinel sat for a moment. The gorgeous femme had a sister? He leaned over and lightly touched Optimus' shoulder with his own.

"She has a sister?" he murmured quietly. He wanted to meet this sister.

"Had," Optimus rumbled sadly. "Her sister was murdered several years ago."

Sentinel straightened indignantly.

"You have taken justice from the frame of the one who would murder the sister of a Prime?" he demanded sternly.

"That was before Optimus entered our atmosphere," Mikaela stated quietly. "My uncle killed the man with his bare hands, even though I begged him not to. Wo Shang's death did not bring my sister back, it took my uncle from me as well..."

Sentinel's spark flared in pain on behalf of the femme. Hesitantly, he rose and laid his hands on her shoulders.

"I grieve with you the loss of your family," he murmured softly.

Kae reached up and covered his hands on her shoulders for a moment before she got back to work building the beacons.

Sentinel looked down at her worriedly.

"The only human trait that I find irking about my Kae," Optimus rumbled pensively. "She still finds it difficult to share more than her joy with us."

"You don't need to feel my grief," Mikaela stated sternly. "I lost my family, you lost your planet. You do not need me to add to your grief."

"Mikaela," Optimus rumbled irritably. She turned and looked at him calmly. "You do not have to bear such grief alone!"

"I'm _not," _she stated in an exasperated tone.

That was a surprise.

"Explain?" Sentinel rumbled curiously.

"Humans don't join sparks, we join hands, we join voices," Mikaela explained gently. "Optimus simply because I am not allowing you to bear my pain with me, doesn't mean that I'm dealing with it alone. You're _here_, as much as you claim that I am the one carrying you, the simple fact that you are _here_, that anytime I need the touch of your hand, the sound of your spark, you are _here._ That's all I've ever needed." she smiled at him gently.

Sentinel looked back and forth between the two of them, there wasn't a single tone of falsehood in Mikaela's voice.

Optimus rose and strode toward them both.

"Truly?" he whispered, reaching out and touching her cheek.

"Optimus," Mikaela murmured gently, rising and cupping his face in her hands. "Your love gives me the strength to carry the world, now stop fussing, get yourself to your recharge cycle and take Sentinel with you."

"Yes love," Optimus rumbled with a low chuckle, pulling her tightly to his frame for a long moment. "Will you be joining us soon?" he asked hopefully.

"Mmm, hopefully," she murmured with a low laugh. "However there is now a new bot on base, I have beacons to build and no doubt there are going to be feathers to smooth.

Optimus let loose a plaintive hum.

"I know love," Mikaela murmured consolingly, stretching to press a gentle kiss to his jaw. "But life continues whether we are here to watch it or not, and in times like these I _do _prefer to keep an eye on things."

Optimus nodded, holding her a bit more tightly for a moment before releasing his gorgeous femme. Sentinel looked at her curiously as Optimus reached for him gently.

"You are not..." he began worriedly.

Kae looked up at him calmly.

"Forgive me, I have rarely found a femme willing to share her mate," Sentinel stated quietly, looking around himself.

"Mm," she hummed in amusement. "Optimus, if you run off with Sentinel and abandon me we're going to have words. I know where you are." She reached out and tapped his chest plates with a gentle finger.

Sentinel looked at the femme indignantly.

"Optimus would _never-!" _he started angrily.

Except then he looked into their optics.

Kae was teasing her bot.

"You are his teacher, his mentor, his friend," Mikaela stated gently, patting his shoulder. "I am his mate, the mate of a Prime. It's a fools errand to be jealous that he cares for _all_ of the bots around him. Particularly when that is one of the first things that attracted me to him."

Sentinel beamed at his young friend's mate and turned to the bot himself.

"You always _did_ have excellent taste in the bots you kept around you," he stated with a smile, laying a hand on Optimus' shoulder.

"Will you at least come tuck us in?" Optimus rumbled teasingly, looking at his mate.

"Oh be off with you!" Mikaela laughed, giving them both a gentle shove toward the doors. She turned and sat at her workbench, continuing her tasks.

Optimus laughed gently and turned, leading the way from the medical bay.

Sentinel followed, gazing around himself.

"Adequate," he rumbled calmly.

"More than adequate compared to the hangar we were staying in before," Optimus rumbled with a snort.

"Mm..." Sentinel hummed, looking around. Optimus turned into a large set of doors and shrugged out of his armour, appearing as though it were done completely automatically.

Sentinel looked at him in amusement.

"A habit," Optimus shrugged with a snort. "My Kae detests sleeping in her armour, and I simply cannot bring myself to try to break her of the habit."

"For what little of her protoform shows through her armour, I can completely understand," Sentinel snorted, shrugging out of his own armour. "Tell me something, is there at least _one _rough edge to her!?"

"Not one," Optimus snorted. "The entire unit is waiting for her to take damage, so that they can rib her for messing up her pretty frame."

"She has not seen battle?" Sentinel asked worriedly.

"She has never once let a Decepticon into her defences," Optimus chuckled. "And when she is in true fighting form, not even _I_ can hope to hold her in submission for long."

Sentinel shook his head.

"I want one," he stated flatly.

Optimus laughed softly, reaching up and cupping his face.

"It has been a long time, old friend," he rumbled gently.


	149. 146 The Other Shoe

**Chapter 146 – The Other Shoe**

* * *

(MPOV)

"Forgive me, I have rarely found a femme willing to share her mate," Sentinel stated quietly, looking around himself.

"Mm," I hummed in amusement. "Optimus, if you run off with Sentinel and abandon me we're going to have words. I know where you are," I teased my bot gently, tapping his chest-plates with a gentle finger.

Optimus looked at me with laughter in his optics. We _both_ knew he would never do such a thing.

Sentinel looked at me indignantly regardless.

"Optimus would _never-!" _he started angrily.

He broke himself off as he looked between the two of us.

"You are his teacher, his mentor, his friend," I stated gently, patting his shoulder. "I am his mate, the mate of a Prime. It's a fools errand to be jealous that he cares for _all_ of the bots around him. Particularly when that is one of the first things that attracted me to him."

Sentinel beamed at me and turned to the Optimus.

"You always _did_ have excellent taste in the bots you kept around you," he stated with a smile, laying a hand on Optimus' shoulder.

"Will you at least come tuck us in?" Optimus rumbled teasingly, looking at me.

"Oh be off with you!" I laughed, giving them both a gentle shove toward the doors. I turned and sat at my workbench, continuing to work on the beacons as Optimus led his old friend from the medical bay.

"Kaaeee!" Arcee immediately stated indignantly, the second the doors closed.

"Ceeee!" I replied with a laugh.

"Go tuck them in!" she commanded with a snort. "You have _two valves!_ _Use them!_"

"She _what!?_" Ironhide demanded incredulously.

"Human femmes have two valves, one for reproduction, one for waste expulsion." Ratchet snorted. "There are several vestiges of Kae's human form left over in her new frame, even if they're technically _redundant_ now her spark dictated where her frame would be the most comfortable for it."

"She should go have _fun_ with them." Arcee stated flatly. "If you _have_ it, you _use it!_

I began laughing, looking at her fondly.

"Next round," I chuckled. "The two of them have a great deal of catching up to do, I'm not going to get between them for that, figuratively _or _literally."

Arcee looked at me calculatingly for a moment.

"Alright, that's true," she conceded grudgingly. I laughed at her and turned back to my work. I glanced at my energon levels and rose for a moment, collecting a cube of energon and tossing one to each of the bots in the room.

"You're going to have to replenish this, soon," Ratchet stated with a small frown.

"Are we running low again?" I asked worriedly.

"Mmm, somewhat," he nodded. "More, if there's going to be a battle, we're going to need a great deal more stockpiled for first aid."

"True," I stated musingly, lightly sipping at my own energon, I couldn't help but make a face. Drinking the energon I produced always struck me the wrong way, somehow.

Ratchet noticed and hummed sympathetically.

"One more orn," I sighed, settling back down at my workstation and continuing my work.

"Why not eat a bit of human food?" Arcee asked gently.

"Not really in the mood for it," I shrugged tiredly.

"Would you like me to heat some energon for you?" Ironhide asked me gently. I looked up at him curiously. "I know it's not the same as when Optimus does it, but you're always better focused after you've produced." he stated far more gently than was the weapons master's habit.

I laughed ruefully.

"That's because after Optimus and I produce together I pass out for a while. Power nap, literally." I giggled.

Arcee laughed softly, reaching up and touching my side gently.

"I appreciate you, Kae," she stated gently. I looked down at her in surprise. "Very few femmes are willing to share their mates with another," Arcee stated calmly.

"Optimus considers it one of his more pleasant duties," I shrugged calmly, turning back to my work.

"Regardless, Kae," Ratchet stated firmly. "Elita was a remarkably jealous femme, your patience is a virtue we should all practice."

I vented a deep breath, syncing my processors.

"You're pretending to have that patience, aren't you?" Arcee asked firmly.

I looked down at her wryly.

"Baby steps, I have it within my spark," I stated quietly. "My Optimus will not abandon me, however he _is_ one of the first picks for a first guide, I find it best to ease myself into such things. Besides," I shrugged patiently. "I know he will show the same courtesy to me, should the situation demand it."

Ironhide snorted. I looked up at him for a moment.

"Well, yes, he will," Ratchet stated in amusement. "That doesn't mean he's going to _like_ it very much."

I shook my head ruefully at that.

"Well, at any rate a good wife has patience for her husband. Baby steps," I stated calmly. "Now hush will you? I'm trying _not_ to think of my mate in the arms of another."

"We need to go dancing," Arcee stated cheerfully.

"I'm also trying to get some work done, my dear sister," I snorted.

"All work and no play," Arcee stated with a pout.

"Is the burden of the Primes," I stated airily. "Mostly so that those whom we protect have the freedom to play."

"That. Is playing dirty," Arcee told me sternly.

"Uh huh," I nodded agreeably.

"Ratchet!" Arcee turned to her lover irritably.

"What am I supposed to kick her out for?" Ratchet asked innocently.

"For her sister's sanity," Arcee stated firmly.

"Admit it, you just want to lure her into the femme quarters and see if you can get her into her recharge," Ratchet snorted.

"So sue me," Arcee grumbled. I straightened and turned, picking Arcee up.

"I appreciate it, my sister," I murmured gently, cuddling her. "I really do, but right now my protective circuits are still buzzing. I'm waiting for the worst to happen, the other shoe is going to drop. I feel it."

Arcee, Ironhide and Ratchet looked at me seriously.

I glanced at the doors to med-bay and sagged into myself, letting the senior officers and my beloved older sister see my weariness, and my wariness.

"It never ends," I whispered, burying my face in my hands. I automatically straightened as the doors opened.

Jolt was hovering at the med-bay doors, looking terrified.

"Jolt?" I asked immediately, rising and striding toward him.

"Archangel I..." he stated softly, trailing off.

"What is it, Jolt?" I asked worriedly.

"I uh... the uh..." the bot began stammering. I looked at him patiently, he kept stammering. I reached out and gently cupped his shoulders.

"Sync your processors, Jolt," I stated calmly. He looked at me gratefully and obeyed.

"There are a bunch of people banging on the door, I don't know how..." Jolt stammered. "The soldiers don't want to wake Will up, but there's almost a _riot_ outside..."

I frowned and nodded.

"Have we been made?" I asked firmly.

"No, we don't know why they're out there," Jolt stated worriedly. I nodded and strode from the med-bay to the entrance. The soldiers looked up at me with relief as I onlined my holoform and looked at it critically. I made myself somewhat taller, my eyes brown, and my hair receded to my shoulders, tied back in a ponytail. I put glasses on the holoform and leaned against the wall.

On the human level, I took off running, out the secret exit and circling around. I looked around casually the second I made it to the sidewalk, putting on the appearance of being a curious bystander, I walked to the edge of the crowd.

I stood in silence for a long moment, listening to the shouting. I looked around and noted each face before going to stand beside one of the people.

"So, uh..." I started calmly, looking around the crowd curiously. The person looked down at me. "What's happening here?" I asked curiously.

"You see that building!?" the man demanded, pointing to our headquarters.

"Uh huh?" I asked curiously, looking at the building.

"It's a secret laboratory for biological agents and animal testing!" the man stated furiously. I bit down a snort of laughter.

"Is it now?" I asked calmly. "Well, that's weird." I walked over to another person. "So what's going on?"

"Animal testing!" the woman shouted furiously.

"Wow, did you guys check the address before you set up?" I asked in amusement. "The animal testing facility is nine blocks that way, and the biological agents research facility isn't even _in _this city."

The crowd promptly turned to stare at me. I promptly turned and pointed to the research facility, a towering building nine blocks away.

"That's the animal research facility over there," I stated innocently.

"Then why is this building so heavily guarded?" a woman shouted at me.

"Because the Director of the NSA is paranoid," I snorted. "Doesn't matter that the populace of the _rest_ of the United States gets their toilet paper from the grocery store, _his_ has to be under lock and key at human health and services. Now, you guys mind if I get through? Mob in front of the building or not, I'm not supposed to show up late for work."

"Hey!" the woman shouted at me, I turned around again, looking at her. "What about the biological agents then!?"

I purposely snorted in derision.

"Lady, human _health_ and services," I laughed. "About all I know about the ebola and smallpox shit is that the facility isn't in the city. I don't know if it's in the state or not, but it sure as hell isn't here. I mean, come on, do _I_ look like a scientist to you?" I demanded with a laugh.

The crowd stared at me as I slowly made my way through to the gates.

"Hey Danny, how's it hanging Jack?" I asked with a broad grin as the crowd milled uncertainly around me.

"Long and loose," Jack replied with a grin. "How you doing Kae?"

"Interesting night tonight," Danny snorted.

"No kidding right?" I asked with a laugh, looking back at the mob.

"All over our little corner of the world, no wonder they hired us, eh?" Jack snorted, grinning at Danny.

"Nothing to do with what's inside, they just wanna protect themselves from the shit going on down the street," Danny stated, rolling his eyes.

"Hey, at least you guys got some people for your watching tonight right?" I laughed.

"And if we're _really_ lucky, _you're_ gonna join us in the mess," Jack grinned at me. "Something _pretty_ for us to look at for once."

I laughed at them and walked through the doors as they resumed their posts.

The second the doors closed I was striding quickly to communications central, my holoform winking out.

"Get me the security feeds," I barked quickly, striding into communications.

The techs looked at me in alarm and nodded quickly, bringing up the security feeds on the main screens.

"Back three hours, fast forward," I commanded calmly.

I began scanning the screens. A flicker on one caught my optic.

"Replay section alpha five," I commanded calmly.

The techs obeyed automatically.

"Oh fuck," Jerry groaned as they caught the flicker. Jacobs walked the corridor a second time.

"Intruder alert," I groaned. "Initiate full building scan, Jolt."

Jolt nodded quickly and piped the feed directly to me as I stood with my arms crossed, optics dimming as I read each bio-sign. One unfamiliar one.

"Security feed, section Echo three," I stated firmly. A stranger was riffling through Ratchet's storage bay for parts. "Anyone recognize him?"

A chorus of negatives and several shaking heads.

"Keep me apprised if he moves," I growled, striding out of communications as Jolt barked out a 'yes Prime!'

I strode to Ratchet's storage bay and began scanning the area, locating the intruder and walking directly toward him.

I stopped as the man tried to hide himself away.

"The _PETA_ distraction was novel," I told him calmly, crossing my arms and looking directly at him. "The question now, is are you going to claim sole responsibility, which I doubt is true, or are you going to co-operate? Needless to say you have not yet found what you're looking for. I would suggest you come out now, before I come get you."

The man stayed frozen.

"Come now," I purred. "It will hurt _far_ less for you to come out now, _surely_ your superiors told you what happens to people found trespassing?"

The man stayed frozen, evidently thinking I was bluffing.

I was already annoyed. I snapped a levitation field around him and pulled him from the shelf he was hiding in.

Which immediately had him shouting and struggling.

I idly summoned his weapons and strode out of the bay.

"All yours," I grumbled, lightly placing him in the custody of the soldiers.

"You alright Kae?" Chance asked worriedly.

"Tired, annoyed, I'll live," I shrugged. "For the first time I'm _actually_ wishing I were human again so I could clock him. Give me a report later?"

"You got it Kae," Chance stated gently, patting my ankle. I smiled somewhat at him and strode carefully back to the Med-bay.

::. Jolt, do a further scan?.:: I sent to him on the Primary.

::. Yes Ma'am.:: he nodded firmly.

I sat down on my bench in the empty med-bay and buried my face in my hands.

Even with his beloved spark so close to my own, somehow, somehow I felt alone again. I vented a sigh, synced my processors and got back to work.

I couldn't concentrate. I shoved back the unwanted jealousy trying to rear it's ugly head in my processors as I finished the final beacon. Worried that my lack of concentration would cause me to make an error, I went back and scanned each beacon. Then again for safe measure.

The were fine.

Tired, my energon levels were still high enough for me to make do, but for some reason, the energon I produced then shunted through the systems never really powered me properly. Worried, I rose and began checking the med-bay status. No doubt Ratchet would be back soon, he was probably off interfacing Arcee during their 'coffee break.'

My thoughts were swimming, extra processors doing nothing to straighten them. I stopped and looked down. I was pacing, I hadn't even realized it.

I frowned at myself and shook my head. I was being ridiculous, time to embrace a bit of my human heritage again. I strode to the med-bay doors and glanced up and down the corridors. I strode to the Central and looked around. Empty.

That was to be expected, Jolt was in communications, Sunstreaker and Sideswipe out on patrol, the wreckers at NASA. The twins were somewhere, I pursed my lip plates and checked on them, they were in their quarters. Que was pottering about. Ironhide deep in recharge with Chromia, Flare... in the rec-room with Jazz. I couldn't help the small smile at that. Jazz was rather busily chasing her.

I synced my processors again and began moving in the stances uncle Sho had taught me. I couldn't help but think of my family tonight, inwardly kicking myself for not having heeded Tinny's words more literally.

But Bumblebee was taking care of that now.

I still felt like I was missing something. Bee was taking care of the conspiracies, Director Mearing the money trail. I offlined my optics, there was no one around me, I let my senses reach around myself, slowly reminding my body, my servos, my hydraulics of the motions of fighting.

I was missing something, I could feel it.

It was going to drive me insane.

I went back.

Chernobyl had been destroyed by a badly controlled engine part from the Ark.

Sentinel was here, if there was any treachery left in his spark, my Optimus would find it. He was _not_ the type to be fooled twice.

I released a slow vent.

Bumblebee, Sam, Wheelie and Brains were looking into the conspiracies. No doubt Simmons would be called in at both Sam and Wheelie's insistence.

Director Mearing would be looking into the money trail.

Actually.

::. Jolt.:: I sent calmly.

::. Yes Ma'am?.:: he replied instantly.

::. Would you be so kind as to e-mail Director Mearing requesting whatever information she may have dug up on the money trail as yet?.:: I sent patiently.

::. It's only been six hours, it's oh three hundred for the humans.:: Jolt replied in amusement, but I could still feel him processing the message.

::. Call it a gentle hinting nudge for her to actually _do_ it.:: I sent back with a small smirk.

::. Gotcha.:: Jolt chuckled.

In silence, I continued to move slowly through my stances.

I still felt like I was missing something. Oh.

::. Jolt.:: I sent calmly.

::. Yes Ma'am?.::

::. Quit calling me ma'am.:: I told him, letting him feel my amusement.

::. Alright Prime.::

I rolled my optics but let it be.

The beacons were built. They were in full working order and fully powered with dormant cells. Ready and waiting.

Chance and the soldiers under him were questioning the intruder.

The doors hissed open.

"Kae?" Chance called up. Think of the devil.

"Chance," I stated calmly.

"So you scared the shit out of the guy, literally, ew, he's been spilling his guts. Works for MECH, that militant group that's constantly trying to get the jump on every piece of technology they can get their grubby hands on." Chance reported quickly.

"Crony then?" I asked calmly, carefully shifting my weight into another stance.

"_If_ that, he checks out as a dishonourably discharged," Chance stated with a shrug. "Working for a security firm. Looks like this was a side job for him."

"Electrical knowledge?" I asked calmly.

"Old school, he cross circuited the box," Chance stated calmly. "We're already re-routing the box into a more secure location. Que's helping out with that, keeping him reigned in though, he keeps going on about booby trapping the box." the man snorted.

I chuckled softly.

"We will still need access to it," I stated calmly.

"That's what _I _said," Chance laughed. "But anyway, looks like this was an isolated occurrence, hopefully the fact that the guy was caught and _shit_ himself in the process will deter MECH somewhat."

"Regardless," I stated calmly. "That vent going into Sector five has become far too popular for my liking. If you're headed back to the box, tell Que to booby trap _it_, nothing fatal to humans, mind." I stated calmly.

"Hah! He's gonna love it." Chance grinned. He looked around. "Right, I'm off shift, I'll go pass the message to Que and header. Night Kae."

"Night Chance," I stated calmly.

The door closed and there was silence again.

I still felt like I was missing something.


	150. 147 Teacher, Healer and Warrior

**Right then, first off a few warnings, there is a massive lemon in this chapter. Just so you know. As always, anything that you recognize, perhaps some things you do not, I do not own. And a billion thanks to my dear Bee, my doppleganger and my wonderful readers and reviewers.**

Also, I've heard it voiced a bit of confusion/eeriness with the chapters [which thank you for the review zlazar, the honest opinion is very much appreciated :)] thus for this next bit, perhaps a bit of explanation? (Mostly because I have absolutely no idea how to place it conveniently into the story now...)

The Guardian's madness is caused by the desperate need to save/protect one's charge at any and all cost, (I wished to give the sense of it being a common affliction, not simply shrugged off because Sentinel was Prime, which I think I somewhat failed at... anyway). Technically, Sentinel hasn't betrayed them._ Yet._ He would have double crossed the Auto-bots by rendezvousing with Megatron on Earth.

The betrayal hasn't happened in full yet, and come on, the bot went insane trying to figure out how to save their home planet. (would you not as well? think about it, you were [like as not] born on earth, grew up here, breathed her atmosphere and walked upon her surface as she nurtured you, you gonna let that go without a fight?) Nobody condemns Prowl for glitching out when evil Jazz turns his vocal processors on ;)

Wow that turned far longer than I had intended. So without further ado... nah... one more word, then story.

In times of war, only those whom you trust absolutely enter your home and see your good side.

**Chapter 147 – Teacher, Healer and Warrior**

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus cuddled his mentor gently, the two of them laying side by side in the berth. Sentinel was looking far better now.

"I apologize, young warrior," he rumbled quietly.

Optimus looked at him patiently.

"I cannot seem to stop thinking of your mate," Sentinel stated quietly, looking at him.

"Neither can I," Optimus rumbled with a low chuckle, he reached up and touched his spark chamber and let himself release a worried hum. Sentinel looked at him worriedly. "My Kae rarely allows me to feel her negative emotions." he rumbled truthfully.

Sentinel looked at him in silence.

"I worry for her, she is so frequently inundated with my own emotions, and yet she is constantly guarding me from her own."

"That is most... anomalous," Sentinel murmured after a moment. "It took a few vorn for Elita and you to learn how to functionally block each other's emotions."

"My Kae learned to hide her emotions early in life," Optimus rumbled quietly. Sentinel nodded musingly at that.

"What do you feel from her, at the moment?"

"I feel..." Optimus trailed off, noting the way Mikaela felt. She was blocking him for the most part. He could feel the edge of her worry, exhaustion... "I can barely feel her, merely that she is worried, exhausted..." Optimus rumbled heavily.

"Come," Sentinel stated calmly. "If your femme is worried and exhausted, it does not do for us to be laying about in your berth without her."

Optimus looked at his old friend with a small smile.

"Be honest," he rumbled with a low laugh. "You want to go see if we two can seduce her together."

Sentinel purposely shot him the same innocent look Kae did. Optimus couldn't help but laugh at that. The two of them rose and idly summoned their armour.

Optimus strode to the door and it opened to a worried looking Ratchet.

"Oh good, you're still awake," Ratchet murmured with a frown.

"Kae?" Optimus rumbled immediately.

"In part," Ratchet stated with a frown, looking down the corridor.

"What happened?" Optimus rumbled quickly.

"She refuelled," Ratchet stated calmly. "You know how well the energon she produces gets along with her systems. Arcee is worried about her though, we all are, she's worn down, Optimus. When was the last time the two of you interfaced?"

Optimus paused and thought about that for a second.

"Four orn," he choked suddenly.

"_Optimus!_" Ratchet groaned.

"I need to go beg her forgiveness. Now." Optimus rumbled immediately.

"For not interfacing her for four orn?" Sentinel rumbled with a snort.

"You're forgetting she started as a human," Ratchet stated flatly. "You've heard her speaking, she _still_ slips, forgets that she's a bot now. For her, four orn is eight _weeks."_

Sentinel stared at the medic.

"But..." he started.

"It's Kae," Ratchet snorted. "She's doing her damndest to fit in, she refuses to make a fuss about her day suddenly being two weeks long, but at the same point, even younglings of our _own_ species have difficulty adjusting to their new bodies."

Sentinel nodded with a snort.

"Give them a vorn or so before you can expect them to stay awake for an entire orn," he rumbled comfortably.

"She's two annum old in her new body," Ratchet snorted. "With nineteen annum spent maturing as a human. Old habits die hard."

"Not that I'm complaining that she has a powerfully strong libido," Optimus murmured with a small snort.

"Blame it on your cycles not being in sync," Ratchet shrugged. Optimus vented a sigh and strode into the med-bay.

Kae wasn't there.

Chance walked past.

"Aren't you supposed to be recharging?" the man asked with a laugh.

"Have you seen Kae?" he rumbled worriedly.

"Central, be careful, she's doing her stances in her _own_ body," Chance stated flatly.

Scrap.

"Thank you, Lieutenant," Optimus rumbled worriedly.

"Scrap," Ratchet grumbled.

"Stances?" Sentinel asked curiously. Optimus gestured the two bots to follow him, he strode quickly to the central.

The doors opened.

His Kae was standing in the centre of the room, dancing through her sequences.

That was normal.

What _wasn't _normal, was the fact that she was doing it in her new body.

"The holoform simply isn't the same," Mikaela stated quietly, not even looking at him.

Sentinel stood beside him, looking at the femme in awe.

"Mikaela, you are stressed, worried and exhausted enough that you are doing your sequences in your own body. Why are you blocking me out?" Optimus rumbled flatly. Kae turned and looked at him.

"I'm not," she stated patiently, lightly touching her chest plates.

"Why are you not allowing me to experience _your_ emotions?" Optimus clarified irritably. The next moment he was grasping at his chest.

His Kae was in true turmoil, her very _spark_ fighting itself.

Trying to decide what to feel next. Be it the grief, worry, exhaustion... as soon as it was there, she was guarding herself again.

"It doesn't do for you to have to feel it, when I am guarding _myself_ from their full force," Kae stated quietly, resuming her sequences.

"Kae," Optimus choked. "My Kae..."

It was his duty, his domain to soothe her spark. If he could not do such a simple thing, he did not deserve-

"Stop that," Mikaela commanded flatly.

With the voice of command.

"Stop what?" Optimus choked out. Kae turned to look at him sternly.

"You're beginning to do it again, that guilt dance where you try to convince yourself that you're not good enough for me. It is quite the opposite, my beloved. All the while you keep putting me on this gods damned pedestal you forget my love for you, you ignore my shortcomings. I've forgotten something..." she finished with a growl, she began pacing.

"Kae," Optimus murmured softly.

"Begin again," she muttered to herself. "Bumblebee is looking into the conspiracies, Director Mearing is tracing the money trail. The beacons are built. Sentinel is here. The Decepticons are on the moon. I'm missing something. I've _forgotten_ something..."

"Kae?" Optimus rumbled gently.

She kept pacing, her processors audibly grinding away.

"Kae!" Optimus called out sharply.

"_What am I missing!?_" Mikaela demanded.

* * *

(SePOV)

Sentinel stood beside his young friend, looking at the femme in awe. Her body was moving in a graceful, predator's dance, the motions a slow perfection of the positions of battle.

"Mikaela, you are stressed, worried and exhausted enough that you are doing your sequences in your own body. Why are you blocking me out?" Optimus rumbled flatly. Kae turned and looked at her mate.

"I'm not," she stated patiently, lightly touching her chest plates.

"Why are you not allowing me to experience _your_ emotions?" Optimus clarified irritably. The next moment he was grasping at his chest-plates.

Sentinel looked between them in shock, but suddenly he realized why.

Kae was allowing her mate to feel her emotions firsthand. Optimus had not only been taken by surprise, but his spark was now humming with stress, exhaustion... As quickly as she had allowed him to feel it, she was evidently blocking it from him again.

"It doesn't do for you to have to feel it, when I am guarding _myself_ from their full force," Kae stated quietly, resuming her fighter's dance.

"Kae," Optimus choked. "My Kae..."

Beside him, Optimus began resonating with a familiar pattern of his. Doubting himself.

Sentinel was about to tell him to stop it, but Kae beat him to it.

"Stop that," Mikaela commanded flatly.

With the voice of command.

"Stop what?" Optimus choked out. Kae turned to look at him sternly.

"You're beginning to do it again, that guilt dance where you try to convince yourself that you're not good enough for me. It is quite the opposite, my beloved. All the while you keep putting me on this gods damned pedestal you forget my love for you, you ignore my shortcomings. I've forgotten something..." she finished with a growl, she began pacing.

Sentinel looked at the femme in awed approval. Young as she was, she knew her bot quite well. She was pacing agitatedly, now. Her processors grinding.

"Kae?" Optimus murmured softly.

"Begin again," she muttered to herself. "Bumblebee is looking into the conspiracies, Director Mearing is tracing the money trail. The beacons are built. Sentinel is here. The Decepticons are on the moon. I'm missing something. I've _forgotten_ something..."

"Kae?" Optimus rumbled gently again.

She kept pacing, her processors audibly grinding away.

"Kae!" Optimus called out sharply.

"_What am I missing!?_" Kae demanded worriedly. Her spark was humming with stress.

"You are forgetting to take care of yourself," Sentinel stated calmly, looking at her patiently. "You are turning into _me_."

Optimus turned to stare at him. So did Kae and Ratchet. The medic was looking rather approvingly at him. That was nice.

"Young warrior you must remember to care for yourself," Sentinel continued calmly. "As it stands you are an absolute asset to us, but you diminish it greatly when you diminish yourself. If we are facing battle, you _must_ take the time to recharge and release your emotions."

Kae looked at them for a long moment before settling heavily onto one of the benches lining the walls of Central. She reached up and covered her faceplates tiredly.

"It never ends," she murmured tiredly. "Far more important Sentinel, is the care of our unit. We just had an intruder, one hired by an organization desperately trying to steal our technology. On top of that our Energon stockpile is running low, the energon I produce doesn't react well with my systems..." she trailed off helplessly. Her spark was humming in stress. Real stress.

Sentinel strode forward and knelt in front of her.

"So take them one at a time," Sentinel stated gently. "Why is it that healers insist on caring for others long before they will care for themselves? Your intruder was caught?"

"He was," Kae murmured tiredly.

"And the humans are taking care of it?" Sentinel pressed her gently. "You would not be allowing it if they were incapable of it."

Kae nodded.

"Your energon stockpile is decreased because you have not produced in four orn?"

"Longer, seven," Kae murmured tiredly. "We don't always produce when we interface."

"I would suggest that you get into the habit of producing regularly, as a creator it will be a strain to your system _not_ to." Sentinel stated calmly. "And as a former _human_ you should be relaxing more."

Kae shot him a withering glance.

Sentinel couldn't help but laugh softly.

"I do not mean to give offence," he stated gently. "But you _must_ remember that your body is yet young. I have _never_ seen a bot as young as you shouldering so much already, not even Bumblebee, he was three vorn old when he began scouting, Arcee a vorn old with an older bot's body and legacy. You are two annum with a nineteen annum mind. However rapidly your human race matures, you are the youngest functioning bot. You _must _remember to care for your body. Damage is so much easier at a younger age."

"I don't _have_ a vorn to sit around letting my body settle into itself," Kae replied tiredly.

"The greatest of tragedies," Sentinel told her gently. "It is the greatest of sparkbreaks to see one so young as you pushing herself to match her older compatriots when even during the war, your primary duty would be to have _fun." _

"I _do_ have fun," Mikaela murmured with a snort. "But what good is fun when there is nothing to compare it to?"

"Wise beyond your vorn," Sentinel murmured in amusement. "Now, the final problem?"

Silence.

"The energon I produce doesn't power me effectively, is it substandard?" Kae burst out finally. She looked close to tears. "Am I so inadequate-"

"You are far from inadequate!" Sentinel growled at her, reaching up and cupping her face.

"You have known me for thirty breem," Mikaela stated flatly.

Sentinel smiled, the femme raised an excellent argument: something that he valued highly in the bots around him. He rose and lightly collected one of the remarkably dense cells hanging from the neural vines in the central. He knelt back down and held it up to her.

"Is this one of the cells you created?" he asked calmly.

Kae nodded shyly.

He promptly scanned it and openly stared at her in awe.

"Do you realize what quality you create?" Sentinel rumbled gently. He placed the cell in her hands. "Do you realize just how much of a treasure you are, to be able to create such a high quality of energon? This is not simply adequate for fuel, it is the quality to _heal_ with. It is one of the purest I have ever seen."

"Then why-" Kae started in a distressed tone.

"Because you created it, beautiful one," Sentinel chuckled gently. "It is the creators' paradigm, no creator has _ever_ found their own produced energon adequate to fuel them, it is your own body telling you that it would rather produce new energon, not subsist upon energon you have already created."

Kae stared at him in shock.

It was nice that he could get the younglings to do that still.

"Now then," Sentinel continued with a smile. "Go on and produce again, you will no doubt feel better once you have."

He backed up a bit, watching her interestedly.

Kae's optics tinged pink with a blush.

"She doesn't produce on her own," Ratchet murmured with a low laugh.

Sentinel turned to look at the medic curiously.

"I've never..." Kae murmured hesitantly.

"You've never?" Sentinel prompted her curiously.

"I've never managed to heat the energon sufficiently," Kae murmured embarrassedly.

"Truly?" Sentinel murmured. That was a surprise.

"Kae's systems run about the temperature she did as a human," Optimus rumbled fondly, gently picking his Kae up and cuddling her. "That I have not interfaced her recently is my own fault-"

"Bull," Kae snorted. "Our cycles aren't in sync, when have we had _time_ lately?"

"I should be _making_ time for you."

"That is impossible," Sentinel snorted. "Bend time, certainly, but time itself is not a creatable entity."

"Human phrase," Ratchet laughed.

"Ah."

"Now then, my beloved spark-mate," Optimus rumbled in his best seductive voice. Sentinel couldn't help but shudder slightly.

The bot had always had an incredible voice.

"Sentinel and I have already caught up," Optimus murmured into her auditory receptors. "And yet as we lay there on our berth, we _both_ could not stop thinking of your gorgeous self. I have not seen you in four orn, so we are rather curious to see if you have yet managed to get a single rough edge on your protoform..."

Kae began laughing softly, burying her face into her mate's neck struts.

"Primus help us if you ever stopped trying to get me into your berth," she murmured with a gentle laugh. "Have you decided to share me after all?"

"The _only_ bots I will willingly share you with is our unit, I am rather hurt that you dismissed me so casually, do you not feel even _remotely_ possessive over me?" Optimus rumbled with a small smirk.

Kae promptly glared at him.

"That is unkind," she stated firmly.

"I never said I was going to play nice, that is _your_ insistence," Optimus chuckled, he began striding toward the doors of central. "Care to join us, Sentinel?" he rumbled with a small smirk.

Sentinel didn't need asking twice, he was beside them the next second as the medic laughed at them.

Optimus never once set his mate down as the three of them strode back to the Prime quarters. At least, not until he carried her through the doors and she squirmed out of his arms. She strode to a corner and shrugged out of her armour with a contented hum.

Sentinel glanced at Optimus, his spark already hammering against his chamber.

"Gorgeous, isn't she?" Optimus rumbled contentedly. The two of them turned to gaze on the perfection of the femme's build.

She turned to look at them with a wickedly suggestive look. It turned into the carnally commanding gaze that Sentinel recognized.

"Arcee taught you that," he stated cheerfully before _both _he and Optimus began falling, their processors clicking out before they could short.

His normal backup processor noted with amusement that Kae was beneath the both of them the next moment, laughing softly as she held them upright.

Optimus was the first online, growling softly as he reached out, stroking the femme. He reached his other arm out and lightly tapped Sentinel's helm.

Kind of him.

Sentinel shrugged out of his armour quickly, reaching out to take over stroking the femme as Optimus did the same.

His young friend was right, there _wasn't_ a single rough edge to her protoform.

Of course he was tempted to stroke every inch of her to confirm that...

"We seem to have caught a most rebellious femme," Optimus rumbled silkily, levitating their armour into neat piles along the wall. "What do you think we should do with her, old friend?"

"It is remarkably tempting to torment her until she begs, isn't it?" Sentinel replied with a small smirk, following his young friend's lead as they advanced on Kae.

"Is that the game you wish to play?" Kae purred, she dropped back into a mildly defensive stance. That just made it so much better.

Sentinel was smirking, automatically boxing the femme in beside his brother Prime. The way they always had on Cybertron.

"Are you going to be a valve hog again?" he asked with a broad smirk, glancing at Optimus.

"Absolutely," Optimus smirked back at him. "Just as you are, old friend, she has two, after all."

Sentinel froze.

"_Two!?_" he demanded incredulously.

"A vestige of her human heritage," Optimus rumbled smugly.

"Oh Primus," Kae murmured softly.

Habitually, Sentinel left an opening between himself and Optimus.

Kae made a bid for freedom, albeit slowly, she certainly wasn't trying hard to escape them. The second she was snared between them, Sentinel had a hard time biting back his own laughter even as she was.

Then the game truly began, the power of this femme was incredible as she struggled against them, yet she was still allowing them to wrestle her into position.

It had been a long time since he'd played this game.

It made it just that much more enjoyable.

Optimus smirked at him over her shoulder, pinning her in place. Her arms were dragged above her head. Sentinel caught one of her wrists as Optimus held the other.

"Now then, where were we?" Sentinel purred into her audio receptors, his free hand drifting down to play with the sensitive couplings along her side.

* * *

(MPOV)

Optimus carried me back to our quarters, it was a simple trick to get out of his arms.

That sure as hell didn't mean I wanted to. Primus only knew why he so enjoyed carrying me. But it didn't hurt, so I let him... at least... until we were in our quarters.

Then I couldn't help but squirm out of his arms to shrug out of my armour.

Comfortable as it was, it was _not _handy for interfacing. I hummed contentedly, stretching and enjoying the increased freedom of movement without the plates in my way.

"Gorgeous, isn't she?" My Optimus rumbled contentedly behind me. I didn't have to look to know they were staring at me. I made a personal note to thank Arcee for training me. On that note...

I turned around to look at them with a wickedly suggestive look. It turned into the carnally commanding gaze Arcee so prized.

If only for the sheer amusement of watching our bots' processors click out.

"Arcee taught you that," Sentinel told me cheerfully

I felt a surge of smug pride as they both began falling. Of course, it was automatic for me, I took a couple of quick steps and carefully balanced them on their feet as they struggled to bring their processors online.

But that most certainly didn't mean I couldn't laugh quietly.

Optimus was the first online, growling softly as he reached out and began running his hand across my frame, his fingers finding with pinpoint accuracy the little spots that always had me moaning. He reached his other arm out and lightly tapped Sentinel's helm.

Sentinel was online the next moment, shrugging out of his own armour and running his hands over my frame. His hands were still somewhat tentative as they touched me.

We'd have to remedy that.

::. A game, my Optimus?.:: I suggested to him quietly ::. Your mentor is most tentative.::

I could _feel_ his smirk.

"We seem to have caught a most rebellious femme," Optimus rumbled silkily, levitating their armour into neat piles along the wall. He was eying me with a predatory gleam in his optics. "What do you think we should do with her, old friend?"

It was all I could do to not grin as I backed away from them.

"It is remarkably tempting to torment her until she begs, is it not my young friend?" Sentinel replied with a small smirk of his own.

"Is that the game you wish to play?" I purred back to them, dropping into a mildly defensive stance. The way we always did.

Sentinel was smirking, automatically boxing me in beside his brother Prime. I almost had to cover my vocal processors, they'd obviously played this game before.

"Are you going to be a valve hog again?" he asked with a broad smirk, glancing at Optimus. I almost burst out laughing then and there.

"Absolutely," Optimus smirked back at him. "Just as you are, old friend, she has two, after all."

Oh that was his plan, was it?

Sentinel froze.

"_Two!?_" he demanded incredulously.

"A vestige of her human heritage," my Optimus rumbled smugly.

"Oh Primus," I murmured softly, I could already feel my Optimus scheming to pin me between them.

Sentinel left an opening between himself and Optimus, so obviously on purpose, but at the same point, it was obvious that if a bot took that opening in earnest they would let them go. How absolutely endearing.

I took that opening, slowly though, I certainly didn't want to escape them.

In moments I was snared between them, I could feel the similarities between them, and noted another thing my Optimus had learned from the older Prime.

The habit of holding back their strength, somewhat more than necessary at the moment... it was all I could do to not laugh, I could feel Sentinel holding his own laughter behind me.

* * *

(SePOV)

Then the game truly began, the power of this femme was incredible as she struggled against them, yet she was still allowing them to wrestle her into position.

It had been a long time since he'd played this game.

It made it just that much more enjoyable.

Optimus smirked at him over her shoulder, pinning her in place. Her arms were dragged above her head. Sentinel caught one of her wrists as Optimus held the other.

"Now then, where were we?" Sentinel purred into her audio receptors, his free hand drifting down to play with the sensitive couplings along her side.

"I believe we were right about..." she murmured.

Her hands turned in theirs, gripping his wrist. Her body became fluid, spinning in their trap. _Into _their trap.

Sentinel almost overloaded. Their arms were tangled, somehow, their chests pressed together, except...

Her legs had moved, he'd been so distracted by her arms the positions of their hips had been switched without him noticing.

"Distractionary," she murmured with a smirk.

"For?" Optimus rumbled with a snort.

_Sweet Primus!∂_ Sentinel moaned, cables, cables stroking his frame, reaching in and caressing the most sensitive places. His only saving grace, Optimus was groaning in pleasure, his face buried into the crook of her neck. But he had another processor online.

"But you have forgotten something, my Kae," Optimus rumbled softly. Sentinel jumped somewhat, staring at his young friend.

"But _what!?"_ Mikaela demanded.

"You're not the only one with cables," he smirked into her shoulder.

"Dear sweet gods fuck me that's playing fucking dirty," Kae moaned. Sentinel barely managed to hold back a laugh. He quickly onlined an extra processor and surveyed his situation.

"Mmm..." he hummed softly, considering.

Idly, he ran his free hand over her frame, there was not a rough edge, but of course there was always this crevice, the one that never failed to make a femme squeak. He ran his fingers around it lightly.

Drawing her attention to it.

"What-" she whispered.

"So is teasing a bot's neurals without finishing the job," Sentinel murmured, and reached into that little bundle of neural fibres.

Kae squeaked softly, Optimus was smirking, even as he was. He slid his hand around the femme's frame, looking for that other little spot...

"It is good to know you have not lost your touch," Optimus rumbled through that smirk.

"Never, my young friend," Sentinel murmured, delicately pressing his fingers into a coupling, plugging the young femme between them.

"And now... ohhh... now I know where you got that one..." Kae moaned, her body was fluid, graceful, arching into them.

"But she still has the processor power to tease you, young warrior, we should do something about that," Sentinel added with a broad grin.

"Mm..." Optimus rumbled with a smirk, his free hand reached down and lifted the femme somewhat.

"Oh god, oh Primus," Kae began whimpering with that incredible voice, putting up a token struggle as her mate shifted the position of her hips.

Spreading her wide.

Optimus thrust his spike into her, and energon flared around her frame. Sentinel heard another couple of processors online in the both of them, Optimus smirked and leaned back somewhat, gesturing with his optics for Sentinel to look down.

A valve greeted his optics, it looked tight. Sentinel smirked somewhat and reached his free hand down, brushing Optimus' spike as it lay seated before he ran his fingers around that second valve. Kae was whimpering at the sensation.

Excellent.

Sentinel pressed himself to her back, thrusting himself slowly into that valve.

Slowly. She was so tight, too fast and he'd be overloading.

And yet still their chests were pressed together.

Beautiful flexible femme.

Sentinel seated himself and looked to Optimus.

"Shall we?" he rumbled tightly, glancing at the berth.

Optimus smirked at him, and with Kae whimpering and pinned between them, they fairly collapsed onto the berth. Sentinel couldn't help himself, the femme was exquisitely beautiful, he wanted to touch.

He ran his free hand along her frame, stroking, gentling.

"Tell me something," Optimus rumbled in his best seductive voice. Sentinel moaned as the valve around his spike squeezed somewhat.

"What?" Kae whimpered.

"Does my voice still make you hot?" Optimus murmured, withdrawing his spike and thrusting into her again.

Sentinel couldn't stop his laughter from emerging as Kae overloaded, her fans were roaring, keeping her processors cool. A moment.

"Tell me something," Mikaela purred. Sentinel moaned, what an incredible voice.

"Mm?" Optimus murmured, nuzzling her neck struts.

"Does my body still call to yours?" Kae murmured in a sultry tone. "Is my protoform sufficient to stroke your gorgeous frame?" her hands were free now, burying into their neurals, stroking, massaging, energon seeped from her fingertips, firing up almost forgotten circuits in Sentinel's systems. His nanites were going berserk over that energon, even as it sensitized his neurals like nothing he'd ever experienced.

Optimus was moaning softly at whatever Kae was doing to him, but Sentinel didn't have much time to investigate it, because for _Primus_ sake she was squirming now, her body rippling against theirs, caressing them. Her hand was investigating him, even as his stroked her exquisite frame.

Creeping. Oh Primus.

She was going straight for-

"Ohhhh..." Sentinel began moaning right alongside his brother Prime.

She'd got him, right in the central node. The sweet spot. His body was aching to thrust, to complete himself inside of her.

A hand reached out and caught his own, Optimus' hand. That was somewhat odd...

Except one of that bot's scrapping _multitude_ of cables began creeping along his arm, Sentinel moaned and smirked, sending his own cable back along Optimus' arm.

"Playing with cables now are you?" Mikaela murmured in a sultry tone.

Optimus thrust himself into her again, he looked at Sentinel with a smirk as Kae gasped, moaning and writhing within their arms.

Sentinel withdrew and thrust himself into her, Optimus did it again.

Alternating, just the way they used to, except now they both had a valve to thrust into.

Sentinel moaned and began wrestling the gorgeous femme into a better position, he didn't need any more spark contact this orn, her mate had already taken care of him, the way he always had to any who needed him.

It was her turn.

Sentinel happily reached a hand around though, delicately stroking the outer edges of their sparks as they twined around each other.

The femme was practically sobbing now as Sentinel and her mate alternated thrusting into her perfection. Optimus suddenly redoubled his efforts.

"Here she goes," he grinned at Sentinel, he looked in shock as their sparks retreated into their chambers.

Then, the most spectacular of sights, Sentinel and Optimus practically _pounded_ themselves into the femme as her frame began glowing, _really_ glowing, her etchings flashed proudly along her frame, energon swirling around and through her.

Sentinel watched in awe as her hands began flailing somewhat, looking for something to hold onto. Optimus smiled and caught one, nodding for Sentinel to take the other.

"Oh, Sentinel?" Optimus smirked.

"Optimus?"

"Ground yourself," Optimus grinned before giving a final, hard thrust into Kae.

She shrieked, and Sentinel barely had the time to ground himself before _torrents_ of energon began pouring from the femme.

The secondary charge load surging from her triggered his own overload. Sentinel was thrusting himself into the femme before he knew it.

Optimus was grinning at him as he moaned, burying himself deep into the exquisite femme's body. They laid still for a moment, Kae was shaking slightly, whimpering.

"My poor femme has been too long without her mate's attentions," Optimus murmured into her auditory receptors. Kae began gasping. "Tell me what you want, my goddess." he whispered.

"Frag me," she whimpered.

"As you wish," Optimus smirked.

He began thrusting into her again as Sentinel chuckled, stroking her frame as her mate almost _brutally_ pounded himself into her.

Energon began flowing through her frame again, Sentinel watched it curiously.

"You know you want to," Optimus rumbled softly into her auditory receptors. In moments the femme pinned between them was whimpering, her frame vibrating under his hands. Sentinel looked at his young friend curiously. Optimus smiled. ::. That was an overload, _this _is her producing.:: he rumbled over the private comm.

Sentinel jumped slightly, gently stroking the femme's frame, he was shocked as she arched into his hand.

::. If you are able, heat a rell and press it to her chamber.:: Optimus murmured over the comm, smirking broadly as the femme seemed to lose the ability to speak coherently.

Sentinel obeyed and watched in shock as the hot rell he pressed against her began expanding, swirling through the magnetic fields dancing around their frames. She seemed to freeze for a second, her optics widening in shock before a harsh, exultant shout tore itself from her vocal processors.

Her body went rigid between his and Optimus', and Sentinel felt his processors come close to shorting in awe as he watched the femme bring a processor online, directing the energon surging around and through their bodies to enter the systems, passing through the energon collective.

Connected to the two of them, Sentinel felt cells of energon growing in the central. Felt the spark of every bot joined with them. Felt their recharges stepped up.

With a single processor functioning, the femme began weaving a fabric of cherishing love and respect from the threads of energon swirling through her, reaching out and caressing every spark.

Incredible.

That love reached out and gently offered itself to him, and Sentinel was struck with a surge of awed humility. He had betrayed them, by right the femme should have executed him.

Instead she offered him love, companionship, the chance to heal.

A second chance.

With all of his spark, Sentinel reached for her, joining into the mindspace. He looked upon the beautiful spark and knelt in front of her, prostrated himself.

_**~ΩSentinelΩ~**_ she whispered, directly into his spark.

_**~ΩGladly do I respect and give my deference to Archangel PrimeΩ**_~ he whispered, reaching to kiss her feet.

_**~ΩSentinel do not prostrate yourself before meΩ~ **_Archangel whispered, reaching out and gently pulling him upright, even as she knelt in front of him _**~ΩKnow that I do not require servants, Sentinel, know that this one requires only friends, family, sparks to love~Ω**_ she stroked his face gently.

It made him want to kiss her feet all the more.

He felt her gentle amusement at that, it made him want to laugh and sing with joy.

Because inherent with her love was a choice, the offer to become one with the unit again, a choice offered freely, with no pressure, no demand.

Simply the offer.

Sentinel could not help himself, his spark reached for hers, winding himself around her.

Clinging.

In the language of sparks, he begged forgiveness, begged for his redemption.

And knew, that the sparks of the bots he had betrayed, could feel his every thought and intent.

Sentinel onlined his optics to see his young friend nodding to him gently, and by that single action, felt his spark heal.

::. Rest.:: Archangel commanded him gently. Not a command, simply a suggestion.

Sentinel heeded that suggestion, and felt his body shut down somewhat, dropping into a gentle, restful recharge.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus watched as his mentor, his friend dropped into his recharge. He looked at his mate with a smile.

~I have missed your smile~ his Kae whispered to his spark.

A gentle hand reached up and cupped his cheek.

~I have missed your eyes~ he told her gently.

She smiled at him, and he could not help but turn slightly, winding his arm around her, everything that he was, wanted to protect that smile. She squirmed slightly, burying herself into him a bit more.

~I love you~ she whispered, dropping into her recharge beside him.

Optimus dropped into his own, content that his Kae was there.


	151. 148 Universal Apprehension

**Chapter 148 – Universal Apprehension**

* * *

(BPOV)

His sister was coming.

Bee couldn't wait.

But he had to wait. That was the only problem with curb duty.

You had to sit on your tires.

And wait.

"Bee," a female voice whispered on the radio.

"Carly?" he whispered back curiously.

"You wanna use the cargo elevator?" she whispered. "I need to talk to you... please?"

Bee nodded immediately, shocked, he carefully drove into the elevator and hacked it to go up to the right floor. Then, then a very careful sequence of turns and he drove into the living room.

He opened the door for the femme. She sat down on his seat and lightly closed his door.

"Uh..." Carly muttered softly.

Bee waited. Out of habit, he switched the radio on, playing her a soft song.

"Could... could you tell me about..." she stuttered softly.

"You wanna know about Kae?" Bee asked her gently.

"...Yeah..."

"Kae's my big sister, she and Sam were the first two humans I ever met," Bumblebee shrugged. "She's the mate of my Prime now."

"So there's no way Sam will be still interested in her?" Carly asked worriedly.

"Well..." Bee muttered, he pondered that for a moment. "I mean there's no way in hell Sam'll ever cheat on you, _especially_ with her."

Carly sighed in relief in his seat, which made Bee smile. She really did love Sam.

"So she's your sister?" Carly asked curiously. "How does that work?"

"Well, Kae's my big sister, she always took care of me," Bumblebee shrugged. "I had a brother once, but he abandoned me."

"He abandoned you!?" Carly demanded with a gasp of horror.

"Well, he believed in Megatron," Bumblebee sighed. "Joined the Decepticons, and Megatron turned around and used him for target practice."

Bumblebee sagged on his tires.

"You poor thing!" Carly whispered, stroking his seat. "So Kae's your sister now?"

Bumblebee perked up slightly, he had his sister now.

"Yep! Kae's my big sister," he smiled. "Even when she was tiny she was my big sister."

"And she's coming tomorrow?" Carly asked in amusement.

"Yep!" Bee grinned. He got to see his sister again.

"Well we can't have you all dusty, can we?" Carly asked in amusement, she got out of his cabin and walked over to the kitchen, digging out polishing supplies.

Bee was actually kinda apprehensive about that, it'd taken him a _while_ to teach Sam how to wax his armour properly.

"Be not afraid, you are in the presence of a waxing master," Carly chuckled. "Part of the new job, I wax cars from time to time."

Bee nodded somewhat, and surveyed the manner that she held the supplies.

Adequate.

"You're still worried," he murmured to Carly gently.

Carly jumped, and stared at him.

"My big-sister began as a human," Bumblebee murmured with a small smile. "She taught me how to read the moods of the humans around us. You're worried, Carly."

"The..." Carly started shyly.

Bee sat silently, waiting.

"Bee?" Carly murmured with a small frown.

"Oh! Sorry," Bumblebee stated immediately, he onlined his holoform, standing beside himself to look at her. "I'm really used to talking with Kae, she always knows when I'm nodding, or waiting for her to continue. Even in my alt form, I _still_ don't know how she did it though."

Carly smiled shyly.

"The thing I liked about Sam's stories, was that they were stories, they were the past," Carly murmured softly, she looked down, seeming to focus on waxing his hood.

"Sam is frustrated that he's not as important as he was," Bumblebee shrugged gently. "That will pass, in time."

"He matters to _me,_" Carly murmured, Bee reached out and gently dabbed the tear from her cheek.

"We're gonna do everything we can... make it like it was..." Bumblebee played for her gently. "You just gotta be patient with him. We're gonna do our best to make sure none of the humans are in the battle-zones... if it ever comes to that, I mean."

"I'm not ready for this," Carly whispered, her hand froze, she had the last of the wax off of his hood now. Bumblebee gently took his friend's mate's hand and guided her to lean against his hood. He wound his holoform's arm across her shoulders, the manner that Kae said was generally accepted as a friend's touch.

"None of us were," Bumblebee shrugged quietly. "Fate rarely calls upon us at a moment of our choosing." he smiled somewhat, his Prime had told him that, a long time ago.

Good advice always bore repeating.

"But..." Carly murmured softly.

Bumblebee looked at her calmly.

"My sister is better at explaining things," he murmured gently. "We're gonna keep you and Sam as far away from the danger as we can, you _know _that, right?"

Carly nodded and leaned her head against his shoulder.

"So you're _sure_ Sam's not going to try to get back together with Mikaela?" Carly asked softly. She seemed so scared.

But Bumblebee struggled to hold back the snort of laughter. He _really_ did.

"He'll have to go through Optimus to try that," he snorted softly. "Sam's brave, but not even _Primus_ would be brave enough to get between Optimus and his mate."

"Mate?" Carly asked curiously.

"Spark-bonded mate," Bumblebee nodded, he grinned. "Even _if_ Sam managed to get through Optimus, it wouldn't do any good, my sister just doesn't _bother_ with other people. Mind, they're still early in their bonding, give them a few vorn before they start interfacing without each other."

"Vorn?"

"About eighty six of your years," Bee grinned down at her.

"So if Sam wanted to get with Kae..."

"Then he'd have to show an _extreme_ fascination with interfacing with not simply _one_ Prime, but _two,"_ Bumblebee snorted gleefully.

Carly stared at him incredulously for a long moment before she began giggling softly.

"I mean yeah," Bumblebee continued with a broad grin. "I know Sam's _fond_ of Optimus-"

"But not _that_ fond," Carly snorted. The two of them looked at each other and promptly howled with laughter. Sam chose that moment to stagger into the main room, half asleep and looking at them curiously.

Carly looked at Sam for a long moment and turned to Bee.

"Oh, now you've got that image stuck in my head!" she complained with mocking indignation.

Bee shot her an unrepentant grin, which made her laugh harder. She glanced at the window and started, immediately going to the doors.

"Wheelie! Brains! Get in out of the rain!" she called out worriedly.

"Careful now, don't wanna start gettin' _soft_ on us," Brains snorted, staggering in through the door behind Wheelie. "Bad enough you're _squishy!"_

"And how do you know that?" Carly demanded flatly.

"Well, you're human ain't'cha?" Wheelie snorted.

* * *

(MPOV)

I roused from my recharge and smiled at my position.

Sentinel was humming softly behind me, soft light flickering in the dark as he hovered holos above his optics. My Optimus was still dead to the world, wound around me as he always did.

I squirmed slightly, as I did on occasion, pushing myself to sit up somewhat. My Optimus barely roused, shifting only so that his head rested lightly on my abdomen, an arm curled around my waist as I sat beside Sentinel.

"He always was a remarkably deep recharger," Sentinel murmured with a low laugh, glancing at my mate in amusement as Optimus squirmed ever so slightly, burying his face into my abdomen. I lightly rested a hand on his shoulders, the position we assumed when I was processing data late into the night. Sentinel was smiling at us.

"If memory serves, Elita used to hate when he did that," Sentinel murmured quietly.

I couldn't help the soft indignation that hummed from my spark at the thought.

"You are a good mate for him," Sentinel chuckled, his face turned serious. "We have much to discuss, young warrior."

"We do," I murmured.

"Will he rouse soon?" Sentinel asked quietly.

"No," I murmured with a small smile, gently stroking my bot's cheek. "When he's like this, nothing short of spark flare or a bomb going off will rouse him."

"Or Ironhide thundering at him to wake up," Sentinel chuckled softly.

"How does that differ from a bomb going off?" I asked innocently.

Sentinel pursed his lip plates somewhat.

"A good point, Kae," he murmured. He looked at me seriously. "The Decepticons will soon try to contact me."

I nodded.

"Have you your response already?" I asked quietly.

"I do," he nodded. "It is my actions afterwards which worry me."

I looked at him patiently, waiting for him to continue.

"I worry, Kae, that the Decepticons will watch my return to your headquarters, it will not be believable if I stride in, collect the five pillars in the humans' care and stride back out again without resistance."

"A good point," I murmured with a small frown. "Without a doubt, once this is finished we will have to relocate again..."

"With the Decepticons potentially following me, your base will no doubt be compromised," Sentinel continued with a matching frown.

"They would also expect you to take out a few of us," I murmured.

"Ironhide," Sentinel stated with a frown. I glanced at him. "The key target would be Ironhide, formerly, the ultimate of betrayal to Optimus would be the murder of Ironhide. The Weapons Master has long been Optimus' bodyguard and friend. His offlining would be a severe blow to the entire unit. His continued survival through the worst of times has often been inspiration to them."

I nodded thoughtfully, a plan already beginning to form itself in my processors.

He glanced at me and seemed to recognize that, the light of battle beginning to gleam in his optics again.

"What is my part?" he asked with a practically wolfish grin. "How many are involved in your scheme?"

"Rule number four," I murmured, frowning as I began ironing out our plan of action. Sentinel looked at me curiously. "The best way to keep a secret, keep it to yourself. Second best, tell one other person, if you must. There is no third best. My Optimus is terrible at lying."

At the continued mention of his name, my mate began to stir somewhat, nuzzling his face into my abdomen before moving up to press his lips to my chamber.

::. It would be well for us, Kae, to have a private comm for the time being.:: Sentinel sent softly.

I glanced at him and nodded before smiling, and as was habitual for me, beginning to tease my beloved's circuits.

* * *

(WPOV)

Will gave his baby girl yet another kiss on the forehead before depositing her in the arms of the woman he worshiped. Anabelle was whimpering softly.

"What is it, dear-spark?" Ironhide rumbled gently, reaching out and gently touching the tear on Anabelle's cheek.

"Don' wan' you to go," Anabelle pouted sadly. "Don' wan you to _die!"_

"I will protect your father, sweet niece of mine," Ironhide rumbled gently, pressing a gentle kiss to Anabelle's forehead.

"Po'miss?" Anabelle asked hopefully, looking up at him.

"With all that I am, I promise," Ironhide rumbled gently, smiling and running a gentle thumb across her cheek. He leaned over and pressed a kiss to Sarah's cheek, something that Will was eminently comfortable with now, the bots were very specific that it was the kiss of a sibling's love.

But then, had Ironhide been human? Will was certain that he would have wanted the bot to take care of his Sarah, up to and including marrying her if he were to kick it.

He'd never had a friend that close to he and his family before, and he'd come to really enjoy it.

Sarah walked back into their home, and Will heaved a deep breath, climbing into Ironhide's cab and leaning back in his friend's seat.

"Dunno what we'd do without you, 'Hide," he stated with a small smile.

"You'd keep goin'," Ironhide rumbled flatly.

Silence.

"Well I'd stop for a min-"

"No, you _keep goin'!_" Ironhide growled, onlining his holoform and glaring at Will. "I haven't spent this much time keepin' your sorry aft out the pit for you to stand around, staring at my _corpse_. If I'm taken out in your lifetime you _keep goin'!"_

Will sat in shock, staring at the glaring Weapons Master.

Ironhide leaned back in his own seat, turning to look at the road with an idle hand on the steering wheel.

"I need you to promise me something, Will," Ironhide rumbled quietly. He was looking off into the distance. Will immediately paid attention.

"What?"

"No matter what happens, you gotta keep _goin' _Will," Ironhide rumbled quietly.

"Ironhide what's going to happen?" Will demanded worriedly.

"Promise me, Will. If I'm taken down, you don't stand around gawping at my corpse, you gotta keep going," Ironhide growled softly.

Will sat, shocked, staring at his best friend of six years.

"But-" he started in a choked tone.

"We're warriors, Will, I'll not break my promise to your daughter, my niece. Promise me, if I'm ever taken down, you survey the situation for no more than a click and you either fight back, or you turn tail and you run. When my spark goes out, it ain't gonna be me no more, it'll be a pile a scrap metals. You keep goin' Will, don't shame my memory or your trainin' by standin' aroun', gawpin' at where I ain't."

* * *

(MPOV)

I strode down the corridors of NEST headquarters with a purpose, striding into the entrance bay and folding into my Optimus' form.

"Where you headed Kae?" Chance called out curiously.

"Visit with Sam, Carly and Bee," I smiled, winking my holoform online for a moment.

"No more dams to hold back?" the man asked apprehensively. I couldn't help but laugh, reaching out and pulling the dear man into a hug.

"No dams to hold back, I'm not even leaving the city," I informed him fondly. "Now quit fussing, or I'll ship you off to the shrink."

"Ratchet's a better shrink than that headcase they assigned to us," Chance grumbled with a frown.

"What now?" Ratchet called out curiously.

"I believe you caught the tail end of a compliment, father," I smiled at him.

"Backhanded?" Ratchet glowered.

"No, I'm saying I'm better off talking to _you_ about shit than that friggen shrink," Chance grumbled.

Silence.

"Still having nightmares about the Kortes dam?" Ratchet asked calmly, gently picking the lieutenant up and carrying him into the med-bay.

"...yeah..."

"What precisely?"

"What those cybermites did..."

I smiled slightly and winked my holoform off, between Ratchet's clinical analysis and sparkfelt advice Chance'd be just fine. I drove out of the bay and made a beeline for my little brother's signature.

* * *

(BPOV)

Bumblebee sat, very carefully in Sam and Carly's apartment, fiddling with his cannons and waiting.

His sister was coming today.

Sam, Simmons, Dutch, Carly, Wheelie and Brains all had pictures, articles and posters pinned on boards along the walls. Boards at Carly's insistence. Easy compromise.

There was a soft knock on the door, Carly rose to answer it, but Dutch and Bee both waved her back.

Until of course:

"=It's just me little-brother=" Mikaela's voice chirped with a laugh.

Of course that had the humans a bit more paranoid.

=Come on through!=" he chirped back.

Mikaela laughed and walked her holoform through the closed door.

"Carly, Sam," she nodded with a smile. "Agent Simmons, good to see you again. Dutch," she nodded calmly to the man, even as Bee piped his name to her. Something thunked on the other side of the door. "Oops!" Mikaela snorted in amusement, turning and opening the door.

Bumblebee just about blew his vocal processors trying to hold back a snort of laughter at the expressions on Wheelie and Brains' faceplates at the cubes of energon floating toward the holoform.

"You're the best Big-Sister ever!" he chirped gleefully as Mikaela idly deposited a cube in his hand. He popped the top open and looked at Carly. "Got any shot-glasses?" he asked curiously.

Carly walked into her kitchen and returned with a couple of glasses, the perfect size for Wheelie and Brains, the two drones grinning as he lowered the cube enough that they could dip out their own fuel before he drank his. He waited patiently as the tiny bots chugged their first glasses and offered them to re-dip.

"Oh, see now you're just spoilin' us with the good shit," Brains rasped with a broad grin, dipping out a cup and setting it down for a bit later.

"You've been working your processors hard," Bumblebee shrugged.

"Glowing blue stuff?" Carly murmured.

"Energon," Wheelie supplied cheerfully. "This is the stuff we convert the other fuels into to run on, but it works out a lot better when you get the pure stuff. Everything that I'll ever need to survive, is right here in this cup." he sipped delicately at the glass with a look of relish in his optics.

"Wait, if it's what you need to survive, how is Bee spoiling you?" Carly asked with a frown.

"Well, we're drones," Wheelie shrugged.

Carly still looked confused.

"By tradition of the caste systems, and something that Megatron hammered into the Decepticon's circuits, drones like Wheelie and Brains subsist on the dregs left in the cubes drunk by larger bots," Bumblebee explained as gently as he could.

But there it was anyway, the look of indignation in Carly's eyes, in his sister's eyes too, but Mikaela already knew about it, so it was less pronounced with her.

"They-!" Carly began sputtering.

"Some of them were real assholes," Wheelie stated in a grumpy tone. "Guys like Demolishor who'd crush their cubes closed again, so it didn't matter how much time you spent trying to get the damn cube apart to get at the dregs it wasn't worth it."

"Soundwave was kinda cool though," Brains stated musingly.

"Yeah?" Wheelie asked curiously.

"Well, yeah, all of the drones that served under him served as his eyes and ears a lot of the time, and he has a ton of symbionts too, so he knows what the drones go through with assholes like Demolishor. He had this habit of drinking half a cube and setting it down. It'd sit there for like, an hour, then he'd look at the drones eyeing it up and ask why they hadn't cleaned it up yet." Brains snorted.

"Whoaaa..." Wheelie murmured in awe.

Bumblebee filed that piece of information away.

"He'd leave a half cube of energon for the drones?" Carly asked with a frown.

"Scrap yeah," Brains grinned. "Half a cube of energon? Kept all fifty of us at the top of our _game_, all we had to do in return? Keep our eyes open, not hard to do anyway, it's how you keep from gettin' squished. But we _all_ kept our auditory receptors online. If Soundwave needed to know something about a bot, pretty much a guarantee one of us would know it. He didn't even mind that the lot of us had an energon stash."

"Why'd you run off then, sounds like your ship was pretty scrapping good," Wheelie snorted.

"Well, Soundwave got ordered to provide recon," Brains shrugged. "No Soundwave, shitty ship."

"Yeah, that makes sense," Wheelie nodded. Bumblebee shook his head somewhat, grateful once again that he was an auto-bot.

"=Little-Brother=" Mikaela murmured softly. "=How close are they?="

"Hey! Speaking in Scout is just rude!" Wheelie complained. The humans were looking at us curiously.

"=Getting there= Sorry, habit," Bumblebee shrugged with a grin.

Kae stayed for a little while, chatting with the humans, thanking Carly for her patience and making Sam's femme smile.

His sister was the best when it came to smoothing feathers, and that proved more-so, when Carly _really _began contributing to the human's hunt for the truth.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus drove out onto the rough roads, his mentor close behind.

He wanted Sentinel to see the sunset. Finally, he stopped, disconnected from his trailer and transformed, watching his Mentor do the same.

"So majestic, and peaceful this planet," Sentinel murmured. "Unlike the final days of Cybertron."

"I have wondered what might have been, if you had fought the final battle, instead of me," Optimus murmured, standing with his old friend.

"Never mourn the past, young warrior," Sentinel told him fondly. "But I suppose your mate has said the same. You have chosen well, my young friend."

Optimus couldn't help the small smile as Sentinel rested a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"You found her, and our race will survive," Sentinel murmured gently. "We have hard times ahead of us."

"She often reminds me, live in the present, work for the future," Optimus murmured with a small smile. He sighed. "You were our leader, Sentinel, it should be your right to lead us again."

"In a world I do not know," Sentinel murmured with a low chuckle. "I am no longer your teacher, Optimus, you are mine."

They stood for a long time, watching the stars in silence.

"When this is finished," Sentinel murmured. "Have you a plan for the revival of Cybertron?"

Optimus shot his mentor a guilty look.

"I..." he began, and trailed off.

Sentinel watched him patiently.

"I fear for my Kae," Optimus murmured softly. "In the dark of night, as she holds me close she reminds me that together we will breathe life into Cybertron again, and that she will not suffer for it..."

"You doubt her?" Sentinel murmured with a frown.

"I have no doubt, that she will heal our home," Optimus sighed, he looked toward Cybertron. "That she will survive it, I do not know."

"What brings this doubt?" Sentinel asked him softly. Optimus snorted.

"When we fought together, two annum ago, Megatron wished to take her, to use the knowledge that the All-spark had passed into her mind to find the Matrix and destroy this world. She took severe damage, and unbeknownst to me bound her wounds and continued to fight by my side."

"Your point?" Sentinel asked gently.

"Even when she was bleeding to death," Optimus murmured with a wry chuckle. "Her first concern was for my own wellbeing."

"Then we will stand with you, Optimus," Sentinel chuckled softly. "And we will watch your backs, as you did mine all those vorn ago."

* * *

(LPOV)

Lena woke up slowly, smiling at the position she was in.

Not a night had gone by, for the past six months that she and Jolt hadn't fallen into their recharges with her nestled into his chest.

It wasn't precisely the most... _physically_ comfortable place to sleep. But it was with _him_, and after a week? Her body had become _very _accustomed to the feeling of his neurals cradling her, his hand protectively shielding her from the world...

Lena opened her eyes worriedly the second she recognized the resonation of worry emanating from her lover's spark.

"Jolt?" she murmured gently.

"Lena..." he whispered. "Lena I need you to know something."

"What?"

"I need you to keep a secret."

"Okay." Lena nodded comfortably. Jolt never asked her to keep difficult secrets, the bots never kept anything from each other anyway, which meant it was a secret from the other humans.

"If we're ever asked to _leave_ Lena..."

Lena could feel her heart beginning to break at the mere _thought_ of such a thing.

"We're not gonna go, Lena, I need you to stay alive for me," Jolt whispered. "Because no matter what happens, I'm coming back for you, I need you to know that."

Next to the weapons information in her brain, that was an easy secret to keep.

"I won't tell a single soul," Lena murmured gently, reaching up and stroking her lover's chamber.

"Promise me Lena-"

"I _promise _I-"

"No, promise me you'll stay alive for me," Jolt whispered.

"I promise."


	152. 149 Betrayal

**Chapter 149 - Betrayal**

* * *

(BPOV)

"We've got to break this case down," Simmons stated with a frown, the humans were pacing. "What we have here is an astronaut epidemic."

"MIA, dead, died in a car accident, Killed, DOA, Car accident," Carly muttered, staring at the pictures on the wall. "What is with these guys? They can fly into outer-space but they can't drive a car?"

Bumblebee looked up at another knock on the door, Carly flinched slightly to go answer, but acceded the glance Bee shot at her.

"You're turning this into a bad habit," she murmured to him.

"Don't want you in the line of fire," Bee murmured.

Carly rolled her eyes at him and walked toward her bedroom instead.

"Procured your information Witwicky," a man stated through the crack in the door.

"Thank you Bruce," Sam stated calmly, he made to close the door, but Bruce stuck his foot in.

"Now..." Bruce stated wheedlingly. Sam looked at him. "You let me see one right now, one time." Bruce stated quickly.

"Quick?" Sam muttered

"Very." Bruce nodded.

Sam closed the door and unlocked it, and the older human was allowed into the room. The second Bruce laid eyes on him, you could just _see_ the envy.

Well, _way_ better than the revulsion most humans had when they looked at him. Dutch and Simmons were eyeing the man suspiciously.

"Right, Lunar Reconnaissance orbiter," Sam began muttering. "Says NASA launched it in 2009, say forensics show Wang may have messed with the code preventing it from mapping the dark side of the moon..."

"Fucking Awesome," Bruce stated, looking up at him. Bumblebee couldn't help but preen a bit at that.

"They infiltrate us, intimidate us, coerce us to do their dirty work and once they're done, doosh, double tap to the cerebellum." Simmons stated musingly.

Standard Decepticon tactic, that they were utilizing humans though...

"So humans are working for the Decepticons," Sam stated flatly.

"I don't think this is about the Decepticons _looking_ for something, on the moon, I think it's about something they wanted to hide." Simmons stated.

Bruce was still walking around him, staring.

"Come to daddy," the man stated cockily. Really? He was at least twenty times the man's size and he wanted to pick a fight? Important things being discussed. _Really!? _Maybe that Decepticon scrambled the man's circuits or something... brain... what'd the humans call it? Concussion.

Bee waved a finger at the man, he was rather busy listening to the conversation at hand.

"Come on throw down," Bruce stated with a grin, throwing a few rather unstable kicks at him. His sister could take this guy down with a _finger! _That wasn't the best example, his sister's _holoform..._

"Did you eat a lot of paint chips when you were a kid?" he played the soundbyte incredulously.

"He's a freak," Simmons stated, Bee almost snorted, but he started his systems up anyway, evidently Bruce wanted him to show off, he clapped his battlemask over his face.

A bit dramatic, yes, but if one is to show off, one must do it _properly._

"Hah! Like it?" Bruce asked, assuming what Bee could only assume to be a threatening stance.

See who broke whose bluff first. He half onlined his cannon, making it glow the way Ironhide did sometimes.

Not that the humans could really tell the difference.

He gave a slight lunge and lightly knocked the human down. Bruce looked terrified for a moment until Bee started poking him with his cannon.

Then he started laughing, protesting that he was ticklish.

Actually, he kinda liked this human, he grinned and receded his battlemask, continuing to poke the human as he laughed.

"Sir!" Simmons called out irritably. "We're having a pretty high level alien intel confab here that I don't think you're cleared for errand boy."

'That was kind of uncalled for,' Bee thought irritably as he shut his systems down again, he'd actually been having fun with the human

Regardless, Bruce rolled to his feet.

"Yeah, you're right," the man stated, walking toward the door. "It's a bitchin' robot." he added.

Well, that was nice of him, even as he got out of the apartment he was thanking Sam.

"Yo I'm smoking over here!" Brains called out, transforming the second the door closed. "Downloading missing Russian cosmonauts. Turns out the Soviets cancelled a manned mission to the moon. The moon! In 1972! and two of the cosmonauts went into hiding in America! And I just found them alive!"

"We gotta go find them," Simmons stated flatly. Over the Primary, Bumblebee called for backup and heard Sunny and Sides' immediate responses.

"You're a genius Brains," Wheelie added.

"Sam!" Carly called out. She strode out of her bedroom again. "We need to get to Dylan's party, remember?"

"Carly I-" Sam started.

Uh oh.

Carly frowned at him.

"The auto-bots and the military can't handle this on their own?" she demanded flatly.

"We're gonna keep him safe," Bumblebee chirped softly. Carly turned and looked at him. "Carly, I know you're scared, and I know you're not ready to lose another male to battle, but we're not gonna let him anywhere near the danger. On my honour as an auto-bot."

Carly breathed deeply.

"One time deal," she stated softly.

"I'll come next time," Sam murmured. Carly nodded. Bumblebee began slowly transforming, driving to the freight elevator behind the humans.

Right on time, Sunny and Sides pulled up in the alleyway.

"You're going to keep him safe?" she demanded of the cars.

"She dares _doubt _us?" Sunstreaker demanded.

"A simple _yes_ would suffice," Sideswipe snorted to his twin.

Carly nodded and got into the car her boss had given her. Bee didn't like it, he wasn't certain why, it wasn't like he could get an energon signature from it, and it was kind of a nice car.

He just didn't like it.

Carly drove away, and Sam watched her go.

"The warrior's path is a solitary one," Simmons stated calmly. "How the hell did she afford that car?"

"Her boss," Sam stated flatly.

"Rich bastards, I used to hate 'em, now..." Simmons shrugged and led Sam to his own non-sentient car.

Which Bee found somewhat irritating, Sam was supposed to be under his guardianship, but then, no human, nothing to get in the way of him transforming.

They drove to a pub, and waited.

Fragging curb duty.

Simmons was bragging about his man, which Bee could understand, he was quite proficient at working with computers. For a human.

The humans went inside, and Bee sat on his tires. He knew what the humans were eventually going to find, he just needed them to _find_ it.

* * *

(MPOV)

The waiting was always the hardest part.

I sat at my workbench in the med-bay.

Waiting.

Sentinel strode in, and sat down beside me for a long moment.

::. Testing encrypted private comm.:: he sent calmly.

::. Frequency received.:: I replied quietly.

::. May I ask a favour?.:: he murmured, glancing at me. I looked at him patiently. He glanced over his shoulder and pulled a beacon from his subspace. ::. Will you take this out of the city, to a place of good cover?.::

I nodded and accepted the beacon. Before he rose, I shot him a curious look. Over our platonic connection, he sent me the wordless sense of his intentions.

I smirked and rose, striding beside him to the entrance bay and folding into my Optimus' form.

Having something to do, was far better than the waiting.

* * *

(BPOV)

Sam was walking toward him with an agitated pace.

Wow. That was fast.

"Bumblebee, the Decepticons want Sentinel," Sam immediately stated. "The Soviets, they have pictures of the ship from nineteen fifty-nine, you guys have five pillars, the Decepticons have hundreds."

Bumblebee immediately got onto the primary.

::. All call, Sam's already got the evidence.:: Bumblebee sent. ::. The humans know the Decepticons are going to come for Sentinel.::

::. Your humans are remarkably efficient.:: Sentinel replied patiently. The older Prime sent his co-ordinates, the twins taking the lead as Sam scrambled into the passenger seat.

They were off.

Bumblebee couldn't help but smirk slightly, easily keeping up with the twin Lamborghinis, after all, his sister had made doubly certain that he had plenty of energon. They parked again, and Sam got out to pace.

::. I am ten minutes behind Sentinel.:: Optimus sent over the Primary with a frown.

::. Traffic?.:: Bumblebee sent innocently, locking on to the older Prime's signature. "Optimus is ten minutes behind us," Bee called out to the humans. Sam flipped his cellphone open and called the director. Sentinel drove past, and Sam scampered back to the passenger seat.

"Mearing," Sam started. "I've just picked up Sentinel, Optimus is ten minutes behind we're coming to NEST now."

Bee hacked Sam's phone. Jazz would expect nothing less.

"Mr. Witwicky I thought I made it clear to you that I did not want you calling this phone," the woman's voice stated somewhat irritably.

"Listen, the whole thing has been a setup since the beginning," Sam stated hurriedly. "The Decepticons wanted Optimus to find Sentinel because only Optimus could revive him."

"But we have the space bridge." Mearing stated in an incredibly calm tone.

"Mearing you have five pillars, I just learned that they have hundreds," Sam stated in clipped tones. "You're doing exactly what they wanted you to do, what do you need me to say to you? The Decepticons are coming for Sentinel Prime!"

* * *

(WPOV)

Announcements rang over the intercom.

"We have an energon alert, energon detected on the DC parkway."

NEST was in an uproar. The Decepticons were coming for Sentinel. Bumblebee, Sideswipe and Sunstreaker were escorting him back to base. No doubt Mearing would be arriving soon, that was a liability.

Ironhide roared out of the entrance bay, en-route to back up the scout and twins.

Will was everywhere, checking papers, barking orders.

Jolt's voice rapped out updates in his earpiece every few minutes, and Will found himself grateful once more for the efficiency of Optimus' technician.

He only repeated himself when Will needed him to, often doing so before Will even had to ask him to. When this was finished he was going to have to ask him how he knew it.

Men were rushing into the med-bay, collecting their suit harnesses and staying only long enough for Ratchet's holoform to give their adjustments a once-over and a nod.

Organized chaos.

Will ran out to the entrance, hearing Jolt's update.

Bumblebee, Sides and Sunny had taken one con down on the parkway, Ironhide and Sideswipe two more in the city.

Sentinel was two minutes away, Optimus ten.

Finally, he spotted the familiar shapes, Sentinel's Panther firetruck, Ironhide's Topkick, Bee's Camaro and Sunstreaker's Lamborghini.

Sam got out of Bumblebee's form, even as he hurried his men along, waving the bots into the hangar as they rolled at high speed.

"Lennox!" Sam's voice called out.

"Go go go!" Will shouted, he turned to look at the boy.

"We got Decepticons everywhere," Sam reported breathlessly.

"I've got my whole team deployed looking for 'em," Lennox informed the panicking kid immediately. "Ironhide!" he shouted. The bot immediately began transforming. Crap, he looked like he'd taken damage already, that was a bad sign. "Protect Sentinel, get him locked up inside!"

It'd give the bot time to get to Ratchet for a quick once over and patch up, too.

"Consider it done," Ironhide rumbled immediately.

Sentinel was transforming as well, which was somewhat strange, but Will didn't really have the time to think about it.

"You gotta guard him because he's the key to the whole thing," Sam reported quickly.

"Indeed I am," Sentinel stated quietly, slowly rising to his feet. The only thing running through Will's mind though? They didn't have time for showtoons. They had a battle coming and everyone was reminiscing!?

"What you must realize my auto-bot brothers, was we were never going to win the war."

Wait. WHAT!?

Lennox could feel it coming, he didn't like it, he didn't like that bot's _tone. _

"For the sake of our planet's survival a deal had to be made... with Megatron."

He spun around, drawing a cannon.

No.

No this wasn't happening!

There was a flash of light, and a burst of fire ran straight through Ironhide. Right through his chest.

No.

No not him, not his dearest friend...

NO!

Will was shouting, bellowing himself hoarse. Not him, NO!

"Get Back!" Will shouted at his men.

"Sentinel, no, don't, _please!_ What have you _done?" _Ironhide begged. He was rusting, his hands, his cannons... not him, Ironhide was the soldier, the stubborn pillar of strength in the hardest battles.

"I hereby discharge you from duty," Sentinel stated coldly.

He shot Ironhide again, the explosion rocking the base.

There it was, the moment of frozen time. The moment that your life is the most threatened.

But he'd promised.

Will ran, dragging Sam with him as the boy shouted out for Bumblebee. The little scout was letting off his own shots, getting out of the danger. Sentinel switched cannons and was firing shots at his men now, anyone caught with that beam disappearing in a pile of smouldering bones.

"Fall back!" Will roared. "Rally all NEST forces back to the base! Come on, _Come on!_" he shouted at Sam, dragging the boy to safety.

He was a soldier, that was his duty.

But on the edge of his vision, a pile of red dust scattered in the wind.

The bastard hadn't even left enough of Ironhide for a decent funeral.

"Alright we do not have enough men!" Will bellowed as they ran. "Do not engage Sentinel!"

He caught sight of Mearing and tried to stop her.

"Stand down!" the woman shouted at him, shoving her way past.

"Director!" he shouted, running after her.

"Hey! Sentinel! What is going on, what do you think you're doing?" the woman demanded.

"I am a Prime!" Sentinel roared. "I do not take orders from you!"

"Director Mearing," Will stated as reasonably as he could. "We can't fight him, let's go. We have to go."

"Now, return what belongs to me!"

The woman followed him, looking numbly at the destruction as Sentinel made his way to the vault and tore it's door off.

Skids and Mudflap were there the next moment, attacking. Another flash of light, a few more shots and the twins were rusting as well.

In a matter of minutes, the rogue Prime was driving from the base, Will stood in silence, watching Optimus driving in, listening to Director Mearing placing the blame squarely on the bot's shoulders. He watched as Mikaela landed through a hole blasted through the roof, immediately going to her mate.

Then, Will watched as Mearing shut up, watching in silent shock as Optimus dropped to his knees amidst the wreckage, grief etched in every line of his form.

The medics were running everywhere, tending to the men whose bodies actually remained. Very few of them, far more were simply piles of smouldering bones.

Mikaela was beside her mate the next moment, bearing the weight of his shaking form.

"The grief comes later, my Optimus," she barked sternly. "Rally the bots, I'm going after Sentinel."

"No," Optimus snarled, straightening and lurching to his feet again. "He is _mine_ to deal with."

Without a backward glance, Optimus was running to the doors, flashing into his alt-mode and screeching out.

"Evacuate the base," Mikaela... no... that wasn't Mikaela anymore. In that posture, with that tone. Archangel was commanding now. "Jolt, initiate emergency protocols, full evacuation and lockdown. Get the data into the off-base servers. Auto-bots await rendezvous co-ordinates."

"Sam," Will barked. The boy looked at him in terror. "Get your loved ones and get out of the city." Will growled. Sam nodded and took to his heels, gone the next moment.

* * *

Five hours, in five hours the world was in chaos. Decepticons riddled the streets. Buildings were on fire. The auto-bots were in retreat.

They were at war.


	153. 150 But Who Was Betrayed?

**Chapter 150 – But Who was Betrayed?**

* * *

(IPOV)

"Protect Sentinel, get him locked up inside!" Will shouted to him. Good man, good warrior. Proper tactic.

"Consider it done," Ironhide rumbled immediately.

"You gotta guard him because he's the key to the whole thing," Sam was stating hurriedly.

"Indeed I am," Sentinel stated quietly, slowly rising to his feet. Ironhide frowned, turning to usher the Prime into the base, the Decepticons were moving fast, and they didn't have a concrete plan yet.

"What you must realize my auto-bot brothers, was we were never going to win the war."

Droneshit. They were gonna win, they had Kae now. Sentinel was casting it in the past tense. Cybertron would be healed. Sentinel had accepted that, the two of them were working together now.

"For the sake of our planet's survival a deal had to be made... with Megatron."

Driven to it by the Guardian's madness. It happened. Less talk, more _move!_

::. Forgive me, Ironhide.:: Sentinel sent to him on a private comm.

Ironhide felt the stinging flash of a stunner.

What? Nobody told him about _that. _Then, darkness enveloped him, he onlined his optics and looked around. He was outside the city, in a spot with good cover. In a matter of moments, shocked looking humans were popping up around him.

The scrap bastard had bridged him.

::. You scrap bastard.:: Ironhide sent flatly.

::. Be still, Weapons Master, be hidden.:: Sentinel commanded. ::. I am killing your holoform, what Decepticon would believe my betrayal without your death?.::

True.

::. Does Optimus know?.:: Ironhide sent flatly.

::. Of course not, my pupil's reactions must be genuine for it to _ever_ be believable.:: Sentinel stated in amusement.

Ironhide snorted in amusement in spite of himself. That was true, the youngling rip of a Prime was a scrapping _horrible_ liar. Chromia's voice was screaming for him the next moment.

::. Quit with the dramatics, he bridged me.:: Ironhide sent to her flatly ::. Get watching Optimus' back beloved spark-guardian, I didn't begin the bonding to a faint-sparked femme!.::

::. There's a pile of _rust_ where you were.:: his Chromia sent tartly. The twins promptly popped up, looking completely shocked.

::. Nice touch.:: Ironhide sent in amusement.

"Yo' _alive!?"_ Skids demanded hoarsely.

"_He's alive!"_ Mudflap bellowed. In a matter of moments, Ironhide was covered in a pair of twins, damn near blubbering as they clung to his frame. "I knew it! I _knew you's never beg fo' yo life!"_

"He made me beg?" Ironhide demanded flatly.

"We're not dead?" one of the humans demanded in shock.

"Lay low boys," Ironhide rumbled with a frown. "Get some rest, we got a fight needing attending to." ::. You sure as scrap better hope _Kae_ knows I'm alive.:: Ironhide added.

::. Who do you think placed the receiving beacon? Sentinel out.::

Well. Scrap.

* * *

**Mid-story author's note. There see? Now aren't you just feeling guilty that you spent so much effort mentally kicking me? XD I **_**wrote**_** this little segment in **_**July**_**, and filled the previous chapter in in **_**September!**_** ;) Plot bunnies have no concept of timelines. At all. **

* * *

(SePOV)

Sentinel strode through the human's monuments, delicately sending the pillars to hover over a convenient pool of water.

He felt grief in his spark, the Decepticons would come, they would ravage this city, but above all else, they needed to get the pillars out of Megatron's clutches.

Because in their hands, eventually, they would find a way to use them, even if it were simply to use the inherent power of the pillars as weapons in of themselves. But he kept his thoughts to himself. They had a plan, he had a part, and he would stick to it.

Megatron was present, now, surrounded by his sycophants. Oh how Sentinel longed to simply run his blade through that twisted spark! But without doubt his second in command would simply take the helm, gleefully leading the Decepticon forces in his fallen master's stead.

They needed to strike a fatal blow, not simply to the leadership, but to the forces themselves.

The conversation behind him was noted on a back processor, the sycophantic Starscream praising his master on the so-called 'brilliant scheme.'

Brilliant his pede, in his madness, in his desperation, Sentinel had approached the Decepticon leader, suing for peace, for compromise.

Because above all, he needed to save his beloved Cybertron.

"He was meant to rendezvous with me here on Earth before fate waylaid us both." Megatron was growling.

Fate had waylaid them, because fate had been waiting on Kae. Sentinel was positive of it now.

"The only way to revive him: we needed Prime and his matrix."

Megatron always had been a clever bot. Too clever. He had learned his lessons well.

Behind him, Sentinel could hear Megatron drawing his weapons, a rear facing optic onlined to note the bot destroying one of the monuments, taking the throne for himself. The same processor noted with no small amount of satisfaction the sheer amount of damage Megatron seemed to have sustained. Fate, it appeared, had treated Sentinel _far_ more kindly.

"So he is now your partner, master," Starscream purred, evidently trying to wheedle more information from his leader.

"He is my greatest triumph," Megatron purred.

It took. _Every_ micro-unit of Sentinel's discipline to not shoot the arrogant bot through the spark here and now for that singular comment.

But they had a plan, and they would stick _to_ it! He had already compiled the message for the UN, telling them to banish the auto-bots. The Decepticons needed to believe the bots were gone. They needed the element of surprise. Megatron would ask him why, and Sentinel was highly prepared to state that he could not simply kill his pupils. After all, Optimus had been friend to him, a brother Prime, his spark was not destined to go offline by his hand, and Sentinel would not become the next Fallen.

"Commencing transport," Sentinel growled tiredly, struggling to keep the tone of subservience in his voice. He was a Prime, that tone did not come easily.

Then, then a voice he had hoped to avoid.

"Stop! No _no _Sentinel!" Optimus shouted. Sentinel cycled his optics in remorse.

"Forgive me," he stated quietly, and activated the bridge.

"Here we are," Megatron purred, "Fight us now."

It took no more than seconds, and the Decepticon force began bridging into earth's atmosphere from the moon. Sentinel kept track of them, their numbers, their designations.

When this was finished, he wanted to be sure that they were _all_ dead.

Auto-bots were rolling in, but they didn't have the surprise they needed.

It wasn't a sound tactic, Optimus had come after him, believing his Weapons Master dead, and his loyal unit had followed. They needed the element of surprise to tackle these forces.

Sentinel thought about it for a moment and decided to risk it.

::. Optimus, fall back!.:: he commanded ::. You will need the element of surprise in this battle! You do not have it in this moment!.::

But his comm went un-answered.

The only option. He ran, drawing Optimus away from the swarms, away from Megatron. It was not the time for the young Prime to face them.

"Auto-bots, Retreat!" Optimus shouted to his troops.

Sentinel cycled his processors in relief, that was the proper tactic, he could see the NEST humans retreating alongside the smaller bots.

Sentinel ran, firing shots at the younger Prime's feet and waiting for Optimus to catch him. It wasn't a potential of the bot catching him, it was a definitive.

When Optimus wanted to move, that young bot would _move._

Sure enough, the second he reached the steps of another of the monuments Optimus tackled him, his vocal processors close to shorting out in a bellow of rage.

The only option. Sentinel spun the bot, pinning him down.

Optimus was struggling, hard.

"Why Sentinel, _why!?" _Optimus demanded. Sentinel felt his spark tearing in pain, he sounded so hurt, no doubt still under the impression that Ironhide was truly dead.

"For Cybertron! For our _home!_" Sentinel snarled at him, hating that he had to play the game. He tried to comm the younger again to no avail, Optimus was blocking his signals.

Primus sake there were Decepticons all around them, he couldn't slagging say it _aloud!_

"What war destroyed we can rebuild, but only if we join with the _Decepticons!"_ he flicked his optics toward the cons beginning to surround them, begging, _pleading _that Optimus would understand the signals.

But he was distracted, infuriated, grief clouding his judgement.

His young friend's greatest strength and truest weakness, his compassion.

"No it's not the only way, you _know that!_" Optimus roared at him, shoving him off.

An ability that the smaller should not have had, in shocked him, but only for a moment. He had after all, mentioned his mate's ability to break through another's defences.

"This is our home now, we must defend the humans!" Optimus continued furiously. Sentinel got the younger down, disabling the plasmatic edge on his blades as he held it to Optimus' neck. Optimus offlined his optics, waiting for death.

"So lost you are, Optimus," Sentinel stated softly, rising from the younger's chest. "On Cybertron we were gods, and here, they call us machines." he placed the tip of his blade to Optimus throat, cursing himself to the pit as he did. "Let the humans serve us, or perish." Sentinel rose and took a few steps away. "You're lucky I didn't kill you. In time, you'll see."

He prayed that Optimus would finally catch his meaning. Sentinel strode toward the Decepticons obviously waiting to escort him.

"Finish him," Megatron's voice growled.

No...

Evidently, he had not run far enough.

In desperation, Sentinel called out to his young friend's mate.

::. Kae! Your mate is distracted, we are surrounded! _You need to get him out of here!_.::

::. I am already on it.:: Mikaela growled softly.

Then, with a crack of thunder, the femme landed in the midst of the fray,

"Optimus! Fall back!" she thundered, firing at the Decepticons converging on her.

Optimus turned to shoot a furious glare at his mate, but evidently the look she returned overrode that glare, in moments, the two were falling back, the femme providing a fury of fire to cover them before she too sprinted away.

Sentinel couldn't help but colour himself impressed. His scans showed nothing of the femme, not her status of Prime, not even her designation. There and gone.

But within moments, he realized his mistake. Amidst the howling, the victorious cries of the Decepticons Megatron strode toward him.

"Who is that femme?" the leader of the Decepticons demanded.

"I am uncertain, I have seen her, but we were not introduced, you moved too quickly for me to gain much in the way of information," Sentinel growled at the twisted mech, sickened by the arousal and interface interest humming from his spark.

"Do you have her name?" Megatron asked with a small smirk.

"Archangel," Sentinel frowned.

"Send a message to the humans," Megatron smirked. "I _want_ that _femme_, tell them to exile the autobots from this planet, and give her to us or we'll systematically destroy their cities."

"You will allow them to leave in peace," Sentinel snarled at him.

"Fine, fine," the bot stated irritably, waving a clawed hand. "I will allow them to leave in peace, when they leave the femme behind."

* * *

(WPOV)

"Combatant commands are now at DEFCON one," General Moreshower stated grimly.

"Approximately two hundred Decepticons are now in hiding, Energon detectors have been triggered as far away as South America and China." Will reported with a frown. He turned as one of the men walked behind them.

"The UN has just received an encrypted Audio file," the man stated quietly, offering a file. "They say it's from the leader of the Auto-bots."

Will read over the General's shoulder, and immediately recognized something.

It wasn't a message from Optimus.

"Defenders of earth, we have come for your natural resources to rebuild our damaged planet. When we have transported all that we need we will leave your world in peace. For such peace to exist you must immediately exile the auto-bot rebels you have harboured. Additionally, the silver Femme designated Archangel will be remanded to Decepticon custody. Non-negotiable. Renounce the rebels, we await your reply."

Will was making strangling sounds, he knew he was. There was no way, no _way_ Sentinel could _possibly _believe they'd just give Kae up to the Decepticons!

"Will?" Moreshower murmured.

"We can't," Will choked. "We can't give her to them!"

Chris shot a sympathetic look at him, even as the Directors on the screens read the file as they received it, Barry looked furious, Director Mearing frowning.

"Auto-bot _rebels!?_" she demanded flatly.

"They aren't rebels," Will practically snapped at her. "Optimus was the _emperor! _Sentinel changed sides to the Decepticons."

"Options?"

"Gather everyone together," Will stated with a frown. "We need to figure out which resource the Decepticons are after."

"Metals? Iron ore?" Director Mearing put forth.

"No, Mearing you've met Ratchet," Will stated with a deepening frown. "He's a brutally honest personality, according to him, the natural resources that we covet here are next to useless for them, the metals nowhere close to the standards they use. Cybertron didn't _lose_ it's metals with the exception of what was launched as space going _vehicles_. Above all else they need _energon_, and there aren't that many deposits of it on earth."

The briefing continued for another hour, with nothing really accomplished. Will left the Pentagon in a chopper, going to re-join his men and the auto-bots rendezvoused at the airbase.

But as he watched the bots gathered together, watched Mikaela comforting Optimus, something simply continued to stick, to niggle at the back of his mind.

Because Ironhide of Sigma three, his brother in arms and closest friend, would have never begged.

* * *

(MPOV)

"_You can't let them do this!" _Jolt was howling. "_You can't just hand her __**over**__ to them!"_

I could not remember _ever_ seeing Jolt so upset, my Optimus was two seconds from drawing his cannons and going right back after Sentinel again. Admittedly, I had no idea why Sentinel was demanding me to stay on earth while the rest were exiled.

But at the moment I couldn't exactly ask.

"We're not!' Will shouted with a deep frown.

"That is no longer your decision, Colonel," Director Mearing stated flatly.

Oh. Way to go, I rolled my optics and covered my Optimus' spark.

~You would regret it later~ I informed him flatly.

~They are demanding us to hand you over to Megatron, _I will not allow it!~_

I rolled my optics and caught his with a firm glare.

~That is no longer our choice~ I informed my mate flatly. ::. Let the humans play with their politics, you are not leaving this planet's atmosphere, and if the Decepticons decide to take me to Megatron then they will be bringing his death in silver armour, and betraying their _positions_ to you.:: I added the last on the Primary.

"We don't have a _choice _in the matter!" Director Mearing shouted at Jolt.

Then, the true shock, Jolt went down on his hands and knees, bringing his optics to Mearing's level.

"Are you so _ignorant_ to believe that the Decepticons adhere to _anything_ close to your Geneva convention!?" Jolt shouted at her.

Mearing went pale.

"What..." she started weakly.

"I was a prisoner of war for two of your centuries," Jolt snarled at her. "I, a _mech, _was raped, beaten, slagged, forced to work for them with next to no energon in my lines, I slept beneath a_ grate!"_ Mearing was pale, shocked, the look of horror in her eyes the type that would take a long time to go away. "I am a _mech_ Director Mearing, the closest parallel to a male. Do you have _any_ idea what would happen to a _femme!?_ They will beat her down, break her spirit, force her to bear their sparkings until there is nothing left of her. She is a bonded femme, Director, she will not go quietly, and they will enjoy that all the more!"

The silence in the hangar was practically deafening.

"Slagged?" a voice asked weakly. Jolt looked up at the human that spoke.

"Where they tear you down, bolt for bolt, strut for strut until it is nothing but your spark-chamber laying bare and unprotected on the table. And as you lay there, disconnected from any energon source, you flicker and _gutter_ your life away until they decide to hook your lines up. And then? If they still want your services, they _might_ put you back together again. If you are very, _very_ lucky, they may even do it _right."_

* * *

(WPOV)

"Colonel!" Jacobs shouted.

Will ran, and froze.

"It's been a remarkable series of events today at the capitol, and just moments ago legislation was passed to exile the Auto-bots from American shores, the US military alliance with them is officially over. The words of the house majority leader, the sponsor of today's resolution: "we cannot in good conscience abide by..."

"No, no they can't _do this!" _Will shouted. Behind him, a phone buzzed. He turned to see Mearing pick up her cellphone.

"Yeah?" she asked quietly.

The only thing that saved her, was the way she closed her eyes, her entire body drooping.

She closed the phone.

"It's official," she called out, her voice broke. "It's a go."

She looked at the bots and raised a hand to her mouth.

"Director," Mikaela's voice murmured. Every human turned to look at her. "It is not your fault."

But Will knew that look in her optics, the postures of the bots around her.

She was prepared to die. _Preparing_ to die.

"You..." Director Mearing whispered. "You don't..."

"I do not blame you," Mikaela stated quietly. She turned and looked at the bots firmly. "None of us do."

"You don't have to load up, you should be allowed..." Mearing stated in a choked tone.

"I am allowed to spend one last night with my husband and family," Mikaela stated in a quiet, dignified tone. "Thank you, Director."

Then, as one, the unit turned and strode to a deserted corner of the hangar, and Will had to look away to keep the tears from his eyes as Optimus sagged, falling to his knees and pulling his Kae with him, pulling her as close as he could without the two of them integrating completely into one.

* * *

It was the longest night he had ever experienced. The Wreckers were already at the ship, preparing for takeoff. Half of him wished the night would just end, the other half... the other half dreaded the morning more.

But eventually, as it always did: dawn struck.

"This isn't happening," Jacobs whispered as they watched the bots transform beneath the Xantium, preparing to board.

"Optimus," Mikaela murmured softly. Optimus reached out and pulled her into a gentle hug.

"We will meet again," he rumbled gently, "you will always know where to find me."

Kae nodded weakly and backed up, standing proudly.

"I will find you," she declared firmly.

"And I will wait," Optimus rumbled, he turned, the last to board. A good captain, a good leader. Mikaela turned and strode back to the hangar. She stood tall, proud.

"You can't do this!" Will shouted at Mearing again. "You can't separate them like this!"

"Colonel we have our orders," Mearing stated in a tired tone. "We are facing an unbeatable enemy, with the capability of bringing countless more. We have to accede to their demands."

"No matter the distance, I will never be separate from him," Mikaela stated quietly above Will. The icy calm tone that she'd always used to hide emotion. Will's heart ached on her behalf, a part of her soul was being torn away.

The countdown began, and ended, and the Xantium launched.

There was nothing now, nothing they could do.

"Years from now they're going to ask us," Simmons said quietly, "'where were you, when they took over the planet.' And I'm going to say: 'we just stood by and watched'."

"No!" Mikaela shouted suddenly, staring at the sky. "No don't you dare! NO!"

Will stared at her, then stared at the sky as it erupted in fire. The Xantium destroyed.

"_Optimus!" _Mikaela was shouting, grasping at her chest, "_OPTIMUS! NOOO!"_

As one, humans covered their ears, earpieces torn out as she simultaneously hacked every single radio frequency she could find, bellowing the name of her beloved.

"_NO!" _she shouted again, dropping to her knees and dragging at her armour, sobbing and fighting her own preservation circuits.

"What!?" Mearing shouted, "What is she doing!?"

"She's joining her spark-bonded mate in death," Will stated coldly. "One way or another, they will remain together." he looked up in shock as a half dozen Decepticons landed around the femme, dragging her arms from her chest and pinning her.

"You don't get to die so quickly," one of them rasped.

All of the fight went out of Kae, she sank down further onto the tarmac, letting the cons rough her up, never even raising her hand.

"No!" Will bellowed, "Come on Kae! _Fight back!_"

"Silence, insect," Starscream stated gleefully, dragging Kae to her feet. "So you thought you'd be safe, did you? Thought Optimus would keep you? He's dead now, little femme, come along now, come meet your new master."

Every human who had known her, every NEST and former NEST soldier watched in horror as Kae was dragged from the tarmac and into the air.

Silence.

"What do we do?" Jacobs whispered.

"You take a deep breath, and then another. You stop time as your heart slows, but the moment of frozen time is when your life is most in danger. So you put one foot in front of the other. You're only afraid when you have something to lose. But that something to lose, that is what you're fighting for, and that's what gets that next foot off the ground." Mikaela said behind them.

Every face turned to look at the holoform in shock.

"What?" she asked cheerfully, "you thought I was going to abandon you without a fight?" her face turned serious. "I'm going to have to keep my transmissions short, signals indicate that Chicago is the one being hit. Which means we need to get the people out."

"How do we evacuate an entire city?" Simmons whispered.

"You don't, I do, I need medical backup, field hospitals, accommodation tents, emergency response. Call Barry, get him pulling strings, tell him rule 44 is in effect. Every piece of necessary equipment can be fabricated by the neural units, no you don't need to hook up to it. They're fully powered, all you need to do is punch in your request. I have tracking beacons attached to the fabricators, get 'em spread out, fifteen mile radius. Apocalypse file, Redbird. Will, activation is yours, Colonel," Mikaela nodded gravely. The holoform winked out.

"Is that a VFG...?" Chance whispered.

"Rule twenty, Chance," Kae's voice muttered.

"Don't hold the funeral till the casket is full," Chance whispered.

Will stood stock still for a tenth of a second.

"Alright people!" he bellowed, "It's rock and roll time! Call everybody! Get Moreshower up to speed! I need secure lines to the directors of the CIA, KGB, Interpol, NASA."

"What are your orders sir!" Jacobs shouted.

"We need as many emergency responders as we can get, fly them in, get them driving, we need a fifteen mile radius out in Redbird!" Will shouted back, running back to the plane.


	154. 151 The Game

**Chapter 151 – The Game**

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus touched his mate's cheek.

"Optimus," Mikaela murmured softly. Optimus reached out and pulled her into a gentle hug.

"We will meet again," he rumbled gently, "you will _always_ know where to find me."

Kae nodded weakly and backed up, standing proudly.

"I will find you," she declared firmly.

"And I will wait," Optimus rumbled, he turned and boarded the Xantium, the doors closed and Ratchet reached out, grasping his shoulder firmly.

_∂We ready?∂_ Roadbuster asked quickly.

_∂Auto-bots, prepare for splashdown,∂_ Optimus rumbled sternly, nodding to his unit. The Femmes were smirking evilly, even as Chromia rubbed lightly at her chest-plates.

"Chromia-" Optimus started in a grieved tone.

She smirked at him.

_∂Sorry, Prime, you're a terrible liar without your battle-mask∂ _she smirked. _∂Ironhide is hiding out and currently grousing that a weapons master has to _hide_. The twins are with him.∂_

Optimus stared in shock at the femme.

_∂Holoform,∂_ Chromia smirked. _∂Sentinel's idea, we needed a betrayal, so he shot a holoform Ironhide and 'massacred' the twins when they attacked him.∂_

Optimus shook his head and grinned.

_∂Does Kae know?∂_

_∂Of course, _Kae_ is a _damned_ good liar when she needs to be,∂_ Arcee stated cheerfully. _∂Let's get this show on the road.∂_

_∂All due respect Cap'n, you ain't goin' down with the ship, so you're first in, we need you to play ballast,∂_ Roadbuster stated cheerfully.

Optimus snorted and tucked himself into the modified escape pod.

One bot in, it was going to be a _scrapping_ tight fit. The femmes came in next, tucking themselves in around him in the gaps he couldn't help but leave.

_∂Too bad Kae couldn't come, this is gonna be fun,∂ _Flareup stated cheerfully.

_∂Drone shit,∂_ Roadbuster snorted. _∂this is gonna be a rough landin'∂_

Ratchet promptly began swearing.

_∂Aah calm down Ratch, yer in the middle.∂_ Roadbuster snorted.

Optimus snorted softly and reached out, carefully settling his old friends around himself until he had to slide his arms around Flare and Chromia.

_∂Really_ scrapping tight fit.

_∂Wheelie, Brains, quit squirming,∂_ Arcee murmured with a giggling snort.

_∂Sorry,∂ _Brains immediately stated.

_∂Hurry up! They're starting the countdown!∂_ Leadfoot muttered sharply.

_∂Get in there then,∂_ Roadbuster muttered. _∂Squeeze over, one more to fit.∂_ he squirmed into the pod and closed the door.

_∂Holoforms are activated,∂_ Jolt murmured.

Topspin, Roadbuster, Leadfoot, Optimus, Ratchet, Bumblebee, Sideswipe, Sunstreaker, Jolt, Arcee, Chromia, Flareup, Jazz, Prowl, Mirage, Wheelie and Brains all sat in absolute silence for a long moment.

_∂Seventeen Auto-bots walk into an escape pod, one of them is dumb enough to make it a joke.∂_ Brains muttered.

Ratchet began desperately snorting back a hearty guffaw, even as the pod around them began to warm, and the gravity became far heavier.

_∂Ten seconds to separation,∂_ Leadfoot muttered. The pod shook, not that there was really any space left over for them to get knocked around.

_∂Scrap, scrap scrap scrap scrap!∂_ Roadbuster began growling.

_∂Roadbuster report,∂_ Optimus rumbled sternly.

_∂You're right boss, they blew up the Xantium,∂_ Roadbuster snarled. _∂Except unless we get some kind of distraction or confirmation that we're dea-∂_

Suddenly, every last frequency was jammed, and Optimus couldn't hold back his own keen of pain. The ache of separation wasn't new for him, the tone of his Kae's voice as she screamed his name, begging him to be alive, begging him to _answer..._

That hurt more than _any_ wound he had ever endured.

_∂Steady, Optimus,∂_ Ratchet stated gently.

The femmes cuddled into his sides, holding him tightly.

"She knows you're alive, and even if she doesn't she's not going to die until this is finished," Chromia whispered to him. "You _both_ know that."

"And as a bonus, she's completely covered for us," Roadbuster added in awe. "We're officially dead now."

Even separated, Optimus felt the sudden sensation of his Kae winding her spark around his own in her chamber. Concealing him. Protecting him.

His brilliant, beautiful femme.

He relaxed again, just in time to grunt as they splashed down.

The next moment, every last bot was piled on top of him. They continued going down, slower this time. A gentle thud, and they stopped.

"Right, we can get out of here and walk along the bottom of this liquidy _salt_ pit, or we can propel ourselves a bit closer to shore first." Roadbuster reported calmly.

Silence for a long moment.

"What kind of a choice is that? Stay squashed or wander around in salt water?" Wheelie demanded indignantly.

"I would like to request as little contact with that liquid salt shit," Brains rasped.

"Agreed," Chromia shuddered beside him.

"A moment?" Optimus rumbled with a snort, he shifted somewhat in place, compressing his armour and protoform. Smaller. And _far_ more comfortable. "I am good to stay for a while."

"How'd you do that?" Ratchet demanded with a grin, settling comfortably beside Arcee.

"I forgot to compress my armour." Optimus rumbled in embarrassment.

"And we're the better for it," Roadbuster snorted. "Less jostlin' about."

"Commencing forward propulsion," Leadfoot stated calmly, he began making choking, gasping sounds before his optics sharpened. "Oops."

The bots stared at him irritably.

"No, we're going forward, apparently humans don't survive down here," Leadfoot stated wide eyed.

Ratchet began laughing.

"You drowned-" he laughed. "You _drowned_ your _holoform!?_"

"And _crushed_," Leadfoot stated wide-eyed.

"Crushed and drowned your holoform." Ratchet snorted. "It doesn't occur to simply put your eyes out there?"

"They got swept away!" Leadfoot protested irritably. "And it _stung!"_

Ratchet snorted his amusement.

"So don't solidify it!" he stated in amusement.

"Oh riiight..." Leadfoot mused. "Right, here we go."

* * *

(MPOV)

The fliers roughly dragged me from the tarmac and into the air, their flight patterns erratic at best, obviously not entirely used to flying in the lighter gravity of earth, or in such a heavy atmosphere. I checked our vectors and listened mildly to the reports Starscream was receiving.

Arrogant little twit wasn't even bothering to block his signal.

Twit.

"Going to have fun with you, little Femme, gonna have some fun with_ you_," one of the cronies kept repeating. I ignored him, cheerfully playing deadweight in their arms.

Carefully hiding my signal, I linked to the computers and projected my holoform behind the soldiers. They stood, silent and shocked.

"What do we do?" Jacobs whispered.

"You take a deep breath, and then another. You stop time as your heart slows, but the moment of frozen time is when your life is most in danger. So you put one foot in front of the other. You're only afraid when you have something to lose. But that something to lose, that is what you're fighting for, and that's what gets that next foot off the ground." I said quietly.

Every face turned to stare at me, the shocked looks were absolutely priceless.

"What?" I asked cheerfully, "you thought I was going to abandon you without a fight?" My face straightened. "I'm going to have to keep my transmissions short, signals indicate that Chicago is the one being hit. Which means we need to get the people out."

"How do we evacuate an entire city?" Simmons whispered.

"You don't, I do, I need medical backup, field hospitals, accommodation tents, emergency response. Call Barry, get him pulling strings, tell him rule 44 is in effect. Every piece of necessary equipment can be fabricated by the neural units, no you don't need to hook up to it. They're fully powered, all you need to do is punch in your request. I have tracking beacons attached to the fabricators, get 'em spread out, fifteen mile radius. Apocalypse file, Redbird. Will, activation is yours, Colonel," I nodded gravely to Lennox and winked my holoform out, concealing a grin from my captors as I listened for a second.

"Is that a VFG...?" Chance whispered.

"Rule twenty, Chance," I muttered.

"Don't hold the funeral till the casket is full," the lieutenant whispered. There was silence for a second before Will began bellowing. I listened to his orders for a moment and nodded internally. A good man, a good leader. He was getting it sorted.

"Gonna have some _fun_ with _you,_" the crony said again.

I ignored him patiently, inwardly agreeing.

I _was_ going to have some fun with these twits, somehow I rather doubted _they_ were, though. I touched the raw ache in my spark, feeling Optimus' presence beside my own. I hid him carefully, surrounding him with myself.

We'd agreed, we'd block our signals from each other for the first stage.

Except now I could not tell if my beloved was alive and blocking, or dead and reaching for me from the well.

I took stock of my surroundings and locations as we began losing altitude again. Chicago.

They dropped me on the roof of one of the towers, that selfsame crony dragging me to stand up.

"Say hello, little insect," Starscream purred at me.

"I said to leave her intact!" Sentinel snarled, visibly scanning me. I had to give him credit, _I_ almost believed the shock on his faceplates. Certainly the 'cons would

"Phah, she don't want to live no more," the crony chuckled. "What's it matter? 'Er spark's still burnin'."

"I would suggest that you show more respect to your creator," Sentinel growled, firing a warning shot over my shoulder, damaging the crony. He fell back immediately, I dropped to my knees, covering my chest slightly.

"This little femme?" Megatron rumbled softly.

"Archangel, the host to the All-spark." Sentinel replied coldly. "Your creator. _She_ will repair Cybertron."

"Why repair what you will only destroy again," I whispered, finally looking up at Sentinel, letting him see the fight in my optics for a brief second before I covered it with the grief. My mate was dead.

"Soon, you will see little insect, one spark is as good as another's," Megatron purred, he reached over and dragged my chest plates open, baring my spark chamber. He froze, staring at it.

"Archangel _Prime_," he purred, extending a binder cable toward my chamber. "You shall be a _most_ enjoyable conquest."

I prepared to shock the living hell out of him, baring Optimus' mark as it sat, engraved intertwined absolutely with my own. The next moment Sentinel was bellowing in rage, tearing into Megatron's head and throwing him to the other side of the roof.

"How dare you attempt to assault a spark-rent Prime!" he bellowed, "We need her alive! Not offlined the second she can manage!"

The bots stood in silence for a long second, Sentinel reached down and carefully lifted me to my feet. I caught his optics.

::. Tell me he's alive.:: Sentinel sent desperately ::. You're bonded to him, this is the only way we could win without an alliance! He _has_ to be alive!.::

I stayed silent for a long moment.

* * *

(LPOV)

Lena ran with the soldiers, following orders.

It was trained into her, allowing her to move without thinking. Allowed her to _exist_ without thinking.

Her Jolt. Her Jolt was gone.

There was only one thing that was left for her in this life now.

Destroying the scum that had killed her intended. She'd probably die in the process.

But her Jolt would be waiting for her, she knew he would be. They weren't bonded, as Kae and Optimus had been. Watching Kae falling to the tarmac, tearing at her armour had been one of the most painful things Lena had ever seen. Her immediate need to join her mate in death apparently stalled only by the bastards who would separate two sparks belonging with each other absolutely.

That was another thing she held close to her heart, although her face would never show it.

Those bastards would taste her bullets, too.

Lena knew she was backsliding, the happy, smiling Lena that had finally begun to emerge with her inclusion into NEST, and finding Jolt...

Happy Lena was shunted to the side now, not dead, simply dormant, as she had been for so long before. She knew her face was cold, her eyes made of ice again.

That was fine.

Because her compassion was gone.

Those bastards who had murdered their Prime, had torn the bonded Primes asunder. Who had taken her Jolt, her love, her happiness away from her...

They didn't deserve the compassion that had once been in her eyes.

"Colonel Lennox!" Lena shouted at the man, already strapped into her harness and striding with a purpose toward the soldiers.

"Lena-" the colonel started. Lena glared at him.

Then it was Will standing in front of her.

"Nothing I can say, is going to stop you from coming to Chicago, is it?" the man asked quietly.

"No, Sir." she stated flatly.

Will heaved a breath and glared at her.

"You will _not_ allow your distraction to endanger your fellow soldiers!" he barked.

"Sir, no Sir," Lena barked right back at him. The soldier. The fighter.

The Colonel nodded and reached for her chest.

"'Scuse my fingers," he muttered, thumbing the activation of the harness on her chest.

For that statement alone, Lena prayed that the Colonel would survive to return to his family. She however, was prepared to join her Jolt.

* * *

(SePOV)

Sentinel watched with anger burning close to his spark as the Decepticon scum _dropped_ Kae onto the roof.

"Say hello, little insect," Starscream purred. Little slagger.

"I said to leave her intact!" Sentinel snarled, scanning his young friend's mate. She was undamaged, thank Primus, just a few nicks in her paint.

But her systems weren't running.

"Phah, she don't want to live no more," a crony chuckled. "What's it matter? 'Er spark's still burnin'." anyone could tell what that pathetic excuse of a bot wanted to do.

"I would suggest that you show more respect to your creator," Sentinel growled, firing a warning shot over Kae's shoulder, damaging the crony. He fell back immediately, and Kae dropped to her knees, winding her arms around her chest-plates.

"This little femme?" Megatron rumbled softly.

Time to play the game.

"Archangel, the host to the All-spark." Sentinel replied coldly. "Your creator. She will repair Cybertron."

"Why repair what you will only destroy again," Kae whispered, finally looking up at Sentinel. His spark ached on her behalf, there was fight in those optics, the briefest flicker of the fire before grief covered them again. They had gone against his orders, destroyed the Xantium. That alone was enough for him to remain absolutely decided.

The murderers would see the justice of the Primes.

"Soon, you will see little insect, one spark is as good as another's," Megatron purred, he reached over and dragged Mikaela's chest plates open, baring her spark chamber.

Megatron froze, staring at it.

Sentinel watched in shock, he didn't think Kae would allow such a thing...

"Archangel _Prime_," Megatron purred, extending a binder cable toward her chamber. "You shall be a most enjoyable conquest."

Mikaela simply stayed still, the only motion her spark chamber turning away from the cable and baring Optimus' mark as it sat, engraved intertwined absolutely with her own.

Optimus' mark.

Intertwined absolutely with her own mark.

They were that closely bound. That. Was one in a billion. Dead or not, Optimus' _absence_ would have her rent, dead, she would be in agony.

That only took a moment's contemplation. Rage flared though his spark, he strode forward and caught hold of the weakened Decepticon leader. A hand sank into the torn head.

"How dare you attempt to assault a spark-rent Prime!" Sentinel bellowed, "We need her alive! Not offlined the second she can manage!" he threw the bot away.

The Decepticons stood in silence for a long second, wary of a bot stronger than their leader. Sentinel reached down and carefully lifted Kae to her feet. She caught his optics.

::. Tell me he's alive.:: Sentinel sent desperately ::. You're bonded to him, this is the only way we could win without an alliance! He _has_ to be alive!.::

Mikaela remained silent for an _interminably_ long moment.

::. I don't know.:: she whispered ::. my only comfort, if he is alive he is coming, if he is at the gates to the Well, he is waiting for me. We both understood that we would likely not die together, not with the way things are.::

Sentinel carefully led her to sit before he was forced to continue monitoring the pillars, Primus forbid the Decepticons know she had become his friend.

Not yet, anyway.

::. I am so sorry, they are defying my orders.:: he sent softly.

::. We can't risk using the voice.:: Mikaela replied in return.

::. Indeed, are you still strong enough to fight? You are not converting your fuel.:: Sentinel sent worriedly.

::. I'm stopping, remember?.::

::. But...::

::. I still function as a human at times, we go for hours without new fuel input. I'm programmed to handle a massive surge of energon and utilize it.::

::. From where?.:: Sentinel demanded, keeping his face calm as he paced the rooftop. The Decepticons were cowering in front of him now. Much better.

::. Keep your face neutral, I have two dozen energon cells in my legs. I said _neutral!_.::

Kae knew him quite well, apparently, his face did not so much as flicker, but twenty-four backup cells hidden in her _legs!? _Nothing short of her crisp order was _keeping_ him visibly neutral.

::. Do you _realize...!?._:: he choked out over their private comm.

::. The danger, sheer amount of power, the amount of power I'm using to transport them – which is minimal, by the way – do I realize what, Sentinel?.:: she asked innocently.

::. Different question, did your mate realize that you are completely insane?.:: Sentinel sent in amusement. ::. Who in their right mind carries spare energon cells in their _legs_?.::

::. The one whom has lost their mate.:: Mikaela stated crisply.

That. Was completely confusing.

::. But are you still strong enough to fight?.:: Sentinel demanded worriedly.

::. They _killed_ my _mate_, why are you still _asking_ that?.::

Sentinel quickly synced his processors.

::. What happens when a human loses a mate?.:: he asked instead.

::. Depends entirely on the circumstance and the relationship between the two, what happens to Cybertronians?.::

::. We are immediately weakened, our bodies shutting down as our sparks reach for our mates.:: Sentinel sent gently.

::. hmn.::

::. Kae?.:: Sentinel sent tentatively.

::. It would seem that I am still more human than I first thought.:: she sent musingly ::. My reactions are remaining the same.::

Sentinel turned around, prepared to look at her.

::. Your human reactions?.:: he demanded.

In the corner of his optic, he saw her face rise.

::. I kill them all.:: she whispered.

Her optics raked the Decepticon positions, barely glancing at him.

But for that brief second he saw them, he had never seen optics that intense.

Pure, black-fired rage and hatred flickered beside the piercing blue-green.

The optics of a bot that would not stop until the object of that hatred had been destroyed. Sentinel knew, right down to his core processors that aimed at him? He would be _cowering_ in front of those optics.

Thank _Primus_ they weren't aimed at him.

Her optics lowered and she sat, absolutely still again.

::. What's the game plan?.:: she sent calmly.

::. I need to order them to seal off the city, soon.:: Sentinel stated worriedly.

::. A moment.::

Sentinel couldn't feel anything from her, she simply seemed to be sitting there.

::. Right, give the humans another five minutes and we're set.:: she stated calmly.

::. How...!?.:: he demanded.

::. I have holo-projectors set up _everywhere_.:: Mikaela snorted.

That was a brilliant idea... actually...

::. Would you mind if I started sweet-talking you?.:: Sentinel sent almost cheerfully.

::. You want me to go along with your plan to make my people slaves?.:: she asked with a snort ::. Not even that _crony_ would buy that.::

::. They _would_ if I have my hand in your spark.:: Sentinel sent rather shyly.

::. I will not betray my Optimus.:: Mikaela snapped back at him.

::. When Optimus returns, he will have my helm for not helping his mate, alive or dead, your spark will be aching from the separation. You are _far_ too young to have built the resistance necessary for operating separately. If he is dead, once this is finished I will ease you into the well myself.:: Sentinel stated gently.

He felt her nod.

::. Thank you.:: she whispered.

Sentinel straightened and strode over to Kae, gently taking her face into his hands.

"What now, traitor?" she whispered hoarsely.

"Such a beautiful, fiery little femme," Sentinel crooned to her, stroking her cheek gently. "Do not lie, your spark aches for your lost mate."

"What do you care?" Mikaela choked, jerking her face from his hands.

"Young Prime, our duty is to our worlds, to each other," Sentinel murmured gently.

"You speak proudly of duty yet keep me from mine," Mikaela stated quietly.

Sentinel straightened, even if they were allies, that was a sharp blow to his spark.

::. Sorry.:: Kae sent silently.

"Even in pain, you are a formidable opponent," Sentinel stated calmly. ::. Are they ready?.::

Kae stayed stock still for a moment.

::. Yes.::

"Perhaps then, I am to remind you of your proper duty," Sentinel stated coldly. He turned to the Decepticons. "It is time for the human slaves to recognize their masters. Seal off the city."

::. Wait for it.:: Sentinel sent to her silently, and felt her nod ::. We must unfortunately wait for the first shot to be fired.::

Sentinel began scanning the city again, paying particular attention to the human creatures wandering the streets, looking out windows...

::. I've got them scanned already.:: Mikaela sent silently ::. you don't have to worry about it.::

The first shot was fired.

::. Good! Because now is the time!.:: Sentinel snapped over their comm, handing over temporary control of the pillars to the femme.

A brilliant flash of light blinded him, and suddenly there was silence. A silence broken only by the continual firing of Decepticon weaponry as buildings were collapsed. Kae handed him back the control to the pillars.

Seamless.

"_What is this!?" _Megatron was roaring the next moment.

Sentinel stood, completely stunned at the control the femme had exercised. The only native living creatures left in this city were the rodents. He turned and stared at her.

Prime Mikaela Archangel Banes was sitting back in the place he had settled her, a tiny smirk dancing on her face, even though the grief was back, masking her optics.

"_Nothing,_ keeps me from my duty for long." she commented mildly.


	155. 152 The Calm

**Chapter 152 – The Calm**

* * *

(WPOV)

Will paced beside the primary console.

Waiting.

He'd told Kae five minutes and they'd be ready.

Which was a bit of a lie, the five minutes was the time it took to get that last fabricator in place. The tents were a different story, the hospitals were already set up, but the civilian quarters and tents weren't. Not quite yet.

The soldiers, the aid workers, everyone was scrambling.

"Sir, the last fabricator is in place!" came over his radio.

Thank god.

The aid workers of course, seemed to think it was a poorly timed drill, but they were still doing quite well with their 'drill'.

"Will," Mikaela stated quickly.

"Now?"

"Now."

"EVERYBODY STAND CLEAR!" Will bellowed, listening to his own voice echoing and his orders being bellowed along the lines.

He watched in shock as the primary console hummed to life.

Then suddenly, thousands of shocked looking people were standing around.

A soothing, gentle sound began humming through the hills. Peaceful, calming.

"Attention," Mikaela's voice stated soothingly. "Due to unfortunate circumstances your city has come under attack. We have prepared for this, you have been evacuated to a safe place. You are _safe_. Please. To hasten our work in protecting you and your families, anyone who has family outside of the fifteen mile radius of central Chicago living within the city is advised to use your cell phones to contact your loved ones.

"Please advise them to evacuate as calmly as possible. Get out of Chicago. To advise them to find you, you are currently at Redbird, drive west. Any who have family in outlying Illinois or other states tell them to go there. There are aid workers and soldiers around you. Please remain calm, they will help you."

The lassitude lifted, and the people stood in shock for a long moment.

Of the thousands, perhaps a hundred were panicking.

Most were on their phones, already calling and advising their families to run.

The rest were running after their dogs.

She'd transported everybody and their dog to safety. If Optimus had been alive...

Will clenched a fist, standing for a rapid moment of silence.

If Optimus had been alive, they _all_ would have teased her mercilessly about that. But this wasn't the time for grief. He'd promised Ironhide that he'd keep going, and he wasn't going to break his promise.

"Attention!" he bellowed. "We didn't have time to get everything set up for shelter! Any able bodied men and women are encouraged to volunteer! If any medical aid is required, get the injured to the red cross tents!"

A hundred men and women immediately walked toward him.

"Volunteer!" a woman called out, raising her hand.

"Sir! Please! My wife doesn't drive, my kids! I need to get them!" a man bellowed in a half-panic.

"We gotta get back! I'm in charge of evacuating our emergency response group!" a second stated in a far calmer tone.

Will nodded and waved Jaques over.

"Get the 'going back to get the kids' groups together and get them back there," he commanded.

"Sir, yes Sir," Jaques nodded curtly and reached for the panicking man.

The emergency response stranger caught his hand and shook it firmly before moving to Jaques.

"Thank you _thank you," _the panicked man stated quickly before running after Jaques, a half dozen others following as he began bellowing for the returning groups to get together.

A half an hour of sorting and the six busses rolled out at high speed.

In the meantime, cops, firefighters and paramedics were settling in, tents were going up, injured people were being taken care of.

"This is the first mass evacuation to ever, _ever_ go smoothly." the downtown chief stated mildly, shoving his hands into his pockets.

Will nodded.

"Listen," he started.

"Phase two of your plan is coming up, you lot getting relieved of duty and getting back to Chicago to kick back?" the Chief grinned.

"Yes sir," Will nodded.

"You got reinforcements coming?"

The sound of choppers. Will grinned and pointed.

"Now _that's_ impressive," the man stated brightly as the helicopters landed around them. Art of all Majors hopped out of the lead chopper and ran to Will.

"Colonel!" he barked, saluting.

Will saluted and caught the man's hand.

"Good to see you Art, thanks for the backup," he stated firmly. "Gather your men, you need to know how to run these things before NEST rolls."

Art nodded and barked out his orders. In moments a dozen soldiers and the Police chief were surrounding Will.

"Right, here's the scoop, the bots are... were... well and truly gung-ho about preserving life-"

"No shit," the chief muttered, looking around himself again at the city of tents. Will couldn't help but smile slightly.

"Alright, so food, water, additional tents, clothes, all of that stuff is provided by the fabricators here," Will barked out quickly. "Kae made it stupid easy to figure them out, they're good to run for two weeks at full capacity."

"More than enough time for us to get these folk re-evacuated to their families and into the mainland." Art nodded approvingly.

Will nodded and pointed to the console.

"Right, I'm going to scan you lot in, once you're in you can get others in." Will stated quickly, laying his hand on the screen. He caught Art's hand and laid it on the other palm screen. He pressed his thumb to the 'admittance' spot and the console beeped.

"That's it?" Art asked interestedly.

"It doesn't supply guns, so Kae said that it should be available to all," Will nodded.

"Makes sense." Art curiously set his hand on the screen and jumped as the holoscreen extended, instantly switching from english to his Spanish. "That's just awesome," Art grinned.

"I know right? So yeah, just scroll through, point, poke, grab, accept and out it comes." Will snorted, directing Art's hand, a canteen of water materialized beside the console.

"_So cool,_" the chief moaned.

"Fool proof," Art snorted. Will nodded and looked around. "Go, go get your men, we got this Colonel." the man grinned.

"Good to see your ugly mug again, Art," Will grinned before he turned and ran toward the gathering group of NEST soldiers.

"Phase two," Jacobs rumbled menacingly, Lena standing beside him with ice in her eyes.

"Phase two," Will stated with a grim nod.

* * *

(SePOV)

"_Nothing_, keeps me from my duty for long," Mikaela commented mildly.

"_You_," Megatron growled furiously.

Mikaela looked up at him and snorted in amusement.

"Me," she stated with a smirk. "Please, offline me, let me rejoin my mate."

Cheeky impertinent little femme.

Primus but he liked her style.

Megatron brought a cannon online and aimed it for her spark.

Sentinel rolled his optics and lightly knocked the cannon out of the way.

"That's what she wants, idiot," he rumbled irritably. "If you cannot abide _that,_ consider the usefulness of dead slaves."

Megatron glowered and paced away.

::. Must you?.:: he sent to her in amusement.

::. Oh I must.:: she sent back evilly.

::. Round two.:: he sent, walking forward and cupping her face.

"The usefulness of dead slaves," Sentinel murmured consideringly. "Or you could simply save us the trouble..."

Megatron whipped around eagerly, walking back toward them.

Mikaela sagged somewhat.

::. You realize that I need Optimus by my side?.:: she sent sadly.

"You want me to heal your home," she stated aloud.

"We do," Megatron growled softly behind him.

"_Then bring my Optimus back to me!_" Mikaela shrieked, lunging at Megatron, she got a single, solid punch into his chest-plates before she collapsed under her own mental burden, wrapping herself around her own spark chamber and rocking.

That sight, and the pitch of her keening tripped Sentinel's protective circuits like _nothing_ else. The poor, sweet femme.

::. What do you mean!?.:: Sentinel demanded worriedly.

::. To survive, if I rebuild Cybertron on my own without him, it's a one shot deal.:: Mikaela sent sadly. ::. It is doubtful if I will even have the strength to return to the Well without him.::

::. I will return you.:: Sentinel sent firmly ::. If he is there already, I will give you the strength to leave, and he will give you the strength to return to him.::

Sentinel made a point of staring at the femme for a long moment before kneeling beside her. He gently covered her spark chamber with a hand and extended a binder cable.

No information was actually passed. He simply offered her some comfort, a touch to ease away the pure agony in her spark.

"You had intended on healing our home already," he stated aloud.

"You thought me so callous as to hold the power and not wield it for good?" Mikaela choked out. "You fools. You have taken my mate, my strength."

Megatron stared at them before reaching out, hauling Kae to her feet.

"You may find, little femme, that some sparks are more desirable than others," the mech purred, running a finger down Kae's cheek.

Sentinel moved forward slightly.

::. I got this.:: Kae stated silently. Sentinel crossed his arms.

Megatron looked at him.

"True, you are a strong mech, if twisted, you and Optimus were brothers," Sentinel stated with a shrug. "Perhaps you can attract her."

Megatron smirked and continued on, caressing Kae like a good pet.

She stood, her optics dimmed and her body unresisting. Her chest-plates opened and her spark chamber was bared.

"Most beautiful of conquests," Megatron purred, stroking her chamber.

::. What are you doing?.:: Sentinel demanded.

::. I want to see something.:: Kae shrugged silently.

"Open up for me," Megatron purred.

Mikaela obediently opened her chamber, and Megatron threw _himself_ back. Mikaela turned around, glaring around herself as her spark glimmered in the sunshine.

Sentinel looked at it in awe.

Pure. It was so achingly pure, torn, resonating in pain, but so pure and beautiful.

The Decepticons – _Pit!_ _He_ could barely stand to gaze upon her spark.

Her spark chamber closed, and her chest plates locked overtop.

And suddenly it wasn't Mikaela standing there.

It was Archangel Prime.

She strode to Megatron and cupped his face.

"Ooohh," she cooed. "Is the spark of a Prime too much for the great and fierce Lord Megatron to behold? You kill my mate and never consider him to be the stronger? Of course not. _You_ did not kill my mate, you stood stock still and cowardly behind your Decepticon hoards and ordered them to do your dirty work."

Megatron was still cowering in front of her.

"I will never understand your taste in bots," Archangel continued mildly. "That you feel the need to have others cower in front of you. Disgusting, really." she turned her back and sat down in her place again, curling up around her spark.

Waiting.

But to the outside observer:

She was waiting for death.

Megatron stood up and began pacing again, thoroughly cowed. He couldn't kill her, he couldn't hurt her. And now, he couldn't even hold her optics.

::. Well played.:: Sentinel sent with a snort.

::. Thank you.:: she murmured wryly ::. I'm going to meditate, tell me when it's go time.::

Megatron looked at him.

::. Now what!?.:: he demanded.

"We continue to bring Cybertron to this planet," Sentinel stated coldly. "It's safety will be used as leverage to make her heal our home."

Megatron nodded. It was simple, to the point.

Obviously he could do that.

The bot promptly began cowing his subordinates back into respecting him.

Fool.


	156. 153 Phase Two

**Right, a quick note: I'm headed off to finally _finally_ escape from winter for a little while. Unfortunately, that means I'm going to be sans internets until March 1. I didn't time my updates quite right, I wanted to have you guys past the battle by now because cliffhangers destroy me. **

**So... multiple update day!**

**Chapter 153 – Phase Two**

* * *

(MPOV)

I sat, patient.

Fifteen hours. I had to wait fifteen hours.

Finally. _Finally._

::. It is time.:: Sentinel murmured.

I looked up with every appearance of being groggy.

"You realize that bringing your planet into our atmosphere, surrounding earth with Cybertron, will only serve to kill both." I stated softly.

Sentinel stared at me. I pointed to the sky.

"Earth relies on her sun, her atmosphere," I murmured. "Cybertron surrounding earth will only serve to block out our life."

"You could not have said this before!?" Sentinel growled at me. ::. It would have saved us some time, we could simply have had all of the beacons _here!_.::

::. But my Optimus needs time to get here.:: I stated innocently.

Silence.

::. True.::

Sentinel snarled at me for a moment.

"Very well." he growled. "Decepticons, launch the pillars!"

Through our connection, around this world, Sentinel could feel his space bridge slowly activating. He called the pillars to himself, and they began making the trek.

"What are you doing?" Megatron snarled.

"If I am to allow this planet to survive, it will need it's sun," Sentinel shrugged irritably. "Cybertron will remain beside this one."

Then, then the most beautiful of sensations. My Optimus was close. Close enough for the fight to begin.

::. Neutral face, he's here.:: I sent to Sentinel quietly.

::. Let me get the pillars.:: he sent back.

::. Can't you just make the initial five bridge them to you?.:: I asked impatiently. I wanted to start tearing into these bastards.

Sentinel turned to look at me in amusement.

"Why yes, I can," he rumbled. "I can also send the pillars to a safe place in the process, an excellent idea, Kae."

The Decepticons froze.

The two of us smirked at each other.

"To work?" Sentinel asked innocently.

"Indeed, old friend," I stated cheerfully, standing and flashing energon through my systems. "Got your back, by the way, do what you must."

That had the Decepticons moving again. Cannons and fists began clenching, preparing to fight and fire.

But I was on them now.

The first cell in my legs promptly drained into my systems.

Power, ammunition. I smirked, standing straight.

"The little Prime wants to dance?" Megatron rasped with a smirk.

"The dance of my ancestors," I stated blackly, then, simply to hammer in the point I winked my holoform online in my own hand. "And _this_ time, you're gonna stay dead." the human I had been snarled at him.

The shocked recognition on his face was priceless.

I charged him.

He was immediately on guard, but my uncle had taught me well. A moment to observe him, a second. I dove toward him, giving every appearance of a flying tackle.

But he was ready for _that._ What he _wasn't _ready for, was me turning a somersault in the air, now I was going toward him feet first. The further shock in his optics was perfect. My boosters fired up. Modified. Firing plasma.

Straight into his chest. I turned the second he began flying backwards and went after the next closest con.

Cannons nothing, it was bare hand and blade for these bastards.

* * *

(SePOV)

"What are you doing?" Megatron snarled at him.

"If I am to allow this planet to survive, it will need it's sun," Sentinel shrugged, giving the appearance of irritability. "Cybertron will remain beside this one."

Then, then the most beautiful of messages.

::. Neutral face, he's here.:: Mikaela sent quietly.

He was alive, his young friend was alive. He should have known, Optimus was not fool enough to believe that the Decepticons would let them leave alive.

Even _if_ he had ordered the Xantium to be given free passage from this planet.

::. Let me get the pillars.:: he sent back tensely.

::. Can't you just make the initial five bridge them to you?.:: Mikaela asked impatiently. Sentinel could feel it even over their platonic connection. She wanted to start tearing into these Decepticon bastards. Actually, that was an intelligent move. Bridging the bridge. He could put it somewhere out of the line of fire if he did that.

_Far_ easier than trying to subspace hundreds of pillars...

Sentinel turned to look at his young friend's mate in amusement.

"Why yes, I can," he rumbled cheerfully. "I can also send the pillars to a safe place in the process, an excellent idea, Kae."

The Decepticons froze around them.

Kae and Sentinel smirked at each other, subtly, her spark was increasing it's power outputs, she was starting up, _warming _up.

"To work?" Sentinel asked innocently.

"Indeed, old friend," Kae stated cheerfully, standing and flashing energon through her systems. "Got your back, by the way, do what you must."

How very kind of her.

Of course that had the Decepticons moving again. Cannons and fists began clenching around them, preparing for the battle.

Sentinel turned the second Kae started moving, sending the pillars to reside where the original five had lain under the safeguard of the humans. He turned back and idly removed the heads of a couple of cons charging him with murder in their optics.

But Kae.

Watching _her_ was _far_ more interesting than killing Decepticons.

He watched her interestedly as the first cell of energon drained into her systems, invisible until you knew to look. Kae smirked, standing straight.

"The little Prime wants to dance?" Megatron rasped, smirking at her.

Well, she _was_ somewhat smaller, after all...

"The dance of my ancestors," Kae stated blackly, her armour resettled restlessly over her frame.

Then, her holoform winked online in her hand. Obviously, Megatron recognized the human femme, if not the bot. Fascinating. "And _this_ time, you're gonna stay dead." the holoform snarled.

And _that_ was a story he was going to make her tell.

She charged him. Sentinel idly shoved back a few more of the smaller bots that Megatron kept around him, watching Kae was _far _more interesting.

Megatron was immediately on guard, Sentinel frowned, firing off a few shots at more of the bots, prepared to come to her rescue, she seemed so... ungraceful as she dove at the larger bot. Megatron was already in position to handle that flying tackle.

That _never_ worked on the cons... that was a _youngling's _move...

The next second, however, Sentinel was grinning like a youngling himself as Kae flipped in the air, suddenly she was flying toward Megatron feet first.

Which had the larger bot confused for an astro-second.

An astro-second was enough.

Archangel Prime fired up her pede boosters, and Megatron was flying off of the roof of the building with a shocked look in his optics.

The sheer amount of damage was shocking until he looked at her boosters.

They were modified, firing plasma.

Sentinel watched the femme in admiration as she singlehandedly tore the Decepticons around her apart. In minutes, she was standing, surrounded by the wreckage of dead cons.

Her cannons weren't even _online_ yet. Sentinel looked around himself with raised brow ridges.

"Fascinating," he stated mildly.

Kae looked at him in amusement.

"Really? That was kind of boring, actually," she stated mildly.

They both turned to look at the warships converging on their position.

"Megatron called in his reinforcements," Sentinel growled softly.

"How nice of him," Mikaela stated in that same mild tone.

Sentinel promptly stared at her. She looked at him passively for a moment.

"Elaborate," he replied somewhat irritably.

"It saves us having to go to _them_," she stated cheerfully. "Shall we?"

Kae folded in on herself, a flier.

It was only then that it really clicked in his processors. _Optimus_ was bonded to a _flier!?_

"You are a _flier!?"_ Sentinel demanded.

"Are you coming or not?" she snorted.

Sentinel began laughing, he couldn't help it as he caught hold of her wings.

She blasted into the air, climbing up through the atmosphere to circle high above the warships and carriers.

::. Who first?.:: she asked calmly, scanning the ships even as Sentinel did.

::. Set me down on the primary warship.:: Sentinel commanded flatly ::. That is my first priority, take down the ships capable of the most damage.::

::. Agreed.::

Kae promptly dropped through the atmosphere, Sentinel dropped onto the ship as she landed gracefully on her feet a few units in front of him.

::. You are the more experienced.:: she stated calmly, looking at him.

::. You are an exceptional warrior...:: Sentinel stated in a confused tone.

::. Using the fighting techniques my human family taught me.:: she stated calmly, they both turned to look at the fighters and warships. ::. As yet, I am still unfamiliar with the specifications of these ships. In this, I would prefer to defer to the more experienced warrior.::

Sentinel straightened with pride as the young femme Prime turned to look at him respectfully.

::. Follow my lead?.:: he asked curiously.

::. Gladly.:: she grinned at him.

::. Well then, this way.:: Sentinel stated cheerfully, taking point. ::. Are you familiar with silent?.::

::. Hand or optic? Both, by the way.:: she replied quietly.

-Hand, take the door- he signalled to her. She nodded and positioned herself precisely where he gestured. They nodded to each other and Kae brought a cannon online, blasting the door open. Sentinel took point again, scything his way through the guards toward the heart of the ship. It was a nice feeling to have the young femme at his back, especially with the sounds of her dispatching the bots flooding the corridors behind him.

In front of him, five bots quickly gathered together. An enormous cannon came online, pointed directly at him.

Scrap.

::. DOWN!.:: Kae barked with the voice of command over their comm.

Sentinel dropped to the floor. The shot flew over top of him.

There it was, the glorious feeling. Time slowed, making the motions of his combatant partner frankly exquisite as she leapjorked him, she landed on her hands, rolled and sprung up feet first.

He watched in awe as her pede cannons – that was the only thing he could _call_ those modified boosters – landed squarely against the massive quintad's chest and face.

A second. She blasted those pede cannons just as her arms came up, further cannons firing at the cons behind him.

Dual forces, stabilized in the centre, just above him.

The corridor was rapidly clear, wreckage shoved to each end.

Kae dropped and was on her feet a second later, hauling him to his own.

"That, is _so_ much fun," she stated cheerfully.

"Predators!" Sentinel snorted in mocking irritation. "This way."

Mikaela followed him calmly to the heart of the ship.

"Right, blow _that,_ the ship goes down," Sentinel stated calmly, pointing to the main engine components responsible for keeping the massive ship aloft.

"Blast them, run out of here?" Kae asked calmly beside him.

"That was my thought," Sentinel nodded musingly.

"You want a head start?" Kae asked cheerfully, bringing her cannons online.

Sentinel laughed and began running back up the corridors, blasting the occasional con that got in his way.

The ship rocked with the massive explosion.

In seconds, Kae was running behind him, systems were blowing around them. The ship was going down. Sentinel called to his front memories the schematics for this style of warship and in moments they were running into the bright sunlight.

Fire was erupting around them.

Sentinel looked around in horror.

He'd forgotten just how scrapping _fiery_ these things became in the right atmosphere.

Usually he rode them down to the ground.

"Jump!" Mikaela shouted beside him, dragging him to the edge of the wing.

"It's too high!" Sentinel roared.

"Trust me!" Mikaela shouted, dragging him off of the warship's stabilizer into the open air a few hundred units above the ground.

But Kae was folding beside him, a forcefield snapping around him and delicately guiding his hands toward her wings as they fell.

Oh. Right.

He caught hold of her wings, locking himself onto her back.

The second he was secure, she was blasting back into the air, swerving delicately around the falling debris.

::. So what's next on the activities list?.:: she asked cheerfully. Sentinel began roaring with laughter, no wonder Optimus had become so fond of this femme.

::. Let's take down a couple more warships and rendezvous with your mate.:: he sent back cheerfully.

::. Veteran's pick!.:: Mikaela informed him cheerfully, climbing above the warships.

Sentinel was frankly astonished that the fliers scrambling around the rapidly falling warship weren't immediately going after them.

::. Why aren't they converging on us?.:: he demanded, watching the scattered and terrified cons scrambling about in the air.

::. What? You thought you were the _only _one good at the usage of holoforms?.:: Kae asked cheerfully ::. The only thing that can track us is energonic signatures, and there are so many signatures in the air at the moment we're invisible. Literally. You can see us, _they_ can't. Why do you think I'm so free to come and go at our headquarters when the humans don't know we're there?.::

Sentinel grinned down at the femme carrying him so casually through the air.

::. How do you feel about that primary carrier there?.:: he asked cheerfully. ::. It is a massive destroyer, a great deal of firepower. But they are rather difficult to get out of again...::

::. Blast shields?.:: Mikaela asked casually, circling toward it.

::. And heavy doors that slam shut on intruders.:: Sentinel nodded calmly.

::. It's hardly fair that the 'cons have it at their disposal, don't you think?.:: Mikaela asked mildly. Sentinel couldn't help but grin.

::. What say we go dispose of it?.:: he stated as the femme laughed.

Sentinel timed his drop better this time, casually landing on a sentry just as Kae landed on the other. They looked at each other seriously, and Kae fell in behind him.

An excellent quality in a warrior. The ability to joke about, but when it came down to the fighting, she was all business again.

They flanked the door, and nodded to each other.

Kae blasted the door open and Sentinel took point again, the two of them scything through the shocked and furious Decepticons in the corridors.

Blast doors began receding as they passed. Kae casually blasted their mechanisms, wedging them open.

Brilliant.

Except one flashed closed in front of them.

Scrap.

::. Watch out there.:: Mikaela stated cheerfully, she onlined a cannon as Sentinel scrambled out of the way. He looked in shock as she aimed for the side of the door.

::. You can't blast them!.:: he rumbled with a snort ::. They are built to keep us out!.::

::. A door is only as secure as it appears.:: Mikaela snorted. She blasted the wall.

It promptly crumpled into scrap metal. Four more shots.

Right around the door, she gave it a kick and it fell over, right onto a few cons. She turned and grinned at him.

::. Who's there?.:: she asked cheerfully.

And then the fight began. Sentinel was laughing as he took point, the two of them leaving a trail of wreckage behind themselves as they arrowed for the engine room.

The blast doors closed behind them and Mikaela shot the circuitry, locking them in.

"How did you know to shoot the wall?" Sentinel demanded with a laugh.

"Mico tends to scan things along with me," Mikaela laughed, gesturing to her optics. "I've had a continual stream of her readouts in front of my optics for the past three annum. Which was freaky as _all _hell when I was still human let me tell you."

Sentinel snorted in amusement.

"Right, that set of components there," he stated with a smirk. "We shall blast and run together, I do _not_ want to risk you getting lost in here."

"That is so very kind of you, you want to take the engines and I'll get the door?" she asked cheerfully.

"An excellent idea young warrior," Sentinel stated cheerfully. He brought his cannons online and aimed. "One?"

"Two." Mikaela stated with a grin, aiming for the walls.

"Three!" they chorused, the ship rocked with the multitude of explosions.

Sentinel kicked the door beside Mikaela, it fell and they were running. Right, left, right, right. Sentinel was frankly astonished at how easily they were escaping.

::. Too easy.:: Mikaela growled softly ::. It means we need to watch our afts just that much more.::

Sentinel nodded in firm agreement.

And there it was, the cons knew their ship was going down, they were intending to bring them down with it.

Ambush.

::. Down!.:: Mikaela commanded again. Sentinel dropped and watched in awe as Mikaela levitated over him. She smirked and fired both arm and pede cannons again, throwing an extra burst of force behind it with a temporal forcefield.

Her front force blasted a hole straight through the ship's hull. Bright sunlight streamed in.

"Coming?" she called out gleefully, hauling him to his feet again. Sentinel took a half second to look around and laugh at the damage she'd accomplished. They were running to the bright sunlight hand in hand now, jumping from the hull.

Central hull.

A massive blast of plasma was streaking toward them.

"Oh! As IF!" Mikaela shouted.

Sentinel, falling beside her, watched in awe as her temporal forcefields snapped online, catching the ball of plasma and splintering it.

A rain of plasma struck the already crippled battle carrier.

Kae transformed and caught him on her wings. Automatically, Sentinel locked himself onto her frame, and three units from the hull, she blasted into the air again.

Even with her invisibility holoform in place, a flier using one of the human's flight forms streaked toward them.

Sentinel snarled and aimed for it, except-

::. Grandfather!.:: Mikaela called out cheerfully.

::. Wrecking battleships now are you granddaughter?.:: the Decepticon asked cheerfully.

Sentinel finally recognized him.

::. JETFIRE!?.::

::. Aye, it's been a _long_ time since we've scrapped it up eh Sentinel?.:: Jetfire replied cheerfully. ::. I see you've met me granddaughter.::

::. How – what – how!?.:: Sentinel sputtered in spite of himself.

::. When she were a human, when 'er family was human, 'er paternal grandfather was me pilot.:: Jetfire stated cheerfully ::. A good man, a good flier for all that he was so vulnerable tae gravity. I have sworn tae follow 'is line t' the end o' days, and if that means servin' under tae Primes who spend _more_ time making sure _I'm_ in good shape...::

Jetfire trailed off cheerfully.

::. Three Primes now, I guess.:: he added with a grin ::. Who the scrap thought I'd be taking _your_ orders!? We'd best rendezvous with me granddaughter's mate.::

::. Agreed.:: Sentinel snorted as Kae followed Jetfire to ground.

Jetfire transformed and casually landed, looking at him as Kae delicately dropped him at an easy landing height before landing herself.

Sentinel looked right back at him.

"Wha' d' yeh think," Jetfire stated finally, holding his arm out to Sentinel. "In the name o' the protection o' this planet, and th' rebirth o' Cybertron. Truce?"

"You always had my respect as a warrior," Sentinel smiled, threading his arm through Jetfire's. Neither of them pulled back _remarkably_ hard, but the fact that Jetfire pulled back at _all_ was quite flattering.

They both turned to see Mikaela smiling at them.

They _both_ were several _hundred _vorn her senior, and yet _she _was the one smiling in a motherly, indulgent manner.

"Shall we?" she asked cheerfully, turning and striding down the street.

Jetfire and Sentinel shared a glance and shrugged, casually following the femme.

::. So you're father-mentor tae Optimus?.:: Jetfire asked finally.

::. And yet I betrayed him.:: Sentinel stated sadly.

::. Tae save Cybertron, tho'.:: Jetfire shrugged. Sentinel stared at the bot. ::. All th' while we were fightin' each other, I could nae stop feeling th' stupidity o' it.:: Jetfire stated quietly ::. Me brother Jetstorm was th' smarter, 'e's still in stasis... somewhere.::

::. Jetstorm?.:: Sentinel asked incredulously. ::. Your brother was Jetstorm?.::

::. We are.:: Jetfire nodded ::. I've yet tae ask Kae's aid in finding 'im, 'e'll make the bound Primes an excellent ally.::

::. He's on Cybertron, in stasis at Vector Sigma!.:: Sentinel replied, his optics wide ::. I put him in stasis _myself_!.::

Jetfire grinned at him.

"Optimus?" Mikaela's voice asked softly.

Sentinel looked up to see the most endearing of sights.

His young friend whipped around, staring at his mate. He began striding toward her, and in moments they were clinging to each other.

No frequency could hope to pick up the messages passed between their sparks, they simply held each other for a long moment. Optimus leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips.

"To work?" she asked mischievously.

Optimus snorted, straightening and turning to face the bots gathered around them. Sentinel couldn't help but smile as Mikaela gravitated to her mate's right, and his arm wound idly around her waist. That smile turned into a grin as Ironhide strode over to him.

"You made me beg, I don't beg," Ironhide snorted irritably.

"True, but at the same point, it is remarkably difficult to make one's holoform fire upon one's self, as you would far more likely do," Sentinel replied with a grin.

"Hmnph, true," Ironhide snorted. "I'm not even going to scold you for being sappy, youngling, one time deal, let's get to _work!_"

"Mikaela, do you have a report on their positions?" Optimus rumbled.

"No, Jetfire's will be more inclusive, I was focused more on blowing up warships and making sure Sentinel didn't fall off of my wings." she stated calmly.

Optimus nodded and turned to Jetfire.

"At th' moment there's a great deal o' talk o' fallin' back, Sentinel and Kae have terrified them with the tae primary ships goin' down already," Jetfire reported calmly. "Megatron is the only thing keeping them here now. The majority are one mile north of our position, Shockwave is in the ground with Driller. With your permission, I would like tae see how many of the fliers will still heed me words."

Sentinel watched worriedly as Mikaela straightened suddenly, a hand reaching up to touch her helm.

"Mikaela?" Optimus rumbled worriedly.

"Colonel Lennox reports that they are en route, four companies," she stated with a frown. She put her comm over her speakers.

"Colonel Lennox," Optimus rumbled with a small smile.

"_PRIME! YOU'RE ALIVE!_" the human shouted over her speakers.

"We are not so easily killed," Optimus rumbled with a snort. "However we are here, recommend you go back."

"Bull _shit!_" Jacob's voice shouted. "You might not be dead, but they still tried to kill you, this is _our _planet, and we ain't standin' by to watch!"

"As you wish," Optimus rumbled with a grin.

"Are you at least wearing the suits?" Ratchet called out irritably.

"Yeah we are!" Chance howled.

"Mikaela will rendezvous with you, provide escort in," Optimus rumbled quickly as Kae nodded. "She will activate the suits."

"I'll go with," Jetfire rumbled quickly.

"The rest of us will circle to the North," Optimus rumbled firmly, nodding to Jetfire. Sentinel couldn't help but grin, bouncing somewhat in anticipation.

He was in the same condition he had been a hundred vorn ago, this, was going to be a good fight.

Ironhide was snorting in amusement at him. They all looked at Optimus expectantly.

"Auto-bots, Roll out!" the young warrior commanded. Sentinel straightened with pride, Optimus had been his pupil. He could not be prouder of the young bot.

"Let's fly," Mikaela nodded to Jetfire, they both leaped into the air and transformed, around him, the unit transformed, tires squealing as they rolled out.

They were outnumbered. But the cons? Completely outmatched.

Sentinel stretched and folded into his own form, gladly following the Cybertronian Emperor into battle.


	157. 154 The Storm

**Chapter 154 – The Storm**

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus cycled his processors, following the lead of the scouts and field marshal femmes. Chicago.

::. There's nobody here!.:: Roadbuster exclaimed cheerfully.

::. Good, nobody to get caught in the crossfire.:: Prowl growled as Ratchet nodded his own grim satisfaction.

::. Time to tell Kae we're here.:: Arcee murmured, even as she waved everyone under the cover of the bridges.

Decepticons flew over top of them, silence once more.

With a great deal of relief, Optimus reached for his mate, and felt her joy at his presence.

::. We are here.:: he murmured to her gently.

::. Thank Primus.:: she whispered ::. Stand by, I'm informing Sentinel, any word from Ironhide?.::

::. Chromia?.:: Optimus murmured.

::. I'm right here.:: Ironhide snorted. Optimus couldn't help but stride to his old Weapons Master, enveloping the old bot in a hug.

::. Sap.:: Ironhide rumbled fondly, hugging him back for a moment.

::. I grieved your death, and rejoice in your life.:: Optimus told him gently.

Ironhide chuckled softly.

::. Kae, your position?.:: Optimus rumbled.

::. Hold up a sec...:: she muttered. Optimus waited patiently. ::. Right, we're at the trump tower, Sentinel is bridging the bridge to safety. We're going to go start tearing into these bastards.::

Optimus nodded firmly at that, he looked around at his bots, grim faces looked back at him.

"Primus watch over us," he rumbled softly. "Auto-bots, roll out."

Firm nods, and rapid transformations, Bumblebee and the femmes fanned out, scouting out the Decepticons' positions. The second a group was found, they took them down. Optimus looked up in shock with his bots as the Decepticon's flagship rocked with a massive explosion.

"Atta girl," Ironhide growled, grinning as they watched Sentinel and Kae dropping from the crippled battleship. Sentinel caught hold of her wings, and in moments, they were invisible. Optimus straightened with pride for his mate, turned and casually strode into the middle of another skirmish.

He caught a familiar signal, and returned Jetfire's greeting, the seeker had arrived and was no doubt scouting the Decepticon positions from the air.

Optimus looked around, checking on his unit's conditions.

Each had partnered up, fighting seamlessly together as their Kae had trained them to.

The Decepticons were being rapidly dispatched, none had as yet surrendered. He looked at a few trying to sneak up on him, and idly produced one of his blades.

"One chance to surrender," he rumbled calmly.

They charged.

The fluidity of his mate's fighting style meshed with his own, observe, strike, observe, strike. Over and over, his recovery time from each strike down to nothing.

He was almost ashamed at how easy it was to take out the entire group.

"Showoff!" Skids shouted at him.

Optimus shot a quick, amused look at the young bot, even as his twin casually took down another con.

"Watch your brother's back, not mine," he admonished the bot gently.

"Droneshit, we'x takin' turns watching yo' back 'till yo' and Kae is fightin' together!" Mudflap protested cheerfully, even as Skids shot another con in the face.

Optimus nodded musingly and observed the situation.

"DOWN!" he barked out in the voice of command. As one, his unit dropped to the ground, giving him clear shot of every con surrounding them.

Split plasma shot from his cannons reached every spark.

"Niiice," Sideswipe grinned at him. "You're teaching me that when we get home."

As one, the unit looked up as the second largest battleship was rocked with multiple explosions.

"Don't much like this heavy atmosphere," Roadbuster stated amicably. "but ya gotta admit, _tha'_ is just _stylish." _

Optimus snorted, and the battling continued. In time, the sector was clear, wreckage strewn everywhere. Optimus stood in silence, surveying the scene as the wreckers continued tearing bots apart.

"Optimus," _her_ voice called out gently. Optimus spun, and immediately strode to his beloved mate, reaching out and winding her deeply into his embrace. No words were necessary, not even between their sparks. They knew each other absolutely, together, they were whole. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to her lips, greeting his beloved mate properly.

"To work?" she asked mischievously.

Optimus snorted, straightening and turning to face the bots gathered around them, his beloved Kae took her place on his right, and automatically he reached out to hold her there. Sentinel was smiling at them.

"You made me beg, I don't beg," Ironhide snorted irritably.

"True, but at the same point, it is remarkably difficult to make one's holoform fire upon one's self, as you would far more likely do," Sentinel replied with a grin.

"Hmnph, true," Ironhide snorted. "I'm not even going to scold you for being sappy, youngling, one time deal, let's get to _work!_"

"Mikaela, do you have a report on their positions?" Optimus looked at his mate calmly.

"No, Jetfire's will be more inclusive, I was focused more on blowing up warships and making sure Sentinel didn't fall off of my wings." his Kae reported patiently.

Optimus nodded and turned to Jetfire.

"At the moment there's a great deal o' talk o' falling back, Sentinel and Kae have terrified them with the two primary ships going down already," Jetfire reported calmly. "Megatron is the only thing keeping them here now. The majority are one mile north of our position, Shockwave is in the ground with Driller. With your permission, I would like tae see how many of the fliers will still heed me words."

It was a good idea, Optimus nodded to the seeker calmly, then looked at his mate worriedly, she had her rigid stance, the one that she assumed when someone was comming her.

"Mikaela?" Optimus rumbled worriedly.

"Colonel Lennox reports that they are en route, four companies," she stated with a frown. She put her comm over her speakers.

"Colonel Lennox," Optimus rumbled with a small smile.

"_PRIME! YOU'RE ALIVE!_" Will shouted over Kae's speakers.

"We are not so easily killed," Optimus rumbled with a snort. "However we are here, recommend you go back."

"Bull _shit!_" Jacob's voice shouted. "You might not be dead, but they still tried to kill you, this is _our _planet, and we ain't standin' by to _watch_!"

How kind of them.

"As you wish," Optimus rumbled with a grin.

"Are you at least wearing the suits?" Ratchet called out irritably.

"Yeah we are!" Chance howled.

"Mikaela will rendezvous with you, provide escort in," Optimus rumbled quickly as his Kae nodded. "She will activate the suits."

"I'll go with," Jetfire rumbled quickly.

"The rest of us will circle to the North," Optimus rumbled firmly, nodding to Jetfire. Sentinel was grinning, bouncing somewhat in anticipation. For good reason, the old Prime was in excellent condition now. Ironhide was snorting in amusement at him. Optimus surveyed his unit, his friends, sending another prayer to Primus that they would be alright.

"Auto-bots, Roll out!" He commanded, watching for any hidden injuries as his unit transformed.

"Let's fly," Mikaela nodded to Jetfire, they both leaped into the air and transformed, streaking toward the humans. Optimus rolled out, his old friend beside him.

::. I am sorry, Sentinel.:: he sent softly.

::. For what, young warrior? I allowed you to believe your weapons master dead, your reactions were not unexpected.:: Sentinel sent to him in amusement.

Optimus acknowledged his scout's co-ordinates of next attack and roared toward him, Sentinel hot on his bumper.

::. Regardless, I found no betrayal in your spark yet believed your betrayal.:: he sent to Sentinel.

::. Make it a personal note that your mate needs to coach you in the art of effective lying and we shall call it even.:: Sentinel replied magnanimously.

::. But... _why!?_.:: Optimus demanded silently, even as he transformed beside his father-mentor and joined the latest skirmish at full-speed.

::. Because my beloved mate, you are a _terrible_ liar.:: his Kae sent in amusement. ::. I am astonished you did not recognize my acceding your claim on Sentinel's helm. I _did_ promise to slag him if he ever opened fire on our unit.::

Optimus rolled his optics, even as he beheaded another con. He just couldn't help it. Above him, the flier-builds were converging toward the west, leaving the grounders in their mechanical fliers to their own devices. He looked around and felt his spark begin to freeze.

Because Jolt was gone.

* * *

(MPOV)

"Let's fly."

My grandfather nodded to me and we took to the air, soaring above the destruction toward the human soldiers. We caught sight of them quickly, and unfortunately, so did the cons.

I took Jetfire's lead as he shot warning-shots over the flier's bowstruts, the immediate message clear.

We are here, and we will protect these creatures.

I was frankly astonished when a large number of fliers veered off, but that wasn't for this moment, I got in underneath one of the choppers, stabilizing the far heavier aircraft as our human comrades bailed out. Scans showed the last human clear and I made to drop the osprey, then noted several grounder 'cons beneath us. I hesitated to drop the chopper on them, not wishing to make the wrong impression thereby making Jetfire's words meaningless...

::. Go ahead, granddaugher.:: Jetfire sent with an audible snort. ::. They're _groundpounders!_.:: I shrugged and sent the chopper spiralling to the ground.

I scanned the area and kept tightly to my grandfather's fifth as dozens of flier-builds circled around us, following Jetfire's example as he fired only on the remarkably few whom fired upon us. Then, then a frequency was passed to me.

::. Jetfire calling all fliers!.:: my grandfather was sending repeatedly. But then, the most astonishing thing I had ever heard.

En-mass, several dozen replies, seekers responding to the eldest's call, then following Jetfire as we streaked to the edge of the city.

I landed on my toes, remaining beside my grandfather as fliers of all sizes surrounded us.

"By th' credo o' the seekers, I demand th' speaker's _ceasefire_!" Grandfather barked out.

"We hear thee, speaker Jetfire," one of the larger stated with stern respect.

"How the scrap are you _still_ alive!?" another demanded incredulously.

"By virtue of my granddaughter, host bearer of the all-spark," my Grandfather announced sternly. "Seekers! Fliers! Why do you follow the insane ramblings of a _grounder_!?"

"Megatron's words are strong!" another shouted.

"Megatron's spark has become twisted! _Sullied_ by the Fallen Prime!" Jetfire shouted back.

Silence, nods.

"Megatron flies!" one barked out.

"Ungracefully," another snorted. "He is a grounder with stolen wings!"

"It'd help if he'd actually let the command trine coach him," yet another snorted, I looked at him and did a double-take. He looked like Starscream. A black Starscream.

::. Thundercracker.:: my grandfather supplied idly.

"The Lord High Protector has abandoned his credo," Jetfire added aloud, looking sternly at his brethren.

"The Prime is weak!" Thundercracker shot back. It was all I could do to maintain my neutral poise. Jetfire turned and looked at me in amusement.

"You're gonna take tha' granddaughter?" he rumbled with a snort.

"Stop. Tempting me," I gritted out, struggling against my initial response to end the mech's existence for slandering my mate and caste.

"Who is she you call granddaughter?"

"Thrust," Jetfire nodded. "May I present my granddaughter, Archangel Prime, Bonded of Optimus Prime."

"Optimus Prime bonded a flier?" another asked incredulously, snorting in derision.

"Bound to a _Seeker_ once I've the time to train her proper," my grandfather snorted.

News to me.

"Prime in her own right, her markings cast." he added proudly, "But that is beside th' point!" Jetfire called out sternly. "By virtue o' the Lord High Protector, the Prime should never ha' had tae sully 'is hands with battle! Instead he fights! Has bonded a fighter! A flier for whom he demonstrates his adoration! Our Prime is stronger than he should have needed to be, stronger-"

"I beg permission to pause, our full trine must hear this!" Thundercracker called out, interrupting. Jetfire nodded to him.

"I'll get him," another stated immediately. He disappeared.

"Skywarp," Jetfire added patiently, nodding to me. I shot him a look of thanks. Three minutes and another thunderclap.

Starscream was standing in front of me.

"Really?" I asked flatly, looking at my grandfather.

"Problem?" my grandfather asked urbanely.

"He dropped me."

"You have thrusters."

"I was supposed to be stopping!"

"This little femme?" Starscream asked menacingly.

"I whupped our '_master_' in a matter of _seconds_," I informed the bot with a sneer, putting a definitive tone of sarcasm on the word.

Starscream dove at me, but before I could thrash the little slagger Grandfather had him by the scruff of the neck.

"You were not present, therefore you will be forgiven one error of judgement during the speaker's ceasefire!" Jetfire snarled, lightly tossing him away.

"See? Told you Screamer," Skywarp murmured.

"Stop. Calling me that," Starscream growled. I snorted, I couldn't help it, until I noted the way he was walking. Not walking. Limping. Didn't matter that he was a con. I scanned him.

_Wow_ that was a lot of damage...

"Starscream," I stated calmly, striding toward him. "Armour off."

The entire circle stared at me as Grandfather snorted in amusement, looked at me and burst out laughing as I rolled my optics.

"Just _say it _granddaughter!" my grandfather hooted.

"Ugh, _really_?" I demanded of him. "Air Commander Starscream you are in a relatively safe place and I can only assume your trine will protect you. You're breaching. Even if we're going to beat the tar out of each other later I refuse to go into battle against a wounded opponent. Aft plates off. Now."

"It is unfair advantage, you are fully armed," Skywarp growled softly.

I rolled my optics and shed my armour in one motion.

"There, happy?" I demanded flatly. "Get your aft over here, now!"

"She heals even her enemies?" Thrust asked softly, edging toward grandfather.

"Observe her, Seekers, Fliers! Archangel Prime, host of the All-spark, one who willingly heals, one who will heal our _home!_ She has been _found_ Seekers!" my grandfather announced, even as I tugged Starscream around and flashed energon through his systems.

I cleared out his airways as well, because that tar spewing out of his mouth was simply disgusting.

Thundercracker was actually looking rather grateful for that...

"Right as soon as we will not be destroyed the second we are healed," Mico murmured.

"Really? You think _now's_ the best time to borrow my vocalizers?" I asked with a small frown, continuing to tweak a frankly stunned Starscream's frame. Mostly because her voice invading my systems meant some serious re-syncing would be needed.

"The flier children are our friends, daughter, let them keep their neutrality once more, let them fly through our _skies_ once more," Mico whispered from our combined spark, not bothering with my vocalizer. Kind of her.

"That is _their_ choice, Mother," I stated patiently, "We cannot abide them if they simply wish to destroy our body once more." I stood back and scanned Starscream again, nodded my completion and shrugged into my armour.

Silence.

I looked at my grandfather.

"She's _here_, _now!?" _he demanded hoarsely.

"Uh, yeah, host to the all-spark. Where I go, she goes, vice versa," I stated impatiently. What the scrap did they think _host_ meant?

The next moment, three dozen fliers were flat on their faceplates.

Genuflecting to me in the middle of a battle zone.

Great.

* * *

(JPOV)

Jolt fought beside his unit, privately admiring the efficiency with which they did so. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe were dispatching cons left right and centre.

Then, then he saw them.

His memories were sketchy sometimes, memory loss was a major factor after a slagging, the spark and processors suffering from the energon cut-off.

But he remembered those helms, the cowards already retreating from the fury of the terror twins before they were even spotted. But he'd spotted them. His Lena's spark had been slowly increasing it's strength, sensing her eventual change.

He could not bear the thought of those slaggers existing in the same universe as his beloved Lena.

In a flat rage, he sprinted after the cons, he had taken their torment for two vorn, it was his turn to bring the hurt. He didn't care if there was any compassion in his optics, they didn't deserve it.

The first went down to his whips. He was attacking from behind, and at any other time in his life he would have been ashamed of such a thing.

But four vorn ago, they had struck the first blow. His right servo whip wrapped around another's neck struts, making short work of shorting out the con's circuits. He couldn't remember how these slaggers had captured him the first time. But it wasn't happening again, the third went down, and he felt a sharp, hot pain direct centre of his back.

He couldn't remember that that was what had happened last time. The dominant con, the one that had the habit of allowing his subordinates to take the fury of their potential captive would hide, allow his subordinates to take damage and stun the captive from behind.

Jolt was down on his knees now, how did he get there? His processors were fuzzy, tangled, that wasn't good...

"Well lookie here," the dominant stated with a broad smirk, one of Shockwave's minions... Tripper... Gripper... Ripper? "Our little technician got a new _sword_!"

The subspace sheath was torn from his back.

Right, Ripper.

The pain began clearing his processors again, but he was in... slag. Friction cuffs. His comm was being blocked. Terror began humming through his spark and processors, because in this position, his memories began returning full force.

Slag.

He could already feel the probing signals from the cons. The signals designed to trip the slavery codes that Kae had removed from him when his marks were restored. That had been the worst embarrassment, a technician, specializing in coding that couldn't figure out how to bypass the slavery coding Shockwave had installed into his processors.

Then, through the EM forced fuzziness he heard a sound.

A sound bringing back a memory he had believed gone, it sounded like the banshee hawk that had visited him as a youngling from time to time. It had snatched up the Jork that had been stalking him when he'd been out wandering... He clung to that memory, it was far better than his situation.

Terrifying creatures, in their own right, but Jolt had liked them, their screech alone could paralyze their prey. And sometimes, they even paralyzed the bots far larger than their comparatively tiny frames. He remembered the banshee hawk and remembered the legend surrounding their species, the old bots used to say that Banshee Hawks had their remarkably strong spark-chambers because they were the semi-conscious sparks of bots searching for their mates...

* * *

(LPOV)

Lena was terrified. That wasn't right. She hadn't been properly terrified since... she stopped that thought angrily. She hadn't been terrified since _that_ night. She loved heights, and the wingsuits were her favourite sport.

It took her some time, but she finally recognized the terror, because along with that terror was a pull, a direction.

She was already in the air, one of the choppers was being supported on Kae's back as she stabilized it just enough for the last of the soldiers and the pilots to evacuate.

Shit was already burning, but there weren't any civilians in the area, Lena splintered away from the grouping of soldiers.

She had business to attend to. Colonel Lennox was shouting for her, demanding where she was going.

"Jolt's hurt," she snapped back. In her... in her _spark_ she could feel the edges of her Jolt's pain, his terror finally registering as his own, not hers. Lena flew toward him, she could feel it, feel where he was, never once questioning the sense.

The occasional bursts of fire below served only to thrust her higher in the air, thermals rising from the ash-blackened area that had once been a park.

When she saw him, rage ripped through her. Her spark-mate was bound, showing every appearance of being insensate as his captors gloated over him. The shriek of rage that tore from her throat was entirely unintended. She simply couldn't stop it.

Instinct ruled in her as she dropped on the first con, her suit morphing over her skin as plasma swords emerged, handles pressing themselves into her palms.

Sunstreaker had actually complimented her on her pretty little daggers, her genuine thanks causing him no end of amusement.

She wondered what he'd think of her pretty daggers now as they tore through her victim's primary energon lines. The bot began falling, and she leaped at the next, barely registering her own shrieks of rage. It felt so easy, so gods damned simple to leap from one con to the next, never stopping to think as she tore her blades through their weak points.

At least, she didn't think about it until she reached her fourth. The cons weren't moving, weren't even _looking_ at her as she jumped from one to the next!

But Jolt was watching her, a look of stunned awe in his optics.

'Don't stop' his optics whispered in awe, so Lena kept going, jump to con, tear out energon lines, sever the important circuitry. Jump to next con.

She'd be having nightmares about this, later, but she'd face those nightmares so long as her Jolt was alright.

Seven cons, Lena rode the final one down to the ground and ran for her Jolt.

"How do I get these off you?" she demanded shrilly.

"You... you uh..." Jolt stammered, staring at her.

"Jolt!" Lena shouted, terrified for her bot, what if the cons had started messing with his processors!?

"Lena, you uh... oh just shoot this bit, here," Jolt stated sheepishly, squirming somewhat and showing her a seam in the bars around his servos.

"Jolt, why the hell did they just let me kill them!?" Lena demanded shrilly, shooting the bars and watching with admitted satisfaction as they fell from his frame.

"You scream like a banshee hawk," Jolt stated with a shrug, he grinned at her.

"I what? What the _fuck_ has _that _got anything to do with it!?" Lena demanded irately.

"You paralyzed them, you know, like a banshee hawk does," Jolt grinned, picking up his sword and wincing as he reinstated it amidst the damages across his back. He leaned down and picked her up, cradling her to his chest-plates as he began running.

"You're not explaining," Lena informed her bot flatly.

"_Banshee_ hawks... oh right," Jolt snorted above her. "Banshee hawks had three unit wingspans, and when they hunted they shrieked, which would cause their prey to freeze, and sometimes the hawks would scream and make bots freeze too. You totally hit the same frequency the banshee hawks did, it paralyzed them!"

Lena sat comfortably in her bot's hands in shock.

So he was... complimenting her?

Jolt ducked down behind the remnants of a high-rise, cautiously glancing around the corner.

Lena squirmed from his hands and took a look herself.

Optimus and Sentinel were fighting back to back, two dozen cons surrounding them.

That. Had to be one of the most brain-twisting things Lena had ever seen, hadn't the older Prime... you know... _betrayed them!?_ The scene was made all the more bizarre when a bot looking _distinctly_ like _Ironhide_ blasted his way through several of the cons, Ratchet close behind him as they made their way to the Primes.

"Sentinel bridged Ironhide and killed his holoform," Jolt murmured above her. "Try it again!"

"Try what?"

"Shrieking again!"

The moment he said that, a blast caught Optimus' shoulder. Their Prime.

"Throw me!" Lena growled.

"What-?"

"_Throw me!_" Lena snarled, her suit stretching out into a membrane between limbs again. Jolt obediently picked her up and lobbed her, well into the air, giving her a decent flight time.

And there it was again, her battlecry, the shriek of rage. Jolt was right, too, a load of cons were standing stock still, easy targets.

Sentinel was standing straight, looking around for the source of the sound.

But there wasn't time for that, Lena's swords emerged from the suit again, she landed on the con that had caught Optimus with a cannon blast and tore through his energon lines.

New favourite tactic.

The next trick was going to be getting back to Jolt so he could throw her again, she jumped to the next con, shrieking her rage that they had the audacity to attack their Prime.

Except this one wasn't really freezing.

Shit.

An explosion of fire from the Con's chest had her absolutely shocked.

Scratch that. The fact that _Sunstreaker_ lightly picked her up by the suit harness, plopping her on his shoulder then continuing to fight while she held onto his armour?

Nope. _THAT_ was the brainbuster. Absolutely. The second his path was clear he was wheeling back toward Jolt.

"Nice job with the pretty little daggers Banshee," Sunstreaker informed her cheerfully, plopping her onto her Jolt's shoulder and whizzing back toward his brother, calling a "Now don't go squish!" over his shoulder.


	158. 155 The Aftermath

**And here we are, final chapter until my return. As always your reviews are very much appreciated, either for each chapter, or whack 'em all together. A bazillion thanks as always to my dear sweet beta Bee, and energon goodies to every one of you. I actually feel guilty that I'm gonna go visit the sun and whales... just a little. Aloha everybody! **

**Chapter 155 – The Aftermath**

* * *

(IPOV)

Ironhide strode down the streets and alleyways, Skids and Mudflap close behind, flushing out the last few cons in the area. Taking prisoners more than dispatching now. Megatron had disappeared, again. Not much of a Lord High Protector, cowardly little twist-sparked scum. Ratchet and Kae were busily repairing injuries, mending their prisoners under the watchful guard of Sunstreaker and Sideswipe. He was mildly surprised when he turned the next corner.

He'd given a rather large, rather... challenged con something of a beat down, then told said con to stay down. There were three cons there now. Two smaller trying to encourage the larger to get up and leave with them. He had gotten up, somewhat, he'd sat up and was sitting against a building now.

"Come on Papa, we gotta _go!"_ one... a _femme! _A femme dressed in mech's armour! "Papa _please!"_

"Lugnut we gotta _move!_" the femme's brother snapped. "We gotta move or we're gonna be offlined! By Megatron or by those auto-bots!"

"Gunbot said stay, Lugnut stay," the con stated densely, sitting like a lump of metal against the building. He hadn't even scanned in an alternate form yet!

"Papa is your t-cog working?" the femme asked softly.

Lugnut nodded proudly.

"Wing we gotta go," her brother whispered hoarsely. "They're gonna be here any breem!"

"We can't leave him Bolt," the femme whimpered, cuddling herself against her paternal creator. Who'd a thought? Family values in cons.

Ironhide cycled his cannons to half-power.

Bolt was weaving back and forth somewhat, obviously torn between running and joining his sister. Finally, he crouched down, crawling under Lugnut's free arm and curling up there.

"We're gonna die Wing," Bolt stated softly.

"We're gonna go _together." _Wing stated softly.

"Y'aint gonna go," Ironhide rumbled calmly, striding patiently toward them.

"Gunbot!" Lugnut stated with a grin.

"Who's there?" Wing demanded, Ironhide nodded, impressed. The femme had immediately switched her vocal processors to emit a mech's vocal frequency.

"Ironhide of Sigma three. I ain't gonna dispatch ya if you disengage your weapons and come along quiet. The medics'll fix ya up and the Primes'll give you yer options." Ironhide rumbled patiently. "And ya don't gotta worry 'bout the mech disguise, femme, y'aint gonna be harmed."

"Says you," Bolt growled at him.

"Yeah says him!" Mudflap snarled back.

"At ease Flap," Ironhide barked gruffly. "Come on then."

Lugnut stood up, and began striding obediently toward Ironhide.

"Drop the guns Lugnut," Ironhide rumbled to him. There had to be something wrong with the bot's processors, no-bot in his memories had required such... patient ordering...

Lugnut's cannons, and a number of blades ejected from his frame. He promptly stood, staring.

"Come on, Lugnut," Ironhide rumbled gently, he shot a curious glance at the larger bot's creations.

There was gratitude in the femme's optics, wary suspicion in the mech's.

Skids and Mudflap led the way, Ironhide bringing up the rear. The femme dropped back somewhat, striding within easy conversation distance.

"Why aren't you offlining us?" Wing asked softly.

"That's a Decepticon tactic," Ironhide rumbled gruffly. "I ain't Decepticon."

The femme seemed somewhat surprised at that.

"What happened to your creator?"

"We..." the femme hesitated. "The Decepticons raided our base, Lug..." her shoulders sagged. "Lug was a really good fighter, Bolt gave me his youngling armour to hide me when Megatron came. He..."

Ironhide couldn't help it, he reached a gentle hand to rest across the femme's back.

"Megatron gave Shockwave our creator, and he..."

"He destroyed our creator's processors, slagged him and waited until damn near all his memories were gone before puttin' him together again. He made us watch," Bolt stated harshly, turning to glare over his shoulder. "Lugnut-"

"Lugnut!" Roadbuster shouted. "What the _slag _areyou_ doing _with_ Decepticon insignias!?_"

Lugnut turned and looked at Roadbuster dumbly, and that sight, Roadbuster looking back in horrified understanding at what had obviously been a comrade... that was burned into his permanent memories.

"Where's Wing!?" Roadbuster demanded the next second, looking at Bolt. "Where is your femme creation Lugnut?"

Lugnut turned and pointed at Wing proudly.

Wing was blushing furiously.

"Mech's armour eh?" Leadfoot asked approvingly. "Bolt, haven't seen you since you and your sister were hatchlings!"

"Where were you then?" Bolt demanded harshly. "Where were the Wreckers when Megatron stormed our stronghold? Where were you when they dragged the lot of us to Rheon?"

"Rhe-" Leadfoot choked.

"_Ratchet!" _Roadbuster was bellowing the next second.

"Soundwave did everything he could to get Lugnut's memories back," Wingnut whispered. "He got him to the point that he actually recognizes us as his creations again..."

Ironhide couldn't help but reach out and pull the femling against his side.

"We were called to battle, Longbolt," Leadfoot was stating in a grieved tone. "Told that the stronghold had been abandoned, that everyone had evacuated..."

"We never abandoned our hold," Longbolt stated coldly.

"Your femme creator?"

"Stopped when Lugnut couldn't remember her anymore," Wing whispered under Ironhide's arm.

"We'll find a safe place for you," Ironhide rumbled softly. Chromia wheeled into the area, looking at him somewhat suspiciously with his arm around a femling. Rather than bother with stuttering, he sent the femling's story right off, a bot could tell the second the femme received and processed the file, her optics growing wide and her protective circuits snapping into place.

Ironhide gave his femme a small smile as she immediately rolled up beside the femling, winding her arms around her.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus surveyed the masses of fliers all surrounding his Kae as she worked over-time, repairing every injury that went past her. Jetfire was lounging comfortably among them, patiently relaying the co-ordinates of the final pockets of Decepticons that yet more fliers were scouting out.

Ironhide was glowering, flinchingly torn between staying and guarding Optimus and refusing to be anywhere near the former and undecided Decepticons.

Undecided. Starscream was deep in communion with his trine, no doubt attempting to decide their next move. Whether to seek out their injured master, to seek neutrality or join.

The choice he had given all of the bots.

To state that he had been shocked when several dozen fliers had landed around him, led by his Kae?

Understatement.

To state his shock that the majority of those whom had followed her had sworn their fealty to the host of the All-spark. Less shocking. Particularly since the mild irritation humming from his Kae's spark tempered his reactions.

Irritation, simply for the fact that the fliers were insisting on calling her mistress.

Optimus had taken Jetfire's example at that moment, the two of them laughing at his mate. It'd likely take his beloved Kae a few vorn, but eventually she would learn to at least _tolerate_ the name.

"Not. Happening." Mikaela stated flatly, flicking a glance at him.

"Eventually," he rumbled in amusement.

"No."

"Problem?" Sentinel asked patiently.

"My Kae is stating she will never accept the title of Mistress," Optimus rumbled in amusement, looking at his femme fondly as she continued repairing minor injuries, the major traumas having already been attended to.

"Give her a few vorn-"

"No."

"See?" Optimus rumbled in amusement.

Sentinel strode to his side, the both of them surveying the femme as she worked.

"Five vorn," Sentinel murmured, nudging him.

"Pool?" Jetfire called out with a snort. "Three, it's no _that_ bad a title."

"You're all bastards," Mikaela grumbled. She lightly closed a hatch in another bot's leg and gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder. "Go easy on it," she added gently, "give your systems time to integrate properly."

Hesitantly, the neutral nodded, going to join the dozen others.

So many bots, and yet so few choosing neutrality...

Optimus vented a low sigh and felt his mate's spark gently winding around his somewhat more, comforting him amidst the loss of life.

* * *

(MPOV)

I wound my spark somewhat more around Optimus' even as I continued mending the last few stragglers brought in by Ironhide. I knew my mate's grief, the grief that so many had died by his hand, by the hands of his unit. He understood the necessity, but that did not make it any easier.

Instinctively, I knew I'd be dealing with the politics of this mess, looking around at the destroyed city.

I shuddered to think what would have happened had the humans not been bridged away from the central part of the city. The outlaying had been rapidly deserted, I prayed that they had made it out safely.

As yet, there weren't any reports coming in of human casualties outside of three soldiers.

The suits did nothing about being stepped on.

But I could see it my spark-father's optics.

The suits did nothing about being stepped on.

Yet.

Three ships hovered high overhead, now manned by the fliers, seekers whose first loyalties were to their eldest. I glanced at Jetfire and smiled somewhat, he was in his element, sitting relaxed amidst his brethren.

"Mistress," one of the fliers stated calmly, standing at my side.

"_Please_ stop calling me that?" I asked, fighting to keep the tone of petulance from my voice.

I failed.

"The fliers wish to speak with you, Lady Prime." the flier... _Thrust _stated in an amused tone.

Ratchet waved an errant hand at me, he had the last few patients under control. I nodded and rose, striding to stand beside my Grandfather.

∆We have agreed, the Femme Prime will need her Seeker status to lead us.∆ Thundercracker announced firmly, standing beside Starscream.

∆The Seeker training will take a great deal of time, time required for battle∆ Jetfire responded beside me. ∆Priorities!∆

∆My first priority∆ I stated calmly. ∆Is the protection and revival of Cybertron. The politics will come after, true, but there is no sense in rebuilding Cybertron for her to simply be destroyed again∆

~_Kae?~_ My Optimus sent softly, his spark asking my situation.

~_I am alright, my beloved~_ I sent gently.

∆The Seeker training would be nullified, the femme is bonded∆ Thrust stated patiently.

I glanced at Jetfire curiously.

∆To become a full Seeker, you will be taken out among the stars and rendered unconscious, you must then find your way home without aid, your bondmate, and the knowledge of where he is, nullifies that.∆

I nodded patiently.

∆Would the disregard of my bondmate's location factor?∆ I asked patiently.

∆It will∆ Starscream nodded, half glaring at me.

∆Problem?∆ I looked at him patiently.

∆You shot me in the face,∆ he grumbled.

∆You recognized me even while Megatron didn't?∆ I asked in amusement. ∆Props for that Starscream. Although in fairness, you _were_ trying to slag my Optimus.∆

∆He wasn't yours at the _time_∆ Starscream started with a small pout.

∆I beg to differ, according to our scout, our sparks were connected the moment we _saw_ each other∆ I informed him in amusement. ∆Besides, put in my place would you _really_ want to be handed over to Megatron? For what other reason were you chasing me?∆

The Seeker looked at me appraisingly for a moment before nodding agreement.

∆You have loyalties to this planet still∆ Thundercracker stated musingly.

∆I do∆ I nodded calmly.

∆Why?∆

I snorted in amusement, I simply couldn't help it.

∆Surely you must understand my motive to keep my birth planet from being torn asunder as yours has. Once I am assured that this planet will not be ravaged by the Decepticons, my focus will be free to turn entirely to Cybertron.∆

* * *

(JPOV)

"You _promised_," Jolt whispered.

"I thought you were _dead_," Lena whimpered back.

Jolt was sitting against a mostly-standing building, barely watching the goings-on as he cradled his intended over his spark.

"I _told_ you Lena, no matter what happens I'd come _back_ for you," Jolt murmured.

"I'm sorry," Lena whispered.

Jolt nodded, and insomuch as he was capable, pulled his intended closer.

"Why did Sunstreaker call me Banshee?"

"'Cause you scream like a Banshee Hawk."

"Should I be insulted?"

"No."

"They aren't gonna make that my new nickname are they?"

"Uh..."

"Hey Jolt! Is Banshee with you?" Sideswipe bellowed.

"Apparently." Jolt snorted. He glanced down to see his Lena pouting.

"Banshee? Really?" she asked through that pout. Jolt onlined his holoform, just to kiss that pout.

"There are far worse," he teased her, he glanced up at Sideswipe as the predator crouched down beside him.

"What're you doing in the battle zone? I thought your lot didn't like femmes in battle," Sideswipe asked curiously.

"I thought they'd killed Jolt," Lena stated simply.

Sideswipe looked confused.

"What else did I have to live for but to kill them back?" Lena asked softly. The look of confusion turned to one of stunned astonishment.

"Prime!" Sideswipe shouted out, turning to look at their leader. "Did you know the humans have a serious vengeance program against beings that kill their mates!?"

Optimus glanced at them and nodded, a tiny smirk on his face as he looked at his Kae, still deep in conversation with the fliers. A couple of the fliers glanced at Sideswipe in astonishment before looking back at Kae with something akin to a furtherance of wariness.

"Not _all_ of us," Lennox stated mildly.

"You don't?" Sideswipe asked curiously.

"Oh! No I totally do," the Colonel nodded calmly. "If someone were to hurt my Sarah then I'd be completely berserk for the chance to hurt the offending party back, I'm just saying not _all_ of us have the same programming. Some of us would even _forgive_ the assailant. Takes a long time though."

Sideswipe was shaking his head.

"Primus you lot are weird," he stated flatly.

"You've only just figured that out?"

* * *

(RPOV)

Ratchet watched with something akin to patience as the human cleanup crews began entering the area. Sentinel had wreaked havoc in their headquarters back in DC, he wanted to go back and start repairing the damages no doubt caused to his med-bay. Day three, Chicago, the bots had practically camped out here, the humans beginning to show the fatigue of being surrounded by such destruction.

Ratchet not only wanted to get to his med-bay, he wanted to get the soldiers home. An ominous cracking sound caught his attention. Another building succumbing to gravity. He scanned it and scowled, there were a couple of soldiers in the building. Of course.

He onlined his holoform and ran it toward the soldiers.

"This building is falling," he announced flatly. "Get out."

It was something of a relief that the soldiers immediately heeded him, running from the building as the creaking, groaning reverberations of rubbing metals sounded again. He jogged after the soldiers for a moment before winking the holoform out again. He stood up with a groan and went to stand beside Optimus as the mayor of Chicago rolled in in a limousine.

Ostentatious, ridiculous.

Ratchet honestly wondered just how much rubble the driver had had to move just to get the vehicle into the area. The mayor got out of the back of the car and looked around. Ratchet didn't even have to _scan_ the man to know he _desperately_ needed to lower his blood pressure.

That. Was a walking aneurysm. He looked livid besides.

Ratchet couldn't help but roll his optics as the human began screaming obscenities at Optimus. Sentinel began looking livid that the human had the bearings to scream at a Prime.

::. Archangel calling Gouge.:: Kae sent softly over the primary, Ratchet looked at her curiously for a moment before turning his attention back to the argument.

::. Responding.:: Gouge sent back.

::. I don't suppose you've happened to come across any diamonds?.:: Mikaela sent placidly.

::. Diamonds?.::

::. Carbon heat-compressed to the point of clarity and extreme density.::

::. Load of those, they're goin' into the concrete with the rest of the rubble.:: Gouge snorted.

::. Would you mind reserving several of them for me? The humans consider them to be valuable, to the point that they use them for currency.:: Mikaela sent in amusement.

::. Weird creatures, will do, any other minerals in particular?.::

::. Silver, gold, platinum, but I figure since you're close to coal, you might find some diamonds.:: Mikaela sent in amusement.

::. Mmnph, call you when I've got a decent amount.:: Gouge sent with equal amusement.

::. Thank you, Gouge.::

::. Oh, bring me some more rock distilled and Energon if you get a minute, will you?.::

::. Will do.:: Mikaela smiled, nodding. Gouge's presence left the primary the next moment. ::. Optimus, stop allowing him to upset you my spark, none of this is your fault. Clear your expression Sentinel.:: she added in amusement. ::. The humans are still ignorant as to what a Prime is.::

::. I will gladly inform him...:: Sentinel replied flatly, suggestively.

::. Have _you_ ever listened when you're in the same mood?.::

::. ...no...::

::. So you'll cause him to soil himself, embarrass him and gain nothing more than a further irate human in a place of power. Let him yell-.::

"I want all of you out of my city! Now!" the man finally shrieked.

"As you wish," Optimus rumbled patiently. "However we have bots capable of-"

"I don't want your help!" the man shrieked. "I want you _out! _And don't even _think _of returning!"

Well. That was that. Ratchet subspaced the last of his tools and strode toward the neutrals and prisoners, already ready to roll.


	159. 156 Sentences

**Hello dear readers, guess what? I'm back from beautiful Hawaii! No Ado, here's the chapter :D**

**Chapter 156 - Sentences**

* * *

(MPOV)

"Community _Service!?_" Sentinel demanded the second we were back in headquarters, "What the scrap am I supposed to do for fifty orn of community _service!?"_

Three months, a surprisingly short amount of time, the majority of damage Sentinel had managed was cosmetic. Base was... _mostly_ repaired. The more surprising? It had only taken the human courts that long to sentence him. No human casualties was remarkably handy, Gouge had cheerfully traded me ten pounds of raw diamonds for oil and energon, asking if I wanted something better than the shiny rubble.

I'd just about fainted at the diamonds, not one of them less than a karat. His view of decent amount and mine? Drastically different. Two pounds covered the fines, I hid the other eight away. You never knew when you'd need an extra eighty million dollars...

I stared at Sentinel and began laughing, he and Optimus _both _looked at me quite irritably at that.

"Mikaela, I do not believe this is the time for laughter," Optimus rumbled irritably.

"Sentinel what was your favourite thing to do on Cybertron?" I asked in amusement.

"Teaching," the older bot grumbled, crossing his arms. "That does not solve my problem, these humans want me to provide service, _what service am I supposed to provide!?"_

Oh. So I'd have to spell it out for them, then.

"Okay, did they specify _what_ community you were supposed to provide service for?" I smiled at him. His optics dimmed slightly. I already knew.

"...No..."

"And what do you think of the advancements our human scientific_ community_ have made so far?" I asked placidly.

"_What_ advancement? They still believe that there is only one dimension," Sentinel grumped. I crossed my arms and canted my head to the side in amusement.

He stared at me for a long moment before I could practically _see_ the click in his processors. The grin on his face was _completely_ worth it.

"How?" he demanded.

"Give me a day or two to hammer it out with the President and the UN. However I believe that a symposium made free to _every_ teacher, scientist, physicist and mathematician, regardless of nationality, _any_ who desire to bring their learning up to date with the universal standards hosted by the great Sentinel Prime, would be a rather productive service, don't you?" I smiled at him.

Sentinel turned to Optimus.

"By your leave?" he asked with a grin.

Optimus snorted and nodded.

Sentinel promptly caught me in an enormous hug, planting a solid kiss on my forehead.

I laughed and patted his back.

"Right, so with that being the case, give me a couple of days to hammer out the details, in that time I would suggest that you familiarize yourself with what humans have managed to figure out so far." I smiled at them. "Now, if you two will excuse me,_ I_ have some _liaising_ to do."

The two male Primes grinned as I walked past them, headed for communications central.

"Kae!" Jerry shouted, "I was wondering if we'd have to go find you! There's been a change in plans!"

"What change?" I asked worriedly.

"It's okay, you've got five hours, but the UN meeting is changed! They want you to join them in Switzerland!"

"And the President?" I asked worriedly.

"_He_ was actually wondering if you wouldn't mind helping out with the transportation," Jerry stated with a frown.

"He knows the rules?" I demanded.

"Proper fuel and no aides jacking off in your bathroom," Jerry nodded.

"Alright, get Moreshower to clear me some airspace," I nodded calmly. "And please inform the President that I shall come pick him up, but I _do _need numbers and rendezvous co-ordinates."

Jerry grinned and spun to the console, rapidly punching in the right calls.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Jerry again, Kae says it's a go, but she needs to know where she's picking up the President and how many people are coming," Jerry stated quickly. I heard a massive breath of relief on the other end of the line.

"Oh thank god, we've got a skeleton of five, but if she can manage ten we'd really appreciate it!" Cole's voice called out with a sigh.

Jerry looked at me. I nodded.

"Ten it is," Jerry grinned, "Now where is she picking you up?"

"We're already at DCA," Cole groaned. "Can you _believe_ that Airforce one _broke down!?" _

"Airforce one isn't an autobot, and it's not serviced by Ratchet, so yeah, I can _totally _believe that it broke down," Jerry snorted.

"Yeah yeah, showoff. Have you got an ETA?"

I glanced at my chronometer.

"Knowing Kae, she's gonna be there as fast as General Moreshower can clear the Airspace," Jerry snorted.

"Brilliant, if Kae's there give her an enormous hug for me?" Cole sighed.

"Dude, you mean her holoform right? I can't even get my arms around her wrist," Jerry snorted, I patted his shoulder with my finger with a smile. He promptly hugged my finger. That wasn't what I'd meant. Ah well. It was sweet regardless.

"Oh! There you go Cole, I just hugged her finger," Jerry laughed.

"I'll be there soon, although judging by the number of flights in the area at the moment I may be arriving by land," I stated with a small frown, looking at the radars.

"You're the best Kae, see you in a bit!" Cole called out cheerfully. The line went dead.

Jerry was flying the next second.

"This is General Moreshower."

"General, we need some airspace for Kae to get to DCA then off to Switzerland," Jerry reported quickly.

"Very well," Chris stated with a frown. "Tell her that if she takes off in ten minutes, climbs to fifteen thousand and does that trick of hers landing in the grass she's already clear."

"Got it General!" I called out quickly. "Later boys!" I turned and jogged to the doors to Communications central. "Path Path Path!" I shouted, jogging down the corridor as the three humans not already walking along the wall scrambled to the yellow lines.

Optimus poked his head out of central worriedly.

"Change of plans, I'm headed to Switzerland, no emergency," I called over to him.

"Do you wish me to come?" he rumbled quickly, following me to the entrance bay.

"No, that's alright, but can I borrow the flight deck?"

"By all means," he rumbled with a nod, I quickly thrust a hand into it and transformed it, Optimus helping me remove his weaponry from it.

"Thank you beloved," I smiled at him, quickly integrating into the deck and shifting it so I could carry it unencumbered.

He pressed a quick kiss to my lips and sent me off with a playful shove.

I laughed and thanked the soldiers scrambling to open the bay doors for me and strode into the sunlight. My comm fully came online and I quickly tuned to Moreshower's frequency.

::. General Moreshower this is Archangel waiting for liftoff..: I called out calmly.

::. In seven minutes, how the hell do you do that?.:: the General asked with a snort.

::. That's easy, _my_ clothes answer to my beck and call.:: I snorted.

There was laughter on the other end of the line as I bounced on my toes slightly.

::. Alright, liftoff in ten, nine, eight...:: General Moreshower started counting down for me, I grinned and fired up my boosters, holding myself to the ground by sheer force of will.

::. One!.:: he called out.

I released the brakes and shot seven hundred feet into the air in seconds, idly transforming and fully firing my engines. I was screaming along at fifteen thousand feet in moments, which meant I'd be showing on the radar right along...

::. How the hell did you get there that fast!?.:: General Moreshower demanded.

::. You mean without breaking the windows?.:: I asked with a laugh.

::. Yes.::

::. Temporal forcefield catapult throws me seven hundred feet into the air before I even have to turn my engines on, of course they're already online, so blasting them to full power brings me just shy of Mach one in under fifteen seconds.::

::. Whoaaaaa...:: one of the techs muttered softly.

::. Which brings me to my encore, permission to land at DCA?.:: I asked cheekily.

::. Granted.:: General Moreshower snorted. ::. Civilian air base knows you're coming. Over and Out.::

I laughed and lightly swooped down to my normal landing patch of grass, transforming and landing a bit more heavily than I usually did.

I looked down at my feet, about a foot below the surface.

"Oops," I muttered.

"Okay, _now_ I see why you're always landing in the grass there and not the tarmac," Jamie my civilian airport escort laughed at me.

"Yeah well, my bad," I snorted, literally unearthing my feet.

"That wasn't as graceful as you usually manage, what's up?" Jamie asked amicably, driving beside me as I walked toward the hangars.

"I brought the flight deck so that I can transform a bit bigger," I shrugged. "Of course that's an extra two tons, so... yeah."

"Oomph, two _tons!?"_ Jamie demanded.

"Yeah, I forgot to up my booster thrust to account for it," I snorted.

"How the hell are you walking around with two tons on your back, how much do you _weigh!?" _Jamie demanded.

"Jamie! It's not nice to ask a lady her weight," I laughed at him, "But at the moment I'm weighing in at eleven ton."

"Oh god please don't step on me," Jamie howled.

"Dude, why do you think I made you lot put that fence up?" I snorted.

"Makes _so_ much more sense, here I thought you were just being territorial over your special patch of grass," Jamie snorted.

"Nope, that's my 'you stand there when I'm landing you're gonna go squish' grass." I snorted, lightly stepping onto the tarmac and transforming into a passenger jet. "Which terminal am I going to this time?"

"Airforce one, special right?" Jamie laughed, driving ahead of me at the pace we'd finally agreed on. "Are you gonna want a tow out this time?"

"Have I ever?" I snorted.

"Hey, courteous to ask," Jamie laughed.

"True, thanks for the meet Jamie," I grinned. He waved and sped off as I pulled into the hangar. Backing up. Just to show off.

I extended the ladder to the waiting group of men and onlined my holoform.

"Welcome to Archangel flight I sure as hell don't need a number," I grinned at the top of the steps. "Due to our last minute flight orders please let me be the first to tell you to board as quickly as you possibly can, it doesn't do to have you lot standing around when we're refuelling. Safety and all that."

"What kind of flight attendant are you?" one of the few strangers demanded. I snorted and winked my holoform out.

"Flight attendant nothing, I'm the plane, you gonna argue with the plane?" I asked cheerfully. "Chop chop people, if we're in the air in half an hour I don't have to divert around the storm front moving in from the north."

"Um..." a youngish man muttered, wheeling forward in his chair.

"Oh, oops, sorry," I stated quickly, onlining my holoform beside him. "How are your nerves?" I asked.

"Dead from the hips down and made of steel everywhere else," the man stated cheerfully.

"That's good to hear, don't worry about holding tight, I got you," I laughed, delicately levitating him beside my holoform and bringing him in to the cabin. "Right then, pick a chair, any chair." I grinned.

"Oh... that one," he grinned.

"Last question, do you wanna sit in that chair or stay in yours?" I asked cheerfully.

"Don't I need to pick a different spot for that?"

I snorted and receded the chair back into my frame, bringing up wheel locks for him.

"So cool..." the man moaned.

"Why thank you," I laughed, gently releasing him from the field as he eagerly made to wheel himself into his spot. I turned and gestured the men boarding to the seats.

"Um... which..." Cole started quietly.

"You lot are big boys, I don't need to tell you where to sit," I snorted. The last boarded and I half-closed the door. Men seated themselves and I stood at the front. "Alright, good afternoon Mr. President, Mr. Secretary..." I nodded to each man in turn, using facial recognition to identify each of my passengers. "Unfortunately this afternoon we're going to be flying unescorted, if your plane was operating properly _I'd_ be the one _escorting_ you. So I know you all know how to fasten your seatbelts-"

"You're not constrained by the airline safety board, but you're still going to give the speech?" wheelchair man demanded with a laugh.

"Different speech, pay attention," I grinned at him. "Right, you'll notice that I do _not_ in fact have any emergency exits. I _am_ the plane, so I can very much guarantee that my engines aren't going to fail. Currently there's no radio-chatter saying that we're being targeted, however that's _never_ a guarantee that somebody's not going to fire on us."

Gregory the wheelchair man leaned forward, nodding intently.

"So a quick run through," I stated, my voice turning truly serious. "As you know by now, I am a sentient, Autonomous Robotic Organism, formally human. I'm a transformer. I've currently chosen _this_ form for your comfort during the flight, however with the wider cabin size it means I've decreased my speed and manoeuvrability. Should we come under attack I will be transforming around you to tighten up the space for an attempt at outrunning our attacker. During that please keep your hands and feet as tightly tucked against your seat as you can, and please use the seat belt harnesses the second they appear. Technically I can put them _on _you, but in the middle of transforming that's actually a _lot_ harder than it looks. If you feel that you are uncomfortable with the idea of me transforming around you, or that you're not going to be up to the stress I'm going to ask you as kindly as I can to disembark." I stated calmly.

"Well that's mighty courteous of you," the Secretary grinned at me.

"Thank you, any takers? I'm sure as hell not going to let anybody call you chicken, watching your plane disassemble and re-assemble thirty five thousand feet in the air is rather shocking." I added with a small smile. "For the rest of you, the seatbelt sign is now on."

There were several shaking heads, Greg was grinning.

"Alright," I smiled at the men buckling their seat belts.

"What happens if we can't outrun?"

"Good question. In the event that I can neither outrun nor deflect our hypothetical attacker, I will be separating myself from the secondary frame I'm using at the moment. It will be formed around you and will enter a controlled drop. The _second_ that I am free of the secondary frame I will be able to engage our hypothetical hostiles head on. Your cabin, like I said, will enter a controlled drop, should you come to land on solid ground a cloak will surround you, sending a direct GPS distress call to the Auto-bots. If you land in the water you will then be in control of a somewhat crude submersible, again, sending a distress signal to the Auto-bots, but you will be capable of going underwater fifty feet and continuing on your way." I finished calmly.

"That's _brilliant!_"' Greg howled.

"Greg, seeing as you're the resident navy boy, I'll be putting you in charge of piloting the submersible," I smiled at him. "We'll be in radio communications the entire time during our hypothetical emergency. So final call, any who wish to disembark while we're still on the ground, now's the time."

"I'm in!" Greg called out cheerfully.

A chorus of nodded agreements and a final couple of seatbelts clicking into place and I nodded, winking my holoform out and closing the door properly.

The fuel lines disconnected, and the area around me cleared.

"DCA Control this is Archangel requesting clear airspace," I called out calmly.

"Archangel you are clear to taxi to runway five, liftoff in ten minutes." Control called out calmly. I nodded and lightly moved out of the hangar, bringing my engines online the second I was clear and taxiing to the runway.

I waited, calmly going over the flight plan and running through the communications. Taxi to the start of the runway. Final checks, cleared.

"Gentlemen, liftoff in thirty seconds," I announced over my speakers, bringing my engines slowly up to speed. I began to feel the pent up energy I so loved, the feeling of being ready to jump out the gates at a moment's notice.

Three... two... one...

I released the brakes and shot forward, blasting my engines to full power for a moment before dialling it back, I didn't need to shoot to mach one in moments.

But the fact that I only used half the runway to get into the air was _always_ good for a laugh. Greg was cheering in my cabin.

"What on earth are you on about?" the President demanded with a laugh.

"Did you not just _see_ _that!?_ She used barely _half_ the runway to get into the air, and she's not even flying full power at the moment!" Greg hooted. "It's official, I'm _spoiled_ for flying in another plane. Archangel is _gorgeous!"_

_"_Why thank you," I laughed, onlining my holoform even as I climbed higher into the air and got onto the right track. "Right, just so you lot know, there's a wicked tail wind three hundred feet above us right now, it's going to be a bit bumpy getting into it, but the second we're flying in it we'll hit Switzerland in three hours."

"Three hours!?" the General Secretary demanded.

"Yep," I nodded cheerfully. "So I don't know if you lot want a movie or a quick nap or whatever, if you decide you want the movie, just call _don't_ shout, I can hear your _heartbeats_ at the moment."

"Oh, oops, sorry," Greg stated in a normal voice.

"No big," I shrugged.

"Kae," the President stated calmly. "I was hoping to discuss a bit of politics with you in private."

"Of course, care to join me in the cockpit?" I asked with a smile.

The man grinned and unbuckled his seatbelt, his bodyguard rose with him.

"Oh relax Cody," the man laughed.

"Sir, I'm supposed to make sure the area is clear," Cody stated firmly.

"By all means," I smiled, gesturing him along. "But in my defence, I'm already dealing with a nightmare of public relations as it is, _killing_ you guys is a headache I do _not _need."

Cody stared at me in shock then hesitantly, nodded.

"Now then," the President smiled, settling down into the co-pilot's seat. "Cody, go, sit, catch a nap, god knows you've deserved it."

The man nodded gratefully and made a quiet retreat, I closed the door.

"Kae," Obama stated seriously. "How much shit has been stirred up?"

"How so?" I asked calmly, settling my holo down calmly in the pilot's seat.

"With Sentinel being sentenced to community service, I got that report and almost fainted, what the hell is he supposed to do to service the community?" the man groaned, burying his face in his hands for a moment. "I mean come on, are we really going to make a thirty-eight foot auto-bot weed gardens and clean graffiti off of buildings!?"

I laughed softly.

"Okay, it _started_ to stir up some shit, but I believe I've come upon the solution to the problem," I smiled. "Which if I can convince you to agree with me, I would appreciate your support on our proposed service."

"Thank god, lay it on me," the president grinned.

"Well, Sentinel was Cybertron's Einstein, so to speak," I began calmly. "But he is first and foremost a teacher. The courts did not specify precisely _which_ community he was to service."

The president's eyes widened and began to gleam with excitement.

"So what you're saying is that our resident massively brilliant auto-bot teacher..." he trailed off excitedly.

"Is actually quite _excited_ to hold free seminars to any and _every_ mind that wants to be brought up to date on the universal standard of physics, mathematics, astronomy... everything but weapons technology he is willing to teach." I smiled. "And we're talking several _million_ years of learning on the table."

"_Brilliant!_" the man exploded, bouncing on my seat and grinning from ear to ear. "That's absolutely _brilliant! _Of course you're going to have to tell him to at least initially _look_ a bit reluctant to do it, we need to satisfy the public that he's being forced to do something as punishment, but Kae that's _brilliant!_"

"I'd rather hoped you'd say that," I grinned. "So may I ask for your support?"

"You've _got_ it!" the man laughed.

"So what else is on the debating table?" I asked with a laugh, leaning back comfortably.

"Oh, let's see, heads up the 'Brotherhood of Man' is starting to get rather vocal, they're screaming for _your_ blood in particular," the man stated seriously.

"Mine?" I asked calmly.

"Because you were human, and now you're a bot, they believe that the human race is going to be converted into a _robotic_ slave race." the man rolled his eyes, even as I did. He frowned for a second and looked at me warily.

"Fat chance," I snorted. "First off it takes an _insane_ amount of time and energon to bring even _one_ bot online. My coming online as a bot was due to extenuating circumstances, I would have _died_ if I had not. I also have several _million_ bots to bring out of dormancy on Cybertron and a current shortage of Energon to fuel them with, the _last_ thing we need is a further population explosion."

"Good to know," the man nodded. "But watch your backs regardless, Sabre has been kind enough to infiltrate the brotherhood for me, he said to tell _you_ that the brotherhood seems to be developing weapons to disable you lot at a disturbing pace."

I frowned.

"Disturbing pace for our... sorry, your race tends to mean they're cannibalizing Cybertronian technology."

"Indeed, if they are in cahoots with the Decepticons they're keeping it really quiet," the man stated firmly. "It's actually to the point that I'm _worried_ about _Sabre,_ I might need you or one of the Auto-bots' holoforms to meet up with him at some point, if he's infiltrating an enemy with Decepticon firepower I may just be sending our mutual friend on a _suicide_ mission."

"Mmm," I nodded seriously, I thought for a long moment. "I'll have to discuss it with Optimus, but I think Mirage, he is quite adept at concealing himself from Decepticons, and they'd get along well."

The president nodded.

"Final thing on my docket at any rate is actually a great deal closer to home, the girls keep asking when you and Optimus are going to come for dinner," he smiled.

I laughed softly.

"We'll sort out a date, probably once Sentinel is settled into his seminars." I smiled.

"Done," the man grinned, he looked around the cockpit. "So do you just make it look like a cockpit, or could a person actually fly you?"

"You remember the fuss that started up when Optimus and I were recharging, right before the Kortes Dam collapsed?"

The man nodded.

"I got _really_ lucky that I'd trained a few pilots to fly me," I groaned. "That was the only sleep I _got _during that entire campaign."

"That was a five day campaign all told," the president stated flatly. I nodded. "That. _Sucks._"

"And blows," I snorted. "Because not only was I running quarter power, but it's taken me until _now_ to re-sync my sleeping cycles with my husband's."

"You have my absolute _sincerest_ sympathies," Obama groaned.

"Don't worry about it," I chuckled, patting his hand. "The plus of Cybertronian cycles on earth is that we generally have a couple of three hours silence every night to actually _see_ each other."

"That would absolutely _kill _Michelle and I," Obama groaned.

"Mm, don't worry about it," I laughed softly. "Our souls are literally intertwined, so if the worst happens, we'll be able to stay together after death."

"So sad, and sweet, and sad," the man sighed.

I laughed and checked our co-ordinates.

"Alright, we'll be there in two hours, I'd suggest you catch a nap," I smiled at the President. "You can stay here if you want, or go back into the cabin. It's probably safer in there, just in case we're fired on."

The man nodded.

"Are you alright?" he asked seriously.

"I have plenty of high grade fuel, and I'm not due for another recharge for another twenty hours or so," I smiled. "Right now I can't guarantee that I'll be very good company, I'm going to be meditating for a little while."

The president grinned and rose.

"Oh!" he stated at the door, I turned my holoform to look at him. "I was wondering if there's any chance we could get your guys' help rebuilding Chicago, after all. The Mayor and safety boards have been running themselves ragged."

"How so?" I asked curiously, turning to look at him fully.

"They keep coming across sinkholes, and wretched waterpipes, and destroyed foundations," Obama groaned. "And the kicker is that _now,_ they can't even tell if it was damage the Decepticons caused or if the buildings were faulty to _begin_ with!"

I smiled. He stared at me.

"The wreckers have been waiting for you to say that," I told him gently. "As for the sinkholes, I'll see if Gouge will be willing to enter the area, he's one of the most skilled stone listeners in this galaxy."

The president beamed at me and returned to the cabin.


	160. 157 Returning to 'Normal'

**A million thanks to my dear sweet Betas, and a billion to WolfKidBirdGirl for allowing me to borrow her brotherhood. If you haven't read her story 'We All Fall Down' closely followed by 'Queen of the Machine' do it. Do it now. **

**However in the meantime: **

**Chapter 157 – Returning to 'Normal'**

* * *

Eight hours later I took off again, leaving Switzerland. President Obama's support had been incredible, not only was Sentinel now hosting his seminars, but the United States was going to be hosting the international science, technology and cultural convention to augment it. Sentinel's lectures were going to spearhead the human race's drive into the newest era. Actually, the conference had run an hour late, several countries stating that _they _wanted to be the host nation.

Eventually, I'd simply stood up and stated that if it was going to be this popular, we'd simply have to make the convention annual, hosted with the same rules as the Olympics. But for now, speaking for the Auto-bots, if Sentinel was to be delivering lectures we needed to be near our own headquarters for security sake.

And that had wrapped _that_ up.

Sentinel was going to be the figurehead of learning.

I hoped I could convince him to enjoy that.

As we walked out of the conference, the President had kept a straight face.

The second I had transformed and everyone was loaded up though?

"_That was brilliant!_" he'd exploded.

"Ow," I grumbled, rubbing my holoform's ears.

"Oops, sorry," he stated apologetically.

"Stuff happens," I shrugged, then grinned. "But in the meantime, let's go home, I wanna go to bed soon."

The men laughed and took their seats, settling in for the flight. Several dropped off to sleep almost immediately. We flew for an hour, the men in the cabin either sleeping or reading.

Quite the compliment, actually, not one was gripping his armrest.

"Hey Kae," Cole Westfield grinned. I winked my holoform online beside him.

"Cole?" I asked calmly.

"Care for a little bet?" he grinned. I looked at him in amusement.

"Bet on what?" I laughed.

"The unofficial name of the convention." the man grinned.

I thought for a moment and smirked.

"The I-NERD."

"That's it?" he demanded.

"The Inter-National Exposé of Radical Design." I smirked.

"I LOVE IT!" Cole bellowed. The various men in the cabin jolted awake as I winced, rubbing my holoform's ear to get the point across.

"Sorry!" he whispered sotto voice.

I snorted.

"Go back to sleep Cole," I laughed softly.

He nodded cheerfully and dropped off again.

Five hours of flight, bloody headwind now, I finally landed at DCA and safely deposited the men into the custody of their various bodyguards.

I shook myself somewhat more awake, took off again and landed at headquarters.

Primus I was tired, maintaining the same damned alternate form so similar yet different from my own was tiring.

At least _now_ I was in sync with Optimus.

I shook myself again, trying to stay awake long enough to either refuel or fall into my berth. Optimus, Sentinel and Ironhide were striding toward me the next moment, Will riding on Ironhide's shoulder.

"Hey boys," I yawned. I didn't _need _to yawn, hell, I didn't need air. But I'd spent so much time feeling human as a holoform it was pure instinct kicking in.

"How was the politics?" Optimus rumbled worriedly, reaching out and cupping my cheek.

"Same as always, the annoying people were annoying, the good speakers were as fiery as ever, a couple of dignitaries glared at me for being bigger than them, the usual." I stated with another yawn, I couldn't help but tease them. "The _flight_ was good though, didn't run into any birds, although I think one of those spiders that spin their little parachute things got wedged in the flight deck again..."

"_Kae!" _Optimus rumbled in exasperation.

"I'm sorry, I'll clean it out," I stated innocently.

"_Kae!"_ Sentinel demanded.

"Hmn?" I murmured innocently.

"What of my sentence?" Sentinel demanded.

"Oh, _that_?" I asked cheerfully. "As it turns out, Sentinel, _you're_ now spearheading an international convention devoted to science, mathematics, culture and technology _technically_ hosted by the United Nations, it's being held in Washington here, but most of the other countries are actually quite jealous that you're in the United States at the moment. Just remember, the President needs you to initially look reluctant to host your seminars and thus spearhead the human race's drive into the future of understanding the universe around us, you're supposed to be being punished, after all. Oh, and we've been invited to the White House for dinner on Thursday."

The two male Primes stared at me in gleeful shock. Ironhide looked at them for a long moment and burst out laughing. Will, sitting on his shoulder was laughing just as hard.

"But _those_ wheels don't start rolling for another orn," I yawned. I shook myself awake again and disconnected from the flight deck. "Right now we have somewhat more of a worry. According to the President the Brotherhood of Man is getting stronger, and they're rapidly developing weapons to disable us, love."

Optimus frowned.

"On the plus side, he has Sabre infiltrating the organization, but it's gotten to the point that he's worried that there is the possibility of Decepticon claws worming their way into the Brotherhood. He was hoping that one or two of _us_ could meet up with Sabe and provide backup." I stated calmly. "I was thinking perhaps Mirage?"

Optimus crossed his arms with a frown, thinking.

He nodded finally, looking at me.

"I shall have to ask Mirage if he is willing," he rumbled patiently. "Particularly if he is to be attending to curb duty for a while with Sabre. But the President and you are correct, if there is Decepticon involvement, then your assassin friend is going to need backup."

"Since when do _I _need backup?" a familiar voice called out with a snort.

"Since there is the possibility that you would be facing one of _us_ down," Sentinel stated with a growl, looking down at the human intruder.

"Speak of the devil and he shows himself," I laughed. "And Sentinel is correct, if there are Decepticons in cahoots with the Brotherhood then you're going to need some serious firepower and speed behind you if you're made."

"True that," Sabre snorted. "Which, by the way? Does _Shockwave_ ring any bells? I keep hearing it in the context of a bloody _name_."

"The Decepticons have become involved," Optimus rumbled darkly.

"Oh good, does that mean I get to kill people again?" Sabre asked cheerfully.

I shot him a withering glance.

"Hey, that leader of theirs is clean cut, charismatic and getting powerful. It's annoying, a nice little fall down a lovely set of stairs would do him _good_." Sabre stated innocently.

"It never occurs to you to keep them alive and kill their image first, does it?" I snorted. "What good is having a radical _martyr?" _

"Ugh, stupid martyrdom," Sabre pouted. "Takes all the fun out of life."

::. Mirage, could you come to the entrance bay?.:: Optimus sent calmly.

"Yo, I'm already here," Mirage stated cheerfully, wandering in and looking down at the humans with a grin. "Who's gonna go kill stuff without me now?"

Sabre promptly _stared_ at Mirage.

"Yo little man, didn't nobody tell you is rude to stare?" Mirage grinned. "I know _why_ you're staring of course, it is because I look _damn_ good. But your eyes are going to fall out, and you need _those_ for aiming."

"Him, I want _him_ for backup!" Sabre stated immediately. "I _like_ him."

"Backup what?" Mirage asked warily.

"Infiltrate the Brotherhood of Man," Optimus rumbled calmly. "It is curb duty, unfortunately, but there is the possibility that Shockwave has become involved."

"That cowardly abomination is still alive?" Mirage asked with a glower, he began grinding his hands together, fist into palm. "Prime, permission to go spend the next several _months_ on curb duty just for the chance to _pound_ that tar spitting little pitspawned excuse of a-"

"I caution you, Mirage, the humans are developing methods of disabling bots," I stated sternly, catching his optics.

"Right, 'cause between the little man and I they're even going to _know_ that I'm a bot," Mirage snorted. "As if."

"Permission granted then, Mirage," Optimus rumbled. "On the provision that should you _find_ Shockwave, you call for backup-"

"Don't need-" the bot started.

"For _cleanup_, Mirage," I snorted. "The brotherhood is likely cannibalizing everything they can get their hands on, if you tear him limb for limb we need to _clean it up._ And it's a _lot_ easier to keep track of the pieces _while_ you're tearing them off."

"Oh... right... but he's _mine,_" Mirage stated firmly.

"Unless he has learned some new tricks," Optimus rumbled. "I _will_ not risk your life on a mission of revenge."

"Deal," Mirage snorted. He looked down at Sabre. "What is your name little man?"

"Sabre," he snorted.

"Well met Sabre, I am Mirage," he made an elegant bow and transformed into his alternate form. I found myself impressed, I could barely sense _anything_ from the bot.

Sabre was staring at him again.

"I... have _always_ _wanted_..." he muttered, tentatively reaching out and running his hands over Mirage's armoured bodywork.

"If you are going to do that, do it with a pad o' wax little man," Mirage snorted. Sabre looked at me with shocked eyes as I laughed at them.

"Look at that Sabe, you've got a partner after all," I giggled.

"My partner is a Ferrari 458 Italia _auto-bot_," Sabre moaned.

"Get _in_ already!" Mirage snorted. "Less talk, more spy."

Sabre was grinning like a madman as he slid behind the driver's seat.

"Let's see how you handle the speed before we let you drive," Mirage smirked at him.

"But there's the potential that I'll get to drive," Sabre moaned, stroking the steering wheel. "If I'm dreaming don't you _dare_ let me wake up."

"If you want _dreams-" _Mirage snorted, roaring his engine to life and squealing out.

I shook my head with a laugh and felt my energon reserves dip another notch toward the danger zones.

The enjoyment of watching the assassins getting along had distracted me from the drained exhaustion, but now they were gone.

"I. Am going to bed now," I groaned. "Oh, the cleanup crews in Chicago have relented, by the way, the wreckers are clear to go in and help out love, when I wake up I need to go ask Gouge if he minds sounding out the ground for them."

Optimus nodded and pressed a gentle kiss to my temple.

"Good recharge young warrior," Sentinel stated cheerfully, clapping a hand to my shoulder. Tired as I was I almost fell over. The bots looked at me worriedly.

Optimus scanned me and snorted.

"Kae, how many times have I told you to not run yourself to nothing?" he demanded, lightly scooping me up into his arms.

"I lost count, ask Ironhide," I mumbled, burying my face into his shoulder.

"What do I do in the meantime?" Sentinel demanded with a grin.

"Well, you figure out what the humans have learned so far and build up a syllabus of what all you're going to teach," I murmured. "Then you're likely going to have to break those down into eight hour or less seminars, humans _do_ need to sleep quite regularly."

Sentinel nodded cheerfully and strode toward Communications.

Optimus chuckled and held me a bit tighter, carrying me to our quarters. He set me down gently and I disengaged my armour, haphazardly levitating it toward a corner. I'd deal with it when I woke. Optimus snorted in soft amusement and levitated my armour to a different corner, his own joining it.

"Finally," he rumbled softly into my auditory processors, gathering me close to his frame. I cuddled against my Optimus and blissfully dropped into my recharge beside my mate.

* * *

(SePOV)

Sentinel was grinning like a youngling, he knew he was, but that wasn't the point. The point was that his young friend's mate had not only pulled his sorry aft out of the pit and smoothed out the nightmare of human politics.

But she had effectively insinuated him _into_ this new world as a _teacher_.

Brilliant.

They were off recharging now, Primus only knew the young femme deserved it.

"Technician Jolt?"

"Prime?" the technician asked quietly.

"Would you be so kind as to connect me to the sum of human learning?" he rumbled calmly.

"Uh..."

"Problem?"

"We don't really have a lot of our knowledge in digital form yet," one of the humans called out apologetically.

"Then where do you keep your knowledge?" Sentinel demanded.

"Libraries?" The man asked calmly, looking at his fellows.

"Library of congress would probably be your best bet," the female... Jolt's Lena stated calmly. "I need to go there anyway, Jolt and I can take you."

Sentinel smiled at the femme.

Jolt grinned and reached for her, she stepped into his palm with an absolute of trust, smiling at her bot and squirming onto his shoulder. She turned to look at him sternly.

"Have you got a human holoform yet?" she asked firmly.

"No..." Sentinel rumbled irritably.

"Well then we're going to have to hit the med-bay so that Ratchet can outfit you," Lena stated firmly.

"Why?" Sentinel demanded sternly.

"You mean _other_ than the fact that even your _alternate_ form isn't going to fit through the doors of the Library? There's the fact that there are still a lot of humans who don't like you at the moment. I don't know about you, but reading is rather difficult when people are shouting at you," the femme stated flatly.

That was true.

"Very well," Sentinel nodded. "You raise an excellent argument, Technician Lena."

The femme looked surprised at that. Sentinel couldn't help but be somewhat amused at that.

"Come now," he stated calmly. "I _am_ capable of being a rational being."

The humans just stared at him, he rolled his optics.

"Madness aside, he was a brilliant leader," Jolt piped up defensively.

"I thought you served under Magda?" Lena stated curiously.

"Yeah, and all the while we served under him we kept hoping that Sentinel would knock some sense into him," Jolt snorted.

"I really should have," Sentinel glowered. "How that bot ever managed to be Prime is beyond even _me." _

_"_And that's saying something," Jolt stated cheerfully. "Come on then, to the library!"

Sentinel turned and made to walk out of the communications room.

"How _did_ you guys become Primes?" one of the humans called out curiously. Sentinel turned to look at the man.

"We onlined, were born, with the knowledge of our fathers. Others, such as myself earned the title after being born a commoner." Sentinel stated calmly. "The onlined Primes, the sons of Primes were capable of denying being Prime, because the knowledge remained latent in our sparks until another Prime 'reminded' us of it. In Optimus' case, however, he onlined and barely hours after his casting, his father reminded him of his knowledge, and instructed him how to conceal himself."

"Why?" Lena asked curiously.

"He was born into a war that _I_ was fighting," Sentinel stated calmly. "His father instructed him to remain hidden so that he would survive. He was given a set of chest-plates, formed to mesh and appear as though it were his protoform. And when asked, even when _I_ asked, Orion Pax maintained his story that he had a weakened spark chamber. The result of coming online during an epidemic of the tremblies."

"Tremblies, when you can't control your own motor controls, they fight each other, fatiguing your frame." Jolt added quietly to the humans. "It leaves you weak, and when younglings get it, it can prove fatal."

"So not like the chicken pox," Lena stated calmly. The bots looked at her. "It's an illness that you only ever get once, when you get it as a child, it's easily overcome, but as an adult it is far harder on the system."

"If only," Jolt sighed. Sentinel nodded.

"It's kind of too bad you guys couldn't be vaccinated for it," Lena stated musingly. Sentinel stared at her.

"Vaccinated?" he asked curiously, turning to stride beside the technicians.

"Yeah, when you introduce a far milder form of a particular illness, or an already dead form of it to the immune system. It helps build the immunity of the individual." Lena shrugged. "They started _doing_ it when they discovered that people who had had cowpox, rarely even _contracted_ smallpox. Cowpox was incredibly easy to overcome, but smallpox left a person dead or disfigured."

"Fascinating," Sentinel murmured, almost to himself. That was another topic that he added to his growing list. In mathematics, the humans were far behind. Perhaps that was because they had spent far more time learning how to _survive._

It would be a fascinating study.

They stepped into the Med-bay and Ratchet glanced up from a servo irritably.

"Now what's happened?" the Medic demanded. Sentinel couldn't really blame him, he'd been like that for _vorns. _More often than not? That demand was replied to with a list of injuries.

_"_I find myself needing a holoform after all," Sentinel stated calmly.

The medic nodded, looked around for a moment and picked up a data-pad, tossing it to him before turning back to the servo.

Typical Ratchet.

Sentinel quickly scanned the information on the data-pad. He had to give the medic credit, it was a rather simple function, drawing coding from the comfort settings of a bot's metals.

He quickly assimilated the data and projected a human form on the work table, his projected features had he been created human. Sentinel eyed his projected form critically and grunted. It was an accurate enough rendition, a strong jaw beneath short cropped silver fur, high standing zygomatic bones to support his optics, and the expressive brow ridges which had marked his own faceplates unique. His optics were the same, however. The blue of Auto-bot standing. Finally, he projected his mind through the human medium.

Sentinel looked down at his human hands, then up at himself, at the medic, and the two technicians. The body was surprisingly strong, comfortable. The warrior's build he and his fellow Primes had had to adopt in times of war.

"So _that's_ what you'd look like as a human," Lena grinned, leaning forward on her Jolt's shoulder. Sentinel raised a brow... eyebrow at her.

"Does this pass inspection?" he asked calmly. Well, at least his voice was the same.

"Absolutely," Jolt's holoform grinned, winking in beside him. "Quick test, can you feel this?" the technician took his hands.

The sense of touch in these humans was strangely accurate for all that their frames were covered in skin. He mentioned that.

"We feel with nerves in the skin," Lena stated in amusement. "Although speaking as a human, you might want to change the clothes a bit.

Sentinel looked down at his mantel curiously.

"Blending in means dressing the same," Ironhide rumbled from the door, he onlined his holoform beside Sentinel's.

Wearing absolutely none of his insignias.

"Gotta blend in," the weapons master smirked.

Sentinel stared around himself and shrugged, a moment's concentration and he shifted his clothing. They felt wrong, they did not flow.

"Hold up!" Lena called out. She scrambled down Jolt's arm and accepted the holo-pad from her mate's smaller form. She began typing hurriedly. "I think I have what you need," she muttered, holding up a picture of a jacket rather like his mantel.

Sentinel created it quickly.

It flowed, far more appropriate.

He strode the length of the worktable, testing the holoform for a moment before nodding.

"It will serve," he stated calmly.

"Good, let's roll," Jolt's Lena stated cheerfully.

Holoforms winked out and the sole human in the room jumped into her intended mate's hand. Grinning broadly.

Sentinel couldn't help but wonder why.

So he asked.

Lena grinned at him.

"I want to see your reaction to the Library," she grinned. "If it's anywhere near as good as Optimus' reaction I'm golden."

Jolt promptly began laughing.

"Yeah, but Optimus was an archivist, he _breathes_ libraries," the tech snorted.

"But Sentinel is a teacher!" Lena stated wide eyed. "above all else a teacher will always be a student, and where better place for a student than the library?"

"Ooh, true," Jolt grinned, transforming around his potential mate and starting his engines up.

Sentinel watched her curiously, transforming quickly and following the smaller technician out of the headquarters and into the humans' city.

A relatively short drive, and the technician parked, his holoform winking online and taking his Lena's hand. Sentinel parked and onlined his holoform, checked that his clothing was the same that the bots and human had agreed worked for him, and got out of his own cab. He strode toward them and looked at Lena.

"You think philosophically," he told her calmly.

"I try, but Jolt still kicks my aft at chess," Lena stated cheerfully.

"You hold your own with a single _processor_," Jolt snorted. "When you're a bot I have no doubt we're going to spend _orns_ playing logic games in the mindspace."

Lena grinned and wound her arm around the technician's waist.

"It's this way," she smiled at Sentinel, the holo and the human walking down the human pathways alongside the vehicular ones.

"If your data is not digitally stored, how do you have an archive?" Sentinel asked curiously, following the technicians up a set of stairs.

Lena grinned and opened the doors, ushering him through them.

Sentinel strode forward a couple of paces and looked back at her.

"Close your eyes," Lena grinned at him. She took his holoform's hands and Sentinel was surprised to find them soft and gentle. No wonder Jolt liked her so much. Sentinel shrugged and closed his eyes, letting the human lead him forward.

"Another one?" a stranger's voice asked with a laugh.

"Yep!" Lena's voice stated cheerfully.

"Go straight through, we'll use the big guy's pass today," the woman laughed.

"Thanks Mary!" Jolt grinned at her. Sentinel followed the technician's femme's lead, walking forward.

"Steps down," she told him gently, remarkably kind, it meant he did not need to stumble down them.

She released him and turned him slightly.

"Open your eyes," Lena stated gently.

Sentinel obeyed and stared around himself in awe.

Thousands, _thousands_ of books lined the walls, thousands more sat securely in shelves along the floor- _Floors!_ Floors and floors of thousands of books, just _waiting _to be read! A modestly dressed human female walked toward him hesitantly.

"Um, hello," she stated quietly, offering him the auto-bot salute.

Sentinel smiled and accepted her arm, finding a friendly, if shy individual.

"My name is Mary, welcome to the library," she stated quietly.

"She's the best archivist ever," Jolt added with a broad grin, Mary looked at the bot and smiled shyly.

"Anyway, if you need help finding anything, I'm at the desk there," she stated gently. "I don't know if you want a specific section, or if you're going to take Optimus' approach and start from one corner and read to the other."

Sentinel beamed at her, he couldn't help it. He loved archivists, their reverence for their data and charges was truly honourable.

"Would you be so kind as to show me to the scientific archives?" he asked with a smile.

"Absolutely," she smiled at him. "It's this way."

Sentinel gazed around himself happily as he followed the woman through the library.

"Alright," she smiled at him. "This section is biology and human life sciences," she walked a bit more. "This is chemistry, mathematics, physics, and what we have for Astronomy at the moment." she winked at him. "Of course I don't know how interested you'll be in that section, to hear Optimus and his brain trust debating over those books is the kind of thing a person should be recording for the sheer inherent learning in a single sentence."

"Optimus has been here for six of your years and he already has a circle of the learned around him," Sentinel chuckled, shaking his head.

"Is that a bad thing?" the woman asked shyly.

"No," Sentinel snorted, eyeing the books cheerfully. "If there is _anything_ in my pupil that I truly admired, it is his love of having intelligent and learned individuals of _any_ species around him." Sentinel smiled fondly at the memories of his young friend.

"You're Sentinel!" Mary gasped.

Sentinel jumped and looked at her warily.

"It's an honour to make your acquaintance, Sir," she stated, she looked frankly awestruck.

"You are not..." Sentinel stated warily.

"Well, nobody really got hurt in Chicago," Mary shrugged. "But after listening to the bots that come here speaking of you, and getting to understand them. Whatever you did, you guys did it because it was necessary."

Sentinel stared at her for a long moment before straightening, he bowed to the archivist, anything less would be unworthy.

"Thank you, Archivist Mary," he rumbled gently. "Your belief in us humbles me."

Mary beamed at him and patted his holoform's shoulder.

"Anyway, I know that look in you lot's eyes, I'll leave you be to gleefully read your way through the archives as Optimus puts it." she giggled.

"He always did love a good archive," Sentinel chuckled. "Thank you for your assistance, Archivist Mary."

"You know where I am," Mary smiled at him.

Sentinel smiled and turned to the bookshelves as she walked away.

He reached up and took down the first book, noted the way the humans went to the centre of the library, where there were comfortable looking tables and chairs.

He sat down and opened the book.

And flipped a page.

And flipped a page.

In moments he was finished.

He stood up and set the book back where he had gotten it. He turned to see Mary beside him again. She looked like she was trying not to laugh.

"I'll tell you the same thing I told Optimus. If you're going to read those books so quickly, take the cart so you aren't wearing holes in my floor." she laughed, offering him a rolling bookshelf.

Sentinel beamed at her and promptly took down two shelves worth of the books as Mary covered her mouth with a hand.

Sentinel looked at her worriedly. There was laughter in her eyes. He relaxed and grinned at her.

"This should cover a couple of your hours, at any rate," he stated, looking at the book-laden cart and pursing his lips somewhat.

Mary began giggling as she walked away again.

Sentinel cheerfully wheeled the cart back to the empty table and began reading his way through the sum of human learning.

"Mind if I sit here?" an older gentleman asked with a small smile, indicating the table.

"By all means," Sentinel rumbled absently, gesturing to the chair.

"You read the same way a friend of mine does," the man stated amicably. "Of course, he flips through the pages somewhat slower, says he's savouring it."

Sentinel snorted.

"That sounds much like a friend of mine, as well." he stated with a small smile.

"Oh, hey does he happen to be Optimus?" the man grinned.

Sentinel looked up in surprise.

"You are one of his brain trust?" he asked curiously.

"Hey Mr. MacKin," Jolt stated cheerfully, setting down his own pile of books.

"Jolt, what have you done with your Lena?" Mr. MacKin asked sternly, looking around.

"My beautiful Lena is once again taking her time choosing which book she wishes to read next," Jolt laughed. "I long for the day that her patience becomes my own."

Mr. MacKin laughed and turned to Sentinel.

"Just so you know, I'm not targetin' you, but forgive an old man for not wantin' to stand up once again." the man grinned, holding his hand toward Sentinel.

Sentinel stared at it and jumped as Jolt offered him the information.

A human greeting. Fascinating.

Mr. MacKin was frowning slightly, pulling his hand back.

"My apologies," Sentinel stated immediately, holding his hand out. "I am afraid that I am still unfamiliar with your human cultures. Our most excellent technician just gave me the pertinent information for this... handshake?"

"Well if that's the case call me Willy, everybody else _should_, at any rate." the man shook his hand. "Which on that note, quit calling me Mr. MacKin, Jolt. That's my father."

"If I had a penny for every time I heard that..." Jolt's Lena murmured with a small smile, settling down beside his holoform.

"You'd have a dollar, and an irritable Willy MacKin at your insistence on calling me _mister_." Willy stated with a snort.

Sentinel smiled, looking around himself again.

This. Was a lovely place.


	161. 158 Chargefrights

A/N In a desperate attempt to purchase myself some time between now and the chapters I have yet to write, I may wind up updating Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, I do apologize, and hope that my muses return. Quickly? Please?

A million thanks to my readers, Betas and reviewers. As always, anything that you recognize, I simply do not own. I wish I did. But I don't.

**Chapter 158 - Chargefrights **

* * *

(MPOV)

I slowly began coming online, my Optimus was curled around me, his hand gently stroking my frame.

"Morning," I whispered, onlining my optics to look at him.

Megatron's face looked back at me with a smirk.

I screamed, shoving him away and scrambling up from the berth.

The floor and shelves of our quarters was strewn with the parts of my family.

My little brother's face was fixed in a look of horror, his head sitting on a shelf and staring at me. I screamed again, my weapons coming online.

"Mikaela!? _Kae!_" Optimus' voice rumbled in terror.

I onlined my optics frantically.

He was there, my dear, beautiful, loving, sweet Optimus was there, stroking my face, gentling me as I vented in an overheated panic.

"You... he... I..." I babbled just this edge of hysteria.

"Shh," he whispered, stroking me gently.

My protective circuits were screaming at my lack of armour; terror, horror and dread flooding my systems. I was panting with no lungs, my instincts screaming at the suddenly horrifying lack of lungs to hold the air.

Automatically, my Optimus pulled me tightly to his frame, his spark gently reaching out to caress mine. The lighting was still set to night mode, my chronometer said that it would be slowly bringing itself up to day mode in an hour or so.

"What happened my Kae?" Optimus rumbled gently, holding me tightly.

"I was waking up, and you were holding me, but it wasn't you, I opened my eyes and Megatron was smirking at me..." I sobbed, clinging to my mate. "It wasn't you, Optimus, I was enjoying your touch as you roused me and it wasn't you."

Optimus hummed gently, cradling me against his frame. The door to our quarters opened.

"Is everything alright in here?" Sentinel demanded worriedly. "I heard you scream all the way from Central!"

I glanced up to see Ironhide, Ratchet, Chromia... practically every bot on base was crowded around our door.

"Chargefright," Optimus rumbled gently, rocking me as I sobbed against him.

Bumblebee, my dear, sweet-sparked little brother strode in and disengaged his armour, crawling up onto our berth and cuddling against me.

"Must'a been one pit of a sight if it made you scream," Bee murmured gently. I turned and caught him in a hug, sobbing as I clung to my mate and my little brother.

"You were dead," I sobbed. "He had your head on my shelf and you looked so scared and you were dead, all of you were slagged and scattered on my floor and he was in our berth and you were dead."

Bumblebee immediately scooched closer, cuddling me as the unit flocked around us, surrounding me with the comforting sound of their sparks.

But the most surprising, was Sentinel sitting down on the edge of our berth, reaching out and gently stroking my cheek.

"I am so sorry," he rumbled softly. "I am so sorry that the potential of such a thing _ever_ had to come near you."

I felt my sobs lessen as I came fully online, my usual embarrassment of being seen crying slowly coming to the front of my processors. I began suppressing my sobs, forcing back the tears and straightening.

"Stop that," Bumblebee stated sternly, glaring at me.

I looked at him curiously.

"Quit suppressing your emotions, it's bad for you," he chirped irritably. "I'm not gonna let the sister that lets me cry in her arms suppress her own sobs."

The image of his terrified optics, his bodiless head crashed in on me. I wound my arms around him and broke down, rocking him and sobbing.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus came online in the dark, his Kae still deep in her recharge beside him. He smiled slightly and reached out, gently stroking her bared frame.

She began humming softly, the sound of a bot dreaming of something.

But then she screamed.

Still in her recharge, she began thrashing. She screamed again.

"Mikaela!? _Kae!_" Optimus rumbled in terror.

Her spark hummed back to wakefulness, and Optimus felt her desperation as she onlined her optics. She looked at him as he stroked her face, her frame, trying to calm his femme as she vented furiously. Overheated. Panicking.

"You... he... I..." Kae began babbling softly.

"Shh," Optimus whispered gently, stroking his Kae, gentling her as best he could. He recognized a disturbing sound, her protective circuits were fully online.

But she was un-armoured.

Automatically, Optimus pulled his reliant, bonded spark-mate tightly to his frame, his spark gently reaching out to caress hers. The kindest way to inform the protective circuits to stand down. She didn't need them, they were safe.

"What happened my Kae?" Optimus rumbled gently.

"I was waking up, and you were holding me, but it wasn't you, I opened my eyes and Megatron was smirking at me..." His Kae sobbed, clinging to his frame. "It wasn't you, Optimus, I was enjoying your touch as you roused me and it wasn't you."

Optimus hummed gently, cradling her against his frame. Unfortunately, it was true. Megatron would have loved to have made her a conquest. The door to their quarters opened.

"Is everything alright in here?" Sentinel demanded worriedly. "I heard you scream all the way from Central!"

Optimus looked up calmly, noting that every bot on base was crowded around their door. It did a spark proud to know that they cared for each other so.

"Chargefright," Optimus rumbled gently, rocking his Kae as she sobbed against him.

Bumblebee immediately strode into their quarters, disengaging his armour and crawling up to cuddle against his sister.

"Must'a been one pit of a sight if it made you scream," Bee murmured gently. Kae turned and caught him in a hug, sobbing as she clung to the two of them.

"You were dead," Kae sobbed. "He had your head on my shelf and you looked so scared and you were dead, all of you were slagged and scattered on my floor and he was in our berth and you were dead."

Optimus' spark wrenched, his poor Kae.

Bumblebee immediately scooched closer, cuddling his sister as the unit flocked around the berth, disengaging armour and beginning to connect into the collective, surrounding themselves, _all_ of them, with the comforting sound of united sparks.

But the most surprising to her, was Sentinel sitting down on the edge of their berth, reaching out and gently stroking her cheek.

"I am so sorry," he rumbled softly. "I am so sorry that the potential of such a thing _ever_ had to come near you."

Kae slowly came fully online, her sobs quieting as her usual embarrassment of being seen crying slowly coming to the front of her processors. Kae began suppressing her sobs, forcing back the tears and straightening in his arms.

Optimus hated that she felt the need to do that.

"Stop that," Bumblebee stated sternly, glaring at Kae.

Mikaela looked at her little brother curiously.

"Quit suppressing your emotions, it's bad for you," Bee chirped irritably. "I'm not gonna let the sister that lets me cry in her arms suppress her own sobs."

Mikaela froze for a moment, staring at Bee. Optimus could feel the horror rising in her spark again. She broke down, winding her arms around her brother and sobbing.

Optimus shot his scout a grateful look and carefully gathered their sparks into the collective. Firsthand, he finally felt his Kae's hurts. Her insecurities, her fears...

But more, a pain, her continual struggle to bear, to understand the all-spark in all of her moods.

"My Kae," he moaned softly. "Oh my Kae..."

Then the most astonishing of things.

He said her name and the hurt receded slightly.

"My Kae," he whispered to her spark, gently pressing his love for her to the forefront.

"Why do you never believe me?" his Kae asked, making a stab for her usual gentle humour. "Your hands, your voice carries me through the worst of pains. Your love gives me the strength to carry the world."

Optimus smiled, Sentinel beside him and beaming at the femme as she wound herself around and through him again. Optimus moaned slightly, he loved having her so close.

* * *

(JaPOV)

Jazz snarled, Megatron had landed among them, fired on them. He fired up his boosters and went after the mech, ain't nobody was gonna get _near_ their unit!

"You wanna piece of me!" Jazz bellowed. "You wanna piece!"

Then, then clawed hands, grasping his legs, sinking into his spark.

"No, I want _two!"_

Pain, dull, burning pain then nothingness.

The pain he could have dealt with, pain was an ally, it cleared the processors, forced them to sync after a blow. He used the pain, and he'd drilled that into his Prime's processors.

But he could do nothing against the nothingness. The emptiness. The loneliness.

There was nothing here, nobody.

Caught somewhere between the light and the darkness.

He couldn't even hear himself scream.

Panic was an alien feeling for him. The Jazz-man did _not_ panic! But panic pulled his systems into battle-mode, and battle-mode brought you online in a hurry.

His room was dimly lit, the walls plastered with artwork.

Somethingness.

For the first time, in a _long_ time, Jazz rolled to his pedes and walked the corridors, straight to the Primes rooms.

Optimus and Kae were wound around each other, the femme buried into her mate, Optimus was half-online already, optics looking at him dimly, even as his sensors registered Bumblebee walking softly behind him.

"Room for a few more?" Jazz asked softly.

Optimus nodded and reached an arm towards the smaller bots, rousing his Kae somewhat with the motion. Without a doubt the sparks of the bound Primes updated each other, Kae was reaching for them the next moment, winding herself protectively around Bumblebee.

Jazz couldn't help but envy the scout, that was a gorgeous femme.

His recharge was blissfully quiet, pierced only by the soft, comforting hum of familiar sparks, the hiss of a door opening.

Nope, that meant optics needed to online.

Of all mechs, _Flare_ walked softly into the room.

"Chargefright my sister?" Kae asked softly, Optimus not even rousing.

"Cee and Chrome have Ratch and 'Hide," Flareup whispered. She sounded as alone as Jazz had felt.

"What'd yeh dream gorgeous?" Jazz asked in a perfectly sleepy tone. He was wide awake, processors already humming full-speed.

That femme tended to do that to him.

"Let's just say I'm never going to tease Ironhide that his biggest fear is being the last bot standing," Flare whispered, climbing up onto the berth.

Jazz reached out, tucking the femme tightly between Optimus and himself. She cuddled against him, which felt incredible. Except for one thing.

With the feeling of that femme against his frame? He had no hope of recharging now.

Not that he minded, really.

* * *

(SePOV)

Fire, smoke...

Death surrounded him, beneath his pedes he could feel Cybertron herself breathing her last gasps of life. The All-spark was gone, lost to the stars, Megatron stood before him, gloating over his 'prize.'

His very actions sickened himself, he was betraying his young friend, his comrade. His brother Prime.

Optimus had such potential, not a fighter, and yet he fought.

Disgusted by his own actions, Sentinel reached out once more and took Megatron's servo. Agreement, agreement that he would go against his own beliefs.

He would find a world, find a viable species and they would make slaves of free creatures.

The world flashed before his eyes, the Ark came under fire once more. Sentinel locked himself away.

The madness had clawed at him as he lay there for orns, _vorns._ Waiting, waiting for someone to find him. Darkness, light.

He stood upon Cybertron, and watched as the tiny human slaves struggled against the stronger gravitational fields, as even the smallest struts crushed the life from them. Megatron sat in glory, gazing proudly around himself at the bastardization of society surrounding him, as femmes and younglings died for his amusement, as the last of the human and auto-bot resistance faltered and died.

But beneath his pedes. Cybertron remained still, dead. No pulse of life, no breath... the fires still burned as his fellow Cybertronians bickered and killed each other over what scraps of energon were left...

And Kae, Kae lay barely online at Megatron's feet, her armour torn asunder, the wings that rode proudly across her back torn completely away. Her energon seeped from wounds unhealed across her protoform, lines roughly connected to her systems, forcing her spark to continue burning...

Sentinel onlined his optics and rolled to the side of his berth, fighting the urge to purge. He cycled his processors and rose, shifting his armour over his frame as he strode to the corridors.

Down the corridor to the room the bound Primes shared, he strode through the unlocked doors and cycled his processors once more in relief.

Kay lay, wound deeply in her mate's arms, surrounded by more bots seeking the comfort of joined sparks. Sentinel glanced around and settled onto one of the benches, sitting and watching the bound Primes as they rested.

The image of the innocent femme, slagged at the feet of the twist-sparked Lord High Protector flashed in front of his optics again, and Sentinel felt his spark harden in resolve.

He would never survive to see that imagining become reality, because it would be over his offlined form that such a thing would be allowed happen.

Sentinel dropped into a watchful half-cycle, sitting guard over his dearest friends, his spark calming as he assumed the post of his namesake.

* * *

(RPOV)

Ratchet jerked himself back online, growling to himself in irritation.

"Mmn?" Arcee hummed softly beside him. Ratchet looked down at his femme with a smile.

"Chargefright," he murmured, pulling her a bit closer to his spark.

"Did you want to talk about it?" Arcee murmured, nuzzling her face into his neck struts.

"And risk passing them to you? No," Ratchet murmured, gently stroking his femme as she lay sprawled across his chest.

"That's an old femme's tale and you know it," Arcee chuckled softly.

"Tell that to Bumblebee."

"Mm," Arcee murmured. "Open up."

"Hmn?"

"Open up," his femme murmured, her spark reaching to lightly caress his chamber.

Ratchet hummed with pleasure as their sparks gently connected, touching and touched as closely as they could without risking a spontaneous bonding.

Until his spark began demanding more, slowly removing itself from his conscious control to pull the femme's closer.

Arcee looked up at him with optics full of love, and Ratchet stopped trying to hold his spark in check.

Very little of their personalities crossed, very little needed to. His femme an equal mate, their reverence and devotion to the maintenance of life on par.

He felt Arcee's patience though, felt it integrate within himself.

It was no real worry to them, that anyone would discover their new bond.

Really? They would only keep it a 'secret' for the sheer amusement of watching the Weapons Master gloat over Ratchet's new-found patience.

* * *

(CPOV)

Chromia started awake, mildly irritated.

Ironhide was a rough sleeper sometimes, particularly if they'd been too run-down to interface before dropping into their recharges.

So she sat, collecting her wits before crawling back onto the berth.

She surveyed her intended irritably for a moment before her spark softened.

Ironhide was dreaming again, no doubt watching his comrades dying and leaving him behind. It didn't take too long for Ironhide to jerk awake, his cannons coming online as he stared around himself blearily.

Chromia glared his cannon down, then crawled up his body to sprawl across him again.

"Sorry 'Mia," Ironhide rumbled softly, ejecting his cannons to lay close at hand, rather than keeping them on his arms. That was enough for her to forgive him aiming at her whilst half-online.

"Chargefright again," Chromia murmured, she didn't have to make it a question.

"Mmnph. Y'all were dyin', an' I wasn't even hurt, couldn't even manage to fire my damned cannons. I was the last Chrome. I was the _last._.."

Chromia did the only thing she could think of, she reached up and lightly cuffed her intended's helm. Ironhide snorted in irritation and glared at her.

"Let's get one thing straight," Chromia snapped at him. "You are _not_ allowed to die after me! I will not have my bot outliving me, hear? I'm the younger, so I get to live for thirty seconds after you."

Ironhide stared down at her and snorted, then immediately looked irritated.

"Stop that," he rumbled.

"Stop what?"

"Making me think about you dying 'cause of me, that hurts more."

Chromia promptly melted, reaching up to press a lingering kiss to her intended's faceplates.

"Good, now stop thinking about it."

She cuddled down over Ironhide's spark, fully prepared to go back to her recharge.

Silence.

"Damn it."

"Hmn?"

"Now I can't stop thinking about it."

"Think of something else."

"Like what?"

Chromia hummed for a moment.

"Like how you're going to convince me to bond to you when you keep throwing me out of your berth."

"I what?"

"You threw me out of the berth again."

"Oh. Sorry 'Mia."

Silence. Chromia began to pout slightly, now she was _online_. She didn't want to be online, she wanted to be recharging in the comfort of her intended's embrace.

Hmm...

"Ironhide?"

"Mmn?"

"You can make it up to me."

Chromia didn't have to look to know that there was a smug grin on her bot's face. Definitely the right way to get him to stop thinking about morbid things. Death and depression made his spark hum discordantly, a sound she hated, far better to make him smile.


	162. 159 Real-estate and Servos

**Chapter 159 – Real-estate and Servos**

* * *

(SePOV)

Sentinel sat, comfortably ensconced in the central, watching the goings on and attempting to solve his latest puzzle.

Teaching humans.

He had a set style of teaching, one which he knew worked _very_ well.

Except humans couldn't simply plug into the mindspace. That was a problem. Their minds, their builds and single processor were so very different from his own...

Sentinel began pacing. Kae was the better with holoforms, and Optimus an absolute master, but even _they_ would not be able to accomplish what he now needed. He shook his head and strode toward the med-bay.

Kae was sitting with her head in her hands in a rare moment of still silence. She straightened abruptly and looked at him calmly.

"Trade you," he stated quietly, settling down across from her.

She looked at him curiously now.

"Your dilemma for mine," he rumbled with a small smile.

"My dilemma has not changed," she snorted quietly, burying her face into her hands again. "Let's start with yours."

"Humans are a remarkably visual, and emotional race," Sentinel stated calmly. "And yet I do not know how to truly impart the information they wish to learn."

"You mean diagrams and whatnot?" she asked curiously.

"Indeed."

"Holoform?" Mikaela asked mildly.

"Is not as manipulatable as I would wish," Sentinel grumbled quietly. "It requires set programming or visual memory for holoformatic diagrams."

"Well, what _would_ you wish?" Kae asked in amusement.

"I would bring them to the mindspace, as I do _all_ my pupils," Sentinel stated with a frown. Mikaela nodded and smiled at him.

"So we'll host your seminars in the central," Mikaela shrugged.

Sentinel stared at her.

"What? It's big enough to hold five hundred humans and five bots comfortably," she shrugged, a pensive look crossed her face. "Or rather, we don't necessarily want them _here_, do we." she murmured almost to herself. "Mm... that means I have a bit of work to do, at that. Don't worry about it, Sentinel, _that _is something I can take care of easily once the space for your seminars has been found."

Sentinel smiled at her, he couldn't help it.

"And your dilemma?" he asked gently.

"Mmnph, Mico and I are _both _frustrated with me at the moment," she groaned. "Thirty-six more times the space in my mind and I _still_ can't grasp what she's trying to teach. So much for being an intelligent human, I feel like one of the _dumbest_ bots in _existence._"

Sentinel couldn't help but chuckle, reaching out and laying a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Does it ease the sting to know that _I_ find you to be one of the more intelligent bots I've come across in seven hundred vorn?"

"Which is all well and good," Mikaela snorted softly. "Except compliments, no matter how appreciated they are, don't help me understand what the scrap Mico means by..." she trailed off helplessly. "I can't even _translate it!_"

"Come," Sentinel rumbled with a low laugh, lightly catching her arm. "We two are overdue a venture into the mindspace together."

Mikaela laughed gently and rose, striding beside him in comfortable silence.

"Kae?" Optimus rumbled behind them.

"We're going to see if Sentinel and I thinking together can understand what Mico's going on about," Mikaela smiled over her shoulder at him.

"Room for a third?" he asked with a smile.

"Always," Sentinel snorted, grinning at his former pupil. "You feel you even need to ask young warrior?"

"I would never impose upon a student and her teacher," Optimus rumbled with a smile, leaning down to press a gentle kiss to his Kae's temple.

Sentinel jumped. That hadn't even occurred to him. He looked at the femme with a small smile.

"_May_ I call you my pupil?" he asked gently.

"I would be honoured to name you my teacher," she smiled at him.

And that was just excellent.

"Which also eases your processors somewhat more," Optimus snorted quietly.

Sentinel looked at him and rolled his optics.

"Translation?" Mikaela murmured, lightly nudging her mate.

"It is somewhat less of a tangled three-way if we both call him mentor," Optimus murmured into her auditory receptors. "Which on that note-" he lightly caught her waist and gave her a gentle tug toward their quarters.

"Primus help us if you ever stopped trying to get me into your berth," Mikaela teased her mate gently. "How am I supposed to attend my lessons when you're dragging me to our quarters at every available second?"

"More than a second," Optimus rumbled with a small smirk.

"Mmm, I'll make you a deal," Mikaela purred. Sentinel couldn't help but grin at her as she delicately twined herself around his young friend. "We spend a couple of hours seeing if Sentinel can help me understand Mico, and then spend a few hours seeing how many times you can overload before I can't rouse you from your auto-recharge."

Sentinel had to cover his vocal processors as Optimus' processors clicked out.

"Oh, I still got it," she purred into his auditory receptors.

Another click. His backup processor. Mikaela smirked as she held him from falling.

"I don't know why that's so much fun, but it really, _really _is," she commented cheerfully.

Sentinel couldn't help it, he was laughing as he caught Optimus' other side, and between them carried the young Prime into the Central.

"Really, you blew his _backup_ processor? _Really!?_" Ironhide demanded with a laugh.

"Can you blame me?" Mikaela asked innocently.

Ironhide surveyed the three of them critically for a moment.

"Nope," he snorted, reaching up and lightly tapping Optimus' helm. "Rise and shine youngling, gorgeous femme in your arms and you're just gonna stand around?"

"Not my intent," Optimus snorted, finally syncing his processors.

Sentinel couldn't help but laugh at his young friend, lucky little glitch that he was. He settled down into the collective and smiled at the intertwined sparks beside him.

Then frowned.

It was as though there were three intertwined.

Mikaela's spark rose and split, and Sentinel fell on his face.

Mico herself. In the central, in the mindspace.

"Oh quit that," the voice whispered in amusement. "Pupil of Primus do not prostrate thyself before me."

Sentinel rose, shaking. He couldn't stop staring.

Mico. Was right in front of him. Not simply 'the cube' or 'the All-spark' the very presence of his race creator.

Right in front of him.

"Well, are you going to stand around staring all day, or shall we teach my disciple?" Mico asked in amusement. "Come, once my daughter has been taught, then may I rejoin with my Primus."

Mico reached out and lightly touched his spark.

What followed, left Sentinel's processors reeling.

The information, easy for him to understand. The speed? Surge upon surge of information that he himself would need a few orn to digest.

"Translate for her," Mico commanded gently, her presence receding to a place Sentinel was dying to understand, it was a dimension he did not recognize. Archangel was watching him with wry amusement.

"If you have any idea what that means you _may_ have to beat me with it," she stated with a tone struggling to contain it's laughter.

"One cannot beat another with information, it is not a tangible force." Sentinel informed his pupil patiently. Optimus looked back and forth between the two of them and settled for staying in place.

Laughing at them.

* * *

(JePOV)

Jetfire rolled off of his berth and smirked.

He had a berth. He strode into the corridors and immediately began receiving comms from his fellow seekers, asking questions, asking him to relay questions, and relaying the reports from the various scouts.

The way it had been so many vorn ago. Except now? Now he was on the right side.

He logged the reports, answered the questions and held the relay questions in processor.

The Primes were recharging, he'd ask them later, as yet there was no emergency.

He strode down the corridors of the primary headquarters and glanced around at the sound of rapid footsteps.

One of his favourite humans was sprinting toward him, no doubt hoping for a reprieve from his normal duties in the form of going air-scout duty.

Not that he really had to attend to air-scout duty, but such things were his specialty.

Really, any excuse to get into the skies.

Jetfire laughed and leaned down, offering the human his hand. Chance was already wearing the g-suit constructed by the Prime's senior medic.

The one which allowed him to fly at high speeds with little to no damage to the fragile, fleshy frame.

Excellent.

"Comin' tae keep me company are yeh?" Jetfire asked the human with a grin, waving to his granddaughter as she made her way toward them. She smiled and nodded before her optics dimmed somewhat.

Already she was being commed by someone, the reports of the Nevada-based aerial bots could easily wait. After all, it was the same report.

Nada.

He grinned to himself and strode to the entrance bay, folding around the excitable human.

"Yeh know th' drill," he snorted, feeling the human's body become somewhat rigid as he blasted into the air.

"So what's on the menu today?" Chance asked cheerfully.

"Ach, I though' we'd mosey aroun' South America a wee bit, the weather there's showin' some _lovely_ thermals," Jetfire stated cheerfully.

* * *

(MPOV)

I rose, early in the morning and pressed a gentle kiss to my Optimus' lips.

His optics onlined, and his mouth opened. I shook my head slightly.

~I don't want to wake Sentinel~I sent through our joined sparks ~I _will_ return soon, but I've an early meeting with the i-NERD co-ordinators this morning~

Optimus made something of a face.

~I didn't say you have to come with me~ I told him in amusement ~Go back to your recharge, beloved~ I leaned down and feathered gentle kisses along his neck struts.

Optimus looked up at me for a long moment before nodding.

~You're not going to get out of sync with me again, are you?~ he asked rather plaintively.

~Abso-_fucking_-lutely notI smirked slightly. My Optimus grinned and squirmed down onto the berth a bit more, dropping back into his recharge.

I rose and summoned my armour to my frame, smiling as my Optimus automatically rolled onto his right side, pulling Sentinel into his arms.

The lucky bastard-bot. I rolled my optics in amusement and strode quietly out of our quarters and down the corridor.

"Morning Kae!" Chance bellowed cheerfully, fairly sprinting toward Jetfire as my grandfather laughed and leaned down, offering his hand.

::. Kae?.:: Jolt sent curiously.

::. Jolt?.:: I smiled back at him.

::. Cole's on the phone for you.::

::. Pipe him through?.:: I asked him with a laugh.

::. You got it.:: Jolt snorted. I smiled as the connections went through.

::. Good morning, Cole.:: I sent cheerfully.

::. Kae!.:: the man replied cheerfully ::. What are my chances of catching a ride with you?.::

::. Where are you flying off to?.:: I laughed at him ::. We're supposed to be meeting with the i-NERD aren't we?.::

::. Yeah, I meant land mode.:: Cole snorted.

::. Aww, spoilsport.:: I snorted ::. Here I was going to make a dramatic entrance. Spoiled. I'll be there in a few, you at home?.::

::. Yep, you're the best Kae.:: Cole grinned.

I chuckled and strode toward the entrance bay.

"Kae!" Will called up.

"Will!" I called back.

"I need a Prime decision," he called up.

"On?"

He pointed toward communications central.

I rolled my optics and leaned down, lightly scooping the Colonel into my hand as he jumped into it. New habit.

"Jolt could you call Cole and tell him I'm going to be a few minutes?" I asked tiredly, striding into the communications room.

"On it," Jolt nodded. I turned and looked at a half dozen Directors on the screens.

"Gentlemen, Director Mearing," I stated calmly, looking at the screens. "Unfortunately I'm already swamped at the moment, could I prevail on you to paraphrase?"

"Got you covered," General Moreshower's voice grinned. "Topics in order. One. Weapons technology upgrades."

"Still a no." I stated calmly. "We can yell at each other later. Number two?"

"Sentinel's symposiums," Director Mearing stated calmly.

"Is actually the first thing on my to-do list today, I'm supposed to be on the road to pick Cole up on the way to meeting with the i-NERD crew." I stated calmly.

"Scouting?"

"Jetfire is already in the air with Lieutenant Chance." I stated calmly. "No doubt he will give either Optimus, Sentinel or myself the aerial scout's reports later today."

"Furtherance of the training of our soldiers using our own weaponry?" Director Matteer shot at me.

"Ironhide already has the syllabus in his processors, the final go-ahead is going to be said the second you lot and Optimus can agree on the terms on the training." I stated calmly.

"Brotherhood of Man?"

"No comment," I stated calmly.

"What!?" Director Mearing demanded.

"_That _is a one on one conversation," I stated firmly.

"Oh, gotcha," she nodded calmly. "You busy later?"

I glanced at my schedule.

"I'll be working med-bay shift from sixteen hundred to oh four." I stated calmly. "If you can fit yourself into those twelve hours you are more than welcome, the lot of you." I nodded to the screens.

"That covers it then," the woman stated cheerfully.

"Excellent," I smiled at her. "I'd imagine I'll see you later. Archangel out."

The screens blinked out and I turned to look at the Techs.

They were staring at me.

"What?" I asked curiously.

"What the hell do you need us for?" Will demanded with a laugh.

"Company," I smirked at him. "I can deal with the five minute meetings because we have one of _the_ most comprehensive and skilled group of technicians, aides and allies laying out the groundwork and gathering the information."

I winked at the lot of them and turned.

"I'll be back in a few hours if Optimus and Sentinel haven't woken up by then," I called over my shoulder.

I strode to the entrance bay, stretched and folded into my truck form... well... my version of Optimus' truck form, but it was remarkably comfortable.

First stop was Cole's apartment, I parked and lightly touched my air horn. He was running through the lobby the next moment as I laughed.

"Dunno why you'd fly, this form is just _stylish_!" Cole stated excitedly.

I laughed and pulled into the traffic again, driving across the city. Or trying to at any rate. The traffic was insane, and then we were stopped.

Hemmed in on all sides. Traffic jam.

"_This_ is why I fly everywhere," I grumbled, scanning the area. "Screw it. Cole, put your briefcase in your lap and your feet up on my seat, will you?"

"Wait why?" Cole asked even as he obeyed. "I can just as easily call ahead..."

"I've got a bit of a tight schedule Cole, never thought I'd _ever_ say that, but I do." I grumbled, "Don't worry, I'm not going to squash you."

I carefully transformed into my bi-pedal form and jumped into the air, using my forcefields until I was above the buildings and transforming into my flight mode.

Cole was sitting somewhat shell-shocked as I brought my engines online, flying casually over the buildings. Two minutes and I transformed again, lightly depositing Cole into my hand and landing lightly in the parking lot.

"Far more efficient," I stated mildly. "You good?" I looked at him with a small smile.

He was grinning like a madman.

"Of course you realize that I'd intended to talk to you while you were driving," he stated amicably. "You know, sort out what Sentinel's going to need.

"A large enough space to fit us," I replied with a snort as several of the i-NERD people began walking toward us. "Sentinel is insisting that if he's going to teach he's going to do it in the Cybertronian style." I told him calmly, letting the others hear us.

"How's he gonna do that?" Cole asked with a broad grin.

"Well, I'm going to have to build him a Central," I shrugged, kneeling down and lightly depositing him on the ground.

"We need to build an entirely new building!?" one of the people demanded.

"What? No, don't be ridiculous," I laughed. "I can retrofit any halfways open space with a central and take it down when we're done. Easy."

"Oh... okay..." the man shrugged. "Right... what was I thinking again... Oh! Right, open space, did you want to do an amphitheatre type deal or complete circle?"

"Ooh, that's a good question," I murmured. "Amphitheatre I think, hang on..."

::. Jolt?.:: I sent silently.

::. Kae?.::

::. Do you know if Sentinel is awake or not?.::

::. He just walked in.:: Jolt grinned.

::. Sentinel?.:: I sent over the primary with a smile.

::. Kae?.::

::. Did you want your lecture hall a complete circle or an amphitheatre style?.:: I asked cheerfully.

::. Amphitheatre!.:: Sentinel grinned over the primary.

::. Excellent.:: I smirked. I looked back at the humans. "Yes, definitely amphitheatre."

"That's efficient," Cole snorted.

"Yeah, comm system is awesome," I snorted, I looked politely at the i-NERD committee as they watched us with surprise.

"Okay, so let's go real-estate shopping," the man grinned. "I've got a couple of places in mind... uh..."

I laughed and resumed my truck form, onlining my holoform beside my fender.

"Sorry, once I'm in my root form I start to forget about the hiding bit," I snorted.

A short drive and we pulled up in front of an enormous building.

Immediately, I had a good feeling about it. The man quickly got into the building and opened up a bay door off to the side. I drove in, looked around for a moment and transformed.

Fifty foot roof, excellent. It was a massive space, the human's footsteps echoing into the far corners.

There weren't any seats, that was just fine. I scanned the room for a long moment and grinned.

"This, is perfect." I stated cheerfully.

"Wait, really?" the man asked curiously. "This is the entrance, we were going to set up tables and stuff in here. I was thinking this room..."

He led the way through a second bay door, I looked around for a moment and shook my head somewhat, it was a larger space, but it didn't feel... right.

"I think you'd be better off putting the tables and whatnot in this room, that first room has just the right feel to it." I stated calmly.

The man shot a happy grin at me.

"So did you want to see the other places?" he asked curiously. "I'll admit that I was hoping this building would suit you, the others are a bit smaller..."

"I'll take this room," I smiled through my holoform. "So t-minus three weeks, do I need to sort out renting this room, or do you have the paperwork and whatnot?"

"Oh, well I'll swing by and you can sign it, how's that?" the man grinned at me, he frowned. "Or... when are you not terribly busy?"

"I'll be working the med-bay shift from four this afternoon to four in the morning tomorrow, so anytime then is just fine, don't worry about whomever else may be in to see me, I grant you the welcome to be barging in invitation." I smiled as the man whooped.

"Now, what else is on the dockett?" I asked curiously, kneeling down to look at the humans calmly.

"I need Sentinel's final decision on his class schedule," the man stated calmly.

"Immediately, or can I spend a couple of hours working on it with him and I'll hand it over when you barge in with the paperwork?" I asked with a smile.

"That's perfect," the man snorted. "I think that's about all you need to worry about now, tables in that room, lectures in this one, you're taking care of the decorations in this room?"

"I am," I smiled.

"Cool, so, ladies and gents let's see about the rest of the convention details." the man nodded, looking at his entourage.

"Do we need to worry about keeping space open for you guys to look around the rest of the convention?" a woman asked worriedly.

"How do you mean? Are you scheduling all of us for something or another in the convention?" I asked in amusement.

"No, I mean for you guys to walk around _at_ the convention," the woman stated earnestly.

"No, I'd imagine we'll just use our holoforms to wander around the tables and whatnot," I smiled at her. "It's far easier to see it properly, that way."

"See it properly?"

"Well, when I'm walking around twenty feet above you, it takes a bit of magnification to see everything on the tables. I _have_ the ability to magnify and see what's on the tables, but it's more fun to just walk around as a human again." I laughed gently.

"See you later Kae," Cole told me cheerfully.

"Did you want me to stick around to ferry you about?" I asked him worriedly.

"Nah, that's what cab's are for. I just figured car-pool here would save some time," Cole snorted, he glanced at his watch. "Which is awesome because that traffic would have had us meeting you guys right around _now_."

"Free up an hour or so," the lady laughed.

"I'll see you later then." I smiled at them, ducking through the bay door and straightening in the bright sunshine. I cloaked myself and idly jumped into the air, flying casually back to headquarters.

Nine in the morning. I shrugged and went to sit in the central, onlining my holoform and plunking down between Jacobs and Will in the mess hall.

"Sup?" I asked cheerfully.

"Kae's back!" Jacobs howled, hauling my holoform into an enormous hug.

"What'd I miss?" I demanded with a snort.

"You missed the latest pool," Will stated in a saddened tone.

"Oh crap, on what?" I grinned.

"Jolt and Lena," Jerry stated seriously. I raised an eyebrow at them, sensing Lena walking into the mess hall behind me.

"And what of it?" I asked neutrally.

"When they're gonna announce their wedding plans," Jacobs stated with a shit eating grin, turning to look at her.

Lena snorted and squirmed in beside me.

"_So _much harder to feel intimidated when I've got you lot with me," she smiled as I wound a gentle arm around her waist.

"So what do you think, are you going to do a human level wedding as my Optimus and I did, or are you simply going to bond when the time comes?" I asked her gently.

"Oh, that's a good point," Lena stated, sitting back somewhat and pursing her lips. "I'm gonna have to ask Jolt."

"Where is he, anyway?" Jerry asked curiously. "This is like, first time I've seen one without the other."

"He's hiding from Ratchet," Lena snorted.

"Oh right, spring overhauls," I snorted, rising. "Which means I need to track down both sets of twins, call my brothers in, get Chromia and Arcee to put Ironhide and Ratchet down for the count and blow Optimus and Sentinel's minds."

"Busy day today," Jacobs grinned at me.

"So it would seem," I laughed, stealing a sausage from his plate before waving at the soldiers, whacking at shoulders and giving Lena a hug, I held onto her for a second. "If you need anything, I'm probably in the med-bay, just ask one of the bots." I smiled.

She beamed at me and tucked into her own breakfast.

I stretched somewhat and searched along the frequencies.

::. Jolt.:: I sent gently.

::. I don't want to use up Ratchet's time for a full overhaul.:: Jolt sent back immediately.

::. Translation. You don't _ever_ want to submit to something even _close_ to slagging.:: I replied calmly ::. Ratchet and I already discussed it, Jolt, it's your choice, however I _do_ want to see to your lubricants and conversion matrix.::

"Oh, okay," Jolt stated behind me.

I turned to smile at the technician.

::. Although I thought you'd want to be your best for your Lena's onlining.:: I added teasingly. ::. I'm not going to slag you, but I _do_ think you could potentially handle me working on you in holoform mode. Get you aligned and dancing about again...::

Jolt stared at me.

::. I. Did not even _think _of that...:: he stated musingly.

I gave him a gentle, teasing shove.

"Come on, you seriously thought we'd slag you?" I snorted.

Jolt shot me a guilty look.

I laughed and wound a gentle arm across his shoulders.

"Come on, I'll see to your lubricants and conversion matrix, and you can ponder how much of a re-alignment you feel comfortable with," I smiled gently.

Jolt immediately perked up and strode beside me into the med bay. It took me all of ten minutes to tweak his conversion matrix, and another five to change his lubricants.

That alone had him looking far more comfortable.

"Now then, do you have _anything_ you want me to adjust or fix or _anything?_" I asked with a low laugh. "And you don't get to use the 'don't want to take up your time' line, I'm completely free and bored."

"Well..." Jolt hummed thoughtfully. "Could you take my legs and carry me to communications? I'm on duty in twenty..."

"Are you sure?" I asked gently.

"Y... yeah, I think I am..." Jolt nodded, leaning back on the berth.

I onlined an extra processor and gently began disconnecting his legs, watching him for any upset.

I carefully closed his systems back up and set his legs aside.

"Communications?" I asked gently.

"Please?" Jolt asked softly.

I nodded and gently picked him up.

"Alright then, Jolt, bear in processor if you feel _any_ kind of stress for not having your legs while you're in communications I don't care if we're suddenly in the middle of a nuclear _war_, I _want_ you to call me and I'll come get you," I told him firmly.

Jolt grinned and relaxed in my arms.

"Just because you said that, you know it's gonna be one pit of a trick to get stressed out _now," _he stated cheerfully.

I laughed softly and stepped through the doors to Communications central.

"Jolt!?" Lena called out in a worried tone.

"Kae's working on my legs, I hate watching that stuff," Jolt snorted as I gently settled him down onto his bench. I made sure he was well balanced and comfortable.

"Quit fussing," Jolt snorted, then covered his vocal processors.

"It's nice to have you back Jolt," I murmured with a small smile. "You remember to call me-"

"If I get stressed out," Jolt nodded cheerfully. "Got it."

I laughed at him gently and patted his shoulder, striding back to the med-bay. In moments I was scanning his legs and shaking my head.

_Shoddy_ re-build.

In minutes I was already taking the first apart, my holoform and my hands working in concert as I patiently rebuilt his legs, realigning them, welding the occasional tear and flashing energon through the metals to integrate the repairs properly.

Two hours, one for each leg.

I scanned the servos again and nodded to myself, delicately picking them up and walking back to communications. I stood in the doorway for a moment, nothing critical happening.

"Jolt," I murmured calmly. He turned to look at me and stared at his legs in my arms. "Ready to have your legs back?" I asked cheerfully.

"You're already _done!?_" he demanded incredulously.

"They weren't blown up," I shrugged. "Maintenance takes less time than a full rebuild." I knelt down in front of him and gently began reconnecting his legs as he stared at me in shock.

That was done in minutes, I ran a gentle surge of energon through his neurals, re-introducing his legs to his systems.

"Right then," I stated calmly, delicately catching his hands. "Give them a try."

Jolt stood and staggered for a second, re-adjusting his balances.

Then, then he took a few steps.

The shock in his optics was priceless.

Then, then the best grin I had ever seen on his faceplates.

"Now _that_ feels awesome!" he practically sang, taking a few more steps then breaking out into a little jig. He transformed into his vehicle mode and back again.

"_Niiice!_" he laughed.

"Good," I chuckled. "Bring me your arms when you're off duty?"

Jolt nodded cheerfully and plunked back down onto his bench again.

"I can do that," he stated gleefully, bouncing his legs about a bit.

"Take it easy," I laughed at him, lightly laying my hands on his knees. "Give your body some time to re-integrate properly!"

"Yes Ma'am!" Jolt grinned, I turned and walked toward the doors.

"And quit calling me ma'am," I added over my shoulder.

"Alright Kae," Jolt snorted.


	163. 160 Spring in the Air

**Chapter 160 – Spring in the Air**

* * *

(MPOV)

I smiled and walked back to the med-bay. One bot down, seventeen to go.

Ratchet was already at his workbench, looking grumpy.

"What?" I asked with a laugh.

"Servo work," he grumbled.

"You hate servo work," I nodded calmly. "You take care of the lubricants and conversion matrixes, and whatever else you feel like, I'll do the servos?"

"It's nice to have a nurse again," Ratchet murmured musingly.

::. Arcee?.:: I sent over the femme's channel.

::. Kae?.::

::. You wanna come blow Ratchet's processors so I can run his maintenance?.:: I asked cheerfully.

::. On my way.:: my sister laughed.

"Jolt managed to hide just long enough that he's on duty," Ratchet added grumpily.

"That's alright, I've already finished re-aligning his legs," I giggled. "Turns out if you sweet talk him enough, he lets you take his servos, so long as he doesn't have to watch you fixing them he's good."

Ratchet stared at me and burst out laughing.

"Well then, favourite assistant," he grinned. "What's next on the menu?"

"Ratchet!" Arcee called out sweetly. Ratchet turned automatically. I looked over and snorted. Naked Arcee. "Sleep sweet prince," Arcee purred, shooting him her patented circuit blowing gaze.

"Oh," Ratchet stated musingly, just as his processors clicked out.

I idly caught him from falling and laid him out on the berth.

My Optimus strode past, humming softly to himself and idly settling his armour in place. He glanced into the med-bay and turned, smirking at Ratchet's semi-conscious form and Arcee as she stood, proudly smirking at me.

I laughed at the both of them and calmly began running Ratchet's maintenance, not that there was much to do on my spark-father, but there were a couple of overtaxed circuits here and there. It was an easy fix, especially with him laying so cheerfully down for the count.

My Optimus gently wound his arms around my waist, pressing a gentle kiss to my neck struts as I worked.

"Thank you," he rumbled gently.

"For?" I asked in amusement.

"For loving us," he murmured, nuzzling at my neck for a moment.

I reached up and gently stroked his cheek with my fingertips before continuing with my work.

"And what am I to say to that?" I asked gently.

"Mmm... 'just for that I'll let you leave the med-bay and return for your maintenance later?'" he rumbled curiously.

I began laughing softly, even as I gently closed Ratchet's systems up and lightly tapped on his helm.

"I'll make you a deal, you get Ironhide in here and I'll do your maintenance tonight, while you're dozing in your automatic recharge," I murmured with a smirk.

"Done!" my Optimus rumbled with a broad grin, straightening and striding toward the doors. Sentinel strode in, the two of them touching hands for a second as they passed each other. He sat down beside me, even as Ratchet rolled to his feet, shooting me a wry glare. Of course that most certainly didn't stop me from giving him an urbanely cheerful grin, just as he went after his femme.

Arcee was laughing gleefully, high-tailing it out of the med-bay with a horny Ratchet chasing after her.

Sentinel snorted softly beside me. I turned to look at him calmly, recognizing the pensive hum of his spark, so much like my Optimus'.

"Penny for your process?" I asked him with a smile.

* * *

(SePOV)

Sentinel smiled at his young friend, the grin on Optimus' face was infectious as he wandered out toward the central.

He had the step of a bot on a well-received mission. They touched hands for a moment, recognition of each other without the necessity of words.

Sentinel sat beside his new pupil, watching with amusement as Ratchet shot a wry, amused glare at Kae before chasing after Arcee.

It didn't take a genius to know what had happened.

Especially with the way Ratchet was chasing after Arcee. Their newly bonded status had to be the worst kept secret in base, they weren't even _trying!_

"Penny for your process?" Kae asked him gently.

Sentinel hummed pensively, gathering his thoughts. Kae waited for him, the dear, patient femme.

"I do not know how best to begin," Sentinel began pensively.

"From the beginning?" Kae murmured teasingly.

Sentinel snorted.

"What are the methods of the teachers on this planet?" he rumbled curiously. Kae pursed her lips somewhat then smirked.

"You know," she chuckled. "I only ever managed to stay for a quarter of my first class in advanced learning."

Sentinel stared at the femme with a frown.

"Optimus did not allow-" he rumbled indignantly.

"No, Mico didn't really allow me to remain in university," Mikaela chuckled. "I don't really mind, the courses I was to take have already become redundant by your presence alone."

That made him feel somewhat better.

"So what did you observe of your first teacher?" Sentinel asked curiously.

Mikaela snorted, glanced at him and burst out laughing.

"Here," she gasped, sending him her memory. Sentinel viewed it curiously, feeling first amusement, then indignation that that creature was a _teacher._

Mind...

"Optimus has informed me that you are remarkably talented when it comes to turning out a statement," Sentinel stated cheerfully.

"When it comes to making speeches? I will admit some talent in that area, yes," Mikaela murmured humbly. She shot a cheerful glance at him. "Mind, I do not believe you will need much in the way of assistance."

Sentinel snorted.

"Regardless will you go over my syllabi with me?" he rumbled curiously.

"I was rather hoping you would say that, the humans wish an outline so that the schedules for your classes can be nailed down," Kae stated with a smile. "A moment..." she looked into the distance, comming someone.

She smiled slightly and looked at him.

"If you don't mind me multi-tasking?" she added cheerfully.

Sentinel chuckled and leaned back, watching as Optimus strode patiently back into the med-bay, leading a wary looking Ironhide.

"What am I supposed to see?" Ironhide growled, he sounded like he had asked that question multiple times.

"Me!" Chromia called out cheerfully behind him.

Ironhide turned, an automatic function to see Chromia beaming at him, stark naked and climbing up her intended's chest the next moment.

"Sleep my vengeful angel," Chromia purred, right into Ironhide's audio receptors.

Ironhide grinned at her, his processors clicking out as Optimus lightly caught his old weapons master, laying him on the berth for his mate.

"Thank you, my love," Mikaela smiled up at him, reaching up somewhat for a kiss.

She dug her fingers into his armour for a moment.

"You promised," Optimus rumbled into her receptors.

"Mm, I did," Mikaela murmured. "But does a promise that I won't pop your processors 'till later preclude me from _touching_ you now?"

Sentinel grinned as Optimus pulled back somewhat, casting a mockingly reproving glare at his mate.

Completely nullified by the smug satisfaction humming from his spark.

"I _will _see you later," Mikaela informed her bot in a sultry, commanding tone.

Optimus grinned, the expression of an infatuated mech as he strode back out of the med-bay again. Sentinel had absolutely no doubt that that expression would remain plastered there for some time. Mikaela turned and began tweaking and repairing the Weapons Master's systems as Chromia lounged against his side.

"Now then," Kae stated cheerfully, removing one of Ironhide's legs. Sentinel glanced at it and noted several struts showing a great deal of fatigue. "You have absolutely no problem catering to the dramatic, what are you worried about?" She rose and picked out several parts, returning and settling beside him again.

Sentinel couldn't hold back a chuckle, lounging beside the femme as she worked.

"Will you be there with me?" he asked instead.

"Of course I am!" she grinned. "Not only to monitor the humans' stress levels in the mindspace either, I wanna hear your lectures," she grinned up at him.

Sentinel couldn't help but laugh.

"You have Mico's knowledge already," he informed the femme mildly.

"But I have thirty six times the memory space that I did as a human, I can _actually_ comprehend mathematics now, for once I'll actually _enjoy _being in school," Mikaela chuckled. "You think I'm going to pass up the chance to be one of the number attending the symposium hosted by the Great Sentinel Prime?"

Sentinel laughed, giving the femme a light, teasing shove.

"Brat," he told her with a snort.

Chromia was giggling the next second, she caught his optics and burst out laughing, draped over her bot's chest.

"What?" Ironhide mumbled groggily.

"Sentinel just called Kae a brat," Chromia gasped before she was laughing again.

Ironhide was snorting back a hearty guffaw the next moment.

"You know you didn't have to knock me out, I _knew_ Kae was gonna take my leg," Ironhide rumbled comfortably, winding Chromia a bit more tightly against his chest.

"But it's so much _fun_," Chromia giggled, pecking a kiss to his jaw.

Ironhide hummed and stretched.

"For you maybe," he grumbled contentedly.

"Have a nice nap uncle?" Kae asked innocently. "Leg going back on by the way."

"An excellent nap, I dreamt Chromia was su-" Ironhide started cheerfully.

"_Hide!"_ Chromia protested immediately, Ironhide just grinned at her, the two of them reading each other's optics. "Later," she smirked.

"Do Chrome next so it can turn into sooner," Ironhide commanded his niece with a broad grin. Mikaela laughed and held her arms out for Chromia.

"Anything glitching?" Kae asked with a smile, delicately depositing Chromia on another berth and sitting beside her.

"Yeah, lateral stabilizer is starting to act up," Chromia shrugged, laying on her side and presenting the part. Mikaela scanned it idly and nodded.

"Yep, that's the problem with wheeling about at high speed, it's getting quite worn," Kae murmured, delicately touching the part and observing as the nanites regenerated the metals around it. "I'm going to have to build you a new one Chrome, but I think that should hold you for now, take it easy?"

"Gotcha," Chromia snorted. She looked over. "Hide! Come!"

Ironhide rose, and Sentinel shot him an incredulous look.

"Come off it, are _you _going to disobey an order to go interface a gorgeous femme?" Ironhide snorted gleefully, striding after Chromia.

"Don't take it to spark," Mikaela murmured with a low laugh, lightly touching his shoulder. "It's a running joke between the two of them."

"Ah," Sentinel nodded musingly. "So on the battlefield?"

"They're both still forces to be reckoned with, and Chromia instantly snaps to attention if 'Hide gives her an order. They were doing _that_ routine _long_ before you arrived," Kae chuckled.

Sentinel grinned, leaning back on the bench he'd claimed and smiling as she sat down beside him. Her optics dimmed as she commed someone, then brightened as she looked at him again.

"Now then, what are you worrying over?" she asked gently.

Sentinel frowned somewhat, and sent her his sylabi, she scanned it for a long moment.

Then smiled.

"That looks absolutely perfect," she informed him gently.

"But the..." he started.

"Mindspace?" she asked with a smile. "I told you Sentinel, that's _my _job, all _you_ need to worry about is teaching us little brats – _hey_!"

Sentinel couldn't help but laugh as Mikaela squeaked indignantly, as a teacher, it was entirely his right to chastise smart-afted pupils: and a gentle cuff upside the helm was nothing.

* * *

(MPOV)

Director Mearing showed up at midnight, Wheeljack was admiring the repair I'd accomplished on his hands, striding toward the doors.

"'Jack!" I called out quickly, he froze, looking at me.

"Mind the humans," I told him with a tolerant smile, he looked down and noted Mearing standing where his next step would have been.

"Oops! Sorry, proximity sensors back online," the bot stated immediately, stepping around the human.

"Director," I smiled at the woman. "You seem to be missing an entourage this... morning."

Mearing shrugged, striding toward me again.

"My aid outdid herself today," she stated patiently. "She's in bed."

I nodded and offered the woman my hand, which she took rather hesitantly, allowing me to lift her to my workbench.

"You have chairs on your desk?" she asked with a frown.

"I tend to prefer sitting when discussing things," I shrugged, calmly continuing to work on my final project of the day. "It would be incredibly rude for me to not allow others the option, they don't take up that much space."

"Mmn. Right, well, the Brotherhood is getting quite strong, Archangel," Director Mearing began with a frown, settling herself into one of the chairs.

"So I have noticed, do you feel they will cause any trouble with the symposiums?"

"There's been chatter to that effect."

"Oh. Great." I groaned, reaching up and rubbing my forehead, I could feel a processor ache beginning to grow in my emotional centres.

"I need to know your stance on it," Mearing added calmly, looking at me with a frown. "Is there something wrong with your head?"

"Ugh, I honestly thought when I became a bot that I'd be leaving headache's behind me." I snorted irritably. "As it turns out, my head is now simply far bigger, and I can pinpoint which processors are aching."

"You _still_ get headaches?" the woman demanded incredulously.

"Rather large ones," I nodded.

The Director made a face and nodded.

"Do you need my personal stance, or the Auto-bot one?"

"I need _your_ stance, Archangel," Mearing stated flatly. I frowned and leaned back somewhat.

"Personally, I think they're a bunch of bigoted idiots, they're after my blood because I was a human, and fell in love with my Optimus. In this day and age we're supposed to have the right to love whomever we wish. If what I'm told is true, the main thing that they have against me, is that I chose to follow the path that gave me true happiness."

"You tried to kill yourself four months ago," Mearing stated flatly.

I looked down at her calmly for a long moment, and onlined my holoform.

"Please," I stated gently, settling my holoform into one of the chairs. "Sit."

Mearing looked at my holoform incredulously. I smiled at her.

"This is how I grew up, Director," I stated gently, indicating my form. "This is who I was, who I still _am._ It's not simply the CIA Red baby that sees your desire to question me, it's the woman as well."

Mearing sat down and stared at me.

"You're so _young!_" she stated incredulously. I laughed softly.

_"__Everybody_ says that," I chuckled. "Bearing in processor... mind... that I was just shy of twenty when I changed, and now I'm two annum sorry... _years_ old in a body that will last for centuries supposing that I'm not killed before then. My Optimus is _millennia_ older than I am. But by their reckoning, he's about Colonel Lennox's age. Age is simply a number, Director."

Director Mearing shook her head incredulously.

"You're damn near eternal now, why would you want to kill yourself?" she demanded in a stunned tone. I looked at her for a long moment.

"May I show you something?" I asked gently, making my holoform rise and walk toward my body.

"I suppose..."

I nodded and leaned forward, opening my chest plates and baring my chamber to her.

"This is my spark-chamber, Director Mearing," I stated gently. "For a Cybertronian, we don't have a heart, not in the sense of humans, the closest parallel is a lubricant pump, and I have a few of them. But the _soul_... as a human I often speculated that my training, my acts in life stripped my soul from me. You've read my files, you know who I was. But _this _is my _soul,_ Director, a tangible, touchable thing that I can scan, I can tell you precisely what my soul requires to continue to burn, to survive. It's what animates my body, it's the centre of my emotion, my thoughts, the extra processors are simply that, processors that I use to increase my intellect. My body is just that, my body, the housing of my spark that allows me to be autonomous."

I reached with my holoform's hand and lightly took hers.

"May I show you?" I asked gently.

"Show me what?" Mearing asked curiously.

"Why I would kill myself," I stated softly.

Mearing nodded, and I gently guided her hand toward my spark.

"You're not going to electrocute me?" she asked warily, I gently released her hand, allowing her to move of her own accord.

"No, and I promise you, I will show you no more than your mind can process," I informed her gently.

Mearing nodded and lightly reached out again.

I reached with my spark and wound a small tendril around her hand.

...

We watched as Charlotte Mearing opened her eyes in the mindspace.

"Welcome to the mindspace, Director," my Optimus rumbled gently.

"When did _you_ get here!?" Mearing demanded incredulously.

"He is _always _here," I laughed gently. "Director Mearing our Sparks are _bound_, he is my husband, my _mate_, when humans call their spouse their other half, it is a figure of speech. For us, it is a _literal_ binding, half of my spark remains with him."

"When two are bound, often we cannot be more than a few of your miles apart at first," my Optimus rumbled gently. "Physical separation is an incredibly difficult thing at times, and it is tempered only by the knowledge that no matter the distance, we are _always_ together."

"In life and death," I added softly. "Director Mearing-"

"Charlotte," Mearing stated softly. "At this point, you should probably just call me Charlotte."

I smiled at her.

"Charlotte, I didn't fall in love with a truck, it had nothing to do with the adoration of a mechanic for a robot, I fell in love with an open, honest and gentle soul that saw my shortcomings and looked past them. He was torn away from me, Charlotte, we needed to lure the Decepticons out, but necessity didn't make it hurt any less."

"To lure the Decepticons, they needed to believe me dead, we were given no other option," my Optimus rumbled gently. "My Kae and I could not risk communications, the frequencies were being watched."

"But as a result I could not tell if my Optimus was alive and blocking his signal, or dead and reaching for me from the well," I murmured gently.

"The well?"

"The Well of All-sparks," Optimus rumbled gently. "The dimension that your cultures would refer to as the afterlife. The place our sparks return to when we offline."

"There's no such thing as an afterlife," Director Mearing frowned.

"I beg to differ," Optimus rumbled with a low laugh. "I have _been there_, Director, when my first mate passed..."

Charlotte Mearing watched in awe as the incredibly masculine soul began to resonate with a different sound, one that sounded vaguely like... pain.

That is, until the feminine one pulled him somewhat closer.

"I will wait for you," Archangel's voice whispered. The sound lessened and Optimus' presence straightened.

"I stayed for approximately one of your weeks, my spark stretched between my body and the Well, begging Elita to allow me to follow her," Optimus rumbled softly. "She denied me that right, and the half of my spark that had remained with her returned to me, just as hers left."

We spent a couple of hours, conversing with the Director, feeling her awe at the witness of our true presences. When we finally separated, the woman looked absolutely exhausted.

"How did you arrive, Director?" Optimus rumbled gently, his body striding into the med-bay, and his holoform winking online beside mine to gently take the woman's elbow.

"Drove," she murmured.

"Come, I will take you home, and one of the soldiers will bring your vehicle to you in the morning if you do not wish to remain in the guest quarters this evening."

I smiled at the look of stunned gratitude on the woman's face as my Optimus offered her his hand.

* * *

(LPOV)

Lena woke up at three in the morning. She was curled against her Jolt's spark-chamber, her bot down for the count. She took a deep breath and nodded to herself. It was three in the morning, Kae would be awake still... if nothing else, she could ask the human-turned-bot femme how the hell she knew Lena desperately needed to talk to her.

One on one.

Lena nodded to herself again and glanced at her pyjamas.

Kae wouldn't care what she was wearing.

Lena gently climbed from her Jolt's chest and smiled when he half onlined an optic to look at her curiously.

He had such gentle optics.

"I just need to go talk to Kae," Lena murmured gently. "I'll be back soon."

"I'm not going anywhere," Jolt murmured with a drowsy smile, gently stroking her back.

That had become their habit since Chicago... she didn't even like thinking about what had happened. The day they'd returned to base, and she'd gone to the bathroom, she'd come back to a panicking Jolt.

Now. Now even when she was going to be gone for two minutes, anytime they were apart, they told each other precisely what they were doing.

When she had been younger, she would have resented it.

Now. She was grateful every time her Jolt earnestly murmured that he would be right back.

Because to be honest, when she'd looked around and found him gone, even when he'd told her he'd be right back she'd still be riddled with anxiety. It was still kind of weird that she didn't resent the loss of privacy though... somehow she didn't really notice it gone.

Lena walked out of their quarters and toward the med-bay, just in time to watch Optimus gently set Director Mearing down and transform.

It was kind of weird that she then climbed up into his cab, Optimus didn't usually drive people around. The nice way to put it was that he was so large it was damned hard to find him a place to park. That Kae drove around with people was less weird, she went stretch-hummer-limo when she needed to.

But somehow the Primes just seemed too... _noble_ to be somebody's personal vehicle.

Lena shook herself somewhat and tentatively poked her head into the med-bay.

Kae was there, sitting patiently and looking right back at her.

"You're right on time Lena," she murmured with a small smile.

"Where's Optimus going with Director Mearing?" Lena asked curiously, walking into the med-bay and sitting on the hand Kae offered.

"Director Mearing joined us in the mindspace," Kae murmured with a low laugh. "She was rather exhausted when we finished speaking there, so my Optimus is taking her home rather than her having to drive."

"He's bloody obstinate sometimes, but you sure as hell can't fault him on courtesy," Lena snorted.

"And then people wonder why I fell in love with him," Kae chuckled in return, gently settling her onto the workbench beside the chairs.

"It's never going to cease to amuse me that you have a lazyboy on your workbench," Lena giggled, plopping down into it as Kae's holoform settled into it's partner. "Now the first question, is how the heck you knew I needed to talk to you."

"When I made the transformation," Kae murmured gently. "I had Mico to guide me, to tell me how and why. Some of our most animated conversations were in my dreams, yes, but they were conversations I sorely needed, and I have no doubt of the same for you."

Lena nodded musingly.

"Is it gonna hurt?" she asked shyly.

Kae smiled at her somewhat.

"I'm not going to lie to you, Lena, yes it does hurt. When my body was being converted into energon it was cold, I felt as though I were frozen in ice. Everything ached as though I'd been battered. But when I was cast, at first I only registered a dim burning, all I could focus on was the sudden warmth and bizarre feeling that I no longer had flesh, that I was made purely of energy. I only felt the burning of the casting for a few moments, and those few moments were because I chose to, my body was registering that I was cast, and that an energon surge would quickly cool my frame. I chose to continue to remain hot, because it tempered my frame. I'm stronger as a result."

That was a relief. Lena sat back and nodded calmly. She'd been beaten that night... had damn near died, it had been sheer force of will that had dragged her from the bushes to the freeway. She'd laid on the road for an hour before someone had stopped.

Pain was not alien to her. She could withstand it.

"What's it like?" Lena asked softly. That was her biggest fear, that she wouldn't be able to cope with the size difference, that her mind would reject it's loss of flesh.

"It's strange sometimes," Kae laughed softly, her true form raised a hand and looked at it. "My Optimus frequently laughs that I look at my hands and start that I'm no longer fleshy. But then most of the time when I do that he's there to distract me from the fact that I'm now far bigger than I was. The sensation is the same, Lena, the feeling of his hands feels the same as a human lover. With the strength of these metals, his frame feels almost soft beneath my hands. The only difference is the shape of his body compared to a human male's."

"They look _better_ that way," Lena smirked to herself. Kae grinned at her.

"Fair warning however, once you're a bot Arcee, Chromia and Flareup fully intend on taking you under their wing. Arcee is adamant that any femme that crosses her path be trained properly."

"Trained how?" Lena asked warily.

"How best to cope with size difference between our bots, where they're most sensitive, how your own body functions and of course the look," Kae chuckled softly. "She is incredibly proud of the processor popping gaze."

Lena couldn't help but make something of a face, she wasn't entirely fond of the idea of popping her Jolt's processors and leaving him to fall.

"Have you _ever_ seen me allow my Optimus to fall?" Mikaela chuckled the next second.

That was true. Memories crossed and Lena sagged into herself.

When Kae had been cast, there had been a time when Optimus was giving all appearance of having rejected her. She wasn't certain she could _handle_ Jolt rejecting her...

"What's wrong?" Kae asked softly, her holoform rose and reached out, gently wrapping Lena in a hug.

"What if... what if he doesn't like me anymore?" Lena asked softly.

"He's going to adore you just as much as he does now, Lena, my Optimus never _once_ stopped loving me."

"But..."

"I outranked him, Lena, he got it into his processors that I wouldn't _want_ him, so he backed away to give me my space, my privacy. If Jolt does the same Optimus already has it set in his processors that he's going to drag him into the med-bay and make you both declare your intentions again."

"I will not have the same spark-ache I experienced and inflicted upon my Kae occur again simply because I was too much of a glitch to have simply said it aloud." Optimus' voice rumbled gently. Lena jumped in surprise and turned to look at him. "My apologies for startling you," he rumbled with a small smile. "However my beloved mate speaks the truth. Lena, your sparks have chosen each other, just as ours did. With that knowledge, we are better capable of not making the same mistakes, and guiding others away from those mistakes. Had I not been such a glitch, my Kae would never have had to suffer such humi-"

"It is in the past, my beloved," Kae interrupted him with a small smile. "We sorted it out, eventually."

Optimus smiled somewhat, settling down beside Kae and winding his arms around her waist, lightly pressing his face into her neck.

"You are too tolerant of my mistakes," he rumbled softly.

"What's it like being bound?" Lena asked softly, already, she could feel the anxiety of being separate from her Jolt beginning to creep up on her again.

"No matter the distance," Optimus rumbled softly. "She is always with me, her patience my own, her instincts the protection against the flaws of my training."

"He is the half of me that was missing, the one filling the void that had ached so long I'd never noticed." Kae murmured in counterpart. She looked at Lena for a long moment and reached with her holoform. "May I show you?" she asked softly.

Immediately, Lena was on edge, the only spark she'd touched was Jolt's...

But then, as though he'd sensed her thoughts, Jolt strode into the med-bay, his optics holding her own in seconds.

"Only if you want to, Lena," he murmured, smiling at her.

"And he'll be right beside you, if you wish it," Optimus added gently.

Lena nodded and allowed Kae's holoform to gently guide her into her hand. It was a surprise then, when the three bots all made their way to the Prime's quarters.

"It's..." Jolt started hesitantly. Optimus laid a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry Lena, it's easier for me to do this when..."

"When we have some privacy," Lena murmured with a smile. Her Jolt was an incredibly private bot a lot of the time. Which was fine. With the exception of having practically attached herself to Jolt, she was an incredibly private human.

The second they reached the Prime quarters, Optimus was shrugged out of his armour and sitting comfortably on the berth.

"Showoff," Kae murmured above her. Lena looked up to see Kae looking at her mate with loving amusement. Optimus just shot an innocent look at his mate. The next surprise, was when Mikaela gently set Lena down on her mate's chest, shrugging out of her own armour the next moment. "Sorry," she murmured in amusement, evidently noting Lena's shock. "I detest recharging in my armour."

That made more sense. Lena smiled as her Jolt squirmed onto the berth, shooting a wry smile at Optimus as the bot tucked him under an arm.

"Comfortable?" Lena teased her bot gently as Jolt automatically cuddled against Optimus' side, the Prime's shoulder shifting ever so slightly to pillow the smaller's helm.

"Bizarrely so," Jolt snorted. "I always thought his frame would be harder."

Beneath her hands, Optimus' spark-chamber opened.

A bi-coloured spark reached for her, which surprised her somewhat.

"People don't often see that," Jolt murmured, Lena glanced around and noted with surprise that Jolt had extended a cable into a coupling in Optimus' side. "The dual tones, I mean, more often than not the sparks integrate absolutely until it's a blending of the two tones."

Hesitantly, Lena reached out and touched the spark-tendril offering itself to her and closed her eyes.

...

Surrounded by the light, we watched as Lena opened her eyes, we felt the start the humans often experienced when surrounded by entirely different surroundings when one hadn't moved. Less so, she had on occasion entered into Jolt's mindspace, after all.

Kae smiled at her Optimus' amusement and pressed herself somewhat more tightly against him, making him hum with the pleasure inherent to the closeness.

Jolt reached out and lightly caught his Lena's hands, his familiar presence somewhat overriding the stunning amount of information intrinsic of being in another's mindspace.

~So this...~ Lena thought in awe.

~Is the combined mindspace of myself and my Kae~ Optimus murmured gently. ~We two have a mindspace separate from each other, but often I remain within our combined mind, our joined thoughts making what decisions need be made far easier to comprehend~

Lena cuddled herself against Jolt, looking at the bound Prime sparks in awe. So close, she could feel their adoration for each other, their love for those who surrounded them. As though they could sense her curiosity – which they _could_ she reminded herself; to their amusement – The Prime sparks allowed her to feel their separate impressions of their bond.

It was an eternally new sensation for Kae, the feeling of having another so intrinsically close, more often than not she would rouse, sense his presence so deeply close to her own and be astonished by it. Optimus always enjoyed her astonishment, it was not a new sensation for him, he had grown knowing that someday he would have a bonded mate, it was a cultural commonality. Rather, every moment that he remained conscious was filled with spark-deep love, a love that he was conscious of, that he was determined to never once take for granted, despite his mate's amusement and gentle attestation that her love was the one thing that he _could_ take for granted.

But it was a love that left no doubt, there was absolutely no uncertainty between the two.

Because above all else, they were together, they would remain together eternally and through that time, _bypassing _time, come pitfire or ice-tempest each would always know the other absolutely.

But to understand their togetherness, was to feel her own loneliness.

Until her Jolt gently touched her hand.

It was entirely her own selfishness that made her want to change, despite her Jolt's attestation that she was unselfish.

~The point stands~ Lena murmured to her Jolt.

~How?~ he asked in amusement.

~I am not selfless enough to share you~

~Good~

~Good?~

~Because I very much doubt my ability to share you either~ her Jolt murmured with a small smile, shyly reaching out and taking her hands.

Fond amusement surrounded them as Optimus and Kae pressed somewhat more tightly together.

~Young love~ Optimus' voice murmured gently.

~Would you have it any other way?~ Kae asked her mate in amusement.

~Only when I am so old as to not keep up with you~ Optimus snorted.

~Decrepit~

~Hatchling~

Lena cuddled all the more against her Jolt as the two techs laughed at the bonded Primes.


	164. 161 Lecture Hall

**Chapter 161 – Lecture Hall**

* * *

(MPOV)

I woke up. My chronometer stated that I didn't need to _be _online for another hour, but I was awake. And I had stuff to do.

::. Optimus.:: I whispered.

"Mmn?" my bot muttered.

I couldn't help but smile.

"I need to borrow your trailer," I whispered.

"You _made_ the damn thing," Optimus muttered with a snort. "It is _ours_ my spark."

I laughed softly.

"Good recharge my spark, I will see you in twenty eight point nine breem."

"Point nine?" my Optimus snorted softly.

"I'm counting the seconds until I see you again," I murmured into his audio receptors. Optimus smiled somewhat, I rose and summoned my armour.

"Point eight," he stated quietly. I turned to look at him, he'd rolled to lay on his back, his optics dimly online to look at me. "I will see you first," he rumbled with a small smile.

I couldn't resist striding over and pressing a gentle kiss to that smile.

"Point nine," I murmured, smiling before I strode to the corridor.

::. Point eight.:: my Optimus rumbled over our private comm. I waited another minute and smirked.

::. Point eight.:: I sent with that smirk.

::. Point seven.::

::. Go back to your recharge my spark.:: I laughed softly.

::. Mm, point. Seven.::

I rolled my optics and idly pulled the trailer into the med-bay, loading up the holoformatic generators I'd built the night before. Seedling neurals went into my subspace and I shrugged into my Peterbilt alt-mode, connecting to the trailer and hitting the road.

I lightly touched my air-horn in recognition to the soldiers opening the doors for me and enjoyed the morning as I drove to Sentinel's soon-to-be lecture hall.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus strode into the central and couldn't hold back the snort of laughter.

The majority of the unit were leaning interestedly toward the centre, obviously deep in debating conversation. He waved an idle servo for them to remain seated, taking his usual place.

"Please," he rumbled in the silence. "Continue."

"Right, I _still_ give nine to one odds Soundwave would _whip_ Shockwave." Brains rasped out immediately.

"Insecticon scrap," Ironhide snorted.

"Righ' it's more _two_ tae one odds," Jetfire snorted. "Shockwave'd 'ave tae be fighting agin' a _crippled_ Soundwave!"

"How theh scrap do yeh figger tha?" Jazz snorted.

"Yer given _me_ three tae one agin' Shockwave righ'?"

"Yeh," Jazz nodded.

"Soundwave could scrap me sorry aft wi' one servo torn off."

"Ah don't buhlieve yah."

"Believe you me, youngling, I do _nae_ want tae tango wi' Soundwave. Used tae spar with me 'e did-"

"But that was Soundwave one!" Prowl interjected with a snort. "He's not a telepath anymore."

"It's th' same Soundwave." Jetfire stated sternly.

"They _scrapped_ the original Soundwave!"

"'Is signature's th' same."

"Of course his signature's the same!" Ironhide snorted. "He's Soundw-"

"_Nae!"_ Jetfire stated flatly. "'Is _spark_ signature's the _same_, _Nae _tae sparks gie' th' same signature, 'e's the _same_ Soundwave what allowed me tae _win_ so's I weren't _slagged!_"

"There has to be a mistake," Prowl muttered.

"Many's the memory I've _deleted_ Enforcer. There've bin times I could nae remember me name, orns when I've bin so over-charged I could'na remember how tae _fly,_ but I _ne'er_ forget a spark." Jetfire growled.

Silence.

"If he's the same Soundwave, we have a bigger problem than we first thought," Ironhide rumbled flatly. "Megatron's gotta know by now, and you don't _get _more loyal than Soundwave."

Brains snorted.

"What?" Wheelie asked curiously.

"Dumb Auto-bots," Brains rasped with a snort.

Optimus couldn't help but bristle slightly.

"Define," he rumbled flatly, glaring at the tiny bot.

"Soundwave ain't loyal to Megatron, he's loyal to the Lord High Protector." Brains rasped with a snort. "And he's _been_ loyal to the past _two_ Lord High Protectors."

Optimus cycled his optics in the silence.

"Try it this way, who's the Lord High Protector?" Brains smirked around himself.

Megatron. On all of the data-streams, in the vast majority of the sparks in this universe, Megatron was still the Lord High Protector. The title had never been stripped from him, or more accurately, Optimus had never designated a replacement Protector upon Megatron's death.

"I bet Five rell o' high grade that the second Prime re-designates the title to some-bot else, Soundwave'll be there less than eight hours later askin' for his orders." Brains grinned.

Optimus sat, frowning.

"Ironhide?" he rumbled quietly.

"No."

"What?"

"I am not gonna be Lord High Protector any more than I'm gonna be a _Lieutenant_."

"Well then who the scrap am I supposed to appoint?" Optimus rumbled in irritation, looking around himself.

"Make your mate the High Protector," Sentinel stated in amusement. "You are to be co-rulers regardless, making her the High Protector would simply formalize it."

"Aye," Jetfire grinned. "She's already stated that her first priority after ensuring this rock isn't ravaged is Cybertron's revival and _protection_..."

Optimus looked around at the viciously grinning bots surrounding him.

"You are attempting to satisfy not one, but two bets," he rumbled calmly.

"Ach, jus' do it youngling," Jetfire snorted, grinning at him. "Promise we'll no' let yer mate offline ye."

Optimus rolled his optics and sent the pertinent data-streams, in five breem, every Cybertronian spark within the solar system would recognize his Kae as the Lady High Protector.

* * *

(MPOV)

I couldn't stop smirking. The humans were staring at me. I didn't care.

They were gonna get locked out in a few minutes anyway, I had work to do.

"Archangel?" the head delegate asked curiously.

"It's perfect. I'll see you later," I grinned.

"Uh..."

"Out, the lot of you," I smirked at them.

"But..."

"I have work to do, and no time to dilly-dally around," I grinned. "Besides, if you're in here, it means I need to focus on not accidentally _hurting_ one of you. Comprende?"

The humans beat a hasty retreat, I smirked and drew a load of spare neurals out of my subspace. The fact that I _had_ a subspace was cause for no end of entertainment for me. The flight-deck trailer sat patiently beside me, but I needed some infrastructure first.

I cycled a deep breath and then synced my processors, easing my smug satisfaction with the room, replacing it with calm patience and concentration.

One of the cells of energon I was carrying in my torso – Sentinel's attestation that I was insane to carry them in my legs finally winning out – drained into my systems as the neural fibres came alive in my hands, growing and twining along my arms.

I strode to the wall and began directing the neurals, smiling as they immediately took to the walls, creeping to ground and ceiling. They began glowing in earnest, twining around themselves into vines, those vines twisting into veritable tree-trunks. Across the ceiling a shelter of wire, somehow giving the vague appearance of a forest's canopy with the thick vines and trunks splitting apart to mesh together. A neural cathedral. The end corners of the room became obscured, what had been a roughly rectangular room became fully circular. An amphitheatre.

The basic infrastructure continued to grow, the time/space continuum field that _still_ knotted my processors increasing the space within as I turned my attention to the flight-deck, lightly digging out the holo-projectors. My Optimus and I could easily control one or two holoforms connecting a human into the mindspace. But now? We were talking hundreds. It was a couple of hour's work to install every projector, one for every ten humans. Finished, I glanced around and nodded as the final neural-vine lightly shifted into place, connecting into the projector.

Now to test it.

I accessed the building's controls and tripped the breakers feeding electricity into this section, completely cutting the power and any feasible electromagnetic interference.

Absolute blackness.

Perfect.

My vision settled into night-mode, and I strode to one of the five seats I'd left for bots who chose to attend and settled into my own, lightly accessing the control and bringing up the lighting.

Tiny bulbs of energon began to grow amidst the tendrils, blooming like thousands of glowing flowers amidst the vines.

The humans would think it beautiful for all that it was entirely alien.

I had absolutely no doubt Sentinel and my Optimus would think it absolutely gorgeous.

Actually...

I couldn't help a broad smirk. I opened up one of the fuel lines and allowed liquid energon to lightly cascade among the neurals before gravity-feeds collected it again.

My Optimus was a sucker for _any_ type of falls.

I onlined the holo-projectors and smirked all the more as five hundred comfortable seats emerged from the vines, giving every appearance that they belonged there. The five bot-sized chairs were easily concealable, Sentinel would be able to tone up and down the dramatic to his spark's content. A data-stream lightly touched my spark, obviously from my Optimus.

Something about the Lord High Protector. I shrugged and looked around again, I'd ask him later. I glanced at my chronometer and smirked, settling somewhat more into my seat and concealing myself there.

Optimus would be bringing Sentinel soon.

* * *

(SePOV)

Sentinel felt the connection settle into place, recognizing his newest pupil, mate of the Prime as the Lady High Protector.

It was an easy transition, the sense of her protectiveness far exceeding the destructive nature of the former. Optimus grinned at him and transformed among his unit.

Kae was expecting he and Optimus, however most of the unit wished to see his lecture hall.

Sentinel would be lying if he stated he wasn't at least _interested_ in what his young pupil had devised. However, his dignity and pride held him in check, refusing his desire to grin and vibrate in anticipation.

Sentinel transformed, followed his young friend out of the headquarters and into the human's city proper. Five breem of driving and they pulled into one of the lots the humans left their non-sentient vehicles in. A few humans were standing impatiently near one of the bay doors, watching them.

"Archangel says you guys are supposed to see it first," one of the men stated with a small pout. "She says it's so if she needs to tweak anything we don't have our hearts set on the original form."

Sentinel blinked.

Nobody had seen the space as yet.

::. Kae to Optimus.:: her voice murmured on the Primary. ::. Are you coming?.::

::. We are here, my Kae.:: Optimus sent with a low laugh. ::. Where?.::

::. Enter in the third bay door on the right.:: she commanded.

Anyone could hear that grin.

Optimus transformed, and Sentinel followed hot on his heelstruts. They ducked through the door, closely followed by the rest of the bots whom had accompanied them and watched curiously as the door closed behind them.

Absolute darkness, made more so by entering into the room from the bright sunlight.

Sentinel grinned in the darkness, evidently, his young pupil had as much flair for the dramatic as he.

Then, softly, tiny energon spheres began winking into being until they were surrounded by thousands of minute lights, casting a gentle, soothing glow throughout the neural cathedral.

It was absolutely exquisite, a tiny piece of their home. What little resentment that had grown in his spark at being 'forced' to teach vanished. He was going to spend fifty orn surrounded by beauty.

He wanted nothing more in that moment than to envelop the young femme into an embrace and press a long kiss to her forehead; to remind her of how deeply cherished she was.

However, he could not seem to find her.

Until of course, she emerged, sneaking up behind her mate.

At that point of course, Optimus had become entranced by the energon falls, a hand reaching out to gently stroke the neural vines over which the energon burbled merrily down the wall.

"Point nine," Mikaela murmured softly in his auditory receptors, winding her arms around her mech's waist.

"Every time you accomplish such a thing," Optimus rumbled softly. "I promise myself to not underestimate you, beloved mate; but then you achieve the unthinkable and stun me once more."

"Will it serve?" Archangel asked innocently.

As if there were any question.

"It is perfection," Sentinel rumbled contentedly, settling into the central chair and leaning back somewhat.

To be perfectly honest he was quite certain he would be happy to _remain_ in this chair for the full fifty orn.

After he'd hugged her.

Sentinel rose and caught his young friend's mate, dragging her into an enveloping hug.

"It is absolute perfection," he murmured, pressing a kiss to her forehead.


	165. 162 The Symposium

_To my dear readers and reviewers: Truly, from the depths of my heart I apologize for the time delays on my updates. My only excuse? A singular muse returned to me some days ago, and while I appreciate the depths of the story that has begun to bloom in my mind, and draws my fingers to my keyboard with vigour, I can only hope that the story which has begun to emerge in my databanks can quickly be jotted down, and that Kae returns to my mind once more. _

_At last postcard, she was out playing in Saturn's rings. Don't ask me why, the dust always gets stuck to her armour, Sunstreaker has decided that she does it simply to annoy the slag out of him, and Sideswipe has become unbearable with his pranking as a result. Subspace relays state that she'll return relatively soon, however in the meantime the existence of some thirteen chapters which have been written is my only backup until Kae returns to my mind. It has been a month now, and in that month I've barely scraped the thirteenth chapter together. _

_Anyway, now that I've blathered on a little while, how about an overdue chapter?_

**Chapter 162 – The Symposium**

* * *

(BPOV)

Bumblebee onlined his holoform, grinning as his sister and her mate did the same. They weren't Primes at the moment, they were his sister and brother-in-bonding. Optimus had an arm across his shoulders the next moment, grinning as they wandered around the human's showcasing of their cultures and scientific advancements. The scents of the human's fuel wafted around the area, and Bee was adamant that he was going to try every one of them.

His sister had laughed at him for that. Bee didn't mind, he loved it when his sister laughed.

However in this second, her face turned up into the air and a broad grin crossed her face. Bee watched in shock as her hand flashed out to catch his.

"First fuel test!" she sang, fairly dragging them both toward the food stands. Evidently, she'd caught scent of a good one, one she remembered from her human heritage.

"Mikaela?" Optimus rumbled in amusement behind him.

"_Mini donuts_!" Kae sang, dragging Bee behind herself until she spotted the sign with the same words. In moments she was in line, collecting a couple of bags and paying the man. A hand reached into the bag and pulled out a tiny morsel of fuel, which promptly got popped into Optimus' surprised mouth.

Kae grinned and offered Bee the bag.

"They're _tiny!"_ Bumblebee laughed, eying the little morsel now held captive in his fingers.

"Yep!" Mikaela laughed. "Okay, _now_ I'm good to wander through the stands!"

"For good reason," Optimus rumbled with a snort, delicately snagging one of the bags. Bee stared at the little morsel in his fingers, and back at his Prime. "They are much like the energon goodies the nomads sold."

Bee promptly popped the little fuel-morsel in his mouth and grinned, snagging the other bag from his sister, no wonder she had purchased three.

* * *

(SePOV)

Sentinel settled into his chair and lightly guided the neurals to conceal him there, four breem before his first seminar was to begin. He relaxed and smiled, enjoying the quiet burble of the energon falls on the wall beside him. His pupil smiled at him as she settled beside him, not concealing herself yet.

They'd decided on that. She was going to greet the humans first, and explain the mindspace.

No words were spoken between them as two breem passed, Archangel idly brought the holo-projectors online, scattering the proper number of seats throughout the central. Then finally, the humans began filing in, singly and in groups, gaping around themselves and at Kae as she slowly, gracefully rose.

"Ladies, Gentlemen, Doctors, Professors, learned humans," she began with a smile. "Welcome. Please, hasten to your seats and pay no mind to your places or the probability of how well you will be able to see from any position: we have ensured that every place will see every diagram to fullest advantage."

"How do you figure that?" one of the humans called out, glaring at her slightly.

"That will be explained momentarily," Mikaela chuckled gently, gesturing the humans toward the seats.

Regardless, the human that had called out chose the seat directly in the middle of the cluster.

Sentinel took the opportunity to put names and photographs of their faces, to the human's faces: identifying each student as they settled into their places. Finally, the last seat was filled, and faces looked toward the doors, evidently looking for him to enter.

"If I may have your attention," Mikaela began calmly, looking around at the humans. Faces turned to look at her curiously. "Before the seminar is to begin, there are a few items that must be explained. First, the seats you have taken are all in fact holoformatic, each controlled by a holo-projector. Please make yourselves comfortable, they are capable of a multitude of adjustments. There will not, in fact, be any diagrams in the physical world in front of you, your minds will be telepathically connected into another dimension that we Cybertronians deem the mindspace. Nothing will harm you, and each information stream will be carefully buffered to ensure that. There will be no drugs, intoxicants or alien substances introduced to your bodies, nothing will be physically introduced to your systems. No bodily or brain probes." she added with a small smile. "To begin, simply close your eyes, should you at any time feel overly disoriented or uncomfortable, simply open your eyes and the telepathic connection will cease. If you wish to rejoin us in the mindspace, return to your seat and close your eyes. Any questions?"

Amid numerous shaking heads, Kae returned to her seat beside Sentinel and connected to the system, running yet another diagnostic before bringing the mindspace fully online.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please close your eyes," Mikaela murmured with a small smile. Sentinel idly entered the mindspace and had to suppress a laugh at the humans' minds appearing, cautiously touching their faces and looking around. The mindspace was currently formed precisely as the central was.

Kae's human form walked to the centre of the circle and raised her hand, horizontal over the floor.

"A final test," Mikaela announced calmly, a tree growing up toward her hand. "Can everyone see the tree? Please raise your hand if you can."

All five hundred minds raised hands, and Sentinel smiled.

"Excellent." Mikaela smiled at the assemblage. "Then without further ado, ladies and gentlemen, Sentinel Prime."

She walked back to her place and sat as Sentinel rose, striding to the middle of the circle with his human form. He looked around at the humans quietly applauding him and allowed himself a smile.

They were applauding, and he hadn't even _started _yet.

"Throughout my travels, throughout this universe and upon your beautiful planet it is rare to find minds such as yours. There are many sentient creatures in this universe, yet I have found few who wish to understand, who look outside themselves and look to mathematics, to physics to try to explain their surroundings. When I first arrived I believed your race ignorant, I believed you incapable of comprehending the higher mathematics and was proven wrong. I then believed you so far behind the universal standard out of laziness, and was proven wrong once more. Instead, rather, you are young, fragile, your bodies lasting such a very short time that I realized; many of your sciences, rather than focusing on mathematics, focused on _survival. _Focused so much on survival that you have by definition _exceeded_ our own life's sciences."

Sentinel morphed his appearance back into his true, bi-pedal mechanical form, scaling it to the size he was in the physical dimension as compared to the humans.

"Today, I offer you the advancements of physics and mathematics that have made up my life's work. Advancements that I taught to my first class, five millennia ago. But you are not here to listen to the ramblings of an old bot, you are here to learn. So with that established ladies and gentlemen, I welcome you to the mindspace."

Sentinel raised his arms, enjoying the dramatic moment as he expanded the mindspace in front of the humans, showing them the universe as it was in that moment, the exquisite, violent celestial dance that had been long before he had onlined, and would remain long after his spark returned to the well.

* * *

(MPOV)

The humans sat, gasps of awe resounding throughout the space as they gazed into the universe.

::. Apparently, I _still_ have it.:: Sentinel sent to me smugly. It was all I could do to not burst out giggling. The few non-mathematic humans that were attending – mostly reporters – were very obviously remaining fully entertained by the light-show.

I couldn't help but feel somewhat awestruck myself, as the mathematical equations he spoke finally made sense. The manner that they were put into practice, putting it all in perspective. Midway through his lecture, Sentinel broke off, looking around himself.

"Surely at least one of your number has questions by now," he stated in amusement.

"You allow questions throughout your lecture!?" one of the men demanded incredulously.

"Ask your questions, while they are still fresh in your mind," Sentinel nodded firmly, looking around. "Do not wait for me to finish, or to catch a breath, I need no air to speak."

Immediately, he was _peppered_ with them. Even going so far as to answer the reporter's questions pertaining _nothing_ to his seminar.

Once the first wave finished however, he continued to speak, the seminar becoming a fully interactive debate over numbers that left my processors swimming.

However I managed to log my questions, to ask later.

After eight hours in the mindspace, the humans looked rather shocked when Sentinel informed them that that was it for the day.

"But..." one of them started in consternation.

"You will note on your timepieces, once you have exited the mindspace that we have been here for eight hours," Sentinel announced in amusement. "I am quite capable of continuing for another two of your days, however your bodies require rest, nourishment. I shall not bid you goodbye, for those of you who wish to continue, I will continue this line of thought tomorrow at nine on the clock in the evening of your time. For now, open your eyes, allow your minds to digest, care for your bodies. A final note, for those who choose to rejoin us tomorrow evening I have a challenge for you. Given the information I have provided, posit the full makeup of a neutron star, and the result of it's implosion. Take your time when you return to your bodies, you have been inactive for several of your hours, and entering the mindspace takes quite some time to grow used to. Ladies and gentlemen, I bid you good evening."

I grinned as he flashed out of the mindspace and back to his body, sitting patiently.

I remained, ensuring all of the humans left the mindspace safely before exiting myself, shutting the systems down and observing the humans as they rose, looking at their watches in astonishment.

A rapid scan showed a few of them having low blood-sugar, where they had been fine in the mindspace, they were now dizzy, disoriented.

In moments my holoform was online, collecting the bottles of juice I'd stocked up on and gently handing them out to those who needed it.

That got a few grateful looks. I smiled as the humans shook themselves out of the awestruck stupor, leaving singly, or in pairs. A few were searching for Sentinel, obviously to shake his hand.

I sent him the knowledge of their intents, and smiled as he unconcealed his place in the central, rising and stretching before settling back into place as easily a dozen humans grouped around him.

For efficiency sake, he onlined his holoform among them, his hands being grasped, and words of thanks and praise being sung around him.

He certainly looked like he was enjoying that.

I smiled and hung back until the humans answered the call of their stomachs before reaching out and laying a hand on his shoulder.

"Having fun?" I teased him gently. Sentinel turned and caught me in a hug, pressing a kiss to my forehead and surprising the daylights out of me.

"I am so very glad, that I did not truly betray you," he rumbled with a broad grin, winding an arm across my shoulders and guiding me from the central.

"So am I, imagine that," I lilted cheerfully, smiling as my Optimus met us at the doors.

* * *

(JaPOV)

Jazz wandered around the I-NERD. Spying.

He'd already catalogued the numerous ways he could sabotage the convention, now he was watching for other people doing the same.

What could he say, it was habit.

Flare's holoform was on his' arm. Which was positively excellent. Not only was her presence an excellent excuse to wander and continue wandering, but come on. Flare's holoform was on his arm, her body proper parked beside his.

They were flirting with each other, the both of them keeping a sharp eye out for trouble.

Jazz was just praying that she was flirting in honest.

You never knew with these femmes sometimes, _sometimes_ they were doing it simply to keep in practice. She'd been evading his berth like a pro, he wasn't entirely certain why.

It made him try all the harder.

He quickly stopped that process, however, when movement caught the corner of his optic.

A shadow, flitting away from the main event.

The humans' 'bathrooms' were the other way.

Flare's expression was all business as she followed him.

No words were spoken, no words sent. They knew what needed to be done.

But as fast as they were, as swift, silent, _stealthy_.

By the time they got there, the shadow was gone.


	166. 163 The High Protector

Sorry about the later than usual update, I fell asleep...

**Chapter 163 - The High Protector**

* * *

(JePOV)

Jetfire coasted over the mountains, lazily making his way toward Nevada. He noted a small aircraft paralleling him and scanned it idly.

Then he scanned it again. It couldn't be.

Soundwave.

He received a recognition ping before the aircraft veered away. A call to follow.

So he did, following the older bot. Straight to the Nevada base. Soundwave circled a few times before veering away. The message was plain.

He'd found them.

He'd found them and not one bot had discovered it. Then, as was the mech's habit, Soundwave disappeared, not a ping or echo behind him.

Jetfire immediately sent the alert to the aerial-bots, high alert, they'd been discovered. He fairly scrambled back to Washington. The Primes needed the alert. It was Soundwave, Jetfire sure as scrapping _pitfire_ couldn't take that mech _alone_, and as good a fighters as the Primes _were_, there was nothing against the element of surprise.

They needed to be ready.

::. Jetfire to Primes, come in Primes!.:: he sent in a panic.

Nothing, nothing going through. Blasted _fritzy_ _comm_!

A short flight and he landed, right beside Optimus Prime's vehicle mode.

"Why aren't you answering your comm Prime!" Jetfire snapped. "Nevada Base has been compromised!"

"I did not receive any comm," Optimus snapped back, immediately transforming to stand beside him.

"Where's me granddaughter?" Jetfire demanded, scanning the area, scanning the skies once more.

"In the seminars with Sentinel," Optimus replied flatly. They stood together, watching the area warily as the auto-bots in the area went on high alert.

Then then Soundwave appeared on his sensors again, Jetfire immediately snarling to himself, his weapons coming online. He'd led the bot straight _to_ the Primes!

Except Soundwave was making no effort to hide now, that didn't seem right...

To his shock, the older mech landed, transforming and landing directly in front of the Prime, he bent to a knee and stayed absolutely still as the auto-bots roared up, transforming and holding the mech in their cannon sights.

Soundwave didn't move save to dip his head to the Prime.

"Lord Prime," Soundwave stated in his monotone. "Soundwave reporting: request audience with Lady High Protector."

Jetfire blinked. A small bolt fell from his frame, bouncing and ringing clearly on the asphalt beneath his feet.

* * *

(OPOV)

Soundwave was kneeling in front of him. Not one of his weapons online. No blades showing, no cannons. Nothing. His only movement had been to look up as the silence was broken by a bolt dropping.

The bot had even spoken his request in english.

Not that that was _too_ much of a surprise, Soundwave was very much renowned for his adaptability.

"The Lady High Protector is presently engaged," Optimus finally rumbled. "She will be available in thirty eight breem."

Soundwave nodded and rose, strode to the wall and turned, transforming into one of his multitude of alt-modes. In this case, the stereo system that vorns ago, Jazz had been privately envying.

Ironhide strode to stand beside him, looking just as shocked.

"We're going to have to give Brains a few rell of high-grade," 'Hide finally stated with a snort.

Optimus shot a wry look at his old Weapons Master and commed Ratchet.

The medic was striding toward them the next moment, looking... bizarrely _not_ sour for once. Bonding to Arcee had obviously instilled far more patience in the grumpy medic. Not that it was official yet, of course.

"Will you see to Soundwave, please," Optimus rumbled to the medic. Ratchet nodded and strode to the stereo, gently tapping the top.

It took a minute, but Soundwave transformed again, looking around himself impassively.

"Medic's scans unnecessary," he stated.

"I'm going to scan you regardless," Ratchet informed the mech flatly. Soundwave nodded and stood stock still once more, watching the medic. Optimus watched in interest as Ratchet performed his scans and scowled. "You're in dire need of some repairs, your conversion matrix is ready to quit, you have tears all down your protoform and... a _dent _in your _spark-chamber!?"_ Ratchet finished with a howl. "I am taking you to the med-bay. Now."

"Medic's attentions: un-"

"You. Are going to the med-bay. Now." Ratchet snarled.

"Medic's attentions: unnecessary. Damage: minimal."

Optimus shook his head sadly, a dented spark-chamber was _not_ minimal. That Soundwave considered it minimal was indication yet again of his former brother's true cruelty.

"Audience with Lady High Protector: Paramount." Soundwave added patiently. At least, he _sounded _like he was being patient. Sort of.

"I do not suggest so much as transforming like that," Ratchet stated sternly. "I'm taking you to the med-bay, the Lady High Protector will come to you."

"Audience -"

"I said Kae will come see you!" Ratchet snapped. "You'll be conscious by the time she's finished up anyway, now come along!"

Soundwave stayed stock-still for another moment before nodding. Optimus transformed his trailer to accommodate the mech and folded into his alt-mode, patiently linking up and waiting.

"Alternate transportation unnecessary." Soundwave stated.

"After travelling with Ratchet for the past few hundred vorn, even as _Prime_ I know better than to argue with the medic." Optimus rumbled patiently.

Soundwave shot what Optimus could _swear _was an amused look before settling lightly into the trailer.

A rapid drive, if only to keep up with Ratchet and Optimus pulled into the entrance bay, Ironhide close behind.

"This way," Ratchet commanded gruffly, Soundwave nodded and rose, following the medic across the corridor and visibly ignoring the shocked stares from the human soldiers. Wordlessly, Soundwave laid down on the berth Ratchet gestured him toward.

Silence.

"Gratitude: Lord High Protector re-designated." Soundwave stated quietly.

"So it's _true!?_" Optimus rumbled in shock. "If I had made Ironhide the Lord High Protector so many vorn ago you would have been an _auto-bot!?_"

Soundwave looked at him for a moment.

"Probability: Sixty-eight percent."

"Sixty-eight?" Ironhide rumbled with a frown.

"Thirty-two percent probability: Assassination of Optimus Prime by Ironhide of Sigma three for audacity of making born soldier forced leader." Soundwave stated.

Ironhide snorted in amusement.

"Even if I were to die, the Auto-bot cause would continue on," Optimus rumbled with a frown.

"Probability: fifteen percent. Reason: Survival of Optimus Prime driving force of Auto-bot resistance."

"True," Ratchet murmured, nodding as he scanned the mech.

"He _is_ a psychic," Ironhide snorted.

"Negative. Telepathic ability: useful misconception."

* * *

(MPOV)

"Ladies and Gentlemen, good evening," Sentinel stated gently, smiling around himself. This human audience were applauding and cheering at the end of the seminar. Presences winked out of the mindspace and as was rapidly becoming habit: I waited for the last, made sure everyone was securely in their own bodies before exiting myself, shutting down the systems.

The humans were trouping out by now, Sentinel had a gentle hand on my shoulder.

"Your mate wishes me to escort you back to headquarters," my teacher stated gently.

"He's not here?" I murmured in surprise, reaching for my mate. He was at headquarters, and mildly worried over something. What, I couldn't tell quite yet.

"Indeed," Sentinel nodded. "Very few of the bots are present here, it would seem that something of an irregular circumstance has occurred."

"Meaning?" I asked curiously, rising and following Sentinel out the doors. I finalized shutting down the central and locked the lecture hall up properly.

"That is for your mate to inform you of," Sentinel stated airily.

"You seriously aren't playing 'formal designation roundabout' _again_ are you?" I frowned.

"No."

"You're refusing to tell me so you don't get whacked upside the helm." I stated, rolling my optics.

"... Maybe..." Sentinel hedged, transforming and rolling out.

Just as fast as that panther firetruck would go without his lights and sirens clearing the traffic.

::. You know generally an escort waits up for the escortee.:: I sent irritably.

::. Only when the escort is certain of their safety.:: Sentinel replied cheerfully.

::. Okay seriously, how bad is it?.:: I sighed, shrugging into my mate's alt-mode and hurrying to catch up to the massive firetruck three blocks ahead.

::. It is not _that_ bad.:: Sentinel stated patiently.

::. That's the same tone you lot use when it comes to everyone calling me 'mistress'.:: I glowered.

Sentinel said absolutely nothing.

~Optimus?~ I murmured warily.

~My Kae?~ he murmured back. I could feel the sense of his love for me pressed to the forefront.

~What did you do?~ I murmured in amusement, he only used that tactic for two instances, either when I was growing depressed, or when he had done something.

~Well...~

::. Optimus.:: I murmured wryly on our private comm.

::. Well we needed to settle a bet...:: Optimus replied on the Primary.

::. You're hedging again, my beloved.::

::. I needed a High Protector.::

I stopped dead in the middle of the entrance bay.

::. Why not _Ironhide_-.::

::. Not it!.:: Ironhide rumbled immediately.

::. -or _Prowl_ or...::

::. The Lord High Protector and the Prime are co-rulers of Cybertron, by default you were to be co-ruler beside me anyway...:: Optimus murmured consolingly.

I transformed, and out of sight of the med-bay clapped a hand to my face. Sentinel was looking at me curiously.

::. Alright, now what does this have to do with med-bay?.:: I asked in resignation.

::. Well, Soundwave is here to pledge his allegiance to the Lady High Protector.:: Optimus rumbled with a small grin. ::. Apparently his first allegiance is to the High Protector, not to Megatron himself.::

I rubbed my faceplates tiredly.

::. And it is _now_ too late for me to _argue_ the point.:: I sent tiredly.

::. Little bit.:: Ironhide grinned.

::. You realize I'm going to get you for this later, yes?.:: I sent threateningly.

::. You do not mean that.::

::. Oh I do, now somebody send me the _damned_ info-packet on the duties of the High Protector so I'm not walking even _more_ blindly into this!.:: I commanded irritably.

Beside me, Sentinel began laughing, sending me a massive information packet of the rights and duties of the Lord High Protector. I slumped against the wall and began processing it as quickly as I could, burying my face into my hands and groaning.

::. If you hated me _this _much, why the scrap did you _bond_ me?.:: I sent with a groan.

Sentinel was laughing harder the next second.

::. The position of Lord High Protector is a highly coveted one.:: he informed me cheerfully.

::. You didn't send that packet around much did you.:: I stated irritably ::. Great. Well then Sentinel, lead me to my doom.::

::. It is _not_ a _doom_...:: Sentinel informed me cheerfully.

::. It says I'm supposed to handle everything involved with the protection of Cybertron, including _all_ military affairs, preside over the major trials for treason and major offences and personally _execute_ bots found guilty of said offences!.::

::. Those are the worst of the duties.:: Sentinel sent in amusement ::. There _are_ perks.::

::. Oh right, dealing with politicians, deciding where what and when to build things and sorting out the civil upsets. Where _precisely _in that time am I allowed to simply be Mikaela Archangel Banes, bonded mate of Optimus Prime?.:: I demanded flatly, glaring at him.

::. Well there are the public ceremonies-.:: Arcee started consolingly.

::. Public _ceremonies!?_.:: I shrieked ::. Doom Sentinel! It is a _doom!_.::

We made it just to the point where the sensors would open the med-bay doors and I synced my processors, pulling my composure together enough to deal with yet _another_ thing. Sentinel shot me an approving look as I straightened, striding into the bay with my head held high.

I allowed some of my surprise to show however, when my optics met the visor of the Decepticon on the med-berth. Evidently, Soundwave was one of the bots I'd traded fire with in Chicago.

* * *

(SePOV)

Sentinel watched with some self-admitted worry as Kae and Soundwave stared at each other. The two of them had _been_ staring at each other for the past half breem.

Finally, Soundwave turned his face to look at Optimus.

"Neglecting to inform Lady High Protector of status before duties call her attention: highly illogical." he stated in a monotone.

"Well I'm glad _somebody _agrees with me," Kae grumbled, settling down on her usual bench. "Should I be apologizing that you and I were trading fire in Chicago?"

"Apology: unnecessary. Reason: alliances formerly opposing. Femme Prime: Highly skilled aerial-bot. "

"Fair enough," Kae nodded musingly. She settled her face onto a hand. "Are you and I going to have difficulties being as I'm a former human?"

"Difficulties: unlikely. Lady High Protector possessing fully Cybertronian frame and spark-signature: helpful." Soundwave replied blandly.

"So what tipped me off then?" Kae asked with a wry look.

"High Protector: still withholding personal irritation. Reasoning: Not fully clear."

"You shouldn't have to bear witness to me reaming my mate out for not telling me what new titles he's decided to glue to my aft."

Soundwave glanced around himself.

"Difference between former and current High Protector: monumental. Serving current High Protector: promising. Femme Prime: good candidate."

"Well, that makes one of you," Kae grumbled softly, burying her face in a hand.

"Restatement: Femme Prime excellent candidate."

"Reasoning?" Mikaela asked in amusement.

"Reasoning: Megatronix highly overconfident."

"So what brings you to our neighbourhood?" Mikaela asked wryly.

"Reason: pledge loyalty to Lady High Protector."

"Yes but _why?"_

"Soundwave primary function: optics and auditory receptors of Lady High Protector. Secondary function: Advisor."

Kae blinked.

"So you've completely ditched Megatron to serve _me!?_"

"Statement: Correct."

"And I can trust you to help ensure I don't make the same mistakes Megatron did?"

"Statement: Correct."

"And how am I to trust that you are not still serving Megatron?" Mikaela asked warily, narrowing her optics at Soundwave.

The bot in question sat up somewhat more, looking around himself.

"Restatement: Femme Prime will make extraordinary Lady High Protector. Reason: already understands correct questions to ask. Trustworthiness: to be earned. Immediate assuaging of worry: Examine spark."

The med-bay sat in absolute silence for a moment before Kae rose, striding to sit on the berth beside Soundwave. The mech's chest-plates opened and Mikaela extended a gentle cable to connect, a few moments and she nodded, withdrawing.

"Well, Ratchet has already seen to your repairs, let's get you settled into your quarters. You won't be much of an advisor if you fall out of the sky in your recharge." she stated gently.

Soundwave nodded and swung his legs over the edge of the berth, rising and waiting impassively until Mikaela gestured him to follow.

The med-bay sat in dead silence after they left.

"Well, that went well," Sentinel stated cheerfully.

"Wait for it," Ironhide snorted.

Two and a half breem and Mikaela returned to the med-bay, a deep thundercloud scowl bending her faceplates. She signalled the doors to the med-bay to close behind her and remain closed. Then, she simply stood there, arms crossed and glaring.

"I'm waiting," she growled softly.

"For?" Sentinel asked cheerfully.

"For an _explanation you fragging glitches!" _the femme shouted. "What in _Primus' _name gave you the _slagging_ idea to make me the Lady High _Protector_!?"

"You will be the co-ruler of Cybertron-" Sentinel began patiently.

"What the scrap gave you_ that_ idea?" Mikaela snarled at him.

"You are the host-bearer of the All-spark, the bonded mate of the Prime and when the time comes you will be the one to heal Cybertron, it is _natural_ that you will be co-ruler," Sentinel stated patiently.

"No, it is _natural_ that someone better _suited_ to serve as the High Protector be chosen!" Mikaela snarled. "What the _fuck_ do _I_ know about the Cybertronian military's _tactics!?_"

"Welp, being as we're gonna have to _decimate_ most of the Cybertronian military force to protect Cybertron, that don't really _matter_ niece." Ironhide chimed in gruffly.

Mikaela buried her face in her hands.

"I hate you all, I'm going to bed, and I'm going to _pray_ that when I wake up this was just another gods damned _chargefright_." she groaned.

"An excellent idea," Sentinel stated cheerfully. "It will not be so bad in the early joor of the orn."

"Hate you all."

"Kae," Optimus rumbled gently.

Archangel turned back and looked at her mate irritably.

"Soundwave is renowned for many things, his adaptability, his intuition, and his refusal to lie. He is correct, my Kae, you will be an extraordinary Lady High Protector."

"You couldn't have given me fair warning?" she demanded irritably.

"Not and settle the bet properly!" Ironhide chimed in cheerfully.

"What would have happened if he'd shown up right in the middle of the seminar?"

"He did."

Mikaela buried her face into her hands again, Optimus strode forward and gently peeled her hands away, collecting them in his own.

"You have already stated that your priority is the protection of this planet, the rebirth of Cybertron and her protection as well. Being the Lady High Protector simply formalizes it, my Kae."

Mikaela looked up at him for a long moment before venting a sigh.

"Fine. But I am _not_ executing people!"

* * *

**What do you think my dear sweet Bee, suitable Soundwave? :D**


	167. 164 Plotting and Acclimating

**Massive thanks to my dear sweet Beta Bee, to my readers, and my reviewers. Hint hint. **

**Chapter 164 - Plotting and Acclimating**

* * *

(MnPOV)

One orn. It was official. Megatron's sixth in command, the only bot that had chosen his place in the hierarchy of Decepticon ranks, and had rarely, if _ever_ had to defend that ranking, was gone.

He'd felt his weakling brother strip him of his title, and Soundwave had been on the receiving end of his wrath to that effect. That had been a mistake. Soundwave had been his most loyal officer.

Even when the pathetic little _Starscream_ had fallen beneath that _Femme's_ Siren call, Soundwave had been there, pulling him from the rubble, tending his wounds and getting him out of the battle zone upon their loss. But regardless of that loyalty, Soundwave had felt the brunt of his wrath.

Then he'd gone into recharge. Everyone needed to recharge eventually.

In theory, Soundwave would have been too injured to make his escape. His spark-chamber having received a deep dent, and his protoform leaking energon from several gashes. Megatron had been counting on that. He'd needed time, and he'd needed a clear processor to devise some way to keep that mech under his _control!_ Soundwave was _instrumental!_ The optics, auditory receptors and battle-computer of the Decepticon _forces_! It had been _Soundwave_ advising him on his greatest triumphs! Given him the tactics necessary for the large-scale assaults, the plans of action for battles that had initially _won_ him the wars!

Now, Shockwave was feeling the brunt of his wrath, he'd _ordered_ the pathetic scientist to _watch_ Soundwave. Even if he'd needed to slag the loyal Soundwave once more and give Shockwave full access to the mech's memories again.

He needed that mech. And the mech was gone.

Megatron afforded another kick to Shockwave's torso before he turned away, sitting on his rough bench with a scowl. As much as it relieved his temper to beat his subordinates, it was distracting. And in this moment, he needed his processors clear of distractions.

Because he needed a plan. He needed Soundwave back. The Decepticon forces were badly crippled, he needed to contact the forces that he'd held in reserve at _Soundwave's_ suggestion. It rankled his spark _deeply_ to admit just _how_ instrumental Soundwave was.

But Soundwave had been correct, unfortunately, to win this new battle he needed the element of surprise. His aerial forces were answering to their elder. He needed to discredit that elder, kill him. Once the elder seeker was eliminated Starscream would return to him. Of that he had no doubt. He needed to eliminate Optimus, take the gorgeous femme for a force-bond mate. No doubt where she went Sentinel would follow. He needed Sentinel's bridge. The Femme's inexplicable charisma. He would enjoy breaking her.

However, in order to bring his forces to win this battle he needed to call them. Calculate where to strike, the timing of the strikes... in all of this he needed Soundwave.

Therefore, the first step would be to capture that mech, alive, and destroy the coding responsible for his unwavering loyalty to the High Protectorate.

* * *

(LPOV)

Lena took a deep breath and sighed happily.

She was completely cocooned by her Jolt, his spark-chamber beneath her, and his hand resting protectively above. It had been a remarkably calm few weeks.

If of course, you didn't count Soundwave taking up residence in the quarters next to Jolt's. That had been freaky for a little while. Or of course the fact that the Brotherhood of Man had taken up residence in the front of Sentinel's symposium.

Mind, Soundwave was apparently one of the much lesser evils of Decepticon kind, there had been any number of bots stating that Soundwave had helped them at some point, even if it had simply been to not fire the killing shot. Brains especially, the drone was a massive supporter of the mech.

He was quiet though, evidently having taken it to spark when Kae had informed him he was free to recharge for as long as he wanted.

The mech had slept for a week, so the first time Lena had seen him?

She'd been in the decon with Jolt, washing his armour just the way her bot loved it when Soundwave stepped in. He'd looked at them for a moment.

"Apologies." he stated in that weird monotone and made to step back out again.

"No!" Jolt had called out. "Come in, Soundwave, you are welcome here."

Soundwave nodded and walked in, settling on one of the berths on the other side of the decon.

"Ravage: Eject. Windrider: Eject..."

On and on until a half dozen comparatively tiny animal-looking bots sat around him.

Then, Soundwave had calmly begun washing each and every one of them.

That in itself had put him in Lena's good graces, because it wasn't until he'd finished caring for...

"Symbionts." Jolt had supplied patiently. Lena looked at him.

"Electric-bot: correct." Soundwave added.

"Are..." Lena prompted them both.

"Symbionts: Sparked drone bots sharing Soundwave's spark frequency and frame." Soundwave stated immediately. He finished washing the last one, allowing them to bask in the soft, warm blue light as he tended to his own frame.

"It means that they have a bond to him," Jolt added, humming as Lena continued washing his armour. "They live off of him, and remain within him a lot of the time, but they heed his command. Ravage alone is a force to be reckoned with."

"Electric-bot: Ravage appreciates compliment."

Jolt had grinned at the bot.

"I wanted a symbiont at one point, but they're generally considered to be more of a Decepticon thing," Jolt added with a low laugh.

Ravage had jumped down from his perch then, trotted over and jumped up.

Lena and Ravage had promptly begun staring at each other.

"Ravage inquiry: Electric-bot Femme Symbiont?" Soundwave stated.

"No, our sparks haven't bound yet, and she doesn't live in my frame. She'll have her own frame eventually." Jolt replied comfortably.

"Electric-bot Femme: still sparking."

"Not by human standards." Jolt snorted. "She's a fully grown human."

"Electric-bot Femme: still in hatchling frame."

"Huh, that's sort of true, isn't it," Jolt grinned at her.

"What?" Lena asked curiously.

"Well, when we upload you into a bot body, technically you'll be receiving your adult body like Kae did. So _technically,_ your human body could be considered your hatchling frame. You know, your child's body, the one that your spark developed in."

"You're both weird." Lena informed the mechs in the room. Ravage began batting at her lightly, she was worried until she noted his claws retracted. So he was simply investigating her then.

But the weird thing, was when he turned to Soundwave and yowled, adding a few trills and clicks at the end.

"Ravage inquiry: what happened to Banshee Hawk Femme's wings?"

Lena scowled as her Jolt burst out laughing.

* * *

(WPOV)

Will stood at communications.

He was staring at Soundwave. He knew he was, but the point stood.

The mech still had his Decepticon insignias, he was hooked into the computers and rapidly scanning the frequencies.

It was weirding him out, and very obviously weirding out several of the techs. Because as quiet as Jolt had been? Soundwave made the auto-bot technician look like a fraggin' _gossip_!

The mech's eight hour shift was almost up, and Jolt strode in, Lena lounging on his shoulder as she always did.

Jolt looked around for a moment and snorted.

"Soundwave?"

"Electric-bot."

"You might want to consider getting your paintjob updated, the Decepticon insignias on your armour are weirding out the humans."

Soundwave looked at Jolt for a long moment and nodded.

"Suggestion: taken under advisement." Soundwave nodded.

"I'm here if you want to roll," Jolt grinned at the mech.

"Gratitude." Soundwave nodded again. "Colonel."

The purple mech turned and left communications.

"So... uh..." Will started with a small frown.

"Hang on a sec..." Jolt grinned at him, plugging into the computers. The tech promptly seemed to scan _everything. _"Yep, he's on our side, not so much as a _spam_ virus in here."

Well, he'd take that.

"Now you're _sure_ you don't mind me heading to the seminars?" Lena asked, seemingly again.

"I don't mind," Jolt smiled at her. "You shouldn't have to stay cooped up just because I'm on duty, my Lena."

Lena leaned over and pressed a kiss to Jolt's faceplates before saluting Will and sliding down the ladders, in a few moments she was gone.

"Wow, that's what, first time you've been separate?" Jerry grinned at the mech.

"She'll be fine, she's gonna be fine," Jolt murmured, more to himself than anything else.

"Okay, no bugging Jolt," Will snorted. Jolt looked up at him curiously. "God only knows it killed me every time I had to leave my Sarah behind."

Jolt smiled at him somewhat and settled onto his bench, his optics dimming as he took up scanning the frequencies again.

* * *

(SePOV)

"Sentinel?" a female voice called out. Sentinel recognized that voice.

"Technician Lena," he stated calmly, looking around and finally spying the femme moving toward him on light feet. He nodded to her as she came to stand just far enough away that he could see her properly.

"Would it be alright if I rode with you to the seminar?" the femme asked somewhat shyly.

Sentinel looked down at the femme with some surprise, she was the first to have asked him. Then, her name triggered a memory-response. She was attending _his _seminar in earnest, she was to be his student.

"You are to be my student during this set of lectures and the next, commuting together is logical," Sentinel nodded tolerantly, shrugging into his alt-form and opening his door for the femme.

The moment her hands touched his armour Sentinel recognized just how accustomed to Cybertronians the femme had become. Her touch was gentle, but neither was it tentative or ticklish.

"You have already learned well from your intended," Sentinel informed the femme patiently as she sat calmly in the passenger's seat, not so much as a ripple of a squirm coming from her frame.

"How so?" she asked curiously.

"Your touch is a learned one," Sentinel informed her, lightly getting into gear and making his way from the entrance bay. "Neither rough nor tentative."

"Oh. Thank you?"

"If you wish to show gratitude, why do you make it a question?"

"Because I am unsure if your previous statement is meant as a compliment."

"It was."

"Ah. Then thank you," the femme smiled at him.

"You are welcome."

Sentinel drove in silence for a time, and despite the comfort of the silence decided to begin a conversation with the femme. She was, after all, destined to become Cybertronian.

"What are your expectations of the seminar?" he asked calmly.

"Oh, like as not that it's going to be a set of mathematics that I'll barely grasp and beg Jolt to help me understand once we've returned to base." Lena replied cheerfully.

Sentinel snorted. He couldn't help it.

"You are more than welcome to ask _me." _

"I am?" Lena asked curiously. It was a genuine curiosity. Sentinel loved that tone.

"If I am to be your teacher you must ask the questions. There is no sense in teaching if the student cannot gain clarification from the instructor." Sentinel rumbled piously.

The grin on the technician femme's face was completely worth the fact that he was carrying a human from one place to another.

"Thank you!" the femme bubbled cheerfully. "I'm sorry that you might come to regret allowing me to ask questions though."

"Ah, you are one of _those,_" Sentinel snorted. "The youngling that asks a million questions. Be forewarned, if you ask the question I expect you to _listen_ to the _answer, _or I shall become quite cross."

"Oh absolutely sir!" Lena bubbled. "What the hell point is _asking_ a question if you don't want to know the answer?"

Sentinel snorted.

"I invite you to explain that to the young 'Chevy' twins," he rumbled cheerfully.

It was the human femme's turn to snort.

"Good luck explaining _anything_ to those two. Unless you're Ratchet telling them how to put each other back together again." Lena chuckled. "Not even Optimus with his lightyears of _patience_ seems to manage to get through those thick helms of theirs."

Silence reigned between the two of them for a moment. Sentinel onlined his holoform to look fully at the femme biting her lip in his passenger seat.

That lasted all of a minute.

By the time they two reached Sentinel's lecture hall, they were howling with laughter.

Sentinel pulled up to the building and parked for a moment.

"Game faces?" Lena asked brightly.

"Game face?" Sentinel asked curiously.

"You know, when you walk around with a straight face and calm demeanour when you're still wanting to burst out laughing at something or tease somebody." Lena grinned at him.

"Ah," Sentinel nodded. He paused for a moment. "Game faces until we are on the road once more?"

"You got yourself a deal Prime," Lena grinned at him.

Sentinel grinned then straightened his holoform's face, Lena matching him perfectly. She climbed out of his cab and stepped back, waiting patiently for him to transform.

Ratchet strode toward him, the medic taking his turn in being his second controlling the mindspace. Sentinel nodded to the mech and led the way into the central. He had to bite back a smile as Lena settled into the human sized chair closest to him. Admittedly, the finish of his seminars for the day were something of a let down, because gone were the five hundred... okay, four hundred and fifty minds hungering for knowledge – the other fifty were often there with closed minds – to teach.

Except now? Now he was going to have one of his students returning with him.

And no doubt she would be peppering him with questions the entire way.

Excellent.

* * *

(MPOV)

Soundwave was following me, and I had absolutely no idea why.

We'd sorted out his schedule, he and Jolt were our primary communications officers now, with another bot taking a turn to fill in the final eight hours of the day. Soundwave was on his leisure time now.

But Soundwave was following me around, a shadow on my right. And I had absolutely no idea why.

"Is there something that you need, Soundwave?" I asked for the umpteenth time.

"Negative."

"Something that you _want?"_

"Negative."

"Then why are you following me around?" I asked in exasperation.

Soundwave just shot me what I was certain was his version of an amused look.

I made it to the Med-bay and settled onto my bench, quite ready to begin my med-bay shift.

Soundwave stood behind me.

Optimus was the only one capable of doing that without my back itching.

"This is your leisure time, Soundwave, don't you have something better to do?" I finally asked, fighting to keep the waspish tone out of my voice.

"Negative."

"Wouldn't you _rather_ find something better or more interesting than standing behind me?" I gritted out.

"Negative."

I buried my face in my hands.

"Well could you at least cease standing _behind_ me?" I demanded irritably. "There's only one person in the universe capable of doing that without making me antsy."

Wordlessly, Soundwave shifted to stand behind and to the side, well in my peripheral vision. I turned to look at him fully.

"Is there some piece of information within being the High Protector that I'm _missing_ to account for you being behind me?" I demanded flatly.

"Negative."

"Are you going to _tell_ me why you're hovering over me?"

"Negative."

"You're having fun making me guess, aren't you."

"Affirmative."

I glared at him, he simply stood, looking completely unfazed.

"You're testing the limits to see how irritated I need to be before you get smacked. Aren't you."

"Affirmative."

"It never occurred to you to simply _ask_ one of the other bots what my tells are?"

"Affirmative. Reasoning: Femme Prime tolerance levels vary between bots."

I sat and struggled to not pout. I failed.

"Will you quit it if I state truthfully that I have a three strike system?"

Silence.

"Define."

"You insult me once, I inform you of it. Do it a second time I inform you firmly. It's not until you perform said action a third time that I resort to physical violence. You're going to be standing around for a long time before I hit you Soundwave."

Silence.

Soundwave strode to the bench beside my work table and sat, evidently processing that.

Well, at least he wasn't hovering over me. I got down to some serious servo-work, patiently building Lena's blank form. Ratchet and I were almost finished, Lena's blank form wasn't _precisely_ blank, however. According to my Optimus, my bodily appearance in the mindspace had been damn near spot on to how I had been cast, so we were using Lena's form in the mindspace as a template.

Spark size was a simple thing to measure, we were fairly certain of her eventual physical size, all that needed doing was the fabrication of her blank form. Her spark hadn't begun consuming her body yet, it was simply existing, seeming to have plateaued for the moment.

Ratchet wasn't fooled. He was insistent on getting the blank-form finished well ahead of chance, to be perfectly honest? I was right there beside him.

"Verdict: Femme Prime highly tolerable to serve."

"Why thank you, Soundwave," I murmured in amusement.

"Request: provide assignment in creation of blank form."

I looked up at the mech in surprise.

"Soundwave: build and rebuild symbiont frames and spark-chambers. Result: Highly proficient in fabrication of Cybertronian frames."

I pursed my lip-plates slightly, Soundwave wasn't really in the loop when it came to the template of Lena's frame. However...

"Spark-chambers rarely vary in construction," I mused aloud.

"Spark-chamber: size variance only." Soundwave nodded. "Medic Ratchet: Welcome to examine work."

That'd do just fine for me.

"Thank you," I smiled at Soundwave. "Could you put a forty-rell chamber together for us?"

"Recipient: Banshee Hawk Femme." Soundwave stated, rising and striding to the materials wall and collecting what he obviously considered would be necessary.

"Yes," I nodded.

"Banshee Hawk Femme: Forty-six-rell spark. Solution: Size transformable chamber."

"You realize you're more the expert on Spark-chambers than I, yes?" I asked in amusement, beginning to thread together the blank-form's hands.

"Probability: Ninety-three percent."

"Where does the other seven factor in?" I asked in amusement.

"Femme Prime: host of All-spark. Knowledge of Sparks: inherent."

"You know just because I'm the host of the All-spark doesn't mean every byte of her knowledge is available to my processors." I stated wryly.

"Affirmative."

I looked up at him curiously.

"All-spark knowledge: fifteen million vorn in excess. Full processor download result: backlog."

"Very true." I snorted in amusement, I turned and got back to work on the hands. We worked in silence for a few hours. Admittedly, working with Soundwave in the room was remarkably peaceful.

"Inquiry." Soundwave stated.

"Hmn?" I looked up at him.

"All-spark knowledge. Soundwave spark-mate?"

That was a bit confusing.

"You're asking..." I trailed off with a frown.

"Inquiry: All-spark knowledge. Existence: Soundwave spark-mate."

My hands froze on my project. I turned and looked at the mech. His hands hadn't stilled on the project. But the monotone manner that he spoke... it didn't matter that that was the way he _always _spoke, it still tore at my spark a little.

"You want to know if there's somebot out there for you," I murmured softly.

Soundwave nodded.

"There's a spark-mate out there for each and every one of us," I informed the mech gently. "Finding them simply takes time. If you're particularly impatient though, I would enlist the aid of Bumblebee."

"Bee-bot: Scout."

"He's a full scout, yes," I nodded gently. "If you have seen your spark-mate, like as not he'll follow the thread for you." In counterpart, I commed Bee, asking if he'd come to the Med-bay.

In a matter of minutes, my little brother was transforming and grinning at me. I couldn't help but smile at him.

"Do I getta find another spark-mate?" my little brother demanded with a broad grin.

I looked at him with surprise this time.

"That's the same tone you used when Optimus asked me to confirm the thread 'tween Lena and Jolt," Bee grinned broadly. "And that surprise on your face totally confirms it, now who am I gonna go find?"

I drew his optics to Soundwave's working form again.

"Does he know that?" Bee asked quietly, settling onto my bench and cuddling against my side.

"Affirmative." Soundwave murmured. Bumblebee grinned and bounced back to his pedes again, immediately striding to Soundwave and half-glaring at his chest.

"Well, no thread yet," my little brother mused. Soundwave _actually_ sagged. _Visibly_.

"Quit that," Bee snorted. "Means you haven't come within three units of your spark-mate yet." He promptly stuck his head against Soundwave's chest-plates for a moment and pulled back. "Answer me honest, some time ago, did you feel a wrench, a pull, some inexplicable bit of pain in your spark, and then a little while later you felt happy again, even just the littlest bit?"

Soundwave stared at my little brother, and after a moment, nodded.

"How long ago?"

"Clarify."

"How long ago did you feel the little bit of happiness again?" my brother asked intently.

"Reasoning."

"It narrows down the search one spark-mate found on earth is one _pit_ of a coincidence two and _something's_ guiding our re-born spark-mates to _earth." _Bee stated intently. I watched him with some amount of surprise, I'd never seen him so focused, or rather, I'd never seen him _enjoy_ such a level of focus. _Nothing _but enjoyment got him talking that fast.

"... Joysurge: Point three vorn."

"So they're gonna be around twenty five years old," Bumblebee grinned. "Catcha later I got some researchin' to do."

I watched in amusement as Bee promptly bounced out of the med-bay. He turned left, obviously going straight for communications central.

I turned and looked at Soundwave and damn near fell off of my workbench.

His visor had receded, and soft, fragging _gentle_ _blue optics!_ stared back at me in astonishment.

"Bee-bot: find Spark-mate."

"Pretty good chance of it, yes," I nodded.

"Inquiry: Why."

"You asked," I shrugged, I shot an impish grin at him and turned back to my work on Lena's hands


	168. 165 Ripples

Crisis averted. I went to update, and found several chapters missing. Thank Primus for original document backup. I might be back to this chapter in the next couple of days to be rid of missing punctuation etc. I do not own the Brotherhood of Man, Wolfkidbirdgirl does. Go read her stuff too, it is quite excellent. But yes. In the meantime:

**Chapter 165 - Ripples **

* * *

(SePOV)

Sentinel looked around again, distracted.

It was his second and final seminar of the day, and the technician femme was not present, as she had intended. Sentinel prayed that she had been called back to base, but something in his spark stated otherwise.

That was a bad sign, he had followed his spark a few times in history, the result allowing him to do more so without guilt as time went by.

His spark somehow simply got to the bottom of a problem when his processors could find no alternative.

::. Sentinel Prime to Optimus Prime.:: he sent over the comm, onlining a couple of extra processors so his class did not recognize that they were _not_ at the moment, in the forefront of his attention.

::. Are you not in class?.:: Optimus rumbled worriedly the next second.

::. Lieutenant Lena Davies is not present, as she had intended. I sense something... wrong... will you locate her, please?.:: Sentinel sent carefully.

Yet somehow, Optimus was suddenly sharply focused.

::. If you feel something is amiss, I shall locate her immediately.:: Optimus rumbled flatly. ::. When did you last see her?.::

::. When she left to retrieve some fuel. Have the humans recalled her to base?.::

Silence. Sentinel put a bit more focus onto his seminar while he waited.

::. Lena has not been recalled, there is no sign of her on the hall's video monitoring. We will be searching.:: Optimus rumbled flatly. ::. Prime out.::

Sentinel nodded somewhat in relief and returned to his lecture.

But a processor in the back of his senses refused to stand down, choosing instead to focus on the conflicting desires. That the Technician had become bored and left, warred with his fervent wish that she was a better student than that.

* * *

(LPOV)

Lena's head hurt. Not the minor headaches she sometimes got.

This was the 'you just got slammed upside the back of the head with a baseball bat' hurt. She could feel movement, if not touch. Nobody was touching her, her back was cramping up though, the definitive ribbed feeling of a van's floor was beneath her. Her hands were bound, feet too by the feel of it. Flex-cuffs.

Fuck.

The _one_ time she went anywhere without her Jolt and she got kidnapped. If she survived this the little voice inside of her stated that Ironhide was _never _going to let her live it down.

But she _would_ survive this, she was... _fairly_ certain of it. Sentinel would... _probably _notice she wasn't there to ride home with him at any rate. Eight hours was a pretty long head-start though.

Lena took a slow, careful breath. Burlap bag on head. Great.

"Is that robot whore awake _yet_?" a man's voice demanded.

"Dunno..."

"Well _check_ you idiot!"

Lena promptly closed her eyes again, the soldier in her vying for more time in consciousness without her captor's knowledge. Step one, gain intelligence. She forced her face into one of sleeping repose just as the bag was torn from her head. She stayed limp. Even though that caused her head to be banged against the floor once more and it hurt like a living _hell,_ she stayed limp.

"Nope, still out," a third man's voice guffawed.

"I say we just inject her now," a fourth voice grunted.

"Didn't you hear the orders moron, don't inject her until she's conscious," the first voice snapped. "It ain't gonna _work_ unless she's _conscious!_"

Right. Stay 'unconscious'. Got it.

"What's this stuff do anyway?" the third voice asked.

"It's gonna put her back on the right path, that's what it's gonna do," the first voice growled. "It's too late for that other woman, but it's not too late to save this one from those alien metal _demons_."

That. Did _not_ sound good.

"Yeah but how does it work?" the second voice asked curiously.

"Simple, it'll get her libido revved up to the breaking point, and at _that_ point she'll realize that only _human _men can satisfy a woman. Not those metal abominations!"

Evidently, the ass-clowns had no idea about her history. Human males? Totally revolting. Being raped, beaten and left for dead tended to do that to a psyche.

"And if it doesn't work?"

"Then we'll just have to make an example of her."

Fuck.

* * *

(OPOV)

::. Sentinel Prime to Optimus Prime.::

That had him immediately on edge. Sentinel did not use their full titles unless something had gone wrong. ::. Are you not in class?.:: Optimus rumbled worriedly.

::. Lieutenant Lena Davies is not present, as she had intended. I sense something... wrong... will you locate her, please?.:: Sentinel sent to him.

Instinct. The instinct of the spark, something that Sentinel had rarely believed in. If he felt so strongly, enough that he would allow even those carefully guarded words to state it?

Optimus was focused now, sharp focus. If his Kae's instincts had taught him anything, something was now very, _very_ wrong.

::. If you feel something is amiss, I shall locate her immediately.:: Optimus rumbled flatly. ::. When did you last see her?.::

::. When she left to retrieve some fuel. Have the humans recalled her to base?.::

The logical first step.

::. Optimus to Ironhide.:: he rumbled immediately. Best to not cause Jolt to spin into a panic just yet.

::. Ironhide receiving.::

::. Have the humans recalled Jolt's Lena to base?.:: he rumbled worriedly, already sending his thoughts along the ether to view the monitors of Sentinel's lecture hall. Timestamps indicated the end of the first seminar, Lena strode out amidst the crowd. He followed her progress as best he could as she strode to the humans' restrooms. After that? She vanished.

::. No, Will says she's supposed to be at the seminars.:: Ironhide replied the next moment.

::. Lena has not been recalled, there is no sign of her on the hall's video monitoring. We will be searching.:: Optimus rumbled flatly to his old mentor. ::. Prime out.::

Before the comm released, Optimus could feel Sentinel's relief. He nodded to himself and immediately got down to work, striding to the communications bay and preparing for the long haul ahead of them. The doors slid open in front of him, and before his optics the young technician already stood. The look in Jolt's optics, the resonations of his spark spoke all. In spite of an information vacuum, the Technician was already sensing the danger to his intended mate.

Sentinel's instincts – despite the older Prime's reluctance to admit the existence of such a thing – were as accurate as Optimus had feared.

"We will find her, Jolt," Optimus rumbled sternly. The tone he used to keep the proverbial powder-boxes from blowing. The Prime in him was taking over, now, the commander, the _doer._ But the Prime in him was useless for minding the emotions of those around him. Thus, "Go, report to Kae." he ordered sternly.

Jolt stood, shocked before nodding and fairly scurrying from the communications room. Optimus strode to the centre and looked around himself sternly before spotting the Colonel.

"Colonel, we seem to be missing one of our number," he rumbled sternly, nodding to Ironhide as the Weapons Master straightened with a low growl. Off to the side, Bumblebee was completely oblivious to his surroundings, evidently engaged in deep searching scans.

The soldiers around him snapped to attention, saluting him.

"State it," Ironhide rumbled at his side.

"Lieutenant Lena Davies, intended of Technician Jolt is missing," Optimus rumbled sternly, looking around and catching the eyes and optics of all around him as was tradition in such times. "For her life, for the sake of Jolt's spark, and for the information she carries in her mind she must be found. Initiate emergency protocols Sigma seven, follow all lines of communications. Find the creatures responsible for her disappearance. She is to be retrieved _alive_ using all means necessary. Questions."

Silence.

"To work," Optimus rumbled after a moment of surveying the troops.

"Sir yes sir!" was bellowed around him, and within moments the communications room was a hive of activity once more.

Optimus glanced worriedly at his scout, still deep in his own searching. Deep enough that he had not yet heard the commotion around him. The protocols for rousing the scout came to his forefront processors, but Optimus refrained, getting the sense that Bumblebee would have to start his searching all over should he be roused just yet. He hoped that such a thing would not be necessary.

* * *

(MPOV)

I stood back and looked at the finished, mostly blank form. I could foresee no difficulties in it's build for Lena's casting: it had the same percentage of blankness my own form had had.

Certainly Ratchet would be happy with it, it meant far less servo-work for him. I smiled and looked over at Soundwave as he continued building her spark-chamber, the calm, quiet efficiency that he worked with made me smile all the more.

A lot could be told by the way a man or mech worked. Soundwave's patience was a fact that I would likely be relying upon in the future.

"Inquiry: Femme Prime's process." the mech stated the next moment.

"You are a remarkably patient mech, Soundwave." I stated calmly. "I sense that your patience will be something I rely upon in the future."

His visor had slid to cover his optics again, but in the same way that I had known the bots to be glancing at me with emotion in their alt modes, I felt the amusement in his brief glance up at me.

"Restatement: variance between Femme Prime and Megatronus: monumental."

"Now if I didn't know any better, I could swear you were complimenting me," I shot at him with a small grin. Soundwave just shot me another of those highly guarded amused looks. "So how goes the spark-chamber?" I asked curiously, settling at my workbench again.

"Spark-Chamber: Eighty-six percent complete."

I nodded and glanced around, I couldn't think of anything to do, really. The Jeeps were now the domain of the twins, the non-sentient learning tools as they worked beneath Ratchet's mentorship.

Slow day, there weren't even any scraped knees to tend to.

::. Kae, Lena has been abducted.:: My Optimus sent to me the next second.

So much for a nice little bit of boring.

::. Status report!.:: I barked back immediately.

::. I am in communications. Jolt is on the edge of a full panic attack, I am sending him to you.:: my Optimus reported flatly. I nodded and rose, watching the doors as moments later, Jolt walked in.

He had all the indicators of shock in his movements.

"Jolt?" I asked gently. He stood for a long moment, obviously fighting for his composure.

"Lena's gone," he whispered. "The one time we're apart and she disappears, where would she go? She always tells me where she's going..."

"Can you think of who would want to hurt her?" I asked him gently.

"No... she doesn't have much family anymore, no potential mates upset with her, who would want to hurt my Lena?" Jolt whispered.

A thought occurred to me, and I didn't like it.

"Have we had any system compromises lately?" I asked softly.

"No, well..." Jolt frowned. "The _NSA_ got hacked, their files on us were copied... whoever did it got the minor stuff, our designations... that you were human once, and that Lena and I..." he went pale.

"They discovered that Lena is going to become a bot," I stated flatly.

Jolt nodded, and it was then, and only then, that the little technician fairly hurled himself against my chest-plates, sobbing like a broken-sparked youngling.

"It's my fault! It's all my _fault_! They're gonna hurt my Lena because of me-" Jolt was howling into my chest.

"Command: cease hysterics." Soundwave stated the next moment.

I could practically feel Jolt's processors switch from horror to rage.

"What do you mean cease hysterics!" the technician fairly shrieked, shoving himself away from my chest and storming over to Soundwave.

"Diagnosis: high emotional state. Result: unclear processors, unhelpful for searching." Soundwave replied simply.

"What in _Pitfire_ would you know about it!?" Jolt damn near bellowed at him. "What do you mean cease _hysterics!?_ My Lena is _gone!_ Primus only knows where she is or what _slagger_ has his hands on her and there's only one fact available right now, I can't find her and I can't _help_ her until I _find her!"_

As quickly as it had come, the rage left him. Jolt looked about a breath away from collapsing onto the floor. I had a hand over my vocal processors, the only thing keeping the soft keen of grief from airing itself.

I half expected my self-appointed advisor to take offence, instead, he rose and towered over Jolt. Then, one of the most shocking things I'd seen from the mech yet.

Soundwave reached out, and gently cupped Jolt's shoulders.

"Soundwave online: one thousand eighty-five point seven vorn. Experience: extensive. Emotional circuits: destroyed by loss of intended."

Jolt froze, staring at Soundwave. I stayed just as frozen, Optimus' spark reaching for me in concern as my own ached on behalf of the mech speaking with what was evidently grief enforced un-emotionalism. I touched his gently, updating him

"Determination: disallow same experience for electric-bot."

"What happened?" Jolt choked out.

"Guardian Reliant: taken by Shockwave." Soundwave reported quietly. "Soundwave: too emotional at time of abduction. Result: found Nightsong too late."

"Nightsong?" Jolt whispered.

"Fate: Slag-bride. Result: ..."

I was beside him the next second as the towering mech sagged, then, it wasn't him supporting Jolt. It was between Jolt and I that the thin mech leaned.

"Result:" Soundwave whispered. "Soundwave: eased Nightsong into Well of All-sparks."

"Why didn't you slag him," Jolt husked.

"Lord High Protector: Order co-operation. Soundwave: bound to follow orders of Lord High Protector."

::. Optimus?.:: I sent softly on our private comm, I felt him online an extra processor.

::. Kae?.::

::. What's a slag-bride?.:: I whispered. The sense of indignant rage in our joined sparks almost overwhelmed my sense of self.

::. A femme whose body has been forcibly re-built for the purpose of producing hatchlings.:: my Optimus growled furiously. ::. A specialty of Shockwave's, he destroys the circuits capable of producing a blocker, and... more often than not, their servos are removed to prevent them fighting back.::

It took every ounce of my beloved's strength of will bolstering my own to keep me from purging my tanks there and then.

::. Why would you ask such a thing?.:: my Optimus asked softly, even as I continued to bear the weight of both Jolt and Soundwave as they spoke their experiences to each other.

::. Soundwave has dibs on destroying Shockwave.:: I murmured, sending him the conversation.

My Optimus nodded sternly.

::. Once Lena is found, we will aid him in hunting the 'scientist' to the ground.::

Soundwave straightened then, any and all emotion completely wiped from his countenance and stance once more.

"Suggestion: Bee-bot follow spark-thread."

Simple, to the point.

No wonder Megatron had relied on this mech so much. In seconds, I was comming my little brother.

::. =Little-brother=.:: I chirped softly.

::. =Big-Sister?=.:: he asked curiously, I could feel the majority of his processors focused on the thousands of faces and bios he was scanning.

::. =Little-brother Lena is missing=.:: I informed him softly.

::. =_Why the scrap didn't anyone rouse me sooner!?_=.:: My brother shouted before his processors paused their work, one remained, saving his place in the lineup before his presence left the ether.


	169. 166 Information Streams

As always, anything that you recognize, I do not own.

Just wanted to get that bit out of the way. ;) A million, billion thanks to all of my dear readers, reviewers, and particularly to Bee, my dear beta. It's my birthday today, I share my digital b-day cake with all of you :), but now for what you're actually here for:

**Chapter 166 – Information Streams**

* * *

(LPOV)

Lena refused to open her eyes, refused to give any indicator that she _was_, in fact, conscious.

"Why the fuck isn't she awake yet!?" the first man's voice fairly shrieked. "How hard did you _hit _her you _moron_!?" the sound of a hand meeting flesh.

"I didn't hit her that _hard!"_ the third man's voice immediately protested. "I've hit _Donegal_ over here harder than I hit _her_!"

One of the men's name was Donegal. She'd use that, remember that.

"Well now what do we do, Mr. Abel?" the second man's voice asked curiously.

"We get her inside," the first man's voice snapped, the sense of movement ceased beneath her, throwing her forward somewhat. Her head banged against a hard, vertical surface again.

The _least_ they could have done was tie her in _properly_!

Lena could feel her plan to remain 'unconscious' begin to melt away, that last hit had left her head spinning, stars were winking behind her eyes. She was going to throw up, _soon_. Resignedly, Lena kept her breathing slow, quiet, her face composed.

Actually...

Her stomach was revolting, screaming at her, definitely concussion. She opened her eyes, blearily of course, and looked around herself as though in a daze, memorizing the faces around her.

"She's awake!" man three shouted exultantly, leaning in close to her. Lena relaxed her grip on her stomach and threw up. Right in his face.

Stomach appeased, she rolled her eyes well up to her forehead and closed them again. A couple of nice, dramatic little twitches and she fell still. 'Unconscious' again.

All four men were shouting, man three in disgust, 'Mr. Abel' 'Donegal' and the fourth man were shouting in anger. Her face stayed in sleeping repose, but the soldier in her smirked. Divide and conquer. Hands were on her the next moment, throwing her over a shoulder and beginning to walk. Light shone through her closed eye-lids, obviously a well-concealed area if they were carrying her like this in broad daylight.

It was strange though, she could feel the warmth of the sunlight caressing her skin.

But she was beginning to feel really cold...

The sound of doors opening somewhere near her feet and the bouncing movement continued, but now, now there was no sunshine.

Lena focused on her senses, breathing a mental sigh of relief for her training.

Sound.

Footsteps, no, _echoing_ footsteps. Dripping water, the heavy breathing of the men. A good indication. They hadn't been walking far, but they were already breathing heavily.

Touch.

The man carrying her felt rather soft: the evidence of more flesh than muscle or bone. Cool, damp air touched her face. Damp smells, wet stone, wet dirt, not necessarily dirt.

It was all Lena could do to not wrinkle her nose.

She hated mould.

The man set her down, none too gently on what felt to be a heavy pad. It smelled of mildew.

Gross.

Footsteps. Silence. Dripping water.

Lena cracked an eye open and groaned. She couldn't help it. A face was watching her, had spotted her.

And it wasn't human.

"The ffeemme is ffaaking her sslumber."

* * *

(OPOV)

::. =Why the scrap didn't anyone rouse me sooner!?=.:: Bumblebee shouted on the primary. Optimus watched in shock as his scout's form animated at high speed, the bot in question glaring around himself.

"Why didn't you rouse me sooner!?" Bumblebee shouted at him. Optimus blinked. Bumblebee glared at him for a second then seemed to realize he was staring at his Prime. Not Jolt. "Sir."

"My apologies, Bumblebee, I was under the impression that you would be unable to save your place," Optimus rumbled quietly. Bee waved his servo for a second, waving the comment away.

"Where's Jolt? In the med-bay," Bee reeled off at high-speed, turning and running from communications the next second. Optimus cycled his optics again and turned back to the communications network, following the hidden trails left by the computers that had discovered their names.

At times, the methods that sentient beings used to hide their signatures and trails through the ether amused him. Less so this time. This time, the generally innocent information: their _names_ had caused a deep strife.

But he was patient, sifting through the logs, the data streams, the body of the humans' somewhat primitive internet.

Not that he minded, really, the simplicity of it's construction made it rather easy to traverse. Deep in it's histories, the imprints left in servers the memory of the virus implanted by the cons, it had Frenzy's signature.

Not of any real importance, Jolt had gleefully chased and de-activated that virus barely an orn after his arrival. Further through the ether, he doubled back and observed the NSA's network once more.

Then, he noted something.

Another method of hiding, Cybertronian signatures masquerading as humans. An intelligent move. He idly decoded the signature and began snarling.

Shockwave.

Automatically, he followed that trail to the sick mech's port of entry, it bounced back and forth across the world, as the humans tended to do when they wished to hide their location.

Then, a gleeful snarl tore from his vocal processors, Shockwave was still connected, seventh processor, it was entirely possible that he had forgotten to terminate the connection.

It required no excess processing, Optimus had been reserving _this_ particular virus for several vorns, modifying it ever so slightly after having bonded his Kae. She had invoked a subtlety he had lacked.

Shockwave would never notice it, not until he turned full spark-focus onto the seventh processor, then, every process he turned to afterward would appear precisely the same as the seventh process.

It wouldn't cause any... _serious_ harm.

However, Optimus did _not_ envy the processor ache Shockwave would be subjected to until the virus was removed.

"The hell is that smirk about?" Will called out to him.

"Nothing of remarkable importance," Optimus rumbled, turning his attention to the next trail to follow.

~Jolt, Bumblebee, Soundwave and I are going to follow the spark thread~ his Kae's spark whispered.

~Be safe, my mate~ he replied, touching her presence with his own, re-affirming their mutual love before his attention returned once more to the trails.

* * *

(BPOV)

Bee was pissed. Not just pissed. _Really_ pissed.

Jolt and Lena's spark-thread was still fragile! You don't slag around with a fragile spark-thread! Already he could see the ripples of the delicate guardian's bond being stretched.

Not that he really had a hope in Pit to explain these things.

Jolt was leaning against Kae, Soundwave was standing as impassively at Kae's shoulder as he'd seen the mech do at Megatron's shoulder.

Less thought, more move.

"Let's go," Bee commanded briskly, glaring at the thread extending from Jolt's spark-chamber. By all appearances, Lena was northwest of their position.

Scrap.

The humans built their roads true to the directions, it meant they'd be doing some zig-zagging. And zig-zagging ate up time.

Precious time.

Bee caught hold of Jolt's servo and fairly dragged him to the entrance bay, glared at the direction of the spark thread again and transformed, burning rubber with his sister, the technician and the ex-con hot on his bumper. Bee thanked his lucky star that transforming didn't change the thread, taking the main road north.

Traffic. Scrapping, slagging pit-useless _traffic!_

Then, Soundwave surprised him, in the midst of the snarl-up, the ex-con transformed and jumped into the air, delicately hovering fifty units above them.

::. Inquiry: Bee-bot assuming northwest route.::

::. Correct.:: Bee snapped back, there was no time for dilly-dallying!

::. Suggestion: next western exit. Reason: no traffic.::

Soundwave was being an air-scout. It was perfect.

::. Action: switching primary vocal pattern to Scout.:: Soundwave reported the next second. ::. Reason: enable visual enmesh for Bee-bot.::

_Soundwave_ knew _scout_!? How the scrap did that mech know about the scout's visual _en_-_mesh_!?

Questions later, Bumblebee immediately sent the mesh protocols, and crowed in victory as the thread between Jolt and Lena appeared in Soundwave's visuals.

It was hazy, but now? Now Soundwave could give them a better direction along that thread.

* * *

(MnPOV)

Megatron sat, glaring at Shockwave.

The scientist was detailing his plans for Soundwave, how he was going to slag him, the duration of the slagging, the reason for the duration. The codes he was going to implant in Soundwave's processors, the reason and function of those codes.

Megatron wasn't entirely certain why Shockwave was going into such detail. Certainly past experience should have reminded the scientist that frankly, Megatron did not _care._ It was obvious the scientist was running his spark-focus over a multitude of processes, then finally, he shut up.

"Now then Shockwave," Megatron growled softly. "We must devise the plan to _retrieve_ Soundwave."

He used the condescending, slow manner of speaking that he often adopted with Shockwave, the tone that implied that the mech Scientist in all of his brilliance, still didn't measure up to his master.

One needed to keep his minions in their place, of course.

Shockwave didn't respond, for once, an intelligent move.

"Now then, without doubt, Soundwave has pledged his allegiance to the High Protectorate, he will not leave her side now." Megatron began in a musing tone. "And the femme will no doubt keep a tight leash on him. Such a valuable asset is not to be allowed out of one's _visuals,_ _Shockwave_."

Shockwave stayed silent. Wise.

"So we must lure him out, have you yet compiled Soundwave's personal files?"

Shockwave stayed silent. Not wise.

"Shockwave!" Megatron snarled.

The mech did not so much as flinch. Megatron hefted himself to his pedes and brought his face directly into the cycloptic scientist's view. The Scientist was obviously processing.

Megatron nodded to himself somewhat, he would have to remind Shockwave to have the 'courtesy' to state that he was working on said tasks, rather than growing silent.

With his fists. He'd enjoy that.

Megatron reached out and punched Shockwave, hard.

The mech fell over, and didn't move.

No cringing, no cowering. Just down and staying still. There was no sport in beating a mech not cringing. Megatron afforded a kick to Shockwave's still form and stomped away, collecting a handful of energon rich metals and watching his cyber-hound hatchlings fight over the scraps he tossed to them.

Very well, he would simply have to come up with the plan himself.

* * *

(SePOV)

Sentinel rose from his place in the lecture hall, nodding to the humans waving and bidding him good evening as they trouped out of the central. Ratchet stood impatiently beside him, waiting for the humans to leave.

"So eager to return to your femme, medic?" Sentinel rumbled to the mech.

"Arcee is worried," Ratchet replied shortly, fairly bouncing on his pedes

"About?"

"Lena, she senses the little femme's potential to change soon," Ratchet replied shortly. "Which means I need to get to work on her body, _now._"

There it was again, the reference to the sense that defied calibration. Ratchet glanced at him and snorted.

"The humans have come close to calibrating it, if it makes you feel any better," the medic informed him.

They had _what!?_

"They've done some rather extensive studies on what they term instincts, or a 'gut feeling'. Talk to Kae about it, when we have the time Sentinel, it was that same feeling coursing through her spark that allowed her to recognize your defection."

Fascinating.

Sentinel closed up his lecture hall and locked it securely, turning and following the medic as he transformed and rolled for the auto-bot headquarters. They both transformed again amidst a hive of activity.

"Good call Sentinel!" one of the humans... Jacobs, called up to him.

Sentinel cycled his optics, he couldn't help it. One of the human soldiers had... complimented him on rousing this hive of activity?

"The fasta' the realization that someone's bin taken, the betta' the chance a gettin' them back." Jazz murmured, striding past.

A great number of the bots had taken residence in the entrance bay, awaiting the potential orders to roll out. Should Lena turn out to have been taken by the cons, the Auto-bots were ready. Ready and waiting to retrieve the intended of their technician.

It did a spark proud to know that his young friend had drawn such honourable bots to surround him.

A grunt of impatience caught his auditory receptors and he turned to see front-line predator Sunstreaker standing with crossed servos. No doubt eagerly awaiting the chance to take on more cons.

Even if it was in the defence of a squishy.

"I'm surprised you're not just lettin' ;em have her," Ironhide rumbled with a snort.

"Banshee don't count, she's got a spark-hum." Sunstreaker grunted, beginning to pace as Sideswipe surveyed his twin with pride in his optics.

That was a surprise, since when would the least tolerant of bots get close enough to the femme to hear her spark? Sentinel had heard it, but she had been within his alt-mode.

"Since when did you let one of us close enough to hear that?" Jacobs called out in amusement. Sunstreaker glanced down at him with what could only be called his own amusement. Jacobs didn't count as a squishy, apparently, the only human that _ever_ rode with Sunstreaker.

"Since I pulled her off of Bonecrusher's shoulder when she was tearing his energon lines out with those pretty little daggers of hers."

"Oh riiight!" Sideswipe chuckled. "You had her on your shoulder for a little while during that, didn't you. Admit it, you want her to become a bot so you can teach her how to use her swords, we _all_ know she's gonna have swords." Sideswipe grinned at his twin.

"That too, she's gotta be _alive_ to do it though," Sunstreaker growled.

A large number of the humans were on standby as well, fully prepared to roll out with the bots.

Well, while they were waiting...

Sentinel onlined his holoform beside Jacobs.

"I have been informed that humans have made a study of... gut feelings?" he rumbled calmly.

"Yeah, instincts," Jacobs nodded with a grunt. "Best _I _figure? It's the sub-conscious mind bringing up the data stored in our version of a secondary processor. We can't really access that processor consciously, but the knowledge is there. When you follow your instincts, you're right too many times to discount it."

"And what do your instincts say?" Sentinel rumbled curiously.

"It ain't cons," Jacobs growled softly, his eyes narrowed. "Don't feel right. Either the cons'd just blow that lecture hall of yours up, or they'd be calling in their demands already."

"Who would it be then?" Sentinel rumbled intently. Grim as the reason was: this was an excellent manner of testing these 'instincts'.

"One of the human groups, MECH maybe, or the Brotherhood of Man, whoever they are? They _may_ even be convinced that they're _saving_ Lena from your lot."

Fascinating.


	170. 167 Instincts

**Chapter 167 – Instincts**

* * *

(LPOV)

There was a needle stuck in her arm still. It hurt. She'd struggled as best she could to keep that needle out of her arm, fat load of good it did: the metal had broken, and now it was stuck in her arm.

Ratchet would be pissed off, and to be honest? Lena was looking forward to it.

But for now she focused on that pain, it was something to focus _on. _The world was spinning, dizzying for all that her mind rejected the movement. The world did not spin like this, she was drugged, she knew it, her mind knew it.

But she was still dizzy, and cold, and hot, and she _wanted_ her _Jolt!_ _Badly!_

Laserbeak was grinning at her. _Oh_ how she wanted to tear that pathetic creature's head from it's frail neck! They'd cut the ties from her wrists and ankles not long ago.

For good reason, she was far, _far_ too disoriented to go on the offensive.

Her body wasn't co-operating, her heart-rate far too fast for her comfort. She was shaking, shivering, trying to stay warm. It was so cold, the walls of the cave fairly dripping with moisture.

Lena curled into herself, struggling to calm herself, calm her pounding heart.

Because she knew, now, Kae had told her.

Somehow, in the midst of this cluster-fuck, her spark had decided that now would be a good time to consume her flesh and prepare to be placed in her spark-chamber.

Fuck.

She doubted that Laserbeak was ignorant of that fact. Not with the way he was grinning at her. She had no doubt that he was simply waiting her out now, he'd attack her unguarded spark, consume her as a meal.

"Is she ready to go?" man four – nobody had said his name yet – asked curiously.

"Let's see..." Mr. Abel murmured, the man strode forward and Lena studied him, forcing her face neutral. Brown hair, brown eyes, clean shaven. His face was handsome, although it paled in comparison to her Jolt's aquiline faceplates. He looked familiar, a face she knew from the media. But whatever they had injected her with was making data processing difficult. Her mind was screaming, but screaming a continuous litany. 'stay calm stay calm Jolt'll come for you stay calm'

She didn't flinch, refused to move as the man stroked her cheek.

"I think it's working!" man three exclaimed excitedly.

Then, then he whipped his pants off.

Lena almost threw up, but she kept her face blank as the man approached her. She hadn't said anything yet, she still couldn't decide if it was wise. That part of the male anatomy... Lena had almost gotten over her revulsion of that object, she'd almost managed to become normal. You know, as normal as a woman desperately in love with a robot could be... the revulsion was back, now.

But then... man three had been the one to strike her... the hated male body-part came close to her, began poking at her mouth.

Lena wanted her Jolt, not this human intruder. At this point, she didn't care if this was going to spur beatings, or torture, or whatever they considered making an example of her.

She was very much focused on revenge.

So she opened her mouth, the member slid in and she bit down, tasted blood and bit harder. Screaming registered in her hearing, the man jerking away from her and leaving flesh in her mouth. She spat at him and resumed her foetal position, protecting the vital parts of her body as the human males exploded in shock around her. The beating would come soon, her instincts screamed that fact, but it would be worth it.

Because Technical Sergeant Lena Elizabeth Davies never went down without a fight.

Laserbeak was eyeing her up like a steak dinner, waiting.

She hoped that if that ever happened, she would give him a massive case of indigestion.

* * *

(MPOV)

Three hours of driving. Soundwave in the air had helped a great deal, and my little-brother was now very obviously a Soundwave fan. The two of them were passing communications in scout, and to my own receptors it truly sounded as though Soundwave _had_ at one point been a scout.

It did explain his adaptability to an extent.

But regardless of the aerial and grounder scouts working at high-speed efficiency, it still took us three hours of zig-zagging.

Jolt was frantic, through the bonds of the unit, as a Prime I could feel his terror, I could feel his sense of Lena's horror, anger and pain.

Personally, my weaponry was fully online, and my apology to my beloved mate for bending his rule of not harming humans already queued in my vocal processors.

We were getting close, Jolt could feel it, I could feel it, and evidently, Bee and Soundwave could see it.

My little-brother transformed then, opting to run through the brush now surrounding us rather than attempting to bull through the foliage in his alt-mode.

I was right behind him, bringing up the rear at a jog while the scout and technician ran at full tilt.

The only problem with out-sizing them so drastically, I could run so much faster, but it would do no good to outdistance them without knowing the direction.

Bee screeched to a halt. Jolt ran square into his back, I took a final two easy strides and lightly caught the both of them by the armour across their backs, keeping them on their pedes.

Soundwave was landing beside me the next moment.

"Banshee-hawk Femme: within mine." he reported flatly.

Immediately, I was scanning the area, frowning.

I couldn't get anything.

"Scans: ineffective. Reason: heavy metal content within stones."

Stones.

Automatically, I dug my pedes into the ground and knelt down, sending neurals through the earth and listening. Through the stone, I could feel vibration, just softly, I couldn't count the steps. But through that vibration...

Screaming...

Bee was scowling at the van the humans had made the effort to hide, at least, he was until I heard that screaming. Then, then he was staring at me in horror, we were far too familiar with each other's spark resonations for him to not immediately pick up my terror.

Because someone was screaming deep in the earth, and not one of us was small enough to reach her. My holoform winked online the next second, and as the human I had once been I scrambled into the old mine, my little-brother close behind.

Ineffectively. We made it perhaps three hundred feet before the signals were corrupted. I could see the inside of the mine for perhaps another hundred feet before I lost all solidity.

"Useless!" I snarled, fighting my own instinct to blast the ground, the stone listening alone stated the area was far too unstable for it. Jolt was on the ground now, on his knees staring at the path his Lena had most likely taken.

Defeat was bitter. We were so close, so close to the technician's intended, only to be defeated by size.

For the first time, I hated how large my form had become.

Automatic functions guided my actions as I knelt down, reached out and held the sobbing technician. I could feel his spark reaching for it's intended mate, feel his hope dwindling. At a loss, I did the only thing I could think of, holding him in a tight embrace and settling down to wait.

Wait for a miracle, or wait for his spark to go out, following his love.

Silence. Silence but for the sound of the wind through the trees, the soft, frame wracking sobs from the bot in my arms. Bumblebee's spark buzzing angrily as he glared at the entrance to the mines.

Soundwave's voice.

"Ravage: Eject. Objective: Locate retrieve Banshee-hawk Femme."

A panther form was streaking around us the next moment, catching scents around the van, and without a backward glance, plunging into the depths of the mine.

* * *

(SwRPOV)

"Ravage: Eject."

Ravage had been waiting for it, through her pride-master's optics she had noted the opening yellow-bot, electric-bot and wing-femme had been watching.

There was prey in that hole, she was certain of it. Holes of that size _always_ yielded prey.

"Objective: Locate retrieve Banshee-hawk Femme." Pride-master informed her.

Banshee-hawk sparking had been taken!?

There _was_ prey in that hole, Ravage narrowed her optic with a low snarl and circled the area. Yes. Banshee-hawk sparking scent. It touched the ground for a moment before other scents of the wet-prey that abounded this planet mingled and distorted hers.

The scents were mingled, the scents had taken Banshee-hawk sparking.

Pride-master stated that Banshee-hawk sparking was fully grown. Ravage had inquired if his sensors were functioning properly. Smart sparking, yes. But still sparking.

Sparkings of the pride were to be protected.

A strong leap and Ravage threw herself into the powerful stride of her kind, the long, graceful running form of which she was so deeply proud. Another scent. A familiar scent.

Ravage grinned, baring her fangs. She recognized this scent. Buzzard-bird.

Buzzard-bird was obviously hunting the wet-prey, she loved taking his prey. Buzzard-bird was quick to hide behind his pride-master. Ravage found that shameful, she _never _hid behind pride-master! She stood at Pride-master's side as was her due as alpha-femme and fought beside him.

Pride-master had informed her that buzzard-bird was not to be prey. But Pride-master was no longer allied with Buzzard-bird's pride-master.

Buzzard-bird was now prey.

Ravage extended her claws somewhat, digging them deeply into the ground beneath her paws and driving herself forward all the faster. One of the wet-prey was already breaching, spilling it's fluids across the ground. Banshee-hawk sparking was no doubt showing the prey her claws.

Good sparking. She had the survival thoughts within her already.

Light ahead, Ravage slowed and silenced her steps, crouching low to the ground and dimming her optic.

Best to not be seen. The huntress surveys her prey first, decides how best to hunt them.

Silent paws carried her forward, slowly, carefully toward the light. Three wet-prey surrounded a fourth, the fourth was prone already, spark-beat erratic. It would not survive much longer. Buzzard-bird was watching Banshee-hawk sparking. Watching her the way Ravage now surveyed him.

Next meal.

Ravage did not understand why, at first. The wet-prey were rather disgusting, after all. But then she surveyed Banshee-hawk sparking.

Not sparking. Spark was beginning to reject the wet-chamber it was housed in, consuming it!

Ridiculous creatures, the large pack-masters. So dependent upon others for their bodies! Not like the hatchlings Ravage had borne, their bodies small at first, but growing quickly and learning the hunt and the survival thoughts.

Ravage continued her thoughts, surveying the scene in front of her as she crept ever so closer.

The wet-prey were helpless against her, they would run as the jork before her wrath. Buzzard-bird though, Buzzard-bird was somewhat capable of his own fighting. Banshee-hawk femling was pride. There was plenty of eat available, no reason for pride to turn against pride.

Buzzard-bird was primary prey, then.

Ravage smirked, silently showing her fangs as her claws crept somewhat more deeply into the ground beneath her.

Now, she simply needed to wait for the correct moment.

Buzzard-bird turned somewhat, his back completely toward her.

Now.

Every spring, gear and cable in her body released it's tension. Ravage shot forward, gleefully tracking buzzard-bird's movements.

She released a feral roar, proud of the sounds her throat produced. Particularly the way it echoed through these tunnels. Buzzard-bird spun, but it was far too late for him, he never got a shot off before Ravage's fangs were around his neck. A powerful bite and the head was severed.

The head continued though. The body stilling with the loss of it's controller. Ravage smirked again, lightly batting at the head for a moment before crushing it.

_That_. Was for the time Buzzard-bird had nicked her flanks with his pellets.

Ravage scanned the area once more, the wet-prey was running, as she had expected, dragging their wounded along with them.

Obviously, the survival thoughts were not within their minds.

"Ravage?" Banshee-hawk sparking's voice whispered. Immediately, Ravage turned and nuzzled at the tiny sparking. Then she realized something.

The tiny sparking? Not tiny. The entirety of the Banshee-hawk's frame was becoming spark. Ravage glanced at Buzzard-bird's corpse and shrugged, she'd come back for it later.

Banshee-hawk needed wing-femme. Pride-master _had_ given her the order, after all. Gently, Ravage caught hold of the sparking's armour and stretched her out somewhat, reaching for the femme and encouraging her to at least _partially_ enter the hatchling space.

Or trying to.

The wet-prey had a bizarre language, it was nothing like the trilling clicks of Ravage's ilk.

But sparks didn't need language...

Ravage opened her spark chamber, just a little. Enough to send a tendril to Banshee-hawk.

It was enough. Banshee-hawk sparking seemed to understand, curling up against Ravage's chest and winding her damaged wings around Ravage's neck.

Slowly, carefully, always ensuring that Banshee-hawk did not fall, Ravage began the trek back to the sunlight where pride-master waited for her.

~How is _Ravage_ here helping me?~ the sparking thought in shock.

~Pride-master send Ravage~ she responded in amusement. ~Sparkings of the pride, protected by the pride. Banshee-hawk sparking should know better than to consort with buzzard-birds.~

The spark beneath her was laughing, this was good. Pride-master considered such laughter good among the wet-prey and fellow pride-masters.

Banshee-hawk sparking clung to her, but Ravage could feel her grip weakening. This was a bad thing. For what little Ravage cared about distance, she had covered half the distance between the place she had been, and the place where pack-master waited with wing-femme.

So Ravage paused her progress on the trek, taking a moment to reach down and nudge the sparking more deeply into her hatchling chamber. It was difficult, Banshee-hawk sparking was _far_ larger than the sparking she had taken from her pride-sister's broken frame in the past before she had joined pack-master.

After considering for another moment, Ravage extended her frame around Banshee-hawk sparking. It was causing damage to her frame, which went against the survival thoughts. But pack-master would repair her.

It was one of the primary reasons of her loyalty. Pack-master repaired her damages.

Banshee-hawk sparking was now far more securely enclosed within her, so Ravage picked up her pace, running toward the signal of Pack-master.

* * *

(JPOV)

Lena was changing, Jolt could feel it. Feel it deep within his spark.

He tried, with every code within his processors Jolt tried to stay calm, his Lena needed him to be calm.

"Ravage: returning with sparking." Soundwave reported then. Thank Primus for that mech and his reports! Lena was coming back to him. "Suggestion: Femme Prime prepare to accept sparking."

"What!?" Kae almost shouted, lurching away from Jolt to stare at Soundwave.

"Ravage report: Banshee-hawk sparking consuming frame. Too large for Ravage to carry. Wing-femme take sparking."

For a spark-beat, Kae stood frozen. Then, then she began shouting over the Primary.

::. _Arcee_! I need the sparking protocols!.:: she bellowed.

::. Lena's changing _now!?_.:: Ratchet bellowed back.

::. Her body is complete! You need to finish her spark-chamber!.:: Archangel barked out.

::. That is going to take _hours!_.:: Ratchet shouted.

::. Soundwave: eighty-nine percent complete spark-chamber.:: the mech chimed in.

::. Size transformable?.:: Ratchet demanded.

::. Affirmative.::

::. Good.:: Ratchet barked.

On another frequency, one that Jolt often ignored, seeing as it was the femme's channel, massive amounts of data were being passed back and forth. He watched in awe as Kae began transforming, modifying her bipedal frame to what were obviously Arcee's specifications.

She became somewhat shorter, her chest and abdomen expanding somewhat as she relocated the metals to where she felt they were the most needed. In front of them, Archangel synced her processors again, her spark sounding perfectly serene. She looked like she was with sparking now.

Frankly, the mech in him thought she looked incredible like that. No doubt Optimus would be _drooling_ over her when she returned to base looking like _that._

It felt like an eternity, but his chronometer stated it was less than a breem that Ravage emerged from the mine entrance, the poor cyber-cat was hobbling somewhat, her very frame distorted to make enough room to fit his Lena's changing form.

Even amidst his burgeoning panic, Jolt made a note to ask Soundwave how he could thank both the mech and the cyber-cat symbiont for so efficiently coming to his intended's aid.

"Come Lena," Archangel murmured softly, the tone of a mother, carrier. She reached gently toward Ravage and accepted the exhausted looking femme.

"Jolt..." his Lena's voice whimpered softly.

"I'm here, Lena, I'm right here," Jolt choked out. He knelt down beside his Prime and hesitantly reached out, touching his femme with a gentle finger. "Go with Kae, Lena, she's gonna take you to your body."

His Lena smiled at him and relaxed into Kae's hands.

"Jolt will be right behind us, dear spark," Kae murmured gently, her chest-plates opened, baring her now far larger spark-chamber. Jolt watched in awe as Kae delicately deposited his sweet Lena into the chamber before withdrawing her hand and closing her chest-plates protectively around the two sparks.

"Rendezvous at base," Archangel stated calmly, looking at him, at Bee and at Soundwave. "I'm taking the skies."

"Soundwave: Provide escort."

Jolt looked over at the mech in awed gratefulness. Kae was vulnerable like this, but there was no way she'd be able to comfortably transform into a vehicle mode and take the land-route. She'd wind up walking back to base!

Archangel nodded, and in moments the two leapt into the air, streaking back the way they'd come.

"Let's roll!" Bumblebee informed him seriously. Jolt nodded, struggling to understand the events through his shock. He transformed – it was practically an automatic function – and followed the scout, speeding back toward their headquarters and home.


	171. 168 For A Change

**Chapter 168 – For a Change**

* * *

(WPOV)

Will watched in shock as Optimus straightened suddenly. His optics were glowing far more brightly than they usually did. The baritone hum of his spark had changed somewhat. It was deeper, almost... _threatening! _Then, without a word or backward glance, Optimus turned and charged out of communications.

By the look of Ironhide's cannons and stance alone though, the bots were on high-alert, and he had no idea why. They weren't under attack... he didn't think so, anyway. The bots generally, you know, _informed_ him when they were under attack.

Regardless, he pounded his way down communications central catwalk and raced after the titan.

Only to be blocked by Ironhide's hand.

"Better not do that, Will," his guardian rumbled gruffly.

"What? Why?" Will demanded.

"Kae's bringing Lena back." Ironhide rumbled.

Will blinked. Once again, Ironhide had given him the auto-bot explanation. You know, when the mech forgot that Will didn't have the same knowledge of tradition and whatnot as his guardian. Which was flattering... sometimes... but it still didn't help. Or explain.

"Define?" he sighed.

Ironhide looked down at him and rolled his optics.

"Lena's changing, Kae's bringing her back, which means her body is registering as being sparked, you know, pregnant. Which in turn has tripped Optimus' protective circuits. As far as _he's_ concerned, Kae's just gone from _very_ capable of beating the scrap out of an offending bot, to being _very_ pregnant."

"So the circuits devoted to guarding his mate have now snapped into being very, _very_ fiercely protective of her?" Will hazarded the guess.

"See? You're starting to pick this stuff up!" Ironhide grinned at him. "So before you go chasing after him, you better get it through them human channels of yours that Optimus ain't gonna be thinkin' too straight for a bit there. There's only two things goin' through his processors."

"What?" Jerry called out curiously.

"Find mate, guard mate." Ironhide snorted. He straightened and began striding toward the doors.

"Where you going?" Will called out curiously. 'Hide paused.

"Jerry, you can do the communication thing, 'mon Will," his guardian grinned down at him, leaning down and idly plucking Will from the floor and depositing him on his shoulder.

"Where are _we_ going?" Will changed the statement.

"Gonna go make sure Kae doesn't get pissed at her mate, and make sure that youngling rip don't leave the base to find her when she's moving faster here than he could hope to."

"And you plan on doing that how?"

"Optimus!" Ironhide roared the next second.

Will almost laughed to see Optimus freeze, looking up curiously in the middle of transforming his flight deck.

"Kae's gonna get _here_ faster than you can fly that thing to her. So rather than trying to meet her en-route and slowing her down getting back, stay put." Ironhide commanded flatly.

Optimus just stayed frozen, obviously mulling that over.

"Put the flight-deck back," Ironhide rumbled slowly. Optimus obeyed. Will watched curiously as the femmes all gathered in the entrance bay, Ratchet close behind.

It was somewhat more shocking when Chromia immediately wound herself around Ironhide, and Arcee jumped into Ratchet's arms.

Ironhide glanced at him and snorted.

"It's a re-establishment of non-hostility," he rumbled in explanation. "Optimus has gone into a more primal state, an un-bonded mech is competition. Potentially a danger to an expecting mate. 'Mia and 'Cee are making sure Optimus knows to not consider us bad."

Will nodded musingly and tucked himself somewhat more securely into Ironhide's shoulder, just in time to watch the entrance bay doors open. Another minute and Kae landed, Soundwave close behind her, seeming to be supporting her, actually.

For good reason, it appeared. Kae looked... different... shorter, her chest was wider.

What happened next was a study in Cybertronian behaviour that Will simply couldn't tear his eyes from.

Optimus rushed toward his mate, gathering her into his arms. But the _sounds!_ Optimus was speaking in Cybertronian, Will was certain of it. Rapid, deeply baritone notes and clicking, the very effect sounding as though he had been deeply worried, inexplicably managing to sound both gentle and tender, but with powerful, dominant overtones... _stressing_ dominant overtones. Will leaned forward in fascination.

Kae was murmuring to Optimus, it sounded like an entirely different language, or rather, different... frequency? Her manner of speech was almost musical, gentle, flowing, soothing tones. When Optimus glanced up and around, Will managed to catch sight of the threatening challenge flowing through the bot.

Challenge for any to attack his mate. Threat of what would happen.

It. Was. _Awesome!_

When Optimus caught sight of Soundwave? Will couldn't _help_ but be afraid for the bot! That deep, threatening tone emanating from Optimus? Whoa.

"Guardian Prime: protective circuitry tripped by mate's condition." Soundwave stated in that same monotone. He began moving slowly. "Soundwave: yield Femme Prime to Mate's guardianship. Soundwave: report to communications station."

It was fascinating to watch the way Soundwave presented himself, his chest thrust forward, hands well away from his sides as he edged along the wall. Optimus watched with narrowed optics until Soundwave had disappeared.

Ratchet chose that moment to slowly approach, hands well away from sides, and chest well forward. Different tones were coming from the medic, a cascade of deep commanding tones, and placating trills with several clicks thrown in for good measure.

"He's command-requesting Optimus to take Kae into the med-bay," Ironhide murmured quietly. Will nodded, watching the drama playing out in front of him. It made him smile to watch the way Optimus led his mate, hands that he had _seen_ crush metals into scrap gently covered Kae's chest-plates. An arm wound gently around her body, supporting her as they walked.

So cute.

* * *

(JPOV)

::. All call, Optimus' processors have switched into the Mate's Protection protocols.::

Ratchet's voice was sounding over the primary. Jolt drove faster, faster than he ever had come to think of it. He wasn't really much of a speed-bot. Not like Bee or the terror twins.

He was hot on Bumblebee's bumper, the scout leading the way to headquarters. Which was a relief, Jolt would find his way back, yeah, but Bee was guaranteed to do it better.

The Prime's protective circuits had been tripped by Kae bearing his Lena to her body.

That was... actually that was kind of weird. Lena wasn't a sparking. Jolt wasn't entirely sure how Kae bearing Lena had switched her into registering as with spark. It made him feel a great deal better though, his Lena was going to be okay.

But that didn't stop him from driving like a mad-bot, harrying after Bumblebee as they sped for the base.

Then the next problem crowded it's way into his processors, if Optimus was in full protection mode, how was Jolt going to get anywhere near his Lena?

It was an hour's drive, and Jolt was grateful that Bee was leading. But finally, they made it into the entrance bay, transforming at high speed and fairly running for the med-bay.

Immediately, they were both met with a warning growl. Jolt observed the situation as best he could.

Kae was wound deeply into Optimus' arms, barely visible from the door for all that she seemed to be cradled on his lap. Kae clicked to him gently, no words, simply the comfort.

Ratchet was feverishly working on a spark-chamber, it looked like it was almost complete, at that. Soundwave was nowhere to be seen, no doubt having taken his leave.

He was an un-bonded mech, after all.

Jolt could feel his Lena, somewhat, she was calm, relaxed. It calmed him, allowing him to take two steps into the med-bay and sink down against the wall. The femmes were everywhere, fetching this, bringing Kae a cube of energon, patting Optimus' legs...

It was a hive of soothing activity, Jolt stayed right where he was, allowing the calm spark-hums around him to calm him as much as it was evidently calming his intended.

* * *

(MPOV)

Soundwave was close behind me. That was a relief, I felt so... vulnerable at the moment. Transforming was out of the question, Arcee would manage it just fine, but this was the first time I had _ever_ changed like this. I could feel energon rushing to my chest, it was throwing my balances off. Lena was still scared beside my spark, I could feel her changing, feel the increasing power of the spark beside my own.

Miles away, across our bond I could feel the changes affecting my Optimus. His spark was calling to mine, fairly demanding my presence beside him.

I used that, my telemetry was getting messed up. Rather than try to follow my slowly degrading sensors I followed that pull.

Because anywhere my Optimus was. That. That was where safety was.

It took me some time to recognize the programming responsible for that, though. Finally, I figured out why.

My body was now convinced I was sparked, pregnant. Not simply pregnant, but due to bear a sparking to the hatcheries. And soon.

::. How close is Lena to the total change?.:: Ratchet sent to me worriedly.

::. Soon father.:: I whispered on the primary. In this moment, I desperately needed the soothing presence of my mate and family.

::. I need a couple of hours, daughter, try to keep her calm.:: my father sent gently.

::. How are your systems holding up, my sister?.:: Arcee sent to me gently.

::. My systems are going haywire sister.:: I sent with a light tone of petulance. ::. There's energon flooding into my chest and it's throwing my balances!.::

::. It does that.:: my sister chuckled ::. you're doing just fine, sister. Follow the signal of your mate.::

That was easy. I redoubled my concentration on the pull of Optimus' spark, following the signal straight back to base. The moment I caught sight of the familiar building I almost cried out in relief, struggling to land as gently as possible.

Soundwave was close behind me, gentle hands catching hold of my wings and supporting me as I struggled to find my balances again. I took a few steps forward and sighed in relief as my mate rushed forward.

In a matter of moments, I was wound deeply into my Optimus' embrace. Safe.

Without a doubt, the humans would assume the soothing, wordless deep tones coming from my mate were yet another frequency. They weren't. It was nothing more than the sounds a father would hum to his child, guardian's sounds, the wordless promise that he was right there.

Music to my audio receptors.

The reply to that sound was automatic in my processors, I enjoyed them, humming my assurances, I was here. I was safe in his arms.

As was fully instinctual, Optimus glanced up and around. The non-violent part of me would have been marginally irked to see the challenge in his optics. But the mate of the Prime?

I'd be marginally ashamed later that I so enjoyed the raw, primal challenge flowing from my mate. The challenge for somebot to harm me. Because inherent in that challenge was the knowledge of the sheer destruction that would be incurred.

The kind of male possessiveness that made a girl feel warm and fuzzy inside.

"Guardian Prime: protective circuitry tripped by mate's condition." Soundwave stated in his usual monotone behind me. I turned to look at him and couldn't help but smile somewhat. My advisor seemed to be even more intelligent than I had given him credit for, he was presenting his guarded spark to my mate.

Non-hostile.

"Soundwave: yield Femme Prime to Mate's guardianship. Soundwave: report to communications station." Very smart move. I nodded to him minutely, and sent the soothing promise to my mate. My advisor was not a danger to us.

Soundwave disappeared.

∂_Optimus, bring your mate to the med-bay∂_ my spark-father commanded gently, moving forward a few steps. Wound deeply into my Optimus' arms, a strong hand protectively covering my chest, my beloved mate supported me into the med-bay, settling down on the bench and pulling me almost on top of himself.

In that moment, I wanted nothing more than to present my mate with as many sparkings as he could ever want. I knew my body registering my 'pregnancy' was affecting my processors, but I didn't really mind. I was safe, cuddled deeply into my mate's arms and surrounded by my family.

I passed that comfortable, relaxed feeling to Lena, and felt her calm beside my spark.

She had not made the full change, yet, and if I could keep her calm enough, I doubted that she would. Not until the time was right.

* * *

(LPOV)

Kae hadn't lied.

Lena had been really, _really_ cold for a while there. Painfully cold.

She didn't have any clothes anymore, Lena wasn't entirely certain where her clothes had gone. Not that she minded, really, they'd been dirty and covered with blood anyway.

She still had her human body though, mostly, she still felt fleshy, kind of. There was a mind beside hers, a calm, soothing presence. Kae was gently instructing her on what needed to be done, patiently pausing every time Lena's mind drifted back to the weird feeling of looking down at her hands.

They were glowing.

It was incredible to feel the difference between her changing and Kae's. Where Kae had surprised the bots – had changed before they were ready or understanding what was happening – they knew what was happening now. Lena floated in perfect contentedness, learning what she would need to do from her sister human-turned-bot.

There was no emergency, as Kae's onlining had been. Lena felt calm, safe, ensconced beside her sister-spark in the protective chamber much like the one she would reside in soon.

They both knew that she would likely feel more of the casting heat, though, Kae was not worried for her, not really. She simply reminded Lena of her inherent strength, and how beautiful her spark was. Lena was clinging to the feeling of her fleshiness quite well though.

She wasn't entirely certain how long she'd been in here, Kae wasn't being entirely forthcoming about the time, and Lena understood why.

This unhurried, patient feeling was holding her from changing somewhat. Kae remembered. She had felt first the surge of excitement and joy, her mate had returned, and then she had felt the burning cold.

So Lena waited, patiently listening to the world around her, listening to Kae as she gently passed bits of knowledge to her. More time passed, although Lena wasn't certain how much. It came to the time that she could feel the edges of Kae's excitement, and Lena wondered why.

Until of course Kae told her.

~Your body is ready, sweet Lena, and your Jolt is here.~

Jolt was here.

_Her Jolt was here!_ He came! She'd just _known_ her Jolt would come!

Lena didn't even notice her body disappearing, flesh and bone converted into energon. At least, she didn't notice until she reached somewhat toward the opening of the chamber.

She didn't have any hands.

Or lungs.

_Or skin!_

She looked back and started. There was a spark beside hers, far larger than hers.

~Go to your chamber, little one~ Kae's voice whispered in gentle amusement. Lena looked back and grinned. There was a chamber there, beside the one the larger spark remained in. She went to it, and immediately began investigating this new and fascinating thing! There were places for her to rest comfortably, so she settled into those places and watched with a bright smile as the chamber began changing around her.

Changing to suit her. It was very comfortable.

Then the next surprise. The chamber changed, began to glow and now she could _feel it! She could feel the metals of her spark chamber! _And hands! Gentle hands around her chamber, holding her, cradling her.

It was a nice feeling for all that she recognized it, she was _very _distracted by the sensation of fleshless-ness. There was a moment of a tingly feeling, it felt like the scans Ratchet did.

"She's fully integrated into her chamber." That was Ratchet's voice. She liked Ratchet, he never gave pity. She felt the movement, heard the footsteps, then the sensation of being set down.

The feeling of being in a place where her chamber just... _fit. _

Something began poking at her, and Lena tried to see what it was. She couldn't really see very well at the moment, her vision blocked by the semi-transparent walls of her chamber.

"Try to reach out and integrate, Lena, like I taught you." Kae's voice murmured gently. She sounded so tired. Lena didn't want to disobey the femme, so she reached out as best she could.

More metals! She could feel them! Immediately, Lena began investigating these metals. They were in all sorts of shapes, some of the shapes were close, but they didn't seem quite right, and the moment she noted that not-quite-rightness, the metal would change, shape itself.

To be perfectly honest, it was _fun!_

There were bits and pieces changing on their own, without her supervision. Lena didn't really like that, then, then she discovered something absolutely fascinating. She could _concentrate_ on all of the things!

Eventually, that realization was pressed into the back of her mind, because now, now her body was responding to her. She could feel it. Feel an immense heat that she hadn't noticed before.

What had Kae said? Her body had stated that a surge of energon – oh there it was! It came as a report! A surge of energon would cool her frame! Lena began to initiate that surge, then thought better of it. It hurt, it hurt a lot, but Kae had said that she'd withstood that heat for some time more, it tempered her frame, made her stronger.

Lena wanted to be strong for her Jolt.

So she held off, and noted a final couple of bits that could be a bit better. So she gritted her teeth... sort of... and changed those bits.

Much better.

It was beginning to hurt. A _lot_. So Lena initiated the energon surge and immediately felt herself cool.

She felt all rough, dirty.

She didn't remember Kae looking like that.

Lena looked around her body with her spark. It was a nice body, she liked it. But she was all rough and stuff. Hmm...

An energon surge had cooled her body down, and every now and again, when Sunstreaker didn't have time to repair the nicks in his paint with his brushes he'd do it with an energon surge...

Lena looked around her systems and found it, a surge of energon caressed her frame. It felt nice. And now, now she felt all smooth, like she used to right after a shower, when she'd finished shaving.

"Lena?" a voice whispered softly. She knew that voice, she _loved_ that voice!

Oh. There was the next trick. Lena made to take a breath to answer, then realized something else: she didn't have _lungs! _Where was her _voice!?_

"Lena?" Jolt whispered. Her bot. He sounded so scared!

Lena began frantically looking for _something_ that would make a _sound! _She began talking to herself as she did, that was a habit.

"That's not it, that's not it... how the _fuck do I – Oh!" _She shut up the second she realized she was saying it aloud. Okay, so just talk.

Now. Open eyes. No. Online _optics!_

It felt kinda the same, the desire to see, the function to open eyes. In moments, readouts were flashing in front of her vision. She had her own built in computer readouts, now those were _cool!_

"Sorry," she murmured contritely, glancing down the second the world appeared around her. She couldn't help the grin though. This. Was _so much fun!_

"Lena?" her Jolt whispered softly. Immediately, she was looking around for him. Then. Then she spotted him. He looked so much smaller now!

"Jolt?" she asked softly. Her bot looked so scared. Immediately, she rose to go to him, she wanted to touch his face, stroke his cheek the way she always did when he was sad.

Except her legs didn't really want to do that yet.

"Primus sake!" Ratchet's voice grumbled. Hands were supporting her the next moment. Lena looked up and grinned, her sister femme was gently supporting her on her feet.

"Jolt get over here so she's not trying to go to you already!" Kae chuckled gently. In a second, her Jolt was there, Lena relaxed and reached for him.

His hands swallowed hers. Just how small _was she!?_

"Back on the berth, you," Ratchet's voice commanded gruffly.

"Can..." Jolt whispered. Silence.

"What?" Lena murmured, looking up at him.

"Can I hug you first?" he asked shyly.

Lena laughed and hurled herself against him as best she could. Which was rather ungainly at the moment, more she was hauling herself onto him. But the point stood. And now she had a pretty good gauge of how much bigger her Jolt was.

Actually, it was really comfortable, Jolt's arms were around her, and there was a spot just below his shoulder that fit her head... helm _perfectly!_ She didn't _ever _want to leave this spot.

"Fine, you've got your hug, back on the berth young femme!" Ratchet ordered.

"I'm not done hugging him yet," Lena pouted, turning her head slightly to glare at Ratchet.

"Primus sake," the medic grumbled. "We've got _another one!"_

But the pure, unadulterated joy humming from her Jolt's spark? Totally worth a Ratchet scolding.


	172. 169 Online

**Chapter 169 – Online**

* * *

(SsPOV)

Sunstreaker had quit pacing a while ago. He was watching his brother taking care of the pacing now, right beside Ironhide. It was strange the way some things simply brought the lot of them together, for the most part, Ironhide rarely had the patience to put up with the pranks his twin and he pulled.

Until something like this happened. Then, then it was like Ironhide simply forgot the pranks, forgot his short-temperedness. Because it was then, that they stood side to side, paced side by side.

Everyone was watching Ironhide. He was the only bot with communications into the locked med-bay, Chromia calmly relaying the situation to her intended.

It was handy to say the least, _definitely_ saved having his beautiful helm dented by Ratchet's wrenches.

To say the bots on base were excited was an understatement, they were gaining a new bot, another among their number.

Sunstreaker couldn't help but like Jolt, the quiet little technician was an immense help, and his enjoyment of seeing to the communications duty made it very certain that Sunstreaker and his twin rarely if _ever_ had to sit around in the stuffy room surrounded by humans.

It left the predators and scout free to patrol, and patrol was far, _far_ preferable to sitting around eavesdropping on the myriad of frequencies. Sitting around was _not_ the credo of predators.

To date, he had had to do communications duty once in the past two orn, it had lasted for barely more than a joor. He could do that.

By some signal unknown to him, humans were trouping around again, some wandering, some walking in lines with each other. Jazz glanced around and shrugged, striding toward communications.

That was entirely confusing.

Less than a breem later, Soundwave was striding toward them.

Sunstreaker couldn't help but bristle slightly, there was a Decepticon walking willy-nilly around their base!

"Predator concern: noted." Soundwave stated, striding past. "Insignias: replaced at convenient time."

Ironhide snorted mid-step.

"Why don't you give _him_ a paintjob Sunny?" the weapons master grinned.

"Don't call me that," Sunstreaker growled in irritation.

"I'm just sayin' you're all artistic and scrap, prob'ly do a better job paintin' over them Decepticon insignias than the drones."

That was very true.

"You got the time for a paint job?" Sunstreaker grunted, it was something to do, after all.

"Convenient time: not yet present. Soundwave: must see to damaged symbiont. Paint job offer: received with gratitude."

Sunstreaker nodded gruffly, the Decepticon had manners, that was something in his favour.

"And after you've finished up with the symbiont?" Sunstreaker grunted.

"Soundwave: return to communications. Banshee Hawk Femme online gift: Soundwave free electric-bot from two orn duties. Reason: attend to intended mate."

The entire corridor froze. How the _scrap_ had the _Decepticon _communications officer beat the lot of them to the thought of an online gift for Lena!?

"What the scrap do _we_ get her?" Sideswipe demanded immediately.

"Banshee hawk femme: will require cannons, training, proper paint job, enlarged berth to share with electric-bot mate."

"Well ain't he just the helpful one," Bumblebee grinned around himself, already striding down the corridor behind Soundwave.

"Where you goin' Bee?" Sideswipe called out.

"He's right! Jolt's gonna need a bigger berth!"

Sunstreaker glanced at his twin and grinned, the two of them beginning to walk to their own shared quarters. In a breem, the corridor was deserted. Sunstreaker was out of the base two breem afterwards, taking stock of his paint supplies and already headed out to get more.

* * *

(MPOV)

Optimus had me in his arms again, Lena had finally released her Jolt enough for Ratchet to get her on the berth again. My own scans showed her healthy, her body was properly formed, and no madness was showing in her optics. She was simply low on energon, but that was to be expected.

I smiled contentedly, if tiredly as my Optimus gently nuzzled at my helm. The spark separation had left me feeling lonely again, but that was quickly and easily tempered by the closeness of my mate.

"You're alive," Jolt was whispering, over and over again, staring at his Lena in shock and awe.

"I'm alive, c'mere," Lena murmured with a smile, reaching her hand out for her Jolt.

"I said quit moving," Ratchet groused quietly. "When I'm finished, with the provision that Jolt lets you get your proper _recharge_ the two of you can cuddle all you _want!_ Now _stay!"_

I'd already finished my scans on Lena. At this point, I was absolutely positive Ratchet was simply enjoying keeping the newest femme on the berth just to tease the two of them.

Another few minutes of Ratchet nodding musingly, releasing a few 'mm hmm's' now and again and he nodded contentedly. My spark-father turned and strode to his storage rooms.

Lena looked around for a moment and began trying to squirm off of the med-berth again.

"I told you to stay put!" Ratchet called out.

I began laughing, cuddled into my Optimus as Lena crossed her arms with a pout. Jolt froze, midway through edging his way closer to Lena.

"Right," Ratchet stated flatly, carrying a large cube of energon and a few oil bottles. "You're still low on energon and your lubricants. Drink this while I sort out your oil reservoirs and _then_ you can get out of my med-bay."

Lena's eyes lit up and she quickly reached for the cube of energon. Then, she stared at it in confusion, turning the sealed cube around in her hands and trying to find the opening.

Jolt was beside her the next second, pointing to one of the corners.

"You just poke it hard, there," he murmured with a smile.

Lena popped the cube open and grinned. Then frowned.

"Uh..."

"It's the same method as drinking a glass of water, Lena," I murmured with a low laugh. "Your body knows how to do it."

That earned me a shrug, Lena took an exploratory sip and shrugged again, downing the cube.

The surprise in her optics was priceless.

"Wow that feels weird!" she laughed cheerfully, looking at her servos again.

My Optimus looked down at me curiously.

"Humans don't experience the same immediate energizing surge after consuming fuel." I murmured with a smile. "It takes us... _them_ more time to process it."

"Ah."

I smiled as my mate nodded musingly and tucked me just that little bit more deeply into the circle of his arms, but I couldn't help but look up at him curiously as he bent somewhat more over me.

Seemingly, to shield me all the more from the doorway.

"You know he's gonna be like that for the next couple of days," Ratchet informed me cheerfully.

"You're going to be damn near unbearable once I'm actually sparked, aren't you?" I teased my mate gently, squirming somewhat more into his arms to reach up and kiss his jaw. "You know my weapons are still fully functional yes?"

My Optimus grunted and surveyed the area again. I looked up at him worriedly.

"His protective circuits are fully engaged, Kae, when you have a sparking you're going to _need_ those circuits of his fully functional." Arcee murmured gently.

I raised a brow ridge at her regardless.

"Do a weapons check," she murmured in amusement.

Curiously, I obeyed and groaned.

Weapons, down to forty percent. My balances were still compromised and my systems still reeling from the sudden 'pregnancy' and 'delivery.'

Suddenly, my Optimus shielding me from the door? That was the _only_ thing keeping my preservation circuits from tripping.

"That's what I thought," Arcee murmured. I shot a mildly irritable look at her and rolled my optics as she burst out laughing.

"Alright, c'mere daughter," Ratchet snorted, pointing to the med-berth beside Lena.

I sighed and moved toward the berth, Optimus close behind and watching my back. My dear bot. I laid down on the berth and tried to relax. My chest felt weird, almost... _bloated. _Then, the familiar, gentle tingling of my spark-father scanning me.

Then he scanned me again.

"Ratchet," I stated darkly, narrowing my optics at him as he concluded a third scan.

"Uh..."

That was bad.

"Kae why are you still running the sparking protocols?" Arcee asked calmly.

"OH!" Whoops. Forgot that bit. I buried my face into my hand and frowned in concentration, feeling my systems slowly begin to resume their previous protocols.

Scrap but it was difficult.

"Any particular reason this is so much harder?" I grunted through that frown, I hadn't noticed the dull ache of the metals shifting when the protocols had been _initiated_...

"Because you're tired dear-spark," Arcee murmured gently.

True.

My spark flared slightly as my Optimus released a soft, plaintive hum, a gentle caress reaching across our bond. I touched him, gently, reassuring my mate that despite the ache and exhaustion, I was okay.

At least, I _was _okay. I could feel it the same time the sound resounded through the med-bay. A painful, squealing crunch.

A few cogs and plate metals, bent out of shape and grinding against each other.

And then they got stuck.

It hurt.

A lot.

In an instant, I was shutting my vocal processors down before the screech of pain could escape. It did not, however, stop the snarl from escaping my Optimus.

"Stand down Optimus, that's why we had her doing it _here!_" Ratchet snarled at him. In a moment my spark-father was beside me. "Open up Kae," he commanded flatly.

I unlatched my chest-plates, but that was about all I could manage.

They were stuck.

"I'm sorry, daughter," Ratchet grunted, in a moment, my chest was forced open. It was all I could do to keep my protective circuits at bay.

"Stop gawping and hold her hand!" Arcee commanded my mate sternly. My Optimus was on his knees, at my head the next second, his hands enveloping the one closest to him. My mate, my sanity. I focused on him, even as pain wracked my chest as my father forced my metals to go where they needed to until finally, the shifting finished.

"Stay online for another breem," my father commanded me flatly, turning back to his storage areas and returning with a cube of energon.

I made a face, I couldn't help it.

"Jetfire brought in some of the cubes they retrieved from the Decepticon ships," Ratchet stated gruffly. "It's not yours."

I nodded and struggled to sit up, my mate beside me the next second, cradling me in a sitting position. I struggled to open the cube.

That wasn't right. Normally I could pop it open in one hand!

But Jolt was there, energon streaming down his face as he reached over, gently opening my energon cube for me.

"Kae..." Lena whimpered softly on the next berth.

"Jolt, Lena, hush." I commanded tiredly. "Cee..."

"It happens all the time," Arcee took up the explanation gently, reaching over and taking Lena's hand. "Her body simply got confused, next time she'll be just fine returning her body back to proper form."

"But-"

"No buts!" Arcee interrupted patiently. "Had I been there Kae would still have been the one to transport you, Lena. She is the larger, and the better capable now."

"But..." Lena trailed off under Arcee's stern gaze. "It's my fault she's in pain now," Lena whispered miserably.

I began laughing softly, admittedly it was a bit of a struggle to do it though.

That had every bot in the med-bay staring at me.

"We all withstand the pain of bearing children," I murmured with a small smile, turning my head to lean on my Optimus' arm and looking at Lena. "If nothing else, I got to borrow your spark to get the initial metal-bending over and done with. Jolt quit genuflecting to me." I added somewhat irritably, looking down at the technician practically grovelling on the floor.

"You saved my intended," he choked out.

"I saved your intended, my sister femme," I stated sternly, struggling to squirm in my Optimus' arms.

"I beg the knowledge to make reparations," Jolt intoned regardless.

"Okay, if you're going to thank me for doing something I would have regardless, don't _ever_ grovel like that!" I growled softly. "I am _not_ a Decepticon, and I am _not-"_

"Kae for Primus sake it's traditional," Arcee snorted.

"It's a stupid tradition."

"Optimus, take your mate to berth, she's tired and cranky," Arcee commanded. I could plainly hear her struggling to not laugh, but by this point I was far too tired to glare properly. "Tell me I'm wrong." Arcee smirked at me.

"Optimus!" I groaned, burying my face in his neck. Gentle arms wound around me, hitching beneath my knees and pulling me against the strong, familiar chest-plates. I squirmed somewhat and wound an arm across his neck struts, burying myself into my mate.

"If you take your armour off, don't put it back on," Ratchet commanded quietly. "And I don't want you transforming for the next orn."

"An _orn!_" I groaned.

"It's your turn for med-bay shift anyway."

"Mmm," I nodded somewhat and nuzzled my face into my Optimus' neck-struts a little bit more, privately loving the gentle, protective way my Optimus cradled me as he turned and carried me to our quarters.

* * *

(WPOV)

Will reached up and rubbed his forehead irritably.

"Your answer Colonel?" Director Mearing demanded.

"With all due respect Director, that's not something I can answer." Will repeated himself. Again.

"Well then who _do_ I ask," the woman asked with a surprising modicum of patience.

"Well, weapons technology is Optimus' domain, and the training is Ironhide's. I don't know who you're supposed to ask which about what."

"And he is..."

"Optimus is with Kae. Look, with all due respect we've had a rather... stressful day, Director."

"Oh?"

"Lieutenant Lena Davies was kidnapped earlier, and that caused her to change into a spark or an auto-bot or something which you'd be better off asking Ratchet about."

Director Mearing blinked.

"There's another auto-bot?"

"Sort of?"

"Sort of?" Mearing asked in exasperation.

"Well we haven't seen her yet, hell, we don't even know if she's still _alive!"_

"Jolt and Lena are doin jus' fine," Jazz reported comfortably, lounging in the technician's area.

"The report's finally come in!?" Will demanded incredulously.

"Nope."

"Well then how do you know!?"

"Lena's spah'k is begin'in ta join the collective."

"Can we go see her!?" Jerry shouted immediately.

"See, mehbeh. Talk, mehbeh not." Jazz snorted.

"Explain," Director Mearing's voice called out amid the silence.

"She's jus' onlined, gonna need a goo' recha'ge first."

"Well will someone please call Optimus, I need a word with him."

"G' luck with tha'," Jazz snorted.

"Why?"

"'E's not gonna be too cohe'ent for the nex couple a days."

"Why?"

"E's too busy keepin' Kae safe."

"Safe from what?"

"Herself an' whatevah mech looks at hah."

"Why?"

"'Cause when she carried Lena heah, by ah reckoning Kae was _very_ pregnant for a while, it tripped ha' mate's protective circuits."

"You've seen and read the reports on just how protective Optimus is over Archangel?" Will grinned at the woman on the screen, she nodded curiously. "That tripled earlier, before even Kae came _back._"

"Alright, is Ratchet free to converse as yet?"

Will looked at the woman in surprise and turned to Jazz. Before he even had the chance to ask Ratchet's holoform was standing beside him.

"Make it fast, I'm busy," Ratchet stated flatly.

"Can you confirm the reports of another auto-bot present at your base?" Director Mearing shot at him immediately.

"I can confirm the presence of another being bearing a Cybertronian frame," Ratchet stated immediately, turning to the screen. "I cannot as yet confirm that she is an auto-bot, for now Lieutenant Lena Davies is classified as a neutral until she takes the marks of whatever caste and cause she chooses."

"What happened?"

"Lena was kidnapped earlier, once she has recharged we will go into the details of her kidnapping, but for now she is newly onlined as a Cybertronian and already en-route to her intended's quarters to enter her recharge. For now, the best speculation I can offer is that the trauma of her experience caused her spark to demand a chamber and frame strong enough to protect it."

Director Mearing was nodding intently on the screen.

"And has she chosen an alt-form as yet?"

"No, she has not," Ratchet stated patiently. "As I said, she requires a proper recharge first. Suffice to say your governments will be notified as to her standings and alternate form when they are made known to us."

"Will you provide an explanation as to why I will not be able to converse with Optimus?"

"Mmnph, his protective circuits, the part of us that demands us to guard and protect those who rely on us have been tripped by his mate initiating the sparking protocols. In human terms, Kae had her body take on the cycles of a pregnant woman to bear Lena's spark home more easily. She has suffered a few minor complications in the process, therefore Optimus will be devoted to caring for his mate for the next few of your days as she recovers, as his instincts dictate. His mate is low, politics are the absolute _last_ thing on his processors."

"And may I request of you to update me when in your medical opinion Optimus is thinking clearly enough to deal with the politics again?" Mearing asked patiently.

"You may," Ratchet nodded patiently. "Now is there anything else? I want to use the processor maintaining the holoform for other duties."

"No, thank you." Mearing nodded patiently. Ratchet winked out and Mearing looked at Will.

"So in other words your base of operations is going to be on vacation for the next couple of days?"

"We're still on standby for emergencies," Will shrugged patiently.

"Fair enough. Keep me updated. Mearing out."

Will stared at the blank screen for another moment. Whatever Optimus had said to the woman, he rather liked the change in her.

* * *

(OPOV)

Guard mate.

Alright, he _was_ over-doing it a little. Just a little. His mate had registered within his spark and systems as being sparked. Very sparked. His systems were still singing with that knowledge.

What could he say, he adored the thought of sparkings.

Lena was healthy, whole. Her body had been perfectly cast. But his Kae was exhausted.

Guard mate.

That thought sang through his processors, through his spark. He loved that thought. His sweet femme was ensconced in his arms, cuddling into him and already seeming to be half in her recharge. In a moment, he stepped into their shared quarters.

"Your armour?" he murmured softly.

"Which is gonna make you more comfortable?" his Kae murmured drowsily, burying her face into his neck. He loved it when she did that.

"It is my honoured duty to guard you, my mate, not force you to maintain your armour in the safety of our quarters." Optimus murmured gently.

Guard mate.

He couldn't stop enjoying that thought.

"Armour off," his Kae immediately murmured, squirming somewhat, the way she always did.

Carefully, Optimus balanced his mate on her feet, gently holding her upright until her body released the forces holding her armour in place. Then with infinite care, gently bore his mate to the berth, laying her down and making absolutely certain the environmental controls were set the way she preferred.

"You're spoiling me again, Optimus," his Kae murmured softly. Optimus simply chuckled, gently helping his mate arrange her body into the position she always slept. He shed his own armour, and carefully insinuated himself onto the berth, sitting up somewhat, he was guarding his mate, after all.


	173. 170 One Foot in Front of the Other

**Chapter 170 – One Foot in Front of the Other**

* * *

(LPOV)

Lena woke up and just about jumped out of her skin. She didn't have skin.

Or lungs.

She wasn't _breathing!_

"Shh, shh Lena it's okay, you're okay," her Jolt's voice murmured soothingly.

"I'm not breathing! I can't breathe!" Lena gasped out. Frankly, she was astonished she could speak, let alone _gasp_ it out. She wasn't breathing, after all.

"My Lena you don't breathe anymore," her Jolt murmured in gentle amusement. A gentle hand caressed her face. Lena's eyes snapped open. No. Her optics onlined.

Her Jolt was there, a gentle hand lingering on her faceplates as she looked at him in astonishment.

He was there.

And he wasn't huge.

Okay he was still huge. But now she was too.

She was huge... and she could hold him?

Tentatively, Lena reached out and caressed her Jolt's cheek, beaming as her bot pressed his face somewhat more into her hand.

The doors slid open. That wasn't right...

"_Rise and shine lovebirds!" _Ironhide's voice roared out. In a second, Lena was flat on her back, Jolt half laying on her, twisted around with his cannon aiming for the door.

Aaaww.

"Good, now you've got _that_ out of the way, hurry up and declare your intentions technician, we got us a base full of mechs drooling at the chance to be competition." Ironhide grinned at the door.

"There isn't any competition," Lena murmured softly.

"Maybe not in _your_ optics sweet-spark," Chromia's voice piped up cheerfully. "Have they declared their intentions yet? Do I get to drag her away _yet!?" _

"What? Why?" Lena groaned softly. She was incredibly comfortable, laying here in her Jolt's arms.

"New bot on base! New _femme_ on base! _Party_!" Chromia trilled gleefully.

Jolt retracted his cannon again, and Lena snorted softly.

"This happens a lot?" she murmured with a small smile.

"It does," Jolt sighed, looking down at her mournfully.

Her dear bot.

"I thought we already declared our intentions," Lena murmured with a small smile, looking up at her bot.

"Mm, you're in your adult body now, Optimus has decided that we should declare our intentions again, save on the misunderstandings he and Kae experienced."

"Well then, Technician Jolt, _I_ declare my intent to worm my way into your spark and become your bonded mate if you'll still have me." Lena stated with a broad grin.

There was a weird popping sound. It was coming from her Jolt, he collapsed, right on top of her.

Uhh... crap?

"Chromia!" Lena called out worriedly.

The femme was laughing. That was a good thing... right?

"She don't beat around the bush does she?" Ironhide snorted gleefully, Lena squirmed somewhat to look at the gathering group of bots at the door.

"Tap on his helm dear," Kae murmured. Lena looked at the femme worriedly, she was unarmoured, and leaning against Optimus still. "I'm _fine_ Lena," she added with a small snort.

Lena shrugged and looked at her Jolt. Actually, she was kind of hesitant to tap on his helm, he looked so peaceful... regardless, she reached up and gently tapped on her bot's helm, a moment later his optics brightened.

"You... you still..." Jolt choked out softly.

"It's your turn," Lena smirked at him. That smirk disappeared the second Jolt rolled off of her, she sat up, terrified. What if... wait... what? Jolt was on his _knees_ in front of her.

"Lena Davies, it is my intention to love you to the end of days and beyond, even after you realize you are far more beautiful and exquisitely built than I will ever achieve. Even should your spark turn away from me I will love you to the end of days Lena." Jolt whimpered out.

Everything in her being, in that second, wanted nothing more than to snatch her Jolt from the floor and use every female means necessary to make him realize she would never turn away.

Except her body wasn't really _co-operating!_

She had her arms though, so Lena did her best to squirm to the edge of the berth and grab ahold of her Jolt.

"Quit kneeling on the ground, you're too far away for me to kiss," she grunted, hauling on him as best she could. About all she managed was to pull herself off the berth and crash on top of him.

Close enough. Lena hauled her face to her Jolt's and kissed him soundly. That was good for another round of that popping sound. Bugger.

How was she supposed to beat the thoughts of her leaving out of her bot's processors if they kept popping!? She reached up and tapped on his helm again.

Jolt's optics onlined. Again.

"I am _never_ going to _look _at another bot the way I look at you." Lena informed him flatly. She kissed him again. His processors popped.

Lena rolled her optics and tapped on his helm again.

And once again, his optics onlined.

"Try to stick with me gorgeous. Where was I? Right, I am _never_ going to _look _at another bot the way I look at you, I don't ever want to _touch_ a bot the way I want to caress you, and the _only_ spark I want in my chamber beside my own is yours."

"And your sparkings, if you ever have them," Chromia added cheerfully.

"Mm, good point, _and_ the sparkings you get on me sometime in the future. You with me?" Lena demanded flatly.

Jolt stayed flat on his back, staring at her. He looked rather dazed.

::. Jolt, recommend reaching up and holding her to your spark.:: Optimus' voice rumbled. It was weird though, it was a voice that she could swear was in her _head!_

But the next second Jolt had animated, his arms snapping up to crush her body against his.

It was a nice feeling.

::. Good, now sync your processors and start _babblin_' your love for that femme before she starts gettin' pissed at you technician.:: Ironhide's voice rumbled gleefully. ::. Femmes don't much like bein' kept waitin'!.::

Under her, her Jolt's spark quieted, then hummed back to the way he always sounded.

"I will never leave you behind," he whispered.

"Good," Lena smiled at her bot. And kissed him again.

* * *

(OPOV)

Jolt's processors popped. Again. For good reason, Lena had done an excellent job casting herself. Optimus wasn't entirely certain if she realized she was still completely stark naked, though.

"Chromia what am I doing wrong!?" Lena complained, squirming somewhat to look at the femme.

"You're doing just fine Lena!" Chromia laughed at her.

"Why are his processors still popping!" Lena demanded.

"You're gorgeous dear, and naked. On top of him." Arcee chimed in gently. "Shall we see to your armour now that you are online?" she continued as Lena released an embarrassed squeak.

"Jolt'll _definitely_ have a fighting chance when you have your armour on!" Flareup snorted gleefully.

"What makes you think that?" Ironhide asked innocently.

Lena squirmed around somewhat and glared at them, Optimus couldn't help the soft chuckle as his Kae leaned against his chest somewhat more, laughing right beside him.

"Take it as a compliment, Lena," Kae chuckled as Cee, Chrome and Flare strode into the room.

"C'mon Lena! Let's get your armour!" Flare trilled gleefully, lightly tugging on Lena's hand. The newest femme nodded and squirmed off of Jolt. Beside him, Kae frowned. Lena was very obviously struggling to get to her feet. Unsuccessfully.

"Okay somebody tell me how the scrap to do it!" Lena finally growled, laying flat out on her stomach. "Did I do something wrong!? Why can't I get onto my feet!?"

"Because we didn't get the chance to have you practice walking in the exo," Ratchet grunted behind him. Kae shifted slightly and Optimus helped her move out of the medic's way, allowing him access to the room. "We're going to have to teach you to walk again."

"Oh, great, and the lot of you are going to laugh at me while I try it out, aren't you?" Lena groaned, she squirmed on the floor just enough to bury her face into Jolt's chest.

"Only a little," Jolt murmured, reaching out and gently rubbing her back.

"No time like the present," Ironhide rumbled cheerfully, striding in and unceremoniously hauling Lena onto her feet. "The sooner you're walkin', the sooner we're teachin' you how to shoot."

"And fight! Have you got your swords formed yet?" Sunstreaker called out cheerfully.

"First step's to get your balances in order," Ironhide rumbled cheerfully. "Gonna need them for all this stuff. Walkin' shootin'-"

"Launching yourself onto Decepticons," Sideswipe interjected cheerfully.

"Full wheelie spins with your blades out-" Sunstreaker continued.

"Flipping Jolt onto his back," Chromia added with a broad grin.

Lena looked completely dazed, Ironhide holding her upright and Jolt scrambling to his pedes to allow her to lean on him.

"Balances?" she squeaked softly.

"Look through your systems dear, you have them," Arcee murmured soothingly.

Lena made a face before her expression went blank. A few moments and her body straightened somewhat, swaying back and forth. Obviously she was experimenting with the balances, finding what worked, what did not. Another moment and she stood properly straight.

"Right, balance, now, legs," she muttered to herself. She began struggling to move, Optimus frowned somewhat, she did not seem to be... _strong_ enough to walk...

"Ratchet," his Kae murmured the next moment. "Pipe her the frame modifications for strength?"

The medic grunted and strode toward Lena, offering her a cable. The little femme shied away from it somewhat, an evident vestige of her human heritage.

::. Optimus to Lena.:: he sent with a soft, probing signal; looking for her presence on the Primary.

Lena frowned, her spark humming through the frequencies.

::. Can you hear me now?.::

::. There it is.:: he smiled as Jolt stared at his intended with a broad grin.

::. You sorted your comm!.:: the technician sent cheerfully.

::. Good, here are the frame modifications.:: Ratchet added, sending a data-packet along the frequency as the cable extending from his wrist retracted back to his frame.

Lena's body began shifting slightly, a function that she evidently found fascinating.

"Right, balances, strength, _now_ legs." Lena muttered to herself. One pede forward, followed by the second, a third step and she was away from Ironhide's supporting hands, four, five and she began staggering somewhat. Two more staggered steps and she began falling.

As was habit, Optimus took a step forward and in the midst of supporting his Kae, wound up with the little femme in the circle of his arm, leaning against his chest as she began sorting her balances again.

"Sorry," she muttered.

Optimus snorted, he couldn't help it.

"It is the duty of a Prime to carry and care for others," he teased her lightly.

Lena snorted then looked up at him.

"Huh, I'm what, twenty times my human size? And you're _still_ huge!"

Optimus grinned down at the tiny femme and cautiously released her as she turned.

"Central's better for this stuff," Bumblebee called out cheerfully, bouncing to stand beside Lena. "Here, we'll get you to Central and you can fall over as many times as you want without squashing humans!"

Thus, surrounded by bots, Lena made her first journey down the corridor. Jolt had one side, Bumblebee her left. The femmes led the way with Ironhide behind them.

Just in case she began stumbling again and the two mechs on either side – both of whom could likely carry her unaided – couldn't hold her upright.

Optimus was chuckling as he scooped his Kae into his arms again.

"I _can_ walk," she murmured into his auditory receptors.

"Where is the fun in that?" he rumbled cheerfully.

* * *

(MPOV)

I lounged in my Optimus' arms. He was still experiencing the tail end of being over-protective of me. Not that I minded, I was still a bit unstable on my own feet. The soldiers were cheering as Lena was paraded into the Central, several following the auto-bot procession and scrambling onto the catwalks.

"Is the audience _really_ necessary?" Lena demanded flatly.

"Ah do believe it is," Jazz grinned at her. "Y'ah th' closest thin' ta'a sparkin' as we've seen in vahns."

"Then go get one on Flareup or something," Lena grumbled under her breath. Sort of.

"I _heard_ that!" Flare called out with a laugh.

"An' ah'm _tryin'!" _Jazz added in the same quiet tone Lena had used.

"Holy _crap I can hear everything!" _Lena squeaked, she stared at Jazz in horror. The saboteur shot a broad, cheeky grin at her.

"We all can," he smirked.

"Crap." Lena stated flatly.

I smiled as my Optimus gently settled me into my place in the central, then laughed as the rest of the bots promptly formed a ring around Lena. A quick glance around proved Ratchet to be missing, not missing, striding into the central carrying some extra plate metals for Lena.

"For your armour," he announced cheerfully, depositing the pile at her feet. "Do you have anything in processor for your alt-mode yet?"

Lena pursed her lip plates.

"If I pick one now does that mean I can't change it later?" she asked worriedly.

"No," Ratchet snorted. "If you don't like a form, you change it, simple as that."

"Or a paint colour!" Sunstreaker piped up cheerfully. "Hurry up with the armour Banshee! Then you can pick out what colours you wanna be!"

"Sunny made a special trip just to stock up for you," Sideswipe added gleefully.

"Don't call me that," Sunstreaker added offhandedly, obviously more focused on Lena than the nickname. Adorable.

"He _actually _used his holoform and talked to the salespeople," Sides continued with a grin.

"Okay how do I do it?" Lena frowned, looking down at the pile of metals.

"Hmnph, should start by laying it _out_ proper for her," Ironhide rumbled, then the Weapons Master promptly got down on his hands and knees and began sorting through the pieces. "That'll make some good greaves there, bend this up proper it'll be a good set of chest- _no_! _These_ are better! Thicker! Chest-plates. Right. These here'll do up a good bit of armour cross your back, probably use _these_ for your door-wings... you gonna be a car Lena?"

Lena stood stock still in shock, looking down at Ironhide looking up at her as the Femmes settled the plate metals in a pattern around her.

"Y-yes?" she squeaked softly.

"You don't gotta be a car if you don't _wanna_," Ironhide snorted.

"No I'll be a car!" Lena immediately stated, her eyes lit up then. "I know what car I wanna be!"

"Do you have the specifications?" Ratchet asked calmly, looking at her.

"BMW I8," Lena smirked.

"BEAM RIDER!" Jerry shouted from the catwalk.

"Ah shaddup Jer," Lena snorted, looking up at him.

"There's our Lena!" Will called out with a broad grin. "Nice to have you back Lieutenant."

I smiled and settled somewhat more comfortably in my place as Lena beamed around herself.

"Soldier! You're out of uniform! Put some pants on!" Jacobs shouted from the doorway. Lena immediately covered her chest and crotch.

Dead silence.

Then – as though they'd cued each other to do it – Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, Bumblebee, Skids and Mudflap fell over, howling with laughter.

Lena glared at them.

"You're doin' it wrong femme," Ironhide snorted in front of her.

"I _what!?_" Lena demanded flatly.

"You're coverin' yourself like a human does. Should be more concerned for the couplings along your sides if you're gonna do that. Which you shouldn't. Femmes should be allowed to bare their protoforms as proudly as mechs if not more-so. Only because of _war_ do we wear this armour."

Shyly, Lena dropped her hands.

"That's better," Ironhide rumbled gruffly. "Now rather than slaggin' around with the modesty, call your armour. You got your specs already or did you want to scan?"

"Specs? Scan?" Lena squeaked softly.

"Have you- no of course you wouldn't," Ironhide snorted. My Uncle heaved himself back onto his pedes and looked around the gathered bots. "Anybot manage to scan one of them I8's yet?"

I smiled and piped him the specifications.

"What'd you scan _that_ for niece?" Ironhide rumbled the next second, turning to look at me with a snort. "You're too big for it!"

"Oh, I thought I'd rewire Bee's t-cog next time he's down for the count," I stated innocently before laughing at my little-brother's squawk of indignation.

* * *

(RPOV)

Ratchet idly scanned the newest femme again. Her systems were coming together nicely. He sat down and smiled as his spark-daughter teased her brother. Arcee's spark touched his own, and he hummed contentedly, revelling in the patience of his mate.

Normally, this horseplay with such a young femme would have irked him to no end. But it was time, she was ready for her armour and _light_ activity.

Besides, he'd whipped these mechs into shape before, nobody messed with his wrenches. Idly, Ratchet glanced into his subspace and nodded to himself.

All wrenches present and accounted for.

Just in case the terror twins decided that it was time for Lena to learn their 'Jet-judo'.

Thank Primus Jetfire hadn't reported into this base yet, without a doubt they'd insist that the old flier _participate_ in their 'jet-judo'.

Mind...

Watching Jetfire single-handedly whipping those two younglings would be rather amusing...

~You're underestimating their ability to fight as a single unit~ Arcee whispered in amusement.

~I still think Jetfire would whip them~ Ratchet snorted. ~He has not lived so long, nor gained such respect for being an easy target.~

Ratchet smiled to feel his mate's amused agreement, then smiled that he _could _in fact, feel his mate's amusement. He felt the flush of adoring love as his spark flared.

He had a mate. One that his spark truly worshipped.

His mate.

Ratchet onlined an extra processor and observed Lena's first transformation. She was hesitant still, but that would pass. It had been so with his spark-daughter as well, although her first hesitant transformations were as a human... Ratchet shrugged. _All_ younglings were hesitant with their first transformations.

She transformed back and Jolt barely managed to stagger to a bench before his processors popped. Again. Ratchet smirked slightly, the poor bot was going to need to get over his stunned astonishment of his femme if he hoped to continue functioning. Mind, that was a nicely turned armour style, her door-wings were rather adorable, curved and semi-transparent. Her frame was strong, if small. Small wasn't the correct term...

Petite.

She looked like a Cybertronian version of the human's _pixies._

Regardless, Lena's body was running smoothly. Ratchet nodded approvingly as she transformed back into her alt-mode. She fired up her engines and the arguing began.

Ratchet sat and scowled as the twins immediately began pestering her to transform again. They wanted to start her hand to hand combat training.

"She's gonna be a saboteur like meh!" Jazz immediately stated over the twins. "Listen to hah engine! She's quiet enough t' sneak _around propahly_!"

"She's going to be a predator!" Sunstreaker growled.

"We've _all _seen her fighting with swords!" Sideswipe added.

Ratchet made a mental note to ask Lena later if she wanted to learn at least basic first aiding. He looked at her critically for a second as she transformed again. She looked fast, and small enough that she could duck and weave around a battlefield enough to get to the critical cases and stabilize them enough until he or Kae could take over.

"She will make an excellent spy," Mirage piped up in dignified tones. "Jazz and I shall train her to blend in, and I shall see if she is capable of supporting the cloak as Archangel is."

"She will be trained to be a femme _first_!" Chromia called out immediately.

"An' then we're gonna get her shootin' proper!" Ironhide added with a smirk beside his intended.

Ratchet glanced over and smirked somewhat, Lena was smiling slightly, edging toward the door in the midst of the unit's cheerful arguing.

::. Where are you headed Lena?.:: he murmured on the private comm.

::. Communications, I want to thank Ravage and Soundwave for pulling me out of that mine, and maybe see if he'll teach me the fine points of picking up Decepticon signals.:: Lena responded silently.

Ratchet nodded somewhat.

::. Perhaps stay close to the walls, to catch yourself if you feel you may stumble again.::

::. Yes sir.::

Ratchet grinned and settled back on his bench, glancing around. Kae winked at him.

"She'll make a better Predator!" Sunstreaker was insisting.

"Oh really? Then where did she go?" Mirage stated with a broad smirk.

Silence. The entire unit looked around, looking for the newest - and newly absent - femme.

"Well. Scrap," Ironhide snorted.


	174. 171 Learning to be Cybertronian

To my dear readers and reviewers, wow, it feels like I was just here :) but here we are once more. As always, anything that you recognize I simply do not own, I wish I did, but truly I do not. Props to Bee, my dear Beta, so now? Well no further ado:

**Chapter 171 – Learning to be Cybertronian**

* * *

(SwPOV)

Soundwave patiently stood at the technician's section of communications. It was nice in here, a multitude of humans walking, speaking in calm, quiet tones.

Restful, in an organized chaos kind of way.

Ravage was repaired, she was drowsing contentedly in his frame, somewhat petulant that she had not had the chance to devour the prey she had made of Laserbeak, but the cube of energon he had provided her had made that up.

Another sweep through his processes. Two processors were focused on the frequencies, scanning through them, listening for key words and dialects to identify. One processor was controlling a few minor repairs to his own frame, an habitual run; when he was working, few bothered to notice that he was repairing what damage had been caused by Megatron.

But then, he was simply improving the minor defects that had been shunted to the low priorities now, recent damages from the former Lord High Protectorate had made certain of that.

Several orn now. It had been several orn since any had struck him.

Rather pleasant.

The humans still shot the occasional wary glance at him, Soundwave chose to take it as a compliment. They were wary of him, which meant they considered him a respectable opponent. Not that they weren't easy targets singly, but there were easily enough in this room to overwhelm him. He had _seen_ their kind overwhelming threatening bots in battle. Efficient warriors for all that they were tiny.

Soundwave couldn't help but approve of their wariness, not only had he not found the time to replace his insignias, but he did pose a rather strikingly threatening appearance.

Not that he would say it aloud, of course.

Soundwave glanced through his circuitry idly, and noted the familiar damage reports on his emotional circuits. He felt emotion, certainly, that was the province of the spark. The circuits were responsible for the _showing_ of said emotion.

The processor paused for a moment.

Repair emotional circuits yes/no...

The doors opened behind him and the processor remained paused. Rear scans indicated an unfamiliar frame, but a familiar spark signature.

Banshee-hawk femme.

Soundwave turned minutely and nodded his greeting to the newest femme.

"Soundwave," the femme nodded with a smile. "I wanted to thank you, and Ravage for bringing me out of that mine."

"Gratitude: received with thanks. Ravage states: gratitude unnecessary between pride-mates." Soundwave murmured, passing on his symbiont's thoughts. Behind his visor, he allowed himself a tiny smile, quite pleased that this femme had survived her casting, she was a pleasant personality.

"I uh..." she started quietly.

"Banshee-hawk femme: escape from over-enthusiastic trainers." Soundwave murmured, wondering if the femme would hear his amusement through his monotone vocal processors.

"Yeah," she snorted. "And I was wondering if you could maybe teach me some of the finer points of signal monitoring, I caught your signature several months ago, but it took me until _now _to identify is as _yours_." the femme smiled.

Soundwave straightened slightly at the compliment. Dual compliment, the request for his knowledge and a compliment on his skills at hiding his signature.

"Banshee-hawk femme: should sit. Body: still new. Result: Damage much easier." Soundwave informed the femme calmly, gesturing to the bench he had not yet tried.

Sitting on the job in a Decepticon ship was not acceptable behaviour. Even when it was a job that had absolutely no need for movement whatsoever.

"How come you aren't sitting?" the femme asked curiously, cautiously settling onto the bench and looking up at him. Several of the humans were looking curiously at him as well.

"Habit," he shrugged patiently.

"Lemme guess, Megatron doesn't like bots sitting when they work?"

Soundwave nodded patiently.

"Banshee-hawk femme: -"

"Call me Lena, fewer syllables," the femme interjected with a grin.

"Lena: have used binder cables yet."

"No..."

Soundwave nodded and for the first time in vorns, sat down beside the young femme.

"First step: systems check. Locate binder cables." he stated calmly and nodded approvingly as her optics dimmed. A few moments and her optics brightened again.

"Second step: send command for convenient cable to extend." he stated patiently, lifting a servo and extending one of his favoured cables from beneath his wrist plating. "Recommend: one quarter power-speed."

"One quarter?"

"Full power-speed: used for emergency binding and causing damage." Soundwave explained patiently.

"How does that work?" one of the humans asked curiously. Soundwave glanced around at the humans watching him with fascination showing in their faces.

He looked around for a target, and noted a pile of outdated technology sitting in a corner.

"Use of technology pile." he inquired, gesturing to the pile of computers.

"Headed for full memory wipes, then they're gonna get slagged, there's nothing sentient in 'em."

Soundwave nodded and retracted his cable somewhat, he glanced at it as the end split into the sharp-edged tetrad claw.

"Wrecking end," he stated, holding the cable up for a moment before shifting away from the femme. A nano-second to aim and Soundwave extended the cable at it's full power, straight into the side of the small tower he had been aiming for. Metal screeched as he tore the component parts out of the interior, pressed it through the opposite wall of the box and – simply because he was showing off – curled the cable around the box, destroying it's integrity before retracting the cable again and offering the component parts to the little femme.

"First lesson," he stated calmly, delicately depositing the parts into Lena's hand, then patting her shoulder with the closed claws. "Control."

"That. Is _so cool!"_ one of the humans called out cheerfully.

Soundwave couldn't help but preen slightly, although it would never show on his countenance. He glanced around at the humans grinning at him and at the young femme looking to him for instruction in their shared interest. The paused processor made it's appearance again in his displays.

Repair emotional circuitry: yes/no.

Usually, he sent no. He had sent no the moment they had been destroyed, and had sent no for vorns afterward.

Repair emotional circuitry: yes/no...

Yes.

* * *

(MPOV)

Optimus was carrying me again. I could feel within his spark his enjoyment of that, and his amusement that being carried everywhere was beginning to wear thin on me.

I liked walking. And I really, _really_ liked flying.

My armour was currently in hiding however. Arcee's insistence.

Evidently, my family, my mate and my _scrapping_ sister knew me all too well.

"Can we at least go _outside_?" I whined at my mate, and as had become his habit over the past few days, my Optimus looked at Arcee for permission.

It was automatic. And it was _also_ automatic, the second he did that, I would pout. I simply couldn't help it.

"No dear, not today," Arcee informed me tolerantly.

Optimus promptly turned away from the entrance bay. Back toward our quarters. I groaned.

"How about med-bay?" I asked pleadingly.

"It's time for you to recharge again, Kae," Arcee informed me.

"But I'm not _tired!"_ I protested. I sounded like a child, I knew it, she knew it, I just couldn't _help it!_

"Whether or not Lena was truly your sparking, your body needs the time to recover, particularly since you are so _young_ Kae," Arcee informed me. Again. "It'll be easier next time. I promise."

I tried squirming out of Optimus' arms. That didn't work, he simply held on a little bit more tightly.

Blasted metal fatigue.

I gave up, and hated that I was giving up, dropping my head onto my mate's shoulder.

"It will only last another orn, my Kae," he murmured soothingly. I vented a sigh and kept my head on his shoulder as he carried me into our quarters, Optimus settled me gently onto the berth and Arcee crawled up beside me, another habit, but this one I didn't mind as much.

In her own gentle, bossy way, Arcee was now my surrogate mother. Doubly, she was bonded to my spark-father. Although it wasn't official yet, of course.

Hmn...

"Enjoying your bonding?" I murmured with a small smirk.

"I am," Arcee purred. "My grumpy medic is an excellent ma- _Kae!"_

I smirked at my mother-sister as she shot a glare at me.

"So when do you think Ironhide and Chrome are going to follow your example?" I teased her.

"When Cybertron is revived, and they can stand in the bonding circle," Arcee shrugged calmly, settling down beside me again. I looked at her curiously. "Only two whom are not yet bonded can stand in the bonding circle," she explained with a smile. "Ironhide swore that when he bonds he will do so in the circle, and Chromia is quite content to allow him that desire."

"Aaaww," I murmured with a smile, looking up at my own mate. "I'm sorry you never got to stand in the circle, my beloved."

"I stood in the circle once," my Optimus rumbled with a shrug. He smiled then, popping open a cube of energon and sitting down on the berth beside me. "I stood in the bonding circle, and bonded Elita-1. Then, in my darkest hours I met a tiny creature with blue-green eyes that sparkle with mischief. I knelt in a circle of friends and allies and bound myself to a femme who loves me, even _if_ she's currently irritable that I do not wish her harmed." Optimus finished with a smile, lightly catching my chin with his thumb and forefinger.

My spark flared in response to the truth of that statement, my dear bot.

"Don't forget your blocker," Arcee murmured in my auditory receptor, I shot a wry glance at her.

"What, not forbidding interfacing too?" I snorted.

"Optimus knows to be gentle with you, so no, you need something to keep you entertained besides," Arcee smirked at me. She pecked a kiss to my forehead and squirmed off of the berth. "And if you behave yourself, it'll be _less_ than an orn and you can have your armour back."

* * *

(MnPOV)

Megatron sat on his bench, glaring at Shockwave. The mech was cowering, finally, it had taken almost an orn for him to move. And by the time he _was_ moving, Megatron had been forced to get the mech enough energon to survive.

That rankled. Megatron did _not_ fetch energon for others!

But Shockwave was instrumental in his plan to retrieve Soundwave, he needed the mech alive... for now...

Shockwave was still damaged, but Megatron felt better now, and in his mind, that's what counted.

"Now that you have finally decided to rejoin us from your _stasis nap_," he growled at Shockwave. "We have tasks ahead of us."

Shockwave stayed cowering and quiet. An excellent move.

"We know where the auto-bots are hiding Shockwave," Megatron growled with a grin. "You will go destroy one of the human cities, and Laserbeak-"

"Is offline, my lord," Shockwave reported softly.

Megatron growled and gave Shockwave another kick, not even bothering to get up to do it.

He needed to revise his slagging plan, he glanced around the surroundings again and his eyes lit on a tiny drone, trying it's best to remain invisible as it laboured away.

"You! Drone!" he barked. The drone froze, glancing around for others of it's ilk before looking at him. "I have a task for you drone," he growled softly.

"Yes, my lord?" the tiny voice stated.

"You are to spy on the auto-bots, and discover the location of Soundwave," Megatron growled at the tiny mech. "You will then report this to me, Shockwave will deliver you to the correct co-ordinates."

The drone nodded fearfully and squeaked somewhat when Shockwave picked it up, transforming and blasting into the air.

* * *

(APOV)

Arcee strode from the Prime's quarters, already she could hear Kae's soft, humming moans.

Without a doubt, Optimus was keeping her entertained. He was, after all, highly proficient at it.

On that note...

Arcee smirked to herself and strode down the corridors, straight for the med-bay. Ratchet was being irritable, again. Time to investigate.

As was the longstanding habit, Arcee poked her head around the door, spying on her mate before he spotted her. The twins were self proclaimed masters of it, they were of course not _always _successful. Sunstreaker's complaints of dented helm and scratched paint frequently resounded across the entire base.

"Whoever you are, go away," Ratchet growled, not even looking up from the servo on the bench.

Aah, servo work, of course.

Arcee quietly strode up behind her mate, ascended the bench and wound her arms around his chest.

"Are you sure?" she murmured into his audio receptors.

"N... not entirely..." her mate mumbled. Arcee smiled to feel his faceplates heating up somewhat.

"Mmm, good, now what's twisting your processors my spark," she murmured gently, nuzzling her face into her mate's neck struts.

"Servo work," Ratchet growled irritably.

"Then why aren't the twins here and watching?"

"Brig."

"Ah," Arcee settled somewhat more comfortably and watched her mate at work. As much as he hated working on servos he was incredibly talented at it, strong, remarkably slender for their size hands caressing his work as he threaded a hand together and worked the screws that held it together.

Her mate was an excellent medic, arguably the best. Even had Cybertron not fallen, Ratchet would still be the best medic.

"Who's servo?" she murmured in her medic's auditory receptor.

"Blank. I'm wiring faults in for the twins to find," Ratchet grunted.

Arcee beamed at her mate's helm. Without doubt, he was taking his mentorship of the twins seriously. She thought back for a moment, then paused in surprise.

"Are the twins not over-due coming into the med-bay with something _missing_?" she asked curiously.

"_Looong _overdue," Ratchet snorted gleefully. "The _terror_ twins have done more damage to each other in the past three orn than the Chevies."

"Is that what Sunstreaker was yelling about? I thought you caught him with your wrench again."

"Nah, Sideswipe tripped – on purpose – and tripped Sunny as a result. Right into the med-bay."

"And then you hit them with wrenches?"

"No, I asked if they were alright," Ratchet snorted, looking over his shoulder at her. "You are a bad influence on me, my mate. Sunstreaker was shouting about his paint, Sideswipe was laughing his tailpipes off. They were fine."

"You actually let them leave un-wrenched?" Arcee asked in amusement.

"No."

"What did they do?"

"They were trying to distract me from realizing that Mirage was sneaking around them to pilfer the high-grade." Ratchet snorted.

"They're never going to cotton on to the frequency transmitters you put on the cubes, are they," Arcee chuckled, nuzzling her helm against her mate's.

"If they do I'll do something else," Ratchet chuckled, twisting a final bolt into place and turning, catching Arcee in the circle of his arms. "Now then, my mate, I sense from you an impending order."

"From me?" Arcee asked innocently.

"I shall inform you of the same that our daughter's mate says: That innocence is lost the second I look into your optics, my mate."

_"__I KNEW IT!_" Ironhide roared from the doors.

Arcee shot a wry look at her mate as Ratchet looked guiltily at Ironhide.

"You didn't even let me stand with you," Ironhide grumped, striding into the med-bay and sitting with his usual grunt.

"We weren't standing at the time," Arcee informed the weapons master airily.

Ironhide stared back and forth between the two of them and fell off his bench.

Howling with laughter.

* * *

(SePOV)

Sentinel came out of a leisurely recharge and stretched. He synced his processors contentedly and stared at the ceiling as his personal logs made their way to the front of his attention. He had another orn of seminars, another series of humans coming to learn from him.

He'd be lying if he said that he didn't find that to be one of the highlights of his stay on this planet.

Sentinel reached along the frequencies and noted the bots that were awake, the bots that were in recharge and... a new bot?

A new femme to be precise, Sentinel was on his pedes the next moment.

He wanted to greet this new femme.

That was second on the list. First was ensuring that Lena had been found.

Sentinel strode out of his room and down the corridor at a good pace, headed toward the med-bay where Kae and Optimus' spark signals came from.

"Good morning, Sentinel," Optimus rumbled the second he walked through the door. "I trust you had a good recharge?"

"I did, thank you," Sentinel responded. "Good morning, Kae, is there any word on Lena?"

Archangel smiled at him, and it was only then that Sentinel noticed that she was devoid of her armour.

"We found her, and no doubt your next question is 'who is the new femme on base?"

Sentinel nodded, then jumped.

"I missed her casting?"

"Most of us did," Ironhide rumbled behind him. Sentinel moved forward somewhat to allow the weapons master room to enter the med-bay. "Kae wound up carrying her back like a sparking and Optimus didn't allow anybot but the medic and femmes near her."

Sentinel looked back at his young friend's mate and jumped somewhat in surprise.

"You suffered the complications of a first sparking," he rumbled worriedly, idly baring his chest to Optimus. No doubt his young friend would still be highly protective of his mate.

"With Ratchet and Arcee right beside me to fix it," Kae stated comfortably, gently reaching out and touching her mate's arm. "Now quit reminding him, I haven't been allowed to so much as _walk_ since we got back."

Sentinel chuckled somewhat, shooting a wry glance at his young friend.

"Entirely contrary to the knowledge that the sooner a femme is allowed to move on her own, the faster her recovery?" Sentinel smirked.

"That is for the mature femmes," Arcee stated behind him. "Kae is not a vorn old yet, better to be cautious with her frame than to cause further damage."

"My frame is settled enough!" Kae immediately protested.

"Not yet dear."

"Please, my Kae, just a little while longer," Optimus added gently.

Sentinel laughed. He couldn't help it. Kae looked like a little youngling as she sat with her arms crossed and a pout bending her faceplates.

"It's my turn to attend to the seminars!" Kae grumbled, glaring at her mate.

"I shall bring you in the trailer," Optimus informed his mate patiently.

"_Arceeeeee!" _

"Either you go in the trailer or I attend to the mindspace myself," Arcee informed the femme flatly.

Sentinel frowned somewhat, Kae looked entirely like she was struggling to not use the voice of command.

"The voice is not for attaining personal goals," he reminded the femme flatly.

"I know that, the point stands. I want my armour, and I want to stand on my own Primus damned _pedes_ again! Every last one of my personal scans and sensors state that I need to start working my body back into it's strength, not lazing about and being _carried _everywhere!" Archangel began ranting. "They weren't even this protective over me when I was _human! Now _I'm made of metal, a thousand times stronger than I was and they're treating me like silicate _glass!"_

"_You_ were _far_ easier to protect as a human, all I needed to do was transform and you were in my cab," Optimus murmured beside his mate.

Kae glared at Optimus. Optimus shot her an innocent look.

"You're impossible when you're like that," she grumbled quietly. "Fine, go get your trailer my mate, or we're going to be late."

Optimus beamed at his mate and left the med-bay, Arcee close behind to advise him how to transform his flight-deck into a proper carrier for his mate.

Silence.

"Ironhide quick where's my armour?" Kae muttered softly, rising and striding toward the weapons master.

"Nice try niece. Sit down."

Sentinel snorted in amusement as Kae's faceplates bent into a darker scowl.

"You're going to leave your niece defenceless?"

"Sentinel'll be there, and half the unit to back him up. Nobody's gonna get to you niece. Now sit down."

Kae began pacing, back and forth across the med-bay. Sentinel couldn't help it, he burst out laughing at her. Healer, Predator, Prime. Not one of which was accustomed to sitting still.

Frankly, he was amazed she was capable of sitting through his lectures, he _had_ begun repeating himself. Quite frequently.

Optimus strode back into the med-bay and looked at his mate in astonishment.

"Kae! You should not be pacing like that!"

Archangel Prime glared at her mate.

"Put in my place, having been carried everywhere for the past five days are you now going to state that _you_ would not be pacing, my mate?"

Optimus stood for a moment, watching her.

Obviously weighing his words.

"You're right of course, after less than an orn of being carried around in the sedan Optimus got out and threw both of his porters over his shoulders and strode down the street," Ironhide snorted gleefully.

"I was making a point," Optimus rumbled airily.

"That you were stronger and larger than both of your porters?" Sentinel rumbled curiously.

"That we can walk on our own damn pedes!" Kae growled, striding toward her mate. "Now will you_ please_ stop coddling me? I'm not an invalid my beloved."

Optimus looked down at her with pleading optics, the two of them obviously speaking spark to spark.

"I know you're worried for me, my beloved," Kae murmured finally, standing on her toes and winding her arms across his shoulders. "I _feel_ your worry for me, but I'm supposed to be _your_ protector now, remember?"

"How do you figure that?" Optimus rumbled with a frown.

"You _made_ me the Lady High Protector, I'm your ceremonial bodyguard, remember?" she smiled up at him. Beside him, Ironhide snorted in irritation. "_Ceremonial_, Ironhide, point stands, if I have to parade around threatening everyone that dares glare at my mate you're walking beside me doing the same damn thing. You've been on his left from the moment you were needed, and I have no doubt you're going to be on his left to the day we all return to the Well."

"Past that," Sentinel snorted. "I have no doubt the four of you will be standing _formation_ at the gates."

Ironhide was smirking beside him, arms crossed and nodding his satisfaction.

"So worried about being replaced, Weapons Master?" Sentinel rumbled with a snort. He watched in amusement as Ironhide jumped somewhat, looking around suspiciously with energon flooding behind his faceplates. Optimus was facing him the next second.

"None could hope to replace you!" he rumbled earnestly. Ironhide looked up at his Prime and snorted.

"You're gettin' sappy again youngling," he rumbled gruffly. "Now let's get to that lecture hall and guard the place already!"

Sentinel grinned and strode to the entrance bay.

"_Sentinel!" _a familiar, female voice shouted. He turned and grinned to see a little, frankly _adorable_ femme running toward him. Jolt was striding behind her, watching the femme in awe. For good reason, the technician's femme had been cast beautifully. "You noticed I was gone! You _noticed!" _Lena fairly sang, launching herself on him.

It had been a long, _long_ time since someone had done that.

"You bought me time, _thank you!" _Lena sang, hugging him soundly.

Sentinel chuckled and gently hugged the little femme.

"Will you be returning to the seminar?" he asked gently, pulling back to look at the femme properly.

"Please?" she grinned. "I got all_ kinds_ of space ready for learning!"

Sentinel chuckled and stood back, transforming and waiting, watching as the little femme transformed beside her intended.

::. I request a slower pace.:: Jolt sent quietly. ::. This is my Lena's first time driving-.::

::. I drove!.::

::. As a Cybertronian, in the streets, not in the headquarters.:: Jolt snorted in amusement.

::. Oh riiiigght... _New things!._::

Across the primary, the presences of the entire unit smiled at the newest femme, enjoying the feeling of new experiences anew as they rolled out in convoy.

::. Right, and when you get bored with it, I'll show you how to proximity fat aft over here.:: Ironhide snorted.

::. How could I possibly-.::

::. You ever get bored walking a long way?.::

::. N... Ye... maybe?.::

::. You'll get bored eventually.:: Ironhide snorted. ::. But when you're proximity following fat aft-.::

::. Fat aft?.::

::. Drive in front of me for a minute.::

Sentinel watched in his rearview as Lena pulled out and passed Ironhide, driving behind Optimus for a moment.

::. Now what do you see?.::

::. Prime's trailer...?.::

::. I am Optimus, there are three Primes.:: Optimus stated patiently.

::. Pretty big back end though right?.:: Ironhide sent tauntingly. ::. And he throws rocks.::

::. Kinda, he's kinda huge though...::

Anyone could hear the femme trying her best to not laugh.

::. Fat aft.:: Ironhide snorted.

::. But... if I start calling him that, he's gonna start calling me Banshee...:: Lena murmured.

::. You're gonna get called Banshee anyway, 's'what your mark says.:: Ironhide grunted.

::. It does not! My name is Lena!.::

::. If it makes you feel any better, a minor tweak pronouncing your name is Cybertronian for Banshee-hawk.:: Kae snorted. ::. It's your Cybertronian name, Lena, just as mine is Archangel.::

::. How do you pronounce it in Cybertronian?.::

::. ∂_Archangel_∂.:: Sentinel stated patiently.

::. See? _Way_ too regal for me.:: Kae snorted. Sentinel thought about that for a second and shrugged, even for her light-sparked attitude, the deep, regal tone fit her perfectly. She carried herself like a Prime, after all.

::. I dunno Kae, it kinda fits you.:: Lena stated musingly.

::. Traitor.::

::. Proximity Optimus, Lena.:: Ironhide snorted as the femme began weaving somewhat, laughing her tailpipes off.

::. Crap how!.::

::. Secondary processor online, order code 'Follow fat-ass.'.::

Sentinel laughed as the newest femme obeyed, her vectors matching Optimus' even as she continued to giggle and chirp with laughter.


	175. 172 Celebrations and Recuperations

**Chapter 172 – Celebrations and Recuperations**

* * *

(WPOV)

Will was hiding in his office. Or rather, he was hiding in the section that Prowl had allotted him as a shared office, which he found he preferred. It was _way_ bigger than the 'broom closet' Optimus had deemed his office beforehand. It was nice, quiet, and Prowl's continual presence in this office made sure that he wasn't bothered. Prowl wasn't in here at the moment, he was at the party.

Which leads back to why Will was hiding. He was infinitely tempted to sneak back and keep watching the fun, but Prowl had promised to update him when it was safe again.

Safe for him.

Because Ironhide was pissed.

That and Will couldn't stop laughing, he was trying to tie up a last bit of paperwork while he waited for the all-clear, but he wasn't having much luck. He'd see Ironhide's _name_ on the paperwork and start laughing again. He gave up and sat back, grinning at the distant ceiling as he waited for Prowl.

* * *

_Eight hours ago._

* * *

"_PARTY IN CENTRALI!"_ Chromia shrieked, whizzing down the corridors and dodging humans for all she was worth as she shouted.

"What's the occasion this time!?" Will bellowed back with a laugh. He wondered if the femme could hear him, she was halfway down the corridor now.

"Ratchet and Arcee's bonding, and Lena's onlining!" Flareup trilled behind him. Which made him jump. Again. Wait...

"Ratchet and Arcee _bonded!?_" he demanded incredulously. "Why didn't anyone invite me, or _tell_ me!?"

"They didn't tell _anybody_," Flare snorted, smirking as Jazz let loose a wolf whistle as he passed her.

"Why?"

"Because it was Ratchet's second bonding, and I'm not that ceremonial," Arcee murmured. How the hell the femmes _all_ managed to sneak up behind him like that was beyond him. Flare was grinning at her dominant sister as Will turned again. Oh. Holoform. That worked.

"Then why the party now?"

"Ironhide finally got ahold of the fact that we're bonded," Arcee chuckled, looking down the corridor. Will followed her gaze and snorted. Ratchet was being all but _dragged_ behind Ironhide, a massive pile of brightly glowing blue cubes balanced precariously in his other arm.

But Will knew those bots both, now. Ironhide was dragging Ratchet, and Ratchet was putting up a token struggle. And you could tell, because when you got right down to it, no way Ironhide would get that energon pile and Ratchet down the corridor against the medic's wishes.

"_High Grade!_" Sideswipe bellowed the next second.

"Get the second batch mechs!" Ironhide roared back at the twins.

They didn't need second bidding, disappearing into the med-bay as quickly as their servos would carry them. Bots were flooding into the corridors, and the humans on base were flooding after them, investigating the noise. Well, Director Meraring had voiced it about that they were on emergency standby only...

"Lieutenant! All advised! As of eighteen hundred we are at full lockdown, everyone in, nobody out." Will shouted, a half dozen lieutenants snapped to attention, saluting him. "That'll keep the suits out, then get the beer!" he shouted with a broad grin. From that moment, the noise in the corridors was deafening, bots laughing, several cheering, and the humans following suit with gusto.

And when that happened, it didn't take long for the central to be packed. Three levels of catwalks were crowded with humans, and the bots had the floor.

The Primes were the last into the Central, Optimus standing between Kae and Sentinel.

Dead silence. Quiet enough that Will started to wonder if the Primes were even going to _allow_ the party.

Then, Optimus took three cubes, passed one to Kae, and one to Sentinel. He popped his open and held it up.

Yeah, Optimus wasn't going to outlaw a party. Will grinned and held his beer up to Optimus.

"To good friends, to the bonding of Ratchet and Arcee, and to the onlining of Lieutenant Lena 'Banshee Hawk' Elizabeth Davies. May we all survive to do this again." He rumbled gravely. Then amid the howling cheers of the auto-bots and humans: downed the cube, Kae and Sentinel right behind him.

Will rolled his chair back with a broad grin, lifting an ankle to settle comfortably across his knee and thinking of the multitude of things he'd learned in the course of the evening.

Optimus had promptly settled Kae into her place in the central with a few cubes of high-grade close at hand. She stayed right there, smiling at the rowdy crowd and sipping at her second cube.

"Come on _Prime_!" Sunstreaker shouted tauntingly at her, a pile of empty cubes sitting beside him and a tipsy Jacobs sitting on his shoulder. "You can do better than that!"

"You are correct, I can," Sentinel rumbled with a smirk.

And downed five cubes in one go. The twins. Both sets. Stared at him in awe.

"Hay Ratchet, what'd happen if I drank this?" Chance demanded, already weaving somewhat as he stared at a spare cube in front of him.

"You'd experience extreme hallucinations, maybe death, then again there's always the possibly that your spark might start showing itself, at which point I'd likely have to build you a body." Ratchet stated cheerfully, nursing another cube as Arcee watched him with a rather dreamy smirk. "But probably death."

"You're way more fun when you're drunk," Chance grinned up at him.

"I am not drunk-"

"He's overcharged," Arcee giggled.

"Overcharged?"

"It kinda feels like a bit of alcoholic tipsiness, mixed with a bit of morphine numb grogginess and a shit ton of caffeine," Mikaela finally snorted, looking at her half-full cube.

"Humans get to sort those into different categories, I almost _envy_ the massive difference in fuel types," Ratchet expounded cheerfully. "Except the squishiness, I can't say I'm fond of the squishiness although..." he looked at Arcee.

"Yes we can try it out with the squishiness," his mate giggled cheerfully.

"_All the new things to try!_" Ratchet practically _sang!_

Overcharged Ratchet was ridiculously cheerful.

And that had only been hour two.

Hour five had been even more fun. Overcharged Ironhide sang. A lot. And in Cybertronian to boot, so Will couldn't really tell if he was singing _well. _Mind, by the way the twins, both sets of twins, and Wheeljack, and Mirage, and Jazz, and Optimus, and practically every mech in the room but Ratchet sang along, either he was singing well, or they were too overcharged to care.

Will couldn't bring himself to care either, the sixth beer tended to do that to him.

"Hay!" Chance bellowed over the singing. "C'mon mate! We need a translation down here!"

"Otherwise we'll screw it up singing along!" Jacobs added.

"Uh..." Sideswipe pursed his lip plates.

Silence for a moment, which Ratchet looked somewhat grateful for. Arcee was still giggling though.

"Don't make me wait in the dark, bless me with your sweet spark," _Sentinel_ began belting out! "To the pit with the circle's girth! Come my femme let me bind you in our berth!"

"Well my sweet femme I've finally found you," Jolt sang sweetly, kneeling in front of Lena as she giggled and blushed. "For as long as your spark is with me I'll remain true. Please don't make me wait in the dark, bless me with your sweet spark!"

"To the pit with the circle's girth! Come my femme let me bind you in our berth!" the mechs howled.

Will grinned and looked around, Kae had a hand over her mouth, shaking around the laughter trying to escape her.

"Berth bond, Berth bond, ain't nothin' wrong with a berth bond," Ironhide rumbled. Off key. Nobody seemed to care. "Sweet femme and light of my spark, don't leave me waitin' in the dark-"

"_TO THE PIT WITH THE CIRCLE'S GIRTH! COME MY FEMME LET ME BIND YOU IN OUR BERTH!"_

Okay, it was the fifth hour, and the sixth. Somehow, Will got the feeling that translations weren't effective enough for Ironhide, all sorts of verses were popping up from the mechs.

And the femmes, Flare and Chromia were belting it out right alongside the mechs after a while.

Will wished he had a camera to capture the smug look on Jazz's face when Flare was singing.

She was _definitely_ overcharged. And still singing perfectly.

There were dozens of energon cubes around Jazz, too, but by this point, Will had taken a real fascination to watching Jazz pilfering other bot's empty energon cubes and adding them to the pile.

Saboteur keeping his wits about himself. And completely awesome to watch, because every now and again, Bee would take Jazz's empties.

* * *

That was a thought.

Will immediately scrambled to his feet.

He wanted his video camera. He might not be able to record the night, but he could certainly catch the morning after. The doors slid open, and Soundwave chose that moment to peer in at him.

"Video-camera: unnecessary."

"But-"

"Soundwave: recording. Directive: inform Colonel Lennox all clear."

"How the heck are you recording it?"

"Symbiont: Ratbat."

Will narrowed his eyes at Soundwave somewhat.

"You're spying on them?"

"Habit," Soundwave shrugged. Will blinked. That was the second time the bot had done that.

Except it was different this time. Maybe it was the beer. He frowned somewhat and grabbed a glass of water. Wait...

"How long have you been recording it?"

"Soundwave recording: four joor."

"Did you record the twins?" Will grinned.

Soundwave nodded.

"And Ironhide's reactions?"

Soundwave nodded.

"Can I watch it again? Please?"

* * *

(MPOV)

I smiled somewhat. Will was still awake. It was three in the morning. He was sitting and watching Sunstreaker and Sideswipe paint Ironhide bright pink. Ratchet and Arcee were long gone, so were Flare and Jazz, Chromia was sprawled against Bee, who was deep in his recharge with his face in my side.

I was pretending to be asleep and recording Sunstreaker and Sideswipe.

Optimus was long gone in his recharge, sitting upright and holding me tightly against his chest.

It was ridiculously comfortable.

"Where did you get _this_ pink?"

"I mixed it."

"Nice bro."

"You expect any less from me?" Sunstreaker asked airily.

"Just pink, or do I get to watch you guys do some serious pinstriping or swirls or something?"

Sunstreaker promptly stared at Will. So did Sides.

"I like the way he thinks." Sunstreaker stated finally.

Sides grinned at him and strode over, lightly picking Will up and depositing him carefully on his shoulder.

He stayed still for a moment, making sure tipsy Will wasn't going to tip off of his shoulder before rejoining his twin. I had a hard time keeping my face in sleeping repose when Sideswipe's nanites idly dyed Will's hair pink though, matching Ironhide's paint job.

Ironhide was obviously a massively deep recharger, the twins spent a solid hour getting just the right complimenting pinstripes on his pink armour.

I couldn't help but smirk slightly. Sunstreaker was very obviously a master of shades and colours, Ironhide's armour looked _incredibly_ feminine now, somehow, without a single modification to frame, he looked like he had the same exaggerated chest plates that the femme trine were so proud of.

The piéce de résistance though? Will. Carefully supported on Sunstreaker's hand, painting on pink eyebrows and lipstick.

My arms were more or less free, I raised my hands and clapped ever so softly as they stood back, admiring their work.

The twins were immediately staring at me, Sideswipe grinning the second he realized who was clapping.

I held a finger to my lip plates and winked, sending them a copy of my recording of their artistic endeavours. For their logs, of course.

Sunstreaker grinned as I relaxed against my Optimus again, nuzzling my helm against his chest plates and winding an arm around my little brother.

Will was deposited comfortably on my leg, where he promptly passed out. The twins took their leave then, headed back to their quarters.

I dropped into a half cycle, comfortably ensconced in my mate's arms.

That didn't last long. The first sound I registered was a high-pitched scream.

"_WHAT THE FRAG!? Why am I a FEMME!? RATCHET!"_

My optics snapped online, Optimus was aiming at Ironhide's shouting voice. An idle glance at my chronometer stated that Will would most likely have slept off his tipsiness.

He was sitting bolt upright on my leg. Staring at Ironhide as the mech groped at his armour and 'equipment.'

"What the hell happened to you?" he demanded incredulously.

I'd have to show him my logs later if he actually couldn't remember his eyebrow and lipstick addition.

"Not a femme, I'm not a femme... _Why in slagging pitfire am I PINK!? TWINS!"_

Will obviously lost his battle as he fell over, laughing his ass off as Ironhide began storming toward the doors. At least he was until Ironhide turned around again.

"What are you laughing at?" Ironhide growled in his 'shit's gettin' blown up' voice.

"Pink suits you 'Hide," Will grinned at his guardian.

Bad move.

Will obviously knew that, he was scrambling off of my leg the next second and high-tailing it out of the entrance bay, Ironhide hot on his heels.

I made to go after the weapons master, but Optimus wound me into his arms again.

"He won't injure Will," Optimus rumbled gently. "And Prowl will no doubt get to the twins before Ironhide does." I snorted somewhat and cuddled against my mate a bit more.

Chromia was blinking drowsily, right beside Bumblebee.

"Did we do anything last night?" she muttered to the scout.

Bee was silent for a few minutes, obviously replaying his logs.

"You and Flare were singing the berth-bond song with the rest of us." he stated finally. "And you got betrothed to Ironhide."

"I'm already his intended."

"No, betrothal bond."

"That's the worst of it?"

"Uh huh."

"And the twins painted Ironhide pink?"

"I dunno, I was recharging."

"You too huh?"

"Uh huh."

"Fair enough. Excuse me?" Chromia tottered off of the berth and in the general direction of the decon chamber.

I couldn't help but chuckle softly.

Softly, my mate's processors were rather delicate this morning.

I'd bug him for it later, for now, I fully intended to tuck him into berth for a better recharge. I lightly touched the frequencies and smiled.

The twins were hiding. Both sets of twins. Skids and Mudflap had heard Ironhide shouting and were hiding out of habit. The terror twins were already deeply ensconced in the med-bay, hiding in Ratchet's storage bay. In the meantime, bots were rousing to Ironhide's roars. Flare was definitely smug, tangled in Jazz's servos.

I made a note to tease her later.

Sentinel was still dead to the world. Evidently he was _still_ sleeping off the three dozen or so cubes of high grade he'd managed to down. Of course that in itself had impressed the younglings enough to not challenge him into a drinking contest again. Somehow I got the feeling that that had been the point...

I shrugged somewhat and looked up at Optimus.

He was shading his optics somewhat.

"Come on dear," I chuckled gently, squirming out of his arms and hauling him to his pedes.

"Kae, have mercy," he groaned as I lightly tugged on his hands.

"I'm not that evil, come on," I murmured gently. "Offline your optics, I'll make sure you don't step on anyone."

I could feel my mate's gratitude as his optics offlined again, gently, I led him to our quarters.

"Sleep it off, my mate, I'll take care of the politics today," I murmured.

"Stay?" he murmured wearily.

I looked at my mate in concern, I could feel the outer edges of depression beginning to touch his spark.

::. Arcee?.:: I sent tentatively on the private channel.

::. Yes daughter?.::

Worriedly, I sent the impression of my mate's spark to my mother-sister.

::. Loneliness creeps up on all of us, mated or not.:: she sent gently. ::. Cuddle your mate, re-assert your presence. Ratchet will attend to the excuses.::

I smiled and lightly touched my mate's nasal ridge.

"Why are you still wearing your armour?" I asked in mock innocent curiosity.

My Optimus smiled, finally, sitting up slowly and disengaging his armour.

I took that opportunity to crawl into my side of the berth – I _was_ still tired – and gaze at my mate's protoform. He was magnificently built, after all.

Optimus turned and looked at me curiously, and rather than bother putting thought and emotion into words, allowed my mate to simply feel them. Allowed him to feel my joy at his resultant thoughts.

We were not alone, no matter the distance we were bound, we were together. His familiar, habitual thought that I would eventually leave him behind at the Well immediately quashed by my instinctual pain at the very thought of his discontinued presence.

No words were necessary between us.

The silence between us was broken only by the synchronized hum of our bound sparks and the soft, gentle hissing sounds of my mate's frame as he released the tension carried across his neurals. He laid down again, and rolled to his side as he always did, winding an arm around me and pulling me tightly to his chest.

We stayed that way for a long time.

"Shall we attempt the waking again?" he murmured finally. I looked up at him and pressed a kiss to his jaw, making my mate smile.

"I think we should attempt the recharging again, before we try waking." I murmured with a smile.

"I am not dreaming?" he murmured in mocking curiosity.

"Not yet," I chuckled.

My Optimus hummed thoughtfully, tucking me a little bit more tightly into his chest.

"Hmn?" I murmured, nuzzling into him a bit more.

"May we survive to do this again," he rumbled softly.

Wound tightly together, between one chuckle and the next, we dropped into our recharges.

* * *

(IPOV)

Ironhide was pink. And his processors hurt. A lot.

He wondered just how much of last evening Bee had recorded.

He'd have to bribe Bee into discreetly passing him the logs.

Who knows, he might have even recorded whichever set of twins had painted him pink, pink handed.

He smirked somewhat then grimaced. His processors hurt. He'd given up the search a while ago, his roaring hurt his processors, and Chromia's processors.

Wait...

::. Chromia?.:: he sent tentatively.

::. Ow, yeah?.:: she muttered, the door to their quarters opened and his femme staggered in very, _very_ quietly. The doors closed behind her and she shed her armour, the both of them wincing at the clatter of it falling haphazardly on the floor.

"Did we bond last night?" he whispered. He could feel his femme's processors aching beside his own!

"Sort of, not really," Chromia murmured, crawling up and burying her face into his chest, that felt a bit better.

"Sort of?"

"The humans were harping about bonding, so we initiated the betrothing protocols," Chromia murmured.

The one that they could break, and probably would when they bonded in full. But it still looked the same. Ironhide nodded tentatively and cautiously pulled his Chromia a bit closer.

"That I don't mind," he murmured softly. Chromia nodded into his side.

"Except for the feeling your processor ache beside mine," she grumbled softly.

"Mmnph, I'll shut my motor controls down, yes?"

The feeling of his Chromia's perception of his thoughtfulness almost erased the processor ache. It felt really, _really _nice.

"If this is the _betrothed_ bond-" he started softly.

"Almost makes you wish you didn't swear you'd stand in the circle?"

Ironhide smirked, he couldn't help it, he could _definitely _get used to the idea of his femme knowing what he was thinking.

Hmm...

"You can figure out what I'm thinking later," Chromia muttered. "Interfacing is _not_ a good idea at the moment."

Slag. That was true. Ironhide shut his motor controls down, this morning was _not _the kind of morning that Chromia would tolerate his restlessness.

But she said later.

He'd do it later.

He made a special note in his processors just for it.

"Less thought, more recharge," Chromia groaned.

That was a good thought too.

* * *

(LPOV)

Lena onlined her optics, and wished she hadn't.

Not that the sight of Jolt recharging with his arms around her wasn't enough to make her spark flare, it just hurt to online her optics.

Cybertronian or not. Apparently, she still got hangovers.

That sucked.

And it was really, _really_ bright in Jolt's quarters.

She wanted to be online. But she hated being online with her optics off.

Being awake meant seeing.

Which meant she had two options.

Turn the lights off, or find some sunglasses.

She looked at Jolt again and shrugged somewhat. He'd had far more energon than she had, he'd probably be hurting worse now. Probably better to let him stay recharging. Carefully, she began squirming out of his arms.

"Please don't move?" Jolt whimpered softly.

Lena jumped, she could have sworn he was recharging.

"I won't," she whispered, cuddling back into him. "Jolt what's wrong?"

"It's so cold," he whispered. "It hurts so much it's so cold..."

Lena stared at her intended and ran through her systems. Scanner, scanner, for gods sake please have a scanner! Two systems checks and _nothing!_

::. Ratchet!.:: she sent desperately.

::. Shhh.:: the medic muttered.

::. Ratchet _please!_.:: Lena sent desperately, if quietly.

::. What's wrong Lena?.:: Arcee responded gently.

::. Jolt says he's cold-.::

::. Then turn the heat up.:: Ratchet grumbled.

::. He doesn't feel cold!.:: Lena whimpered, gently touching her bot's faceplates and frame.

::. Then why-.:: Ratchet started.

::. Ratchet hush.:: Arcee murmured gently. ::. Go back to your recharge.::

Lena was about to protest until she heard a soft tapping on the door.

"Come!" she called out softly.

Dear, sweet, beautiful Arcee strode into their quarters, nodding to her patiently as Lena shot her a grateful look.

"Now then," Arcee murmured gently, crawling up onto the berth. Her optics dimmed somewhat as she scanned Jolt. She shook her head. "Why _you_ would be one of those to burn through high-grade so Primus damned quickly is beyond me." she chuckled, gently tapping Jolt's helm.

Jolt flinched away from her finger, and Arcee frowned.

"Lena, turn somewhat and keep his spark burning, I'll be back." she ordered crisply.

"Arcee!" Lena whimpered.

"Open your chest-plates dear, then open your spark-chamber. Reach for his spark-chamber with your spark and caress it open, the same pressure you used as a human. Contact with your spark will keep him online." Arcee stated patiently, already striding toward the door.

"Where are you going?"

"Get him some energon," Arcee stated before the doors closed. Lena turned somewhat and did as Arcee had told her, reaching for her Jolt's spark with her own. Except his chamber wouldn't open.

"Please open?" she whimpered softly. Jolt was silent.

::. Arcee I can't get to his spark!.:: Lena shouted, hangovers be damned.

::. Tap his helm.:: Ratchet snapped back.

Lena obeyed. Nothing.

::. Nothing!.::

::. Now stroke his chamber with your spark, feel around, you'll find a a seam close to his mark.:: Chromia stated flatly. Lena obeyed in a panic, touching every inch of her bot's chamber and memorizing it.

::. Now what?.::

::. Push against the seam.:: Chromia commanded.

::. I don't-.::

::. It won't hurt him.:: Arcee interjected.

Lena obeyed and almost sobbed as she pushed against the seam, it barely opened, but it was enough for a little tendril of her spark to reach in.

~Jolt please don't leave me behind!~ she sobbed against the chilly force touching her spark.

Then, to her joy, the force began pulling on her, drawing her closer as the chamber beside her own began to open somewhat more.

~Mate?~ Jolt's spark asked curiously.

~I'm right here Jolt~

~Mate?~

~That's right, your intended mate,~ Lena told him gently.

~Mate!~

~Yes dear~ Lena chuckled. That was more her Jolt.

Except something kinda weird was happening, Jolt's spark was twisting around her, she shrugged and did the same, maybe he was trying to get closer for the warmth? He was rather chilly, after all.

In a few moments the two of them were a mass of tangled spark tendrils, Lena had absolutely no idea where she started and Jolt finished.

Not that she minded, really, she knew herself, and she knew Jolt.

Lena wondered if this was what being bonded felt like.

Until the pain started. It left her gasping, Jolt right beside her as he evidently felt the same. It diminished, and then they were separate again. Sort of. They were tangled together, and separately together?

The doors opened again and Jolt struggled to aim his cannon.

Her poor bot was so low on energon, he had barely enough to _charge _the cannon.

Dead silence.

"Lena, you know you didn't have to _bond_ to keep him alive, right?" Arcee asked innocently.

They were bound?

Tentatively, Lena pulled back somewhat, and found that Jolt stayed with her. She pulled back a tiny bit more and grinned.

Jolt was in exactly the same place beside her spark. Her mate – she actually got to _call_ him that now! – was still groggy and disoriented, spark reeling and processors struggling to sync properly. Jolt was disoriented, and _Primus_ was she tired!

Arcee was chuckling as she placed a couple of cubes of energon on the berth and crawled up, lightly opening the first and handing it to Lena.

Immediately, Lena gently held it to her Jolt's lip plates.

"Drink love," she murmured softly, ignoring the processor ache slowly creeping back into the forefront of her attention and smiling as Jolt began to swallow the energon slowly being tipped into his mouth. Arcee was smirking at her, Lena looked at her curiously.

"That's adorable," she murmured with a low chuckle. "Now _you_ drink this one, you need it in your systems sweet-spark."

She did? Lena curiously did a systems scan and realized that she was low again. Curious, she'd started with a full charge... She shrugged and downed the open cube Arcee handed to her.

"Thank you," she murmured earnestly, looking at the elder femme.

Arcee chuckled and settled into place, watching as Jolt finally managed to sync his processors.

"Lena!" he gasped out finally. "Lena what -?"

"Shh," Lena murmured. "Sync your processors again love."

Jolt nodded and his optics dimmed somewhat, his spark cycled down for a moment before his optics brightened. He sounded far calmer, now.

"What happened? Your spark... why can I feel you?" he murmured in a confused tone.

"You over-burned, Jolt," Arcee murmured patiently. "Lena held you from going out while I got some energon." Then, then she smirked. "Obviously your sparks are fully intent on not being separated, you bonded her while she held you in this dimension."

"Lena I-" Jolt immediately began. But he didn't need to say it, or stammer it.

Lena could feel his remorse, not in bonding her, but in not courting her properly before doing it.

Her dear mech. He was still stammering apologies, then going back and trying to properly define the definition and reason for his apology. To any but his new mate, he would have simply been digging himself deeper into the dog house.

Lena smiled and did the one thing that made Jolt shut up when he was like this.

She squirmed slightly and kissed him.

Fully on the lip plates, _proper_ kiss. The kind that tended to make her Jolt not only shut up for a moment, but stare at her incredulously.

"Shush," she stated with a smile. "You _know_ how much courting you need to catch me, Jolt. You aren't regretting bonding me, and I _know_ you can feel how much I'm currently enjoying the fact that your spark is in my chamber, and mine is with yours. Best accident to ever happen. Now shush and lemme enjoy the afterglow while it's keeping my processor-ache at bay."

Jolt froze, but now Lena knew why.

His processors simply couldn't figure out how something so good was happening.

It was so terribly sad, and sweet at the same time.

"You can hug me Jolt, it won't make me run away," she informed her bot with a smile.

Instantly, Jolt's arms were around her, holding her close to his spark. She loved it when he did that.

"_Definitely_ not running for a while," Arcee stated patiently. Lena glanced at her. "Yours wasn't a planned bond, it's still fragile. The two of you need to remain close together for the next few days, let the bond solidify."

"Days?" Jolt murmured, pulling her closer.

"Within one hundred feet of each other for the next three days, then no further than across base for the next two orn," Arcee ordered calmly.

Lena could do that.

And judging by the way her Jolt was already making notes to request as much communications time as possible? He fully intended on staying right beside her.

Arcee was nodding patiently.

"Remain here for the day, I will bring you more energon later," she ordered patiently, Lena nodded and the older femme took her leave.

"I love you," Jolt finally murmured.

"You better," Lena grinned, turning her head to look at him. "You're gonna be stuck with me for quite some time, my mate."

Those words alone, her Jolt's processors popped.

But the giant grin on his face said it all. Lena squirmed around in her Jolt's arms and settled herself comfortably, quite ready to go back to her recharge.

Except for one thing.

The lights were still too bright.

~Jolt?~ she whispered.

~Lena?~

~How do I turn the lights out?~

Her Jolt chuckled softly and showed her the frequencies. Lena grinned and nuzzled her face into her mate's chest, an idle thought hacking into their quarter's environmental controls and shutting the lights off.

* * *

(RPOV)

Ratchet groaned as the Primary came alive again.

::. What happened this time?.:: he grumbled.

::. Accidental berth-bond.:: his mate replied in amusement.

::. Sweet Primus have mercy! Not another one!.:: Sentinel's voice moaned.

The bots still conscious and listening to the Primary laughed. Tentatively. There were several sore processors in the early joor of the orn.

Across their bond, Ratchet could feel his mate smirk, even as she wandered across the base, handing out cubes of mid-grade, and a few low-grade.

Skids and Mudflap were still three sheets to the wind, and _still_ hiding from Ironhide's wrath, even though to Ratchet's knowledge, Ironhide was now recharging, and the Chevy twins hadn't _done_ anything to incur his wrath.

Lena and Jolt were recharging. And bonded. Adorable.

Kae and Optimus were dead to the world, so were Chrome and Ironhide.

The only conscious, un-affected bots were Arcee and Soundwave.

Not that Soundwave hadn't accepted a few cubes of high-grade, he'd only drunk those few and returned to communications.

Big mech, small cubes.

He probably had had nothing more than a pleasant buzz.

Lucky slagging mech.

Arcee had simply made him drink all of the cubes handed to her, choosing to experience the high-grade buzz secondhand through his spark.

Ratchet relaxed a bit more on their berth, offlining his optics and focusing on his mate's calm, amused presence as she nursed the base through the multitude of hangovers.

Finally, _finally_ she returned to their quarters, shedding armour and crawling back into berth.

"It's your turn to get slagged on high-grade, next party," Ratchet muttered.

"With the provision that Ironhide lets you get away with it," Arcee chuckled softly.

Ratchet snorted, and between one process and the next, dropped into his recharge with his mate in his arms.


	176. 173 Execute

You have my utmost apologies for the time it took for me to get this update up and... updated *groan* I blame spring, and the inevitable cold that comes with it. At least the fever dreams were interesting... anyway, update has arrived, so without further ado:

**Chapter 173 - Execute**

* * *

(SePOV)

Sentinel sat, content with the company surrounding him. A few extra joor of recharge and mid-grade? New bot.

Ironhide was still pink, and obviously grumpy about it, but no doubt he would re-paint later, now was the time to discuss tactics, while their processors were fresh from rest and relaxation. Kae was quiet, listening intently beside him.

"So when we reach Cybertron," Sideswipe was stating seriously, manipulating the holograms in front of them. "We're going to need to get rid of a ton of Decepticons, their main bases will be here in Kaon, and here, in Iacon."

"Recommendation: Revival of Wrecker forces," Soundwave stated, pointing to Iacon.

"If the complex hasn't been completely destroyed," Sunstreaker frowned.

"Destruction of complex: has not happened." Soundwave stated patiently.

"How long-"

Lena and Jolt chose that moment to stride in, hand in hand to remain close enough to maintain their accidental, fragile bond.

Adorable.

Lena froze, staring at Ironhide, Jolt looking at his mate in amusement.

"What?" Ironhide rumbled grumpily.

"That pink! Can I be _that_ pink!?" Lena asked brightly. Ironhide promptly looked somewhat less grumpy.

"I'll see what I can do," Sunstreaker snorted with a broad grin.

"What is the date of the last status report?" Sentinel asked patiently, looking at Soundwave.

"Last Cybertronian status report: fourteen breem. Decepticon forces: finally giving up attempts to break open wrecker complex."

"Fourteen breem?" Ironhide rumbled in a dangerous tone.

"Soundwave: primary communications officer. I tended to attend the communications with my personal Comm, it saved the auto-bot forces figuring out my frequencies."

The entire central froze and stared at the bot. Because his final sentence had been stated with an unmistakeable grin.

"Your voice is changing?" Kae asked curiously.

"Emotional circuitry: beginning to repair." Soundwave shrugged. Kae was beaming at him the next moment.

"So in other words, you're still listening to the Decepticon communications." Ironhide rumbled, relaxing again.

"And you're letting your emotional circuits repair!" Lena bubbled with a bright smile. Soundwave nodded.

"So tactics wise, I go in, revive the wreckers and rejoin the main force with them," Kae stated calmly. "Give the Decepticons a solid beat down and adjourn to the guardian's fall-!"

Kae squeaked and the entirety of Central went absolutely silent, staring at Soundwave.

The mech. Had cuffed Archangel Prime. Upside the helm.

She was blinking in surprise now, looking at the bot curiously even as her mate's engines growled threateningly.

Sentinel had been tempted to, but _Soundwave_ had beaten him to the punch!

"Tactic: Unwise. Safety of Archangel Prime, Optimus Prime and All-spark: paramount." Soundwave stated sternly. Optimus stopped growling.

"The wreckers are in stasis-lock in the safety of their stronghold are they not?" Kae demanded flatly.

"Statement: correct. Stasis Lock: automatically countermanded by presence of sufficient energon. Presence of Lady High Protectorate: Unnecessary. It's a foolhardy risk on your spark, Lady Prime. We need you _alive_ in order to win. The fact that you and Optimus are bonded is a liability. Femme Prime _must_ remain _online!_"

The Central sat in stunned shock as Kae nodded to her advisor.

"And your recommendation?"

"Soundwave: accompanied by wreckers Roadbuster, Topspin, Leadfoot. Infiltrate Wrecker stronghold, revive Wreckers, rendezvous with main force." Soundwave stated calmly again, manipulating the holograms in the middle of central. "Reasoning: Soundwave: capable of hiding wrecker force from immediate Decepticon detection. Wreckers: Capable of infiltrating wrecker stronghold without use of force."

Sentinel looked at the mech's suggested tactics and felt his brow ridges rising.

The tactics involved weaknesses in the Decepticon defences that the bots had never discovered.

Evidently, the mech was not above sharing his knowledge with them.

Particularly the weaknesses across the walls of the strongholds, had _Sentinel _known those weaknesses, he would never have had to defect in the first place!

It would be close. The Decepticons had strength in numbers. But they would win.

He was certain of it.

* * *

(WhPOV)

Wheelie rolled through the air-ducts, tazers in hands. Patrol.

Oh. He was just _waiting_ for the chance to use these tasers! He'd got away with taking down a couple of humans now.

Invading humans being injured by human weapons? Totally didn't count.

Mind. There were a few humans allowed through these ducts.

Director Matteer for example.

Director Matteer didn't count as invading human though. Shit. He even sorted out the passwords, new password to be changed every week. They sorted 'em out at the beginning of every human month.

A clang.

"What's the password?" Wheelie shouted out.

Silence.

Ooooh... phase one. Nothing clanged in this sector, nothing but the grill leading outdoors.

It didn't blow in the wind, neither.

Somebody's gettin' tased.

Wheelie grinned to himself and crept toward his favourite ambush spot, backing in and waiting.

::. Wheelie to Jackson.:: he sent over the comm.

::. Jackson responding.::

::. Got a possible weasel coming in sector two.::

::. Standing by.:: Jackson informed him immediately.

Which was Jackson for "gotcha, I'm headed your way to pull down the unconscious human, and if something worse is coming in, go ahead and get the fuck out, I'mma shootin' it."

Wheelie loved their system. He tucked himself into the prime concealed spot for the sector, watching for the incoming weasel.

But he damn near shorted to see what came toward him.

"DING!?"

"WHEELIE!? Everybody said you was _dead!" _Ding shouted right back at him. "What are you doing in the _Autobot base!?"_

"I defected," Wheelie informed his fellow drone proudly.

"You mean you don't gotta work for them lousy Decepticreeps!?" Ding demanded in shock.

"Nope," Wheelie grinned at him. "And lemme tell _you_ Ding, workin' for them Auto-bots is the prime _gig!"_

"No slag," Ding grinned. "Sign me _up_ Wheels!"

"First things first Ding, send 'em out your offline signal, then we'll get down to some serious introducin'!" Wheelie grinned. He grinned all the more to sense the standard sparked-drone's offlined signal.

::. Hey Jackson! We got us another recruit!.:: Wheelie sent cheerfully, leading the way back through the ducts toward his human partner's position.

::. 'Nother drone like you Wheels?.::

::. Yup.::

::. He got any info for Optimus?.::

::. Ooh! Good question! Probably.:: "Hey Ding, you kept up your spyin' on the big aft-holes?" Wheelie asked his fellow drone cheerfully.

"What, you thought I'd _stop?"_ Ding snorted.

"Sweet, first bot we're gonna have you talkin' to is the Prime. Don't be worried tho Ding, the Primes are fraggin' cool about talkin' to the drones."

Ding looked at him sceptically for a long second.

"No seriously, Brains made a bet with the big ones that Soundwave'd come here the second the Lord High Protector was re-designated. They _actually_ gave him five rell o' high-grade, even though he was a bit wrong about the timing." Wheelie grinned.

"Five _rell!?" _

"Yup," Wheelie grinned, spying Jackson at their usual exit-point.

"New recruit?" Jackson asked with a grin. "How's..."

"His," Wheelie prompted the human.

"How's his energon levels doing?"

"The first thing the human asks is how my energon reserves are doing?" Ding husked behind Wheelie.

"Told ya Ding, awesome gig," Wheelie smirked, jumping into Jackson's waiting hands. That was the other thing Wheelie liked about these humans. They were great about being concientious about their size differences. Jackson set him down lightly on his tires and straightened, offering his hands to Ding.

Hesitantly, Ding jumped and stared in shock as the soldier caught him and leaned down, carefully picking Wheelie up again.

Wheelie grinned and held onto the soldier's hair, nodding for Ding to do the same as his human counterpart began striding back to the main areas again.

"Didn't hear the answer on that, you hungry man?" Jackson asked, glancing at Ding.

"A... a little?"

"Right, first stop med-bay then," Jackson grinned, turning a corner into the massive corridors of their home.

* * *

(MnPOV)

Megatron parked outside of the pathetic little human's city. Biding his time. Shockwave had dropped the drone near the Auto-bot headquarters.

The drone had yet to report back.

Megatron growled to himself, and hoped for his own sake that the drone had simply had a difficult time getting into the base, or getting a signal out.

He checked the drone's signal and snarled.

It was showing an offline drone.

Slag it all.

Very well, plan B.

::. Shockwave, destroy the city.:: Megatron ordered with a low growl.

Off on the other side of the human's state, Shockwave and Driller came up from the ground, and began destroying the infrastructure the humans had taken so long to build. Without doubt, that would draw the majority of the Auto-bots out of their base.

Megatron settled in his place somewhat, watching the skies, and listening to the frequencies as best he could. The auto-bots were blocking their signals, and no doubt Soundwave was blocking his own.

Then, out of the blue, Megatron caught sight of a flier, streaking toward Shockwave's position.

A flier that Megatron was incredibly familiar with.

Evidently, the ever emotionless Soundwave had been sent to deal with his former ally. His plan could not have gone better. Megatron let loose a gleeful snarl and blasted himself into the air, chasing after his communications officer.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus came out of a leisurely recharge cycle and stretched. His Kae was still nestled against him, her face buried into his chest. She would be rousing soon.

Her body was almost fully repaired, and his protective circuitry was almost at full stand down. It was a bitter-sweet feeling. By no means did he wish injury or even a minor scratch upon his Kae.

But he would be lying to state that he had not enjoyed the chance to protect and dote on his mate.

A gentle hand was on his chest, slender fingers ever so lightly tangled in a bundle of neural fibres. Optimus smiled and gently covered the hand on his chest, making every effort to burn this image, this feeling into his permanent memories.

His beautiful, gentle-sparked mate, so peaceful and calm recharging in his arms.

Her spark rested beside his own, she had chosen him. Her peaceful, recharging countenance belied her strength, her ferocity. Pushed enough, his mate would release a firestorm of rage and destruction. He had witnessed it, stood stock still in awe and watched his mate in battle.

The doors to his quarters opened, and Sentinel peered through.

"Sentinel," Optimus rumbled quietly, nodding to the older Prime.

"Optimus, will Kae be rousing soon?"

Optimus nodded and smiled as his femme shifted slightly in his arms, her optics coming dimly online as she looked up at him.

"Good morning, my mate," he murmured gently.

His Kae smiled and shifted slightly, reaching up for a kiss.

"A femme of such status should be more wary when waking to strange voices," Sentinel rumbled mildly.

"My Optimus is relaxed, calm, and far more along in his onlining than I," Kae murmured with a smile. "I'll rouse to strange voices in battle mode when the situation warrants it. Your voice is not strange to me Sentinel, neither is your spark."

Sentinel snorted as Optimus grinned.

Then, as fate was want to do in perfect moments, the alarms began blaring. Kae was on her feet, striding down the corridors before Optimus even had his armour on.

"Attend your armour properly, young warrior," Sentinel ordered him patiently before turning and striding after the femme. "Kae! Slow down!" Sentinel shouted out. Optimus sent his wordless gratitude to his father-mentor, the older Prime covering his back in the midst of his surprise.

"Alarms!" her voice shouted back. She sounded as though she were already at communications.

::. All call! Status report!.:: Optimus sent over the primary, settling his shoulder plates _properly_ into place and striding into the corridors after his mate and old friend.

::. Soundwave reporting: dual Decepticon signals. Signature designation: Shockwave. Signature designation: Driller. Location: Richmond, Virginia."

Optimus snarled. Shockwave.

"Path Path Path!" he roared, thundering to communications. Kae was standing beside Sentinel, a matching snarl bending her faceplates as she gazed at the holo-screens lighting the room. The humans were scrambling, the NEST core and their subordinates already running for their equipment.

"Prime!" Will bellowed from the catwalk.

"Shockwave, and Driller," Optimus growled.

"Soundwave: Request." the acting communications officer stated flatly. Optimus turned to look at him. "Soundwave: immediate responder. Mission: minimize city damage."

That and no doubt Soundwave wished to remove Shockwave's helm.

"Permission granted, keep your processors clear, Soundwave," Optimus ordered flatly. "Keep Shockwave there, we will be close behind you."

Soundwave nodded, snapped to attention and saluted.

A soldier down to his core processors.

"Dismissed," Optimus stated flatly.

Soundwave nodded again, and in seconds he disappeared.

"Auto-bots!" Optimus rumbled, on the primary and aloud. "All available warriors! Headcount!"

::. Sideswipe.::

::. Sunstreaker.::

::. Ironhide.::

::. Arcee-Chromia-Flareup.:: The femme trine were already combined. Optimus nodded.

::. Skids-Mudflap reporting.:: The _twins_ had already combined! Optimus rapidly made a note to commend them for it later.

::. Jazz reh'portin'::

::. Bumblebee responding.::

::. Mirage in the house.::

::. Archangel Prime.:: his Kae stated sternly.

::. Sentinel Prime.::

::. Wreckers responding!.::

::. Prowl reporting, battle computations being sent now.::

In an instant, Optimus was observing the computations, the battle plans, the list of bots with the best chance of surviving this surprise skirmish. A split moment, with all of the sparks around him, the co-operation and joined processors of the auto-bot unit a split moment was all that was needed.

"Sunstreaker, Sideswipe, Ironhide, Bumblebee," he growled out. "Report to the entrance bay. All other bots please resume your prior duties. Sentinel, Kae, you have the lectures to attend to," he added, nodding to the Primes standing beside him.

The light of surprise in his Kae's eyes bespoke her having forgotten the lectures, she nodded to him.

"Be careful, my mate," she ordered him sternly, reaching up to press a kiss to his jaw.

Optimus nodded and turned, fully prepared to stride into battle.

* * *

(SwPOV)

Shockwave.

It was all Soundwave could do to keep the resultant surge of rage from crippling what progress his self-repair functions had made on his emotional circuitry.

The Prime was already there, and the Lady High Protector. The Lady High Protector was not fit for battle yet, she had not been returned her armour. That made Soundwave the fastest in base. That was the logical argument he could use at any rate.

But the Primes were a mated pair, perhaps... perhaps they would simply allow him this. Femme Prime already knew his history...

"Soundwave: Request." Soundwave stated flatly. Optimus turned to look at him. "Soundwave: immediate responder. Mission: minimize city damage."

He wanted Shockwave's helm.

"Permission granted, keep your processors clear, Soundwave," Optimus ordered flatly. "Keep Shockwave there, we will be close behind you."

Soundwave nodded, that was a highly logical order. He snapped to attention and saluted his acceptance of those orders.

"Dismissed," Optimus stated flatly.

Soundwave nodded again, and turned, immediately striding to the entrance bay. He could certainly get used to following the orders of the Prime. The order had not been to kill, had not been to _not _kill.

Merely an order to keep his processors about him and not _get_ offlined.

Highly reasonable.

Soundwave transformed and shot himself into the air, automatically tracking his target signals.

Shockwave.

Soundwave had been waiting vorns, vorns upon vorns of waiting to _destroy_ the twisted 'scientist' mech. The spark of his sweet Nightsong would rest in the Well, comfortable with the knowledge that he still remembered her, and that he had finally avenged her. Soundwave threw on all speed, streaking toward the sadist he had been forced to call ally.

The sadist was attacking humans, that was not truly his style.

He was far more likely to simply capture a few dozen and experiment on them.

Soundwave would have to inquire as to the reason for the assault, before he tore the spark chamber from his chest. Such a thing, such a thought would normally have his spark twisting in disgust. He was not so violent by nature.

But some things bore exception.

He idly considered returning with Shockwave's helm. As a gift for Banshee-hawk femme and her mate. He wondered if the human behaviours still evident in Banshee would find offence in that.

He didn't think so, the femme was highly sensitive and protective of her mate.

Target close, target acquired. Soundwave cleared his processors of everything but the fight ahead of him. Driller was cheerfully demolishing buildings.

There were humans in those buildings.

His mistress was a former human. They were a species of tiny, sentient beings. Tiny, sentient beings that under the correct circumstances revealed the presence of powerful sparks.

Already, there were two Cybertronian femmes within the auto-bot ranks that were born human. Therefore, no longer would he allow the injury to these tiny creatures.

The scout, after all, had stated that his _own_ mate could be among these beings. That brought the rage, his mate could be injured! Injured by the sadist and his pet destroyer! It took no more than a moment for his battle computations to come to the forefront processors. Where to strike, how to strike, how first to cripple then to kill. Soundwave kept his processors clear, as the Prime had ordered.

Shockwave battled alone, it was the mech's pattern, his style. His belief that nothing could hurt him with his pet destroyer present was to be his downfall this orn.

Soundwave dove, and began disabling. For the first time in vorns, a snarl of rage burst from his vocal processors, and that seemed to shock the creature all the more.

Disable, not kill, he wanted answers first.

A blow.

A blow from behind?

The destroyer was flailing, Soundwave could hear it's shrill request to retreat from the firestorm of his rage.

But it had not been the destroyer to strike him.

He was conscious, undamaged.

Another blow, not a blow, a shot.

Disabling shot, a weapon of Shockwave's design, literally, a stunner.

Why was it coming from behind?

Soundwave turned and bit down the groan that wished to rise in his vocal processors.

Megatron was grinning at him, even as the darkness fell over his optics.

* * *

(BPOV)

Soundwave hadn't switched his primary language. It didn't matter to him that his signal had disappeared, Bumblebee raced toward his last co-ordinate ping. It's what scouts did.

Because despite Soundwave's conscious signal disappearing, at this range Bee could still trace the other's spark. That in itself had put Soundwave securely in the circle of bots Bee trusted. No-bot who planned on betraying them would give a scout their spark signature. No smart bot anyway, and Soundwave sure as the pit burned wasn't stupid.

He crested another hill and screeched to a halt.

Megatron. Megatron, Shockwave, Driller and an unconscious Soundwave.

::. _SLAG!_.:: Bumblebee shouted on the comm.

::. Bumblebee! Report!.:: Optimus rumbled instantly.

::. Soundwave got drawn out, he's online, he's been stunned!.:: Bumblebee shouted. Immediately, he began sending the visuals.

Soundwave was in Shockwave's claws, Megatron was grinning. Bee had learned his lesson the first time, waiting for his Prime to come back him up. If Megatron hadn't already offlined Soundwave for defecting, it meant the Decepticons wanted their communications officer back.

Prime was a half breem behind him, the terror twins two minutes now. Bee threw himself forward, racing after the mechs gloating over their prize.

He transformed and began letting off shots, firing on Megatron and Shockwave.

Megatron turned and began firing at him. But the twins were now hot on his bumper.

Shockwave, behind Megatron grinned at them, dragging Soundwave's prone form a bit closer, Driller wound it's tentacles around Shockwave and began receding into the ground.

All of a moment. It's all it took.

Megatron grinned at them the second Shockwave was clear and blasted himself into the air.

They were too late.

Prime rolled up beside him and transformed, first looking at Megatron's shrinking silhouette, then the hole in the ground where Soundwave had been.

Silence.

::. What do we tell Kae?.:: Bee sent softly. He couldn't even get a trace on Soundwave's spark now. Not under the ground...

Optimus vented a sigh, and glanced down at him.

::. The truth.:: Kae's voice stated flatly. ::. My advisor has been kidnapped.::

Bee winced. Oh. He could already hear the anger in her tone.

::. They're gonna slag him!.:: Jolt sent in horror.

::. We gotta find him!.:: Lena sent in counterpart.

::. Now where is my armour?.:: Kae demanded.

::. Kae...:: Optimus started softly.

::. He is my advisor, my mate, I will not tolerate his kidnapping by our enemies.:: Archangel Prime stated flatly. ::. I am fully healed. You know it. I know it. Now where the _slag_ is my armour?.::

Bee watched in awe as his Prime scowled at the air, and the hole in the ground.

::. It is in the storage bay.:: he finally rumbled tiredly.

::. Ratchet, how long until you can get here?.:: Kae sent immediately. Oh right, she was still in the lecture hall...

::. Four Breem.:: Ratchet sent flatly. ::. I need to get your armour out and make sure it's not damaged.::

::. The switch out will be easiest during the intermission.:: Sentinel added.

Kae nodded on the Primary, relaxing somewhat. Bee sighed.

::. How're you gonna find him sis?.:: he asked softly.

::. I already know where he is.::

::. How?.::

::. I have absolutely no idea, I just know where my advisor is.::


	177. 174 The Empath

**Chapter 174 – The Empath**

* * *

(SwPOV)

System Analysis: Neural circuitry compromised.

Initiate symbiont backup routine. Yes/No

Yes.

Windrider status: Neural Damage.

Ravage status: Full function.

Re-sync processors with Ravage memories: Yes/No

Yes.

Backup reboot complete. Return to full online function: Yes/No

Yes.

Soundwave onlined his optics, his visor covering them as always. His displays recorded his body having been slagged. Obviously, Megatron had intended to destroy his loyalty circuits, they were missing in his physical form. Every indication of his re-build stated that Shockwave had done so.

Slag. Shockwave was a scientist, yes, but he had no patience for rebuilding. Soundwave's joints were rather haphazardly aligned once more. That would take him a while to repair. Well. At least the idiot scientist had once again forgotten to tamper with his symbionts.

"Ah, Soundwave, you are online again," Megatron cooed at him.

That was bad. Megatron only cooed when he was prepared to either beat a subordinate or was attempting to seduce them into something.

Usually. A trap.

"Inquiry: Past seven orn update." Soundwave stated in his usual monotone. Sometimes he'd found it difficult to maintain that monotone, but the unemotional vocal process generally kept the slaggings at bay.

_Particularly_ when he wanted nothing more than to call the _former_ High Protectorate a slagging _glitch._ Optimus Prime should have thought more clearly before appointing a primarily self-preserving _gladiator_ to protect their home. Gladiators did _not_ work in teams. They teamed up only to defeat the larger opponents before turning on each other. It was how they survived, and survival was a coding difficult to change.

Seven Orn, the amount of time spent between his defection to the Auto-bots and now. The data-length he'd just retrieved from Ravage.

"The auto-bots captured you, Soundwave," Megatron informed him gently. "Your circuits were damaged by them, Shockwave has kindly repaired the damage they caused."

Only his vorns of practice held him from snorting in derision. Soundwave had defected, and had discovered the mate of Optimus Prime _far _more likely to effect repairs to a damaged frame than cause damage. And the Lady High Protector did _not_ mess with a bot's circuitry without _permission!_

"I need you to contact our forces, Soundwave, are you able?" Megatron asked him gently, reaching down and carefully helping him sit up. So that was his tactic, to lure him back to the Decepticon ranks Megatron was playing the gentlemech.

It didn't suit him.

"Soundwave communication functions: Operational." he replied.

"Excellent, call the reserve forces you so wisely advised me to withhold," Megatron commanded him silkily. Wow. Gentlemech giving _praise_, Megatron wanted him back _badly! _

Immediately, Soundwave brought his battle computations to the forefront processors.

If he called the reserve forces, they would require the element of surprise – particularly seeing as Starscream had taken the post of Jetfire's Second. The rest of the aerial bots had taken to following the command trine to the glyph as a result.

In an instant, Soundwave had the tactics required for Megatron to overtake the earth. And just as quickly, he had the tactics required for his Lady Protector to defeat them.

Earth made an excellent battlefield. It's human population easy to move, easy to call to battle, and _particularly _capable of rebuilding what had been destroyed.

"Soundwave: connecting to Decepticon Forces." he announced to the mech watching him with impatient curiosity. He began the sequence required to call the forces, the space-warp signal seeking out the shortest bends across time and space.

"Relay this message," Megatron commanded him, Soundwave could sense his former master's smug, sadistic glee at his 'scientist's' apparent success in slagging the memories from him. "Calling all Decepticon forces, follow my signal beacon and rendezvous with me behind the fifth planet in preparation of moving upon the earth, it is to be destroyed."

As he had done hundreds of times before, Soundwave recorded his 'master's' message and relayed it to the Decepticon forces answering his signal-ping. Message sent, message received, communication complete. Soundwave broke the connection with practiced ease and nodded to Megatron.

The mech in question smirked and nodded to him, turning his back and pacing as was more his habit.

Soundwave took that moment to run a full systems scan. His joints were off-kilter, spark-chamber dented once more, his Symbionts were suffering amidst his frame, their holds badly twisted.

But they remained with him regardless. Soundwave sent the sense of his care for them through their joined sparks, and felt them settle somewhat. Trusting him to be repaired in due time. He was damaged, badly, but no so much that he could not once again escape. A minor, probing thought toward Megatron noted that he would not once more be able to wait for the mech to drop into recharge.

That left his only other option. There were very few bots that would come to a Decepticon's rescue, and no-bot would come to aid an empath. Such as it had always been, it forced him to rely on himself.

"Soundwave: Request." He stated, slowly rolling to his feet. Slowly. Primus forbid Megatron recognize him in better shape than truth.

"And what is that, Soundwave?" Megatron purred at him.

Soundwave straightened.

"Request: cease allowing Shockwave access to Soundwave mainframe. Reprogramming empath: futile."

Soundwave had been waiting fifty-six point nine vorns to witness that look of shock in Megatron's optics. His former Master's cannons were coming online. For one hundred and eighty vorn, Soundwave had ceased attempting to inform his 'master' just how _slowly_ his cannons came online.

Not like his. Soundwave had his blaster formed, online and fully charged in the time it took Megatron to begin forming his cannons. Five shots, that's all it really took to cripple the mech. Or rather, five well-aimed shots destroyed Megatron's weaponry. It did not stop him from charging Soundwave. But he was prepared for that, after so many vorn serving beneath Megatron, being his most loyal officer by virtue of his loyalty to the Lord High Protector? Soundwave knew Megatron's fighting style and skills, and feasibly his _weaknesses_ better than the egotist himself.

And as such, he accepted the initial blow, turning away from it and allowing the mech's clenched servo to squeal across his armour. Such a blow always left the other drastically open, slowed his response time by virtue of his overconfidence in his strength.

Soundwave brought his own blow to bear, aiming not for the overly reinforced chest-plates, or the face but the abdomen, his side. Damaged torsional controls caused Megatron to slow even more, which allowed for a second blow. Abdomen, centre, just below the chest-plates.

It forced the metals up and in, denting the bottom of the spark-chamber. Critical. Several connections for energon to support the spark lay there. Megatron fell back, but not before tearing at his helm.

Damage reports: Visor cracked, severe circuitry damage. The self-preservation circuitry kicked in, several rapid jabs, aimed just below the spark had Megatron well away from him. Soundwave turned and took several running steps before firing his boosters and transforming. Flight mode.

Telemetry capabilities severely compromised, Soundwave chose the next best manner of telling direction: the ability of advisor-primary to pinpoint the location of High Protectorate. He accelerated as much as his damaged frame could allow and prepared for the long flight. Or... he tried. The symbionts began controlling the damage reports his badly compromised circuitry were incapable of. He was breaching, components of Ravage attempting to stem the flow to no avail. The very act of transforming had ruptured several lines.

Slagging pit spawned _Shockwave_!

That which was left of his sensors noted that he was five thousand units closer to the Lady High Protector before the ability for flight started becoming useless. Optics watched as the landmarks started to become larger: the visual mark of descent. Soundwave resignedly offlined his optics, he had no desire to watch the last descent.

The sense of solidity beneath him, far sooner than he had expected brought his optics online again. Beneath him, another flier, wings flared as much as the frame would allow to gather the atmosphere and slow descent. They were still falling, the flier opting to descend with him.

"Ca.. y... lock... ame?" A voice shouted over the wind. At a loss, Soundwave sent a searching thought toward the processors of the bot beneath him and almost offlined in shock.

"Can you lock onto my frame!?" the Lady High Protector demanded of him, her thoughts speaking with a deep worry, her scans already registering the damage to his frame.

His comm was offline, so he did the only thing he could register, he reached out with cables and hooks and locked onto the High Protector's frame. The second he did? The Lady High Protectorate brought her engines back to thrusting power, driving them both through the atmosphere.

::. Can you hear me now?.:: Archangel's voice murmured worriedly, bypassing comm in favour of direct line communications.

::. What are you _doing here!?_.:: Soundwave demanded in shock.

::. In theory? Coming to rescue you, sorry I'm late.:: the femme stated in a teasing tone.

::. It is _not _the duty of the Lady High Protector to come to the rescue of an _advisor_!.:: Soundwave protested sternly.

::. You know your thoughts flow one _pit_ of a lot more smoothly than your speech does.:: Archangel informed him cheerfully. ::. Besides, since when am I not allowed to rescue my advisor? Who _else_ is going to have the tenacity to whack me upside the helm when I'm being obtuse about tactics? I gotta get _some_ use out of being a Prime.::

Had the Lady High Protector not already been supporting him on her frame, Soundwave would have fallen out of the sky.

::. No-bot comes to the aid of an empath!.:: he thought in shock, forgetting that with the direct line his mistress could hear him.

::. What does being an empath have to do with it?.:: the femme asked curiously. Over the direct lines, through the light, probing connection he had forgotten to withdraw he could sense no malice, no fear. Naught but simple, gentle curiosity emanated from the femme he had bound himself to serve.

The simple, extraordinary fact that the femme he gladly called mistress held him no ill-will for the ability that had had him slagged so many times before was simply too much for his damaged circuitry to comprehend.

Preservation circuits accepting the fact that he would not fall? Soundwave blacked out.

* * *

(MPOV)

::. No-bot comes to the aid of an empath!.:: Soundwave thought in shock. That was entirely confusing, save for Ironhide's continual attestation that Soundwave was a telepath. It was a fine line of clarification that allowed Soundwave that particular white-lie. Clever. But at the same point:

::. What does being an empath have to do with it?.:: I asked curiously.

Somehow, that simple question effectively had the bot being carried on my wings overloaded and passed out. I shook my head and tightened my grip on the hooks and cables he'd extended to my frame, holding him a bit more tightly as I increased my air-speed and altitude.

There was a tail-wind blowing three hundred feet higher, Soundwave was breaching, badly, his symbionts obviously trying to stem the flow, but the point stood.

I needed to get him to safety, fast. Nevada was the closest.

::. Archangel Prime to Jetfire.:: I sent worriedly.

::. It's bad when you're using your name youngling.:: my grandfather sent back immediately.

::. Soundwave has taken severe damage, please get the Nevada aerial base med-bay prepped.:: I replied flatly, catching the winds and allowing them to drive me all the faster toward my goal.

::. Do you require backup?.:: my grandfather snapped out.

::. Won't hurt.:: I frowned, scanning the area again. I couldn't catch sight of any pursuit, but that was never a guarantee. I tightened my grip on Soundwave further and pushed my engines to the limit, screaming through the air toward the closest area of safety. Five minutes and the familiar shapes of Starscream, Thundercracker and Skywarp flying formation toward me.

That was a relief.

::. I still can't believe I'm coming to back up my formerly mortal enemy.:: Starscream informed me. I laughed, I couldn't help it.

::. I still can't believe my formerly mortal enemy is _coming_ to back me up.:: I quipped at him cheerfully.

::. _Now _can you believe it Screamer?.:: Thundercracker's voice asked cheerfully.

::. Stop. _Calling me that!_.:: Starscream snapped.

::. Aaaww, don't you love us anymore Screamer?.:: Skywarp murmured softly.

Silence.

::. Yes, I still do Warp.:: Starscream's voice murmured gently. ::. You too Cracker, even _if_ you're a silly aft.::

I smiled, I couldn't help it as the command trine pulled into a tight, protective formation around me, the air vectors off of their wings smoothing the streams going over mine.

::. Wait a second...:: Starscream's voice muttered the next second. ::. Cracker you dumb-aft!.::

::. It's your own fault for being too peaky to know which frequency we're speaking on.::

::. Prime, kindly disregard my past words.:: Starscream bit out.

::. You don't want me to do that.:: I murmured gently.

::. Yes. Yes I do.::

I allowed the silence to remain for a second.

::. You know, I'm not Megatron.:: I murmured quietly.

* * *

(JePOV)

Jetfire stood on top of the monolith of the Nevada base. In the distance, he could see the outskirts of Tranquility, and should he care to zoom in, the humans as they went about their day to day lives, driving around in their non-sentient vehicles.

The sun was warm on his old joints. This was his favourite place, he frequently held his meetings up here rather than the occasionally stuffy office within the depths of the monolith.

The rest of the aerial-bots had absolutely no qualms about that. After all, fliers belonged in the skies.

Far below – although he didn't really consider the two hundred odd units to the ground really all _that_ far – Lugnut's creations were driving toward tranquility. Off to visit with their paternal creator.

Jetfire shook his head somewhat sadly. The younger aerial-bots remembered Lugnut as a fierce wrecker warrior. Now? The bot had decided that his preferred alt-form was that of a human _field_ harvester. What was the term the humans used? Combine. He was living under the care of one of the NEST soldier's relatives.

A farmer.

For that reason alone, Jetfire wanted a piece of Shockwave. Death was one thing, he partook in the creation of death on a regular basis. Lugnut had also. Old warriors were meant to stick _together_, to sit in the sunshine sipping energon and remembering the days of war, telling stories of battle.

Not driving circles around a field cutting down a _crop!_

When Megatron was finally offlined permanently, the bot's spark would remain in purgatory for some time. He would return to the well, of this Jetfire was certain. He had, after all, known the Fallen. It was not the gladiator's fault that the Fallen Prime had twisted him so...

Shockwave would burn in the pit for eternity.

Finally, four appeared in the sky, the command trine escorting his granddaughter. Jetfire straightened with pride that the Femme Prime still called him grandfather, even if they had never truly solidified the creations bond.

But then, it was entirely possible the little femme didn't even know what that was. Her extraordinary knowledge of some aspects, and innocence of others was quite endearing at times.

Archangel came down somewhat ungracefully, but such a thing was easily tolerable. Carrying another and _landing_ was a feat many ground pounders and a few fliers took for granted as easy.

It really wasn't.

But regardless, his granddaughter managed just fine, transforming and landing with Soundwave slung across her back. In moments she had released his cables from her frame, spinning and catching the larger mech before he had the chance to fall.

Jetfire frowned, the mech was unconscious, the scent of energon in the air.

"Is the med-bay prepped?" Archangel snapped out worriedly.

"Yes Ma'am," Jetfire responded automatically, Archangel lifted Soundwave somewhat more and began striding quickly into the base proper, the command trine hot on her heels. Jetfire glanced around at the skies and patiently followed. It would be nice to greet Soundwave once more, perhaps thank him for not offlining him as a youngling.

Jetfire strode patiently to the med-bay, pausing at the doors to watch.

His second in command was a few paces in front of him, Starscream's trine flanking as they always did when together in public.

Kae had already deposited Soundwave on the med-berth, she was elbow deep in the mech's abdomen, and by the sound of metal screeching, she was doing some serious repairs.

"Somebody get me some clamps!" she commanded flatly. Starscream was closest, immediately he strode to the cabinetry and retrieved a number of different clamps before striding back and wordlessly offering them to the femme.

"Thank you," Kae murmured, lightly plucking a couple from his hands and continuing her work.

"What happened to him?" Starscream murmured hesitantly.

"Shockwave slagged him. _Again_ by the look of these joint signatures," Kae growled softly. Starscream flinched slightly away from the femme. "I'm not angry at _you,_ Starscream, you will not be struck by my hand."

The flabbergasted look in Starscream's optics at her comment was frankly as amusing as his own shocked looks must have been.

The femme was always full of surprises, after all. She hadn't even looked up at him.

She hadn't looked up at all, her optics and hands were concentrated fully on repairing the mech on the berth.

"How can I help?" Starscream asked finally.

"Hold this here," Kae stated patiently, lightly catching Starscream's hand and guiding the sharpened claws to one of the clamps.

Her hand was free now, Kae reached into her own abdomen and winced slightly as she disconnected one of her own energon lines.

"What are you _doing!?" _Starscream demanded in shock.

"He's lost a lot of energon," Kae stated flatly. "The human term is a transfusion, I'll figure out what it's called in Cybertronian later."

"You're giving him your own _energon_!?"

"It's no big, I'll make more," Kae shrugged idly, connecting her energon line into Soundwave's and continuing her work on the mech.

The command trine were silent, staring at Kae in shock as she continued repairing the mech on the table, her own energon being pumped into the one laid low. Her hands never slowed, her optics never stopped scanning Soundwave as she worked on him. Jetfire edged somewhat closer and reached into his own abdomen, disconnecting one of his own lesser energon lines and offering the pinched end to the femme.

Kae glanced at him and smiled.

"That won't be necessary, grandfather, but thank you."

Jetfire smiled somewhat and shrugged, allowing his nanites to re-seal the energon line where it was meant to be.

"What are your orders, granddaughter."

"Grab a few cubes of energon?" she asked patiently.

"That's not an order, granddaughter." Jetfire smirked at her.

"Orders are for emergencies," Kae murmured, her primary focus already back on repairing Soundwave.

Jetfire snorted softly and strode to the other side of the med-bay, pulling down a couple cubes of mid-grade, and a few of the high-grade. Wordlessly, he deposited a couple of cubes of high-grade in the command trine's hands, and laid out the rest beside his granddaughter. She nodded her thanks without ever looking up.

Finally, Soundwave's abdominal plating was closed up, her energon line receded and she lightly began tapping his helm. Soundwave onlined and began trying to sit up.

"Slow down," Kae stated in a commanding tone, laying a gentle hand over the mech's chest plates. Her voice softened then, "Soundwave you need to recharge before you start up again, I'm sorry, normally I would have simply let you remain asleep, but I need your reports. Here, drink."

The command trine were standing in formation again, Jetfire almost laughed at the identical, flabbergasted expressions on their faceplates as the Prime gently helped Soundwave to sit up somewhat, holding a cube of energon to his mouth.

* * *

(SwPOV)

Tapping.

Someone was tapping on his helm.

Soundwave immediately used that calm, measured tap to re-sync his processors. Internal scans showed him in _far_ better condition now. Not fully repaired, but far better than he normally expected from Scalpel or Knockout.

He was in a safe place, evidently, but regardless, he brought himself fully online in seconds, making to sit up a second later.

"Slow down," his mistress' voice commanded immediately. A hand was laid on his chest-plates, keeping him down on the berth.

But the hand was gentle, Soundwave relaxed somewhat. His mistress, the Lady High Protector was there, commanding him to remain still. He could do that. But that didn't mean he wasn't going to online his optics.

"Soundwave you need to recharge before you start up again," her voice stated gently, Soundwave relaxed somewhat more. "I'm sorry, normally I would have simply let you remain asleep, but I need your reports. Here, drink."

A gentle arm wound around his shoulders, easing him into a sitting position, this was the second occasion that had happened within this orn, however this caring attitude suited the Lady High Protector far more than it did Megatron. A cube of energon touched his lip plating, he drank it down immediately.

"Inquiry: Past four breem update," Soundwave immediately stated the second the energon was draining into his systems.

"You escaped from Megatron, which I'm not entirely certain how and passed out on my wings. You're in the Nevada aerial-bot base med-bay." The Lady High Protector promptly informed him, Soundwave relaxed fully in her arms, his logs were clear, he'd just wanted to know how truthful she would be. She held another cube of energon to his lip plating. "I have the worst of your damages mended, but I'm not certain how much more you wish me to repair, and how much you wish to allow your own nanites to attend to."

Translation: she would have mended _everything_, but she wanted to know _how _he wanted to be repaired.

Soundwave remained silent, the second cube of energon draining quickly into his systems. Then, then he made a snap decision and receded his visor.

Damn the audience, he wanted his mistress to see the remorse in his optics at the actions he had had to take.

A secondary processor noted the command trine and Jetfire, elder of the fliers staring at him with downright flabbergasted expressions bending their faceplates. But that was not for this moment.

"Problem: Megatron's secondary forces are en-route." Soundwave informed his mistress gravely.

"How much time do we have until they reach the earth?" the Femme Prime demanded immediately.

That was a moment's calculation.

"Arrival: Two Orn, four Joor." he replied, so little time...

"We have time to see you mended then," his mistress nodded sternly.

Wait. What?

"Initiating full communications broadcast." she continued, looking toward the wall above him. Soundwave cursed himself a fool. His comm was still down, he should have initiated the repairs to it the second he was online. But his mistress glanced at him then, extending a cable for him.

Direct line communications. Purely out of habit, Soundwave lightly accessed her systems to hear the conversations fully.

::. All call.:: Archangel Prime's voice rang out over the Primary. In the physical world, Jetfire straightened, the command Trine staring in awe as they heard _her_ voice; the commanding voice of the Femme Prime. ::. Optimus, we have a problem.::

::. Archangel, your status?.:: the voice of Optimus Prime demanded worriedly.

::. Soundwave and I are safe at Nevada Base. Megatron made Soundwave contact the Decepticon reserve forces, they are en-route.::

::. Further slagging at hands of auto-bots: Accepted.:: Soundwave stated immediately. But connected to his mistress he could sense her indignation at his statement. The clear message in her processors.

Despite his actions, somehow, his mistress would not allow him slagged.

::. Explain your actions bot.:: Ironhide's voice growled.

That was the _first _thing they asked!? Before he could even _think_ of withholding information Soundwave was explaining himself.

::. Soundwave: Slagged by Shockwave. Memories: backed up by Symbionts. Mission: survive encounter with Megatron. Mission: Return with information and battle tactics to Lady High Protector. Reasoning: Decepticon forces requiring element of surprise.::

::. Which units?.:: Starscream asked with a frown.

::. Units en-route: reserve forces. All Decepticons based in Iacon.::

::. _That's_ Magnate's unit.:: Thundercracker growled.

::. _Dibbs!_.:: Skywarp added in counterpart.

Soft, gleeful snarls filled the primary, the voices of the aerial-bots. Soundwave nodded internally, he had chosen Iacon with a purpose, of course. The presences of the aerial-bots around him, those listening to the communications became heavy with anticipation. The aerial-bots, the command trine in particular, had a longstanding grudge against Magnate's unit.

::. With all due respect to the Primes.:: Starscream stated on the primary, shooting a small smirk at Archangel Prime. ::. Please allow the fliers to be rid of this little nuisance headed toward us.::

::. What are the precise orders Megatron sent?.:: Skywarp asked curiously. Immediately, Soundwave replayed Megatron's orders.

::. Calling all Decepticon forces, follow my signal beacon and rendezvous with me behind the fifth planet in preparation of moving upon the earth, it is to be destroyed.:: Megatron's voice rang over the Primary.

::. _All Decepticon forces!?_.:: Ironhide bellowed.

::. Message: relayed only to Iacon. Probability of All Decepticon forces mobilizing-.::

::. Not a hope in the _Pit._:: Starscream sniggered.

::. So in essence.:: Sentinel's voice rumbled with a smirk.

::. Catch the Iacon forces by surprise, get back to Cybertron before the signals make it there...:: Optimus rumbled musingly.

::. And your capital city will already be clear but for a few stragglers.:: Starscream smirked.


	178. 175 Spacers

**Chapter 175 - Spacers**

* * *

(MnPOV)

Megatron was covered in Scalpel's repair drones and snarling. He could barely move. How. _How_ had _Soundwave_ managed this much _damage _to his frame was _beyond _him! _Optimus_ had rarely managed this much damage! The Femme Prime had caught him by surprise, certainly, blasting him with cannons in her pedes. She was a Fighting Prime, that was certain and he _himself_ had trained his 'brother' to fight.

But _Soundwave!?_

His spark-chamber was throbbing, the connectors feeding his spark twisted and crushed.

But he was alive, Megatron survived. Above all else, he survived.

"My Lord!" Shockwave shouted, transforming and falling on his faceplates in an attempt to get lower than his master. Megatron relaxed ever so slightly, not that he allowed it to show.

But Shockwave would be able to watch his back while he was low at least.

"Your slagging of Soundwave was a _failure_, Shockwave," Megatron growled softly.

"I do not _Understand_ My Lord!" Shockwave shouted into the ground. Megatron rolled his optics slightly, but let his minion stay there. "He should have had no memory of defecting, _I removed his loyalty circuitry!"_

"I want that traitor _hunted_ down and _offlined_," Megatron snarled. "Your _first_ slagging of him was a failure as well, Shockwave, he is _still_ an empath."

Shockwave's face and torso fairly levitated from the ground, a stunned, terrified look on the scientist's faceplates. But then, then came the cagey look in the mech's optic.

"Shockwave," Megatron growled softly.

"Soundwave will be offline soon..." Shockwave began, and trailed off. That cagey look in his optic reminded Megatron of Starscream when his pathetic little Second in command was hiding his actions.

"Shockwave."

"I... made certain of his inability to escape, My Lord, his energon lines were connected in a manner that will cause them to breach the second he transformed..."

Megatron smiled, allowing his relaxation to visibly show now. So he didn't even have to hunt down his traitorous sixth.

"You will be disciplined for that, Shockwave, lightly, of course," he growled contentedly. "See to the perimeter, and prepare for the battle ahead."

* * *

(MPOV)

"Well then Granddaughter, it seems I ha' an orn tae teach ye how tae be a spacer," Jetfire grinned at me.

I turned and looked at him in surprise.

"Spacer?"

"We're going to need the presence of an Auto-bot Prime to make it an Auto-bot victory," Starscream stated musingly. On the berth, Soundwave was smiling, relaxed and watching us. "Not that you're going to be _fighting_ with us of course, _youngling_."

I shot a wry glance and Starscream.

"There isn't a flier or bot out there that isn't going to start calling me youngling, is there," I snorted.

"It _happens_ when you aren't so much as a vorn _old_," Skywarp snorted gleefully.

"You're baiting me to see how long it takes before you have to warp your trine out of my hands, aren't you?" I demanded of the mech. I didn't let them see my smirk though.

"Little bit. If you aren't Megatron in disguise-"

"We'd already be slagged," Thundercracker finished with a chuckle.

"Very well, let's get started then," I shrugged patiently, turning to look at my grandfather again.

"Already? Ye jus' gave half o' yer energon away granddaughter!" Jetfire frowned at me.

Dead silence.

"Lady Prime-"

"Quit calling me that Soundwave, you're my advisor-primary, and my advisor-primary calls me Kae."

"Lady High Protectorate did _not_ just heal Soundwave with own energon!" Soundwave sounded absolutely shocked, I turned to look at him curiously.

"She did, and now you have a _sister_, Soundwave," Starscream informed the mech cheerfully.

"Is that what that does?" I asked curiously.

"Energon siblin's? Y' _have_ blood-brothers on _earth_," Jetfire snorted. I smiled at my grandfather.

"You know that blood-brothers are a ceremonial title, it doesn't make the two who shed blood together actual genetic siblings."

"Ah know, but it's th' same wi' yer energon granddaughter."

I pursed my lip plates and nodded thoughtfully for a second.

"Stop calling me Lady Prime, or Lady High Protector," I shot at Soundwave with a small smirk. "If your customs have now made us siblings then you'd better get used to being informal."

Silence. Soundwave was staring at me.

"As my sister wishes," he murmured formally, nodding to me. I rolled my optics at him then frowned.

"How well is the ambush going to work if Megatron comes to the conclusion that Soundwave has given up the ghost?" I asked worriedly.

"Not quite as well," Starscream nodded, his frown suddenly matching my own.

"Solution: Soundwave offline-"

"I'm not killing you just so we can get the jump on the Decepticon forces," I snapped half-sparkedly at him. "I just finished saving you for Primus sake."

Soundwave snorted, looked at me and began laughing. Not a full belly-laugh by any stretch of the imagination, more a soft, dry chuckle.

But coming from him it may as well have been.

The lot of us stared at him.

"Soundwave: return to Prime's rendezvous co-ordinates, transmit offline signal."

"That would work," Skywarp murmured in a musing tone.

"That would work quite _well,_" Thundercracker added.

"The Auto-bots are infamous for never leaving their dead behind, Megatron would _want_ Soundwave's body, but that certainly doesn't mean he would fully expect to _find _the husk," Starscream stated patiently. "The sooner the better."

I nodded and looked at my Grandfather.

"If I may?" I asked politely.

"If you may what? Yer me _superior,_ granddaughter, _act like it!_"

I raised my face to the ceiling for a moment before heaving a sigh.

"You're older than me, and my Grandfather, family trumps titles, anyway, Starscream, would you and your trine kindly escort Soundwave and myself back to the rendezvous co-ordinates?" I asked patiently, looking at the command trine again.

"Or we can simply escort Soundwave alone," Thundercracker snorted.

"You should not be flying until your energon reserves are replenished youngling," Starscream informed me firmly. "You should not be flying _period,_ our own Seekerlets are not allowed their armour and wings until their second vorn of age. Warp and Cracker can easily carry him."

I rolled my optics at them and did a full systems scan, striding to the cupboards and pulling out a couple of cubes of lubricants. Those got chugged immediately. Another scan and I liquified one of my spare energon cells. Energon replenished.

"Right, that's that, let's roll," I smirked at the mechs staring at me in shock.

"How-"

"I'm talented like that," I grinned at Starscream. "Come on then, let's go confirm your death," I told Soundwave cheerfully. Soundwave promptly stood up and strode past the lot of us.

I cycled my optics and stared after my advisor.

"Archangel: Coming?"

I rolled my optics and followed my advisor-primary, scanning him as I caught up and shaking my helm.

"You shouldn't be walking yet, you know that right?"

"Soundwave: forced to function in far worse conditions. Femme Prime repair work: excellent." He turned and shot an amused glance at me before launching himself back into the atmosphere and transforming. I rolled my optics and followed, scanning him again to make sure he hadn't ruptured his lines again.

::. Little-sister: worry wort.:: Soundwave sent to me cheerfully.

::. You expect any less?.:: I sent back in a mockingly hurt tone.

::. Soundwave: Expects Femme Prime to behave _as_ Prime.::

::. Not. Happening.:: I sent back irritably.

::. Give her a few vorn to start behaving properly, she's young.:: Skywarp stated airily behind me.

I made my engines backfire in his general direction for that.

::. Aaaww, isn't she _adorable_? You have an _adorable_ little-_sister_ Soundwave!.:: Starscream sent in a teasing tone.

::. Soundwave adorable sister: already bonded to grounder Prime.:: Soundwave sent airily. ::. Starscream: can't have Soundwave sister.::

::. Aaaww, she's gonna need a flier trine if she's gonna be a _seeker_.:: Thundercracker snorted.

::. Our rendezvous point is right along here.:: I sent with a wry tone, and started with surprise as Soundwave dipped in the air, I followed and scanned him again as he gracefully landed approximately where he would have crashed.

"Offline signal: more believable when transmitted from ground," Soundwave informed me patiently, even as the command trine gracefully circled in the air.

I felt a pang of sadness when I registered the signal though, Soundwave was staring at me incredulously.

"Soundwave: Not offline. Femme Prime: grieve continued life?" he asked curiously.

"I don't like feeling offline signals," I muttered somewhat irritably.

Soundwave chuckled again, reaching out and lightly patting the top of my helm.

"Little-sister: adorable." he informed me again. Just because I could, I stuck my glossa out at him.

* * *

(JePOV)

Jetfire stood in his favourite place, waiting.

His granddaughter and her advisor-primary would be rousing soon from their stasis naps.

Today, he would begin his granddaughter's training as a Seeker. Already, she flew gracefully through the skies of this planet, but now she would learn to leave atmosphere behind and enter the challenge of flying through the black voids of space.

To say he was excited was an understatement, his granddaughter was already a natural in the skies, and today, he and his second in command would resolve their quiet wager.

How well she would take to space, because _that _was an entirely different cube of energon.

Soundwave strode toward him finally, two fliers flanking him with intent of escorting the communications officer back to the primary auto-bot base of operations.

Jetfire grinned, because if Soundwave was awake, Archangel was already online and getting her armour updated by the command trine.

Not that there was much to change, of course. But there were a few modifications to her engines and frame necessary for her to navigate the vacuum of space properly.

"I had a few cubes o' high-grade stashed away tae thank you with, yeh know," Jetfire began amiably watching the communications officer stretching in the warm sunlight.

"Inquiry: why?"

"Yeh let me beat you, long afore I ha' ma wings," Jetfire informed the mech patiently.

Soundwave paused for a moment and stared at him.

"Jetfire: twin of Jetstorm."

"Aye."

"Soundwave: grateful to see seekerlet survived and grown." Soundwave informed him with a nod. Jetfire grinned at the old mech.

"S'nice tae be on th' same _side_ as you agin," Jetfire stated comfortably, nodding to the fliers now lounging in the sunshine. "I had tae drink them high-grades, tryin' tae survive on this rock, but I'll be findin' some more for yeh right soon."

"Payment: unnecessary. Seeing seekerlet having survived: payment in full." Soundwave stated patiently.

"Gonna get you overcharged anyway," Jetfire smirked at the bot. Soundwave graced him then, with that soft, dry chuckle of his.

"Soundwave: looking forward to reminiscing," the mech murmured softly. Archangel chose that moment to emerge with the command trine, smiling around herself. "Soundwave: return to auto-bot primary headquarters."

"Fly safe, Big-brother," Archangel smiled at her advisor-primary. Soundwave chuckled softly and turned.

"Little-sister remember: if lost use spark-draw of mate. Secondary: location of Advisor-primary."

"_That's_ cheating," Starscream stated cheerfully, lightly batting at Soundwave. Jetfire laughed as the oldest surviving mech caught the seeker's wrist before the claws could even reach his paint-job.

"Starscream: _still_ trying to scratch Soundwave paint-job." Soundwave chuckled softly.

"I'll catch you eventually," Starscream grumbled softly. But he was still smirking.

"Doubtful. Little-Sister also note: distance will cause spark-ache. Suggestion: ease by use of direct communications with mate."

Jetfire hadn't even thought of that.

"How far have you gotten from Optimus, granddaughter?" he rumbled with a frown.

"Other side of the planet..." Kae murmured softly, glancing down and away.

"They haven't been bonded for more than a few orn," Starscream frowned. "She isn't even a vorn _old_ yet..."

"We're going to have to be careful about taking her too far out into the solar system," Skywarp stated seriously.

"Too far out and we might have to ferry her right back to her mate," Thundercracker added in counterpart.

"First rule of your training then, youngling. You are to remain absolutely truthful, if the pain in your spark from the separation from your mate starts getting unbearable you are to inform us _immediately_," Starscream informed the femme firmly. "We three are capable of bringing you back home again, but your bond is still at the stage of being easily damaged by the separation. Your _frame_ is still new enough that you risk being damaged."

Jetfire watched his granddaughter proudly as she nodded seriously with each piece of information imparted to her.

"Suggestion: solidify full sibling-bond before Femme Prime departs." Soundwave stated suddenly.

Jetfire nodded musingly, the extra bond would strengthen her against the separation.

"What's that?" Kae asked curiously.

"It's a minor spark-bond," Starscream informed the femme gently. "Essentially, it's the spark-deep bond that allows the recognition of siblings, like the grand-creator bond you have with Jetfire."

"Grand-creator bond?"

"Creators bond with their sparkings, both the sparkings they create, and the sparkings they adopt," Starscream smiled at the femme. "So do their grand-creators, although generally it's unnecessary, the bond is extended from the creator's bond. I had assumed you had already extended the grand-creations' bond."

"One does not impose upon a Prime to formalize an assumed creations bond," Jetfire stated airily. But inwardly he was smirking. It was true, his granddaughter simply hadn't known of the bonds.

Soundwave was chuckling again, Jetfire looked at the older mech curiously.

"Grand-creator: kept high-grade for Soundwave?" the mech chuckled. Jetfire snorted and fell over, laughing his aft off.

"Granddaughter you have bizarre taste in family bonds." he rumbled gleefully, looking up at the femme looking down at him curiously. "Your old grandfather is still younger than your Big-brother."

Archangel promptly crossed her optics and shook her helm somewhat.

"That doesn't count, Soundwave is an eternal," Starscream snorted.

"Negative." Soundwave stated patiently.

"You are too, you haven't aged a day from the day I first saw you as a youngling," Thundercracker grinned at him.

"Secret: high maintenance protocols." Soundwave stated in a mildly exasperated tone.

"Soundwave is high maintenance," Skywarp grinned, the fliers patiently flanking Soundwave chuckled softly.

"Soundwave: Still kick smart-afted command trine's afts."

"No doubt." Starscream snorted.

"No doubt at all." Skywarp continued.

"Don't you love us anymore Soundwave?" Thundercracker finished with a small pout.

"Wow, don't see _that_ very often," Thrust piped up with a snort beside Soundwave.

"Don't see what?" Kae asked curiously.

"Entirety of Command Trine speaking as one," Soundwave informed his mistress patiently. "Result: off topic. Suggestion: formalize familial bonds before attending seeker training. Reason: Help strengthen bond to mate. Secondary Reason: familial bonds used in emergency situation to stabilize spark trauma."

"It's an excellent idea, if you're up to it granddaughter." Jetfire added patiently, smiling at the antics of the bots around him.

"How?" the femme asked curiously, looking around herself.

In answer, Soundwave cracked his chest-plates open, offering a tiny tendril of his spark to the femme. She copied him, and Jetfire chuckled to see the surprise in her optics as the passive bond of sibling-hood connected between the two.

Soundwave pulled back, his visor dimmed somewhat as he obviously sent a message along their new bond.

* * *

(MPOV)

"How?" I asked curiously, looking at the bots around me. Mico's presence was quiet today, amused, but quiet. She wasn't warning me away from anything, at any rate.

In front of me, Soundwave opened his chest-plates somewhat, reaching toward me with a tendril of his spark. I copied him, and felt the strangely familiar spark lightly touch mine. There was no splitting of sparks involved this time, more a frequency exchange. Soundwave withdrew and I stood in surprise.

~It allows us to know each other's status~ Soundwave's voice whispered. ~And if you are in trouble, sparking-sister, I can find you~

I smiled at my brother advisor, and looked to my grandfather, already stepping forward with his chest-plates shifting open. Another spark-tendril touched mine, and I could hear my grandfather, feel the vague sense of his pride that I called him grandfather.

It was a fascinating sensation, a far more passive bond compared to the all-encompassing bond I had with my Optimus.

"Now then granddaughter, let's get trainin'!" my grandfather grinned at me. The command trine were immediately bouncing with anticipation.

I couldn't help but look at Starscream in amusement for that.

"It has been _far _too long since we've spaced together," the dominant of the trine shrugged casually. Then he grinned. "Gonna have some fun with you little femme."

I raised a brow ridge at him.

"Not _that_ fun," Thundercracker snorted.

"You'll see when we get up there," Skywarp grinned. "Now can we _go!?_"

Soundwave chuckled and reached out, lightly patting my cheek.

"Fly safe sister," he murmured before taking a couple of running steps and jumping off of the monolith. In seconds he disappeared.

"That's cheating," Thrust stated patiently.

"Be off wi' ye," Jetfire snorted. Thrust nodded and with the second flier by his side, leaped into the air and followed after the ghost-ping Soundwave sent. "Come along then granddaughter," he grinned at me, idly diving off of the monolith and transforming.

I chuckled and followed, Starscream and his trine close behind me.

::. Now then granddaughter.:: Jetfire stated cheerfully, bringing his air-speed up somewhat and coasting on the thermals. ::. The first skill yer gonna need as a spacer is exitin' th' atmosphere.::

::. Best trick to do it as a primary atmospheric flier is to just get up a scrap load of speed on the horizontal and sling-shot yourself up there.:: Thundercracker put in gleefully. ::. Like this!.::

I watched in fascination as he shot ahead of us, spun a couple of barrel rolls and shot upward. The fire of his engines changed then, from the near-invisible yellow-white blaze of earthen fuels to the electric blue of energon.

::. When you feel your engines losing efficiency with the air-push, that's when you switch over to the spacer-charge.:: Starscream informed me patiently before launching himself after Thundercracker.

I watched as he didn't bother with the rolls, simply launching himself up and out of the atmosphere.

::. You next there Skywarp.:: my Grandfather rumbled patiently, coasting behind me.

In an instant Skywarp was racing past, his engines cut out and he flipped in the air. I watched in horror as he lost altitude, spinning headfirst in the air until his nose was facing precisely into space.

Then he just disappeared.

::. Sorry, never got the hang of simply flying out of the atmosphere.:: the bot snorted.

::. Showoff.:: Starscream's voice murmured fondly.

::. Now you granddaughter.:: Jetfire rumbled patiently. I nodded and launched myself forward, intent on following Starscream's example and simply launching myself.

Airspeed check. I tipped my nose up and launched myself toward the stars, a few precious seconds and my engines began strangling somewhat, then cut out altogether. Too late, I tried the spacer charge and continued falling back into the atmosphere.

::. Air-pusher engines granddaughter.:: Jetfire barked out. I switched my engines and fired them up again, bringing myself back up to the coasting altitude and snarling my irritation with myself.

::. What are you snarling at?.:: Thundercracker asked curiously.

::. I didn't do it!.:: I growled.

The comm was promptly filled with the chirping laughter of the fliers.

::. _Nobody _gets out of the atmosphere first try!.:: Thundercracker informed me cheerfully. I watched in shock as he re-entered the atmosphere again and came to coast at my wingtip. ::. Three thousand and seven.:: he added.

::. Three thousand seven?.:: I asked curiously in spite of myself.

::. He counts every entry into a planet's atmospheric pull.:: Skywarp informed me cheerfully.

::. Now this time.:: Thundercracker stated cheerfully ::. Roll like I do, it screws up your altimeter and stops you from relying on the altitude measurements. Go by the feel, the _second _your engines loose air-pusher efficiency switch to your spacer charges, like _this_.::

He launched himself well ahead of me again, pulled a couple of barrel rolls and tipped up, launching himself out of the atmosphere again. Once again, I watched as his engines switched with practiced ease from air-pusher to spacer charge.

Three thousand and seven entries into an atmosphere. He made it look easy, because he was vastly more experienced. Keeping that firmly in my processors I launched myself into my top air-speed, determined to copy him. Two barrel rolls and the only thing I could determine was the gravitational pull denoting 'down'. I launched away from it and felt my engines losing their efficiency. Spacer charge. In front of my optics, the last of the blue reflection off of the atmosphere disappeared, the heavens opened and the vast black expanse of space danced before me.

I was in space.

::. _I'm in SPACE!_.:: I shouted gleefully, directing my frame to compress somewhat, blockier, but better suited for the extreme temperatures.

I could feel my mate's amusement at my exhilaration of space travel.

~Please be careful?~ his spark whispered to mine.

~Always my mate~ I sent gently, smiling as the love in his spark triggered my own.

::. Second try too!.:: Skywarp stated cheerfully. ::. You're gonna lose the bet Screamer.::

::. What were you betting?.:: I asked cheerfully.

::. Naturals in atmospheric flying aren't usually natural spacers.:: Starscream stated flatly. ::. And you still have to master _navigating _in space.::

I looked around and got my bearings from the earth, then froze.

How the slag was I supposed to take my bearings without my home planet in sight!?

::. Well she isn't panicking yet.:: Thundercracker announced cheerfully.

::. How do I navigate?.:: I asked with a frown. ::. What do you guys use for points of reference?.::

::. We don't.:: Starscream stated patiently. ::. You follow your spark.::

::. My spark says go back to my mate.:: I frowned, feeling the gentle tug of my mate. The inherent direction of that pull.

::. Which you're gonna have to ignore to become a seeker.:: Skywarp stated patiently. I nodded and began looking through my systems, learning the inherent navigational tools required to control my vectors in space.

::. Let's get started.:: Jetfire announced, changing direction and beginning to fly toward the moon. I followed quickly, doing my best to ignore the tug of my mate as I ghosted behind my grandfather.

Learning to fly through space.


	179. 176 The Trick With Re-Entries

**Chapter 176 – The Trick With Re-entries**

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus touched his chest-plates worriedly. His mate was further than she had ever been from him before. The pang of distance wasn't new to him, Primus only knew how distant he and Elita had been from each other in the past.

He vented a low sigh of the memory, the multitude of times during their bonding that Elita had been annoyed by the pang of distance, the inability to get further from him. Optimus shook his head somewhat and smiled. His mate was ignoring the inherent pull between their sparks, but that was necessary in her training.

She was to be a seeker, a title that suited her wandering nature and love of flight perfectly. His Kae had been in space for several of the human's hours now.

Optimus turned back to the communications tower and continued to listen to the reports the humans gave.

"Will the auto-bots be willing to share that forcefield technology you used at the Kortes Dam?" Director Mearing asked him patiently.

"We will," Optimus nodded as patiently. "I have noted in your histories times when the waters of the ocean encroach upon the land far more quickly than the cities can be evacuated."

"The Tsunamis, precisely," Director Mearing nodded.

Optimus reached up once more and touched his chest, rubbing ever so slightly at another pang.

"You okay Optimus?" Will called out worriedly.

"Mikaela is walking on the moon," Optimus rumbled calmly. "The distance is taking it's toll upon us both, but it is a distance I fear we must learn to tolerate. Now then, Director Mearing-"

Optimus broke off, bent almost double and falling to his knees the next second.

Agony, pure agony. He reached for his mate and found himself stunned that she was much _further_ than the moon now, further than the _solar system!_

~Kae!~ he sent in horror. His agony wasn't his own, he had already learned the resistance to the pain of separation. _His Kae was in agony!_

~Optimus~ her voice whispered weakly. ~Optimus I don't understand, how did I get here... where am I?~

Optimus couldn't get a precise location from his Kae's spark, she was far too distant. He simply knew which way he needed to fly to get to her.

Unfortunately. That direction was a few degrees away from straight up.

* * *

(JfPOV)

Jetfire landed on the moon, his granddaughter close beside him. She was rubbing her chest-plates lightly, so he gave her a stern look.

::. No, it's alright, it just twinges.:: she immediately informed him.

Jetfire nodded and began striding to the Ark, while they were here, Sentinel had mentioned he'd wanted more inclusive scans, attempt to see if they could salvage the wreck.

That and the Wreckers wanted to know if there was enough left of the ship to bring the auto-bot flagship back into service.

It was a magnificent ship, after all.

He had won the bet, of course, his granddaughter had taken to space as well as he himself had. Which meant that when they returned planet side Starscream would be the first flier to change his Decepticon insignias to those of the Auto-bots.

His second in command was grumbling about that, but regardless, they had agreed.

Jetfire glanced at the command trine and snorted in amusement.

Starscream was pouting.

::. Shall we settle for simply getting rid of the Decepticon marks?.:: Jetfire sent to him in amusement, beside him, he could see the tiny shudders in his granddaughter's frame as she giggled, the lack of atmosphere ceasing the sound from reaching him.

::. Allow me to be a neutral for a time, before I am to call myself auto-bot.:: Starscream replied silkily.

Jetfire chuckled and waved the trine forward, marching into the hole the Prime and Medic had cut open in the side of the ship to retrieve Sentinel.

Kae was close behind him, and the moment the area was clear, she was exploring, scanning the wreck and obviously learning about her new heritage.

::. What does this do?.:: she sent curiously at one point, looking over the controls to the emergency bridging system.

::. It's the emergency bridge.:: Starscream stated in awe. ::. Yet another article in proof of Megatron's idiocy, it appears to be in almost perfect condition, we could _easily_ repair it enough to act as a ground-bridge...::

::. Ground-bridge?.:: Kae asked curiously, turning to look at Jetfire's second in command.

::. You know how I warp across a few units of space at a time?.:: Skywarp began in amusement.

::. Yeah?.::

::. That thing'll warp you across several thousand units at a time. Enough space to get away from your enemies when you're abandoning ship.:: Skywarp grinned at the femme.

::. That's so _cool_!.:: Kae practically sang, turning to examine the bridge again. The fliers chuckled, watching the young femme as she explored.

But then, the event that would remain in Jetfire's permanent memories for so long as he remained online.

Thundercracker gave Skywarp a light shove, as trine mates were prone to do.

Skywarp brought his thrusters online for a moment to balance himself, as fliers were prone to do.

But somehow, that thruster power shifted the Ark somewhat, moving the ship on an axis they had not expected in a crashed ship.

Kae stumbled against the bridge, not an issue. But Jetfire had forgotten once again (at this point he was beginning to believe it was the all-spark disguising herself) the all-spark's presence within his granddaughter.

A surge of energon and the bridge was active.

A flash of light and his granddaughter was gone.

* * *

(SwPOV)

Soundwave could feel his little-sister's agony. By the expression on the little scout's faceplates beside him, Bumblebee could feel it as well.

"Mission: reach for sister," Soundwave immediately commanded the scout before racing from the room.

He needed to reach a particular Prime.

Because if his sister was in agony, her mate would be, as well.

Soundwave literally crashed through the communications doors – he'd repair them later – and dove for the Prime on the floor. The Weapons Master was snarling at this apparent attack, Soundwave only paid that passing heed.

"Prime: Initiate communications with mate!" Soundwave fairly shouted. He reached out and laid a hand over his mistress' mate's chest-plates, and for the first time in his memories, actively reached with his mind for the spark of the bot beside him.

~Little-sister~ he called through her mate's spark.

~Soundwave?~ she whispered.

~Little-sister: too far from home. Recommend: follow spark-pull~

~Soundwave!?~ Optimus' voice demanded in shock.

~Little-sister: too precious to maintain dis-use of telepathy~ Soundwave stated flatly, and to his relief, he felt the bot in front of him relax in agreement.

::. Kae.:: Optimus sent on the primary, every bot attuned to the frequency hearing the desperation in his tones. There was no response, the frequency not reaching far enough, so Soundwave did what he did best, tapping into the Prime's neural network and solidifying his hold in the primary. He encrypted it, ensuring that none outside of the Auto-bot circle could hear it. Then, and only then, he reached for the familiar spark signature of his mistress and sparking sister, bypassing the folds of space, ignoring the limitations of time and sending her the signal.

::. Little-sister.:: Soundwave sent with a pleading tone. A tone that _no-bot_ had heard from him. None but his beloved Nightsong had heard that tone from him.

::. How...:: the Femme Prime whispered on the Primary.

::. Soundwave: master of sub-space messaging.:: Soundwave stated by way of explanation. He was in trouble now, he knew it. Behind him, the presence of the Weapons Master was both horrified and enraged.

Not that he was reaching for the Femme Prime, the Weapons Master's niece.

But the fact that he had without a second thought invaded the fortress-mind of the Emperor Prime.

He would accept the slagging. His sister had become far to precious for him to not. His loyalty circuits were no longer present in his physical form, he was no longer driven or bound to serve the Lady High Protector.

Instead, his spark was bound to protect it's sister, and in any other circumstance, he would have kept the assumptions of the bots around him that he was simply serving the Lady High Protector.

But he owed the femme his life.

And he would give it to her.

* * *

(MPOV)

Light.

Darkness.

Pain.

Everything within me, knew that I could find my way home if I could just focus.

But I couldn't focus.

Pain.

That was a lie, all of my focus was _on_ it. The pain, spark-deep pain tearing at me. I couldn't tell direction. There was no up, no down, no point of reference. Only the pain.

~Kae!~

Horror, my mate was horrified, terrified. But there was only pain. I couldn't find him.

And that hurt more.

I onlined as many processors as I could find, trying to bypass the pain in my spark.

It was only then, amid the pain that the words of my advisor-primary came back into my attention.

Ease the ache of separation by the use of direct communications.

::. Optimus...:: I sent softly over the Primary, if I could dull the pain, if I could get a handle on my position I could find my way home. But there was nothing, I could hear nothing, I could barely see.

~Little-Sister~

That was strange. That sounded like...

~Soundwave?~ I whispered. My advisor-primary. He sounded... that wasn't right... he _felt_ like he was intertwined with my mate, riding the bond between Optimus and I to communicate.

~Little-Sister: too far from home. Recommend: follow spark pull~

That was all well and good, but it hurt too much, I couldn't tell which way it was pulling, it was being torn in _every_ _direction! _Somehow, I got the sense that he understood that now.

::. Little-sister.:: Soundwave's voice sounded on the Primary. Pleading for me to hear him. How was that _possible!?_

::. How...:: I whispered, clinging to consciousness. I could feel myself fading...

::. Soundwave: master of sub-space messaging.:: my advisor informed me flatly. He was reaching for me with my mate, _he was carrying the signal! _

::. Optimus...:: I whispered. I'd give _anything_ to hear his voice...

::. Kae, my Kae.:: my mate's voice whispered, the pain began to ease somewhat, I could feel my focus returning.

::. Keep talking!.:: I commanded my mate. I didn't know how long this would last, but I was getting my focus back, registering the stars around me.

::. What do you wish me to say, my Kae?.:: my Optimus whispered desperately. ::. What do you wish me to tell you?.::

::. Anything!.:: I commanded my mate. My spark still felt torn, but my processors were shunting the pain to the side, now. I had no direction, but I needed no direction. I was drifting, but I wouldn't be for long.

There were rocks floating around me. I was floating _toward_ a rock...

A rock... several rocks...

For Primus' slagging _sake!_

Anger. Anger was strength.

::. Slag sake I just got bridged to the slagging _Kuiper belt!_.:: I snarled on the Primary. I turned around and there it was, our sun. The largest appearing star, because it was the closest.

That was the direction I needed to go.

I brought my thrusters online slowly at first, begging all the deities that were listening that they weren't damaged – I couldn't risk a systems scan – and felt myself begin to move in that direction.

Then, the location that wasn't painful to touch.

The location of my advisor-primary as he helped to strengthen the bond between my mate and I.

Direction achieved. I threw every ounce of power I had into my thrusters and streaked toward home.

* * *

(SsPOV)

Starscream stared at the place the femme had been.

Terrified.

Emergency bridges never activated on their own, for one. More to the point though, evacuation bridges _never_ transported the evacuee less than several _thousand _units from the ship.

The femme would be in agony. Slag. If the femme and her mate died, he'd have to go right back to serving Megatron.

Which wasn't really an option.

The only options at hand? Find the femme and bring her back alive. Or prepare to die.

His trine mates knew it the second he thought it, and by the look on his elder's face, Jetfire knew it too.

It required little to no thought after that. Skywarp and Thundercracker were his trine mates, when needed they thought together. And thus, the three of them streaked out of the auto-bot's destroyed ship and scattered into the solar system. They would use their traditional pattern for searching for a specific spark signature.

Step one. Fly out to the inside range of an emergency bridge.

Step two. Circle the area, increasing their perimeter until they found her.

Simple, to the point.

Starscream ran a few calculations in a secondary processor and streaked toward the most likely position an emergency bridge would direct it's evacuees. Somewhere with cover. Of course. Stupid brilliant Sentinel and his stupid brilliant damn near _sentient_ programming on the bridges!

Either behind one of the planets, or amid the ring of stellar dust that was obviously a failed planet.

Hopefully she was no further than the fifth planet, it's sixteen odd moons would be an excellent hiding ground. Certainly that was why Megatron had chosen it.

The fifth planet and she would have a chance of making it back on her own. A slim chance, but a chance none the less.

Starscream couldn't bear the thought of her pain should she be in that outer ring of stellar dust. It would ensure her sensors going on the fritz, for what of her sensors would _work_ of course. For what of her _systems _would work. He highly doubted the femme had ever bridged before, it tended to mess up your systems when you didn't know what was happening.

Starscream felt the first pang of sympathy in his spark for another, the first in a _long _time. The Primes were newly bonded by his reckoning, he couldn't _bear_ the thought of being so far from Warp and Cracker so soon after their bonding. It had been hard enough learning how to be able to leave the _room_ for that first few orn, or leave the _planet_ after the first vorn of their trine bonding...

Starscream shuddered. The Primes should have held off bonding, of _that_ he was eminently certain.

::. Skywarp in position.::

Starscream couldn't help but smile fondly. No doubt Warp had skipped across space to get into position. Dear little cheater that he was.

~Love you too, Screamer, let's find the Prime's little Femme~

Starscream nodded firmly to himself and pushed his thrusters a bit more, circling the fourth planet and allowing it's gravity to slingshot him toward the inner dust ring, the humans' 'asteroid belt'. He'd check his section first, Warp already running his scans along the ring.

Nothing.

The fifth was no luck either, it was time lost as he surveyed each enormous moon, and struggled to scan through the gaseous planet as Skywarp and Thundercracker reported her lack of presence amid the farther planets.

Skywarp was cheating. Dear little cheater.

The sixth, 'Saturn', the humans referred to it as. He was rather fond of this planet, it's rings were immensely fun to play in, hide in. It's moons a veritable gravitational playground. That wasn't for this moment. He raced toward the stellar dust ring around the solar system and almost offlined in shock as the femme streaked past him.

::. Femme!.:: he bellowed, turning right around and racing after her.

::. Can't stop can't stop can't stop I'm not _stopping!_.:: she shouted back, racing for her home planet.

::. How the _slag are you functioning!?_.:: he bellowed, sending out the signal to his trine and his elder that the femme had somehow managed to _streak right past him!_

::. Explain later I _gotta move!._:: she shouted, already becoming a speck in the distance.

Starscream shook his head and streaked after the femme.

She was moving too fast.

::. Slow down!.:: he shouted at her, the nice thing about space travel, was the complete lack of reverse forces, you could go as fast as your boosters could fling you, there was nothing but the occasional gravitational field and planet to slow you down.

::. Can't stop, keep going!.::

Spark-shock. Starscream rolled his optics and pushed himself as quickly as he could to try to catch up with her. She was going too fast for re-entry!

::. Yeh're goin' tae burn up in th' atmosphere if yeh don' slow _down_ granddaughter!.:: Jetfire shouted at her. ::. Now engage yer reverse thrusters! Yeh're already pas' th' fourth planet!.::

Starscream synced his processors in relief to see the femme finally begin to slow, but couldn't help but shake his head. What a waste, so much for the femme becoming a seeker, no doubt she would _avoid_ going into space like the cybonic _plague_ _now. _

* * *

(MPOV)

::. Yeh're goin' tae burn up in th' atmosphere if yeh don' slow _down_ granddaughter!.:: My grandfather shouted at me. ::. Now engage yer reverse thrusters! Yeh're already pas' th' fourth planet!.::

Fourth planet. Mars. I was almost home, the pain was receding, I was almost home.

But there were two things I needed to return for.

Number one, I needed to get back to my Optimus. Now.

But secondly. I had no doubt that for _some _reason, I'd have to keep my advisor-primary, who had _just _managed to get me focused enough to get back, from being slagged.

Probably by Ironhide, he was the most obstinate.

There were some proverbial helms to be rolling soon.

Not that I was going to _literally _beat my uncle up... much.

I'd avoid it, anyway.

I finally caught sight of my home planet, dodging our moon and fairly diving into the atmosphere.

Oh. Wow that _was_ way too fast. It was hot, really hot, not as hot as my casting had been, but _damn_ that was hot! I switched to my air-pusher engines and began working to slow myself down in the atmosphere. Still too fast, I aimed for the ocean, offlined my optics and compressed my frame a bit more as I hit the surface of the water.

Steam surrounded me, bubbles forming around my frame.

Whoops.

I hit bottom and transformed to my bi-pedal frame, fairly running along the bottom of the ocean toward my mate. My spark hurt.

Finally, I made it to the point that my helm was above the water, then my shoulders.

People were pointing and screaming as I made it up onto the shoreline, I had no idea _why_, the people of Washington had become familiar with me wandering around the city... ah well. I transformed into my Optimus' alt-mode and screeched out, driving as straight as I could toward my mate.

Closer, closer, I could feel it in my spark, I was getting closer to my mate.

Finally, _finally_ I drove down the ramp into our headquarters and screeched to a halt in the entrance bay.

"State your purpose!" one of the soldiers shouted, there were weapons aiming for me.

I didn't understand.

I winked my holoform online, knowing it looked as ill as I felt.

"Jackson what the hell!?" I demanded flatly, glaring at him.

"That's _Kae!?"_

"What the hell happened to your _paint_!?" Will bellowed at me, running in from the corridor.

I turned around and groaned. I was black, my paint burned off and seaweed dangling from my frame.

I looked rather like a Decepticon at the moment. Bugger.

"Long story," I grumbled, driving forward as Will waved me into the clear areas. I transformed and fairly collapsed against my mate as he strode as quickly and carefully as he could toward me.

To the pit with privacy, my Optimus' chest opened against mine, our sparks reaching out and tangling against each other.

Home.

I offlined my optics and allowed our mutual relief of togetherness to sooth the tear in my spark.


	180. 177 Repercussions

Hello again dear readers! :D For argument sake and for the curious, I'm using the standard definitions of empathy and telepathy. The difference? Telepaths communicate using methods other than the standard five senses recorded by humans, theoretically they can project their thoughts and hear thoughts. Empaths simply feel the emotions around them. It's a fine line, but a line regardless, and grounds for a white lie none the less :D

Anyway. Chapter!

**Chapter 177 – Repercussions**

* * *

(IPOV)

Ironhide glared at Soundwave, sitting stock still in his friction cuffs.

He'd _known_ the bot was a telepath! And _now,_ the bot was a proven _liar!_

He glanced over in relief as his Primes entered the Central, Kae and Optimus were about two microunits shy of simply binding themselves into one unit. Bumblebee silently following them, watching his sister with relieved optics.

But the Primes were present now, he could start his interrogations. Jazz was standing beside him, a matching glare on his faceplates. Or at least, Ironhide figured the saboteur was glaring.

Stupid visors.

"You better get explaining yourself bot," he growled at Soundwave.

"Soundwave: sense spark-emergency. Result: take action," the bot stated quietly.

Yeah yeah, the second Prime had gone to his knees Ironhide had known Kae was in trouble. That didn't explain the slagging telepath attacking his Prime!

"Soundwave: did _not_ attack Optimus Prime!" the telepath growled the next second, his face flashing up to look at Ironhide.

"You look me in the optic to say that!" Ironhide snarled right back at the slagging telepath. He damn near sat down in shock when Soundwave's visor retracted though. His optics were _blue_!? What the _slag!?_

"Soundwave: has never used telepathic abilities in available memories," the bot snarled at him. "Soundwave: has repeatedly _refused_ to use telepathic abilities against others, and has _done_ so long before Weapons Master was a _sparking_!"

Soundwave's emotional circuits were obviously well along in their repairs.

"Lady Prime: Repair and revive Soundwave using her own energon. Soundwave: proudly accept kinship with Lady High Protector. Soundwave: gladly forfeit life in service of Lady High Protector, with and now _without_ my loyalty circuits! Or would you prefer me to have taken no action, and allowed our Primes to remain in spark-emergency status!?"

Ironhide stayed frozen, right where he was. Soundwave had dropped his monotone entirely, and even in his friction cuffs he was standing, optic to optic with him.

"And I assure you, Weapons Master, the dozen slaggings that I _remember_ enduring have done _nothing_ to rid me of the excess coding that allow me to feel your current shock. If you cannot believe that I would never willingly allow harm to my little-sister or her mate, then believe that I would truly rather _not_ feel the fear, the loathing and the hatred directed at my spark for the way the all-spark created me."

Dead silence.

Ironhide unfroze just enough to sit heavily on the bench behind him.

"Why is my advisor-primary in friction cuffs?" Kae asked finally, the calm, deceptive tone that clearly stated 'get the friction cuffs off of my advisor or else.' Jazz was moving the next second, which was good, because Ironhide was frozen, staring at the bot he'd sworn to offline on sight so many vorn ago.

Soundwave was rolling his shoulder joints the next moment, ridding himself of the discomfort of friction cuffs.

Wait.

"Why can I feel _your_ shoulders kinkin' up?" Ironhide growled softly.

Then the most astonishing thing. Soundwave's faceplates took on a cast of long-suffering exasperation.

"Apologies, once the telepathic bonds are allowed to manifest, it's slagging difficult to _cease_ them," the bot stated tiredly. "And before you begin worrying about it... _more," _the bot stated in tired irritation, turning a mild glare at Ironhide. "No. I cannot erase your processors. Yes, technically I can see the entirety of your memories, but it is tiring and _far_ easier to accomplish with spark-contact. No, I cannot reprogram you to believe you're a Decepticon or control your mind. The spark does not _allow_ such a thing. I cannot even control my _symbionts_ without their co-operation!"

"Oh yeah, and what about Lugnut?" Ironhide rumbled in a challenging tone.

"Lugnut? You have found Lugnut?" Soundwave asked curiously, Ironhide raised his brow ridges at the sudden change in the mech.

"Yeah, what about him?" Ironhide rumbled with a frown.

"Take me to him!" Soundwave stated immediately, making for the doors. "Where is he? That is an _entirely _different matter! Some of his memories were slagged from his spark, but the only way I could devise to keep his creations safe was to block his physical memory drive. That is a _physical_ re-coding, if he's on this planet he and his creations are safe enough for him to remember himself!"

"Why now?" Ironhide asked curiously, rising and following the mech. He'd kept _wrecker_ younglings safe amid the Decepticon ranks?

"Yes." Soundwave stated patiently, starting and stopping toward the doors, obviously waiting for a bot to lead him.

"Stop reading my mind," Ironhide rumbled grumpily.

"What?" Kae asked curiously behind him.

"Soundwave kept Wrecker younglings safe among the Decepticon ranks," Ironhide rumbled, glancing at his Primes as they began to follow.

"How?" Kae asked curiously, looking at her advisor.

"Sometimes the only way to get Shockwave to cease his experimentations is to make it appear that it was an absolute failure. Which it was, Lugnut never _once_ wished to accept the Decepticon insignia." Soundwave stated, already well ahead of them now. "If I am to be unable to cease the use of telepathy for the next orn then I wish to use it properly. Re-connecting Lugnut's spark with his memories for example. I blocked his memories, enough so that he retained the intelligence level of a youngling, the only thing he remembers of his history is how and why he is protecting Bolt and Wingnut."

Soundwave transformed, engines already revving and waiting impatiently.

::. But _whah!?_.:: Jazz demanded, transformed and idling behind the mech.

Ironhide began to transform himself, prepared to lead the mech to the old Wrecker.

::. The care of the younglings falls to all of us.:: Soundwave stated flatly.

Okay, right back to root mode. Ironhide snorted in irritation, it had been a _long _time since a single statement was enough to shock him into reversing his transformation.

But come on, _that_ coming from a _Decepticon!?_

::. I was not always Decepticon, never once have I shared Megatron's lust for power.::

::. I said _quit_ reading my _mind_!.:: Ironhide growled on the Primary, re-starting his transforming sequence and succeeding this time.

::. I'm _sorry, _you're literally _projecting _your thoughts of me!.:: Soundwave growled back. ::. You tell me to stop reading your mind, I may as well tell _you_ to stop _thinking _so loudly!.::

::. No lust fo' powah? Tha's a bi' rich comin' from the advisah-primah'y fo' the pas' three Lahds and Lady Hah Protectahs.:: Jazz informed the mech with a snort.

True.

::. There are two primary ways to enact change, Saboteur, I chose to attempt peaceful change within the system, rather than the violence of revolution to cease the slagging of those of us who are _different_.::

* * *

(MPOV)

My Optimus and I watched with matching smiles as Ironhide, Jazz and Soundwave drove out of headquarters, on their way to Nevada. We strode to the entrance bay, unconcerned about being seen in our bipedal frames outside of our headquarters.

Everyone knew we were here anyway.

Jetfire chose that moment to land, striding toward me the next second.

"Granddaughter!" he rumbled worriedly, immediately reaching out and touching my face as Starscream and his trine mates landed behind him.

"I'm alright," I murmured gently as the trine moved to circle us. "Give me a bit, I'd like to get the spark-tear healed up and maybe a new paint-job before we go up again.

All four fliers and my mate stared at me in shock.

I cycled my optics and canted my head to the side somewhat.

"What?" I asked curiously, looking around at them.

"You _actually _wish to return to space after-" Starscream choked out in a stunned tone.

"Why not?" I frowned. "I'm just not going to touch a _bridge_ with a ten unit _pole_ anymore."

"How did you get _back_ here!?" Thundercracker demanded in shock.

"Soundwave-" I started.

"Oh right, the telepathic big-brother saves the day, _again_," Skywarp snorted.

I looked at the flier in confusion.

"Oh come on, _every-bot_ but Megatron and Shockwave knows he's a telepath," Starscream snorted cheerfully. "He's _good_ at hiding, I'll give him that, but when you watch him in the middle of a battle deflecting blows damn near the second a bot thinks to _aim_ it-"

"_Then _you know he's got one _up_ on you," Thundercracker finished for his dominant trine-mate with a broad grin.

"_And _you know to not slag him _off_," Skywarp added with a snort.

"What the _slag _did you do to your _PAINT!?_" Sunstreaker's voice howled behind me. I turned slightly and couldn't help the snort of amusement at the scandalized look on the predator's face. Sideswipe looked quite prepared to fall over, a hand already covering his vocal processors.

"I went too fast re-entering the atmosphere," I shrugged patiently.

"Yeh're lucky yeh didna _burn up_ on your re-entry," my grandfather rumbled irritably. "Now let's get inside, there's a debriefin' what needs tae be said. _Sentinel!_"

"Seeker Jetfire," Sentinel rumbled, pulling up and transforming with Ratchet behind him. "Have you news on my ship?"

"Aye, th' wreckers'll be able tae fix 'er righ' up fer yeh, th' engines are fine. But I recommend yeh bridge th' wreckage tae the Wrecker's base rather than tryin' tae bring 'er back wi' th' ships." Jetfire rumbled firmly. "She's nae bein' held together by more'n tae bolts an' a nut. Yeh sure know how tae _fly_ 'em, _Prime."_

I snorted as Sentinel shot a mild glare at my grandfather as the elder flier smirked.

* * *

(LPOV)

Lena transformed and grinned, proud of herself at how smoothly she was beginning to transform now. Ratchet glanced at her and nodded, a tiny smile bending his faceplates before his attention returned to the conversation in front of him. Lena edged her way beside the medic, careful to not stray too far from headquarters. She didn't want to risk damaging her bond to her Jolt.

Kae was completely black. Lena would have thought the femme had changed her paint-job, except there were bits of seaweed dangling from her frame here and there. But she'd pester the femme for the story later, for now, she was patiently waiting for Sentinel to finish his conversation, she wanted to start peppering him with questions again.

Questions that just kept racking themselves up in her processors, which was awesome, because she had every last one of his answers logged, she never had to ask a question twice, every piece of information that she learned she logged, eagerly trying to make a dent in the _massive_ amount of space in her mind!

So much fun.

She glanced at her vibrant pink armour and pursed her lip plates somewhat.

It was an _incredible_ pink, and Sunstreaker had graced her armour with some absolutely _beautiful_ pinstriping and shading that flattered her form – both forms – exquisitely.

Except after five weeks of being pink, she was bored with pink.

But she had absolute no idea how to ask. _Sunstreaker_ had painted her, by _hand!_

None of the other bots really changed colour. Except for Ratchet and Ironhide maybe, but the twins painting them bizarre colours when they was passed out in recharge didn't really count.

They always re-painted back to their initial colours.

Lena pursed her lip plates slightly and shrugged.

She'd probably just stay pink for a while.

Even if she was kinda bored with pink.

"Aye, th' wreckers'll be able tae fix 'er righ' up fer yeh, th' engines are fine. But I recommend yeh bridge th' wreckage tae the Wrecker's base rather than tryin' tae bring 'er back wi' th' ships." Jetfire rumbled to Sentinel. "She's nae bein' held together by more'n tae bolts an' a nut. Yeh sure know how tae _fly_ 'em, _Prime."_

Behind the towering Prime, Lena grinned. Then forced the grin off of her faceplates.

Sentinel had been in the crash vault when the Ark had 'parked' on the moon.

The moon.

Lena wanted to see the moon. She glanced up at the sky automatically and shrugged. Not up during the day today. Idly, a secondary processor calculated the precise position of the moon today. Lena couldn't help but grin as she did it though.

"And what are you grinning at, young femme?" Sentinel rumbled irritably, glancing down at her. Lena jumped a few feet in the air and glanced guiltily up at her teacher.

"Sorry, Prime, I thought about the moon 'cause I kinda want to _see _the moon, and my secondary started calculating it's position," Lena murmured guiltily, blushing and looking down at her pedes. She couldn't help the small smile when Sentinel hummed a soft approval.

"Good _answer_, femme," Jetfire snorted. Lena grinned at her feet.

"You wish to see the moon?" Sentinel asked her.

"Yes sir," she nodded, still looking at her feet.

"Look a bot in the optics when you speak to them," Ratchet nudged her gently. "Primes especially."

"Oh!" Lena immediately looked up at the faces looking down at her. "Sorry yes, Sir," she repeated herself, looking Sentinel in the optics.

"Give the human-borns this," Starscream stated musingly. "They certainly _learn_ quickly."

"They do," Sentinel rumbled in an approving tone that made it difficult for Lena to not fidget with happiness. He was an extraordinarily important bot, after all, and her _teacher._ "She has not even repeated her questions, save for the occasion that I did not hear her properly."

Lena grinned. Not simply because of the praise, but her mate was approaching. She loved it that she always knew where Jolt was now, and loved even more the calm, relieved happiness of her mate that he knew equally where she was.

They never had to say it, they just knew.

Jolt smiled as he strode toward her, and Lena automatically took a couple of steps, ensconcing herself in her mate's arms, and relishing the way their sparks flared with the closeness.

"And taken, drat," Skywarp snorted. Lena looked at the flier curiously.

"You never know, I wouldn't mind 'facing a technician _couple..." _Thundercracker continued musingly.

Lena shrank into her Jolt a bit more. Worried. Was this another Cybertronian thing she'd have to adopt?

"No, my mate, you don't have to 'face anyone if you don't want to," her Jolt murmured soothingly in her audio receptor. Lena smiled, her mate always knew what was on her processors.

"Technician Jolt, would you care to bring your mate to the moon when I retrieve the ark?" Sentinel rumbled patiently.

They were gonna take her to the _moon!?_

Her mate was laughing softly.

"Thank you, Prime," her bot responded cheerfully, looking up at Sentinel. "Lena is now one piece of information away from skipping around like a youngling."

Lena nudged her bot's chestplates with her elbow, the fliers choosing that moment to laugh at her.

She glanced around and noted something that registered as odd. Bumblebee, hovering behind Kae.

He looked pale.

* * *

(BPOV)

Bumblebee had felt his sister's pain, and he couldn't do anything about it. His spark wasn't as strong as the Primes, or even as strong as Soundwave's. But he stayed behind his sister, he'd hug her when she was a bit freer, for now, he contented himself with watching to make sure she didn't regress back into spark-shock.

Not that Optimus would allow his mate such pain.

He felt useless, now, and it was disconcerting. _Soundwave_ was officially Kae's elder brother. Officially.

His spark ached, Kae always called him little-brother, but she had never completed the sibling bond.

"You okay Bee?" Lena murmured worriedly. Bee started and looked at the technician femme in consternation.

At first, Bee had thought it was just his sister among her race that could translate his moods and the emotions around her.

Apparently not. Now _Lena_ was asking him.

Human femmes were too observant for his own good and politeness.

"Little-brother?" Kae asked softly. Bee winced, he was now the centre of attention, he hadn't intended that. "=Little-brother are you alright?=" his sister chirped softly.

Bee didn't know what to say. His spark ached still, his sister had been in agony.

But then, he didn't really expect his big sister to know that, their sibling bond wasn't complete, his spark had initiated the bond when she was still a human, the day his tiny human sister had accomplished the impossible. The day she absorbed his spark into her own tiny frame and held him in the dimension of the living.

Kae wasn't his human sister anymore. She was a bot, and Prime.

"=You know,=" his sister murmured in scout, the tone that said she was trying to draw somebot or someone out of their shell. "=You never explained the sibling bonds little-brother, I never got to formalize our sibling-hood="

Bee looked up at his sister in surprise.

"=You actually want to formalize our sibling-hood!?=" he blurted out in his shock.

Kae didn't say anything, she simply knelt down somewhat and wound him into her arms.

The way she'd always said she'd wanted to be able to.

Bee couldn't help but tuck his face into his big-sister's shoulder, the way he always had with his holoform when she had been so tiny and fragile.

"=Do you not remember what I told you, little-brother,=" she asked him softly.

Bee didn't bother to suppress the tiny, hitching sob that rose into his vocal processors as he automatically cued up the words she had stated as his human sister.

"_No matter where I am in this universe, no matter what dimension, what life, you will always be my little-brother._" her voice murmured over his speakers.

"And no matter what happens, little-brother, I will always, _always_ love you. In life or death, my spark will always be with you." Kae murmured, hugging him tighter as her spark reached for his.

Bee cuddled himself into her more tightly, reaching for his sister's spark and lightly touching the tendril with his own, the touch eased away the ache until it was gone, the sibling connection completed. Bee didn't bother to stop the relieved sob he'd been holding back the second Kae had driven into the entrance bay.

Because she knew how scared he'd been.

And the little connection between their sparks told him first hand not simply that it was okay, but that _she_ was okay.

And no matter what happened.

She'd always be his sister.


	181. 178 Reparative Skills

**Chapter 178 – Reparative Skills**

* * *

(SwPOV)

Soundwave was driving, not his favourite means of transportation, by any means, but he was competent, at any rate.

Far more important in this case was his destination, led by Ironhide and Jazz, he was bound to find one of the bots he had sought to save. Far too many had died, by Megatron's hands, and unfortunately, his own.

One life didn't wash away the energon that would permanently remain on his servos, but, at the gates to the well of All-sparks, perhaps those he had worked to spare from torture or offlining would speak for him. It was the only hope his spark had from being shunted directly to the Pit.

They had been driving for fully seven joor, now. For the past three Joor, neither of the bots accompanying him had bothered to address him.

Not that Soundwave minded, really, he was long accustomed to orns of no-bot addressing him. He had his symbionts to keep him company anyway. They were also far less surly than the Weapons Master he was following.

Ravage was currently reminiscing of the hatchlings she had borne, and of her lifetime alliance with an old Banshee-hawk.

Soundwave put it in his forward logs to ask Lena if the femme wished the coding to make it possible for her to communicate directly with Ravage.

Certainly the Femme Cybercat wished to speak to Banshee-hawk.

::. Why now.:: the Saboteur growled.

::. Why what?.:: Ironhide grumbled.

::. Why does Soundwave want to help us _now?._::

Soundwave remained quiet, as he generally did unless asked directly.

::. Ask _him_ that.:: the Weapons Master grumbled.

::. He's _on_ the same frequency.:: Jazz replied flatly.

::. Soundwave request: Saboteur elaborate.::

::. Stop that, talk like a normal bot.:: Ironhide immediately grumbled at him.

::. In English?.:: Soundwave immediately shot at the mech. He'd been waiting for that opening for the past several Joor. Jazz snorted in spite of himself.

::. Oh great, he's a telepathic _comedian_ now.:: Ironhide groaned.

::. Twenty rell of high-grade says he makes _you_ laugh.:: Jazz snorted.

::. Saboteur: elaborate?.:: Soundwave repeated himself patiently.

::. Why are you driving with us – without so much as a growl at how long driving takes, I might add – to go retrieve the memories of a mech that'll just as likely offline you on sight?.:: Jazz asked patiently.

::. Soundwave: -.::

::. I said _quit_ _that!_.::

::. has spent several vorn planting allies.:: Soundwave continued patiently, making an idle note to speak in his normal monotone anytime he wished to annoy the Weapons Master. ::. By no means, Saboteur-.::

::. Just call me Jazz already.:: the mech stated. Soundwave smiled.

::. By no means Jazz, do I too wish to burn in the Pit.::

::. That's fair enough.:: Ironhide rumbled. ::. Here's the city, s'on the other side.::

Soundwave glanced at his co-ordinates and nodded, following the larger vehicle as Ironhide turned and began taking a road choked with sand.

Sand.

Of all things.

::. Come on then lazy afts.:: Ironhide rumbled tauntingly. Ah. That was the Weapons Master's revenge. Soundwave watched patiently as the larger earth-modelled vehicle the mech had chosen sped off down the road.

However he and the Saboteur both were forced to slow over the rough ground.

Unless...

Soundwave opened a separate frequency and offered a code of his own crafting and use to the saboteur. One which allowed him to shift directly from one alt-mode to the next.

::. Ah don' have a second fohrm.:: Jazz muttered bitterly behind him.

Soundwave pursed his lip plates and thought for a moment, running through the multitude of modes he had scanned around the smaller mech's size.

Wait.

He grinned and sent Ravage's suggestion, gleeful laughter was his response.

::. Hah d'yah have _that_ scanned!?.:: Jazz demanded through his laughter.

::. Symbiont: Ravage.:: Soundwave sent modestly, eying the rapidly shrinking form of Ironhide.

::. Nah hah d'yah suggest Ah take off?.::

::. Soundwave: tow.::

::. Ah wondah if ah still have...:: the mech stated musingly, even as he sped up to get into Soundwave's cable range.

::. Recording of Banshee-hawk?.:: Soundwave sent innocently. Along with his personal audio-file.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus was doing his level best to not laugh, he really was.

But the truth was that his Kae's patience always ran short when she was forced to remain still for protracted periods of time.

Such was the case with her repainting. Sunstreaker was an absolute perfectionist in his artistry, which was understandable, of course, one's paint was to be taken as seriously as the human's preference of clothing. Personally, Optimus preferred his femme completely armour-less in their berth, but this was not a perfect universe, after all.

"Hold _still!"_ Sunstreaker commanded, _again. _Optimus failed to not snort, the front-liner glaring at him the next second.

"Sunstreaker it's _paint_," Kae stated in exasperation. "it doesn't need to be perfect, I'm just going to scratch it up again!"

"You most certainly will _not!" _Sunstreaker fairly bellowed. "What's the point in a proper paint job if you aren't going to be taking care of it!?"

"Paint's like clothes, right?" Kae murmured, glancing at him.

"It is," Optimus nodded, struggling to not laugh again.

"Did you ever keep count of the sheer number of articles of clothing you shredded for me?" his mate asked in mocking curiosity.

That was true.

"Several," he rumbled musingly.

"Sunny stop worrying so much about my paint!" Kae stated _again. _

"Stop calling me Sunny!" Sunstreaker growled quietly. "I have a _name." _

"You're name's a _mouthful_," Kae stated irritably. "How about Streaker?"

Sunstreaker froze and stared at her.

"_That_ is why you insist on Sunny?" he demanded.

"Too many syllables, how many times do I let people call me _Archangel?_" Kae snorted cheerfully.

Silence.

"Streaker's fine," Sunstreaker grunted, "Now stay still, I almost have this shading right."

"What are you shading me to look like?" Kae snorted softly.

"I'm exaggerating your streamlining," Sunstreaker murmured, quiet and content as Kae remained still... finally. "And as weird and... _squishy_ as your birth-race is, I figure you'd probably like a bit of shading to suggest it."

Optimus cycled his optics and shifted slightly, backing up somewhat to look at his femme as a whole.

Then, he simply stared.

Subtly, softly, so much so that only those who remembered _human_ Kae would see it...

Her paintjob was the same, mostly, the flames dancing up her legs were ever so slightly more subtle, the blues and silvers rippled against each other with the 'heat' of the flames now. But here and there, the shading on her armour changed, now, somehow...

"How the _slag._.." he finally managed to get out.

Sunstreaker had had to point it out, but now that he looked _that_ way...

"It's subtle," Sunstreaker shrugged, rising and eyeing Kae critically. "But the humans do have a few interesting frame modifications, that Kae has too. If she's that proud to be a former human I figured that she wouldn't mind a bit of a hint of her heritage, you know, the way she curves like that, it's so much less..._ blocky._ Right, transform so I know I've got the forms meshed." he added.

Once again, Optimus watched with a fond smile as his femme transformed back and forth from biped, to flier to grounder. Sunstreaker was nodding musingly as she did.

"That's got it,_ now _you can look," he nodded finally. Kae turned and looked at herself in the mirror.

"Wow."

"Just make sure it's _dry_ before Optimus scratches it in the berth," Sunstreaker added cheerfully, making his escape before Optimus could make a light swing at him.

* * *

(SePOV)

Sentinel had a secret.

He hated space, with a passion. More accurately, he hated _being_ in space. Flying from star to star, planet to planet without something to guard his frame from the cold, the heat and the full catalogue of things suspended in the vacuum that tended to stick to his armour.

He was proudly large, not the largest bot to grace Cybertron, but he was certainly not small. Unfortunately, and something that he could _not_ change (although he'd certainly _tried_ to calculate it's change) was the habit of smaller things being attracted to the inherent gravity created by a larger body.

It had been to that effect that he had created the space bridge. It was a winning circumstance, go from one planet to another without having to travel long distances through _space. _

Unfortunately, and something he had neglected to think of on his first experiment, was the sheer capabilities of his space bridge.

He'd bridged half of his experimental lab, located on a convenient asteroid, into an entirely different sector of space.

Very, _very_ few bots knew that that had been an accident.

Far better, was to allow the rumour that he had disagreed with the bots on the laboratory asteroid and in a fit of pique had bridged his lab somewhere else to find some peace and quiet.

Far more dignified.

He had refined his bridge since then, certainly, however considering the distance between the Earth and Cybertron, the power ratios stood _far_ too high a chance of simply taking half of the Earth _with _them to Cybertron.

Sentinel had done so before, bridge a random asteroid with the most useful compositions onto Cybertron's surface.

However without doubt, removing half of the human's planet would cause massive devastation to both it, it's atmosphere, and it's resident sentient population. The Prime in him reviled against such mass destruction of living beings. But the Prime in him would also make that sacrifice to save his home planet.

Except for the femme.

Without any doubt _whatsoever_, Kae would offline him if he broke her planet.

She was a medic besides, Sentinel didn't even want to _comprehend_ the sheer levels of nasty his death would encompass if he pissed her off enough.

The space bridge would be far safer in space, and in this he required his Ark. It was his staging point, his method of travel. He glanced down as Lena bounced up to stand beside him, a broad grin on her faceplates. Her mate was following more sedately behind, smiling tolerantly at his femme's excitement.

"Do we getta go _yet!?_" Lena demanded excitedly.

"We must go to the destination of the Ark's arrival, first," Sentinel rumbled in amusement, watching the femme as she bounced around, watching him with wide optics and a grin.

But he was not deceived by the femme, without doubt the human in her remained.

And that human femme was a force to be reckoned with. There was a _reason_ her spark had designated her Banshee-Hawk.

* * *

(IPOV)

Ironhide smirked to himself, waiting.

Two options, either Soundwave engaged Jazz, at which point he was fully prepared to blast the mech straight to the pit. Or the both of them would turn up covered in his dust.

It was a narrow revenge, but Jazz could use some dust on his pretty armour. He slowed and made the final turn, driving toward the ramshackle barns that Lugnut had taken to staying in. He shook his helm somewhat then smiled, Bolt and Wing were there, sitting out in the sunshine with their creator.

"Gunbot!" Lugnut immediately shouted. Ironhide rolled his optics and transformed, striding the last few units toward the group.

"What brings you out to the bustling metropolis of _Tranquility_?" Longbolt snorted, lounging in the sun beside his creator.

"Soundwave," Ironhide rumbled flatly.

"Where is that slagger?" Bolt snarled, instantly on his pedes and striding toward Ironhide.

"Oh _Bolt!_" Wingnut stated in an exasperated tone.

"What makes you so sure, Wing, that Soundwave didn't just make him _worse?" _Bolt demanded of his sister.

Wing simply rolled her optics and looked at Ironhide. Somehow, he got the sense that the little femme knew precisely why he was here.

"Soundwave is here to repair your creator's processors," Ironhide rumbled patiently.

"Lady Protector named. Sound-bot come," Lugnut stated calmly. Ironhide looked at the wrecker and nodded. "Sound-bot fix," Lugnut stated cheerfully, pointing at his helm.

It seriously made Ironhide wonder just how much repairing Lugnut _actually_ needed, his response times were slow, his chosen alt-mode was a human combine, but... when you got past his childish vocal tones...

Ironhide shook himself and turned to look where he had come from.

There was no dust cloud.

::. Jazz where the slag are you two?.:: Ironhide demanded over the comm.

At that moment, a screech, a scream. It took every ounce of his self control to not freeze.

Why. The slag. Was there a _Banshee-hawk on earth!?_

Ironhide looked up and couldn't hold back a snort of amusement. For some reason, _Jazz_ was swooping around with Soundwave carefully following him.

::. 'Hide yah _gotta try dis!._:: Jazz commed him gleefully.

::. I ain't flyin'.:: Ironhide growled over the comm. ::. Now get your afts down here, we're on a schedule!.::

Jazz dove and landed.

On his faceplates.

Ironhide was hooting with laughter the second his scans on the saboteur proved him uninjured. Soundwave was on the ground the next moment, landing with the graceful swoop, flip, and transformation that the fliers prized.

Bolt charged the bot.

"Recommend: use tail-rudder for better stabilization when landing." Soundwave informed Jazz patiently, sidestepping and allowing Bolt to charge straight past him. Ironhide couldn't help but grin as the little mech spun around and charged again. He had spirit, even if he completely lacked tactics.

Soundwave reached down somewhat and lightly picked Bolt up by the scruffbar.

"Further recommendation: Allow Soundwave to repair Creator Lugnut _before_ you offline me."

Bolt stopped struggling and settled for glaring at the mech.

"What proof do you have that you didn't just make him _worse?_" Bolt snarled.

"I _did_ make him worse, but not before I repaired him," Soundwave stated patiently. Bolt dangled in absolute shock now. Ironhide glanced over to see Wingnut sitting patiently beside her creator, a smug little 'I told you so' dancing in her optics.

Ironhide snorted. Without a doubt, Bolt was going to be hearing it from his sister later.

Soundwave lightly set Bolt down onto his pedes again and strode to Lugnut. Ironhide stayed quiet save for striding over to pull Jazz back to his pedes, the saboteur had stretched out in the sunshine after transforming, smirking through his visor at the gathered mechs.

By the time he turned around again Soundwave had knelt down, lightly connecting into Lugnut's mainframe. He had absolutely no idea how long it was going to take the slagging telepath to repair the larger mech, or even if he still _could._ Still worth a shot though.

So it was one hell of a shock when no more than a silent breem after the two were connected that Lugnut's optics offlined and restarted.

Now _those_ were some sharp optics!

A cannon that Ironhide had _sworn_ wasn't left in the old wrecker's frame suddenly appeared, and Soundwave flew backwards, several bits of armour flying in random directions.

"_Tha'. _Is fer lockin' me processors intae _younglin' mode!_" Lugnut roared at Soundwave, getting onto his pedes and striding after Soundwave. The massive old Wrecker promptly picked Soundwave up by the chest-plates. "_This._ Is fer _invadin_' me processors wi' yer telepathic _voodoo_ slag!"

Ironhide began striding after the old Wrecker, intent on making sure Soundwave remained online.

But he didn't make it there before Soundwave got a solid punch to the visor. Ironhide immediately scanned the mech and frowned.

He really wasn't taking that much damage, even _if _he'd skidded across the ground for another unit or so, Lugnut going after him again.

"An' _this,"_ the old Wrecker stated in a tone that damn near had Ironhide glitching. He was quiet now, calm, patient... "Is fer all th' reasons yeh did it. Fer the lives of me creations I thank yeh, advisor-primary."

Lugnut knelt down beside Soundwave, and produced a branding iron. Ironhide stared at it, he couldn't help it. _Very_ few Wreckers carried their branders, let alone the slightly modified insignia of an honorary. The iron was red hot in a second, and lightly pressed against Soundwave's frame, high on his chest, but never covering another of his etchings.

Mark of a true honorary Wrecker. Holy. Slag.

"Gratitude, Wrecker Lugnut," Soundwave murmured quietly, bowing his helm to the larger mech.

Whoa.

Lugnut rose and turned.

"Wingnut. Longbolt. Why are you in Decepticon insignias?" the old Wrecker asked darkly, glaring at his creations.

"Lugnut?" Longbolt whispered in shock, staring at his creator.

"That's Creator, Papa or _Sir_ to you, youngling," Lugnut growled. Ironhide smirked, _that_ was a _Wrecker!_

"_PAPA!_" Wingnut shrieked the next second, on her pedes and hurling herself against her creator at high speed. Ironhide averted his optics, respecting the inherent privacy of a reunification of creator and creations as the little femme sobbed away every ounce of the hurt she'd carried onto her creator's chest-plates.

"Now now mah wee femme," Lugnut was murmuring tenderly, Ironhide glanced over and couldn't help but smile to see the mech rocking Wingnut, Longbolt close beside her. "It's gonna be okay mah wee Wing."

Ironhide strode over to Soundwave and scanned him again, what little damage he'd sustained was well on it's way to being repaired, the mech idly reaching with his cables to collect the few pieces of armour that had been blown away.

Ironhide reached down and carefully picked up the ex-'Con, settling him on his pedes. Jazz had found a comfortable pile of something or another to lounge on again, surveying the scene around him with a smirk. Ironhide turned again with Soundwave beside him, watching as the Wreckers fell silent together, obviously communicating along their family bonds.

"Just for that, telepath," Ironhide rumbled gruffly. "I'll be speakin' to Primus about you gettin' into the Well."

"My gratitude, Ironhide," the semi-monotone voice stated quietly.

* * *

(LPOV)

"Do we getta go _yet!?_" Lena demanded.

She was going to the moon, the _moon!_ Every kid, at some point in their childhood, teenager-hood, some_time_ in their life wanted to go stand on the moon.

Sentinel and Jolt were taking her to go stand on the moon.

Lena couldn't stop grinning, Jolt was laughing at her, silently, not meanly either.

Her mate was simply laughing because she was grinning so broadly. It was a nice feeling.

"We must go to the destination of the Ark's arrival, first," Sentinel informed her, again. Lena knew that, she wanted to know how long it was gonna take before they rolled out to NASA.

At NASA, there were several dozen astronauts already getting suited up, they'd gone through the training at high speed.

Free lift into space, to the moon no less.

The sheer learning possibility of that had practically every scientific and space-going country _drooling._

And Lena, holding her mate's hand so they weren't separated by the bridge, was going to be the third person today to set foot on the moon.

Kae was already there, waiting for them.

"How'd Kae get to the moon again?" Lena asked with a frown, glancing at Optimus as he strode patiently toward them.

"She flew," Jolt snorted.

"Yeah but-"

"My Kae is to become a spacer, and a full seeker," Optimus rumbled benignly. "She simply has no wish to _ever_ go near a space bridge once more."

"What's wrong with space bridges?" Lena immediately asked, edging toward her mate somewhat more.

"She got caught by surprise and bridged halfway across the solar-system," Sentinel snorted above her. "There is nothing wrong with my space bridge."

"Except for the location," Optimus rumbled in a mild tone.

"Are we arguing about this again?"

Lena had no idea what they were talking about now, so she shrugged into her alt-form, lightly revving her almost silent engines up and waiting. Immediately, her sensors and the visual pickup from her Jolt stated that several bots had turned to look at her in amusement.

"Space bridge at NASA. Do we get to roll to _NASA yet!?_"

"_Patience_ young femme," Sentinel rumbled benignly.

Patience nothing. _MOON!_

Sunstreaker and Sideswipe finally made it out of the headquarters behind Ironhide and Jazz, the lot of them standing in the broad sunshine and watching the Primes.

Sentinel glanced a Optimus. Optimus shot him an innocent look.

"Just _say _it already youngling!" Ratchet grumbled. Lena snorted, and pursed her lip plating... sort of... moving without moving in your alt-mode was weird.

"Auto-bots, Roll out!" Optimus commanded.

Finally! _MOON!_

Lena sped off, following Bumblebee with Jolt close behind her.

::. Oh! You keepin' up with me now Lena?.:: Bee sent with a grin.

::. Try keeping up with _me_ bug-bot!.:: Lena called back with a snort. She couldn't help it, she adored going fast, as a human she'd sped, everywhere.

So did Jolt, sort of, not really. But Lena didn't mind, she wouldn't go too far ahead of her mate.

But for now, there was a diesel electric drive in her systems that was _begging_ to be tested out!

::._Slaggit!._:: Ratchet's voice rumbled irritably.

::. Hah! Drink!.:: Bumblebee played gleefully.

Lena snorted.

That and Bee had been waiting to play that line at the Medic. For months. To the point that Bee had made an in-bet and begged her to settle it in his favour.

Ratchet snorted.

Which was their ploy, of course, it was gonna be a full day of driving.

Perfect for a couple of Ratchet stories if they got him laughing.


	182. 179 Rendezvous

**Chapter 179 - Rendezvous**

* * *

(SePOV)

Sentinel was doing his absolute best to not laugh, he really was. As such no more than the occasional snort emerged from him as Lena proximitied Ratchet, peppering the old Medic with questions.

Not that Ratchet _really_ minded. He just _sounded_ like he did. Lena had cottoned on to that, far earlier than most mechs tended to. But then never once did Ratchet tell the little femme to be still, as he tended to do when he wanted some peace and silence.

No, Ratchet grumbled, and Ratchet groused, but never once did an earnest question put to the medic go unanswered.

Particularly since Lena was peppering the medic with every question she could think of in the categories of Cybertronian anatomy, medicine, basic first aid, advanced first aid...

That had been a joor ago, _now_ the two of them were debating the _best_ way to provide life support for a bot larger than the femme's frame in the middle of a battle situation.

::. So seeing as I don't need to worry about the lubricants in a severed servo turning toxic and causing _more _damage the second they're re-introduced into the bot's main systems...::

::. Is _still_ why I wouldn't suggest re-attaching it in the field, it's better to close up the systems with a temporary patch and get them into the med-bay.:: Ratchet continued for her with his trademarked grumble. ::. If you re-attach it incorrectly, the nanites will begin integrating it that way and it is a _far_ more complicated mess to repair.::

::. Gotcha.:: Lena was nodding seriously. ::. Here's my only problem-.::

::. You're a small femme, therefore you are worried about your ability to manoeuvre a larger bot off of the field and into the medical complexes?.:: Sentinel rumbled serenely.

::. Pretty much yeah.:: Lena stated with an audible nod.

::. We'll show you how to use levitation fields.:: Arcee chuckled.

::. And if you suck at using them-.:: Flare continued cheerfully.

::. Then I will build you some grav-clamps.:: Sentinel rumbled patiently.

::. Grav-clamps?.::

::. They are a clamp system whereby handles magnetize to your patient's frame.:: Sentinel answered patiently. ::. When switched on they produce an anti-gravitational field separate from your own systems.::

::. Okay, but how the slag am I supposed to carry them around? I mean, I have _never_ seen any of you carrying so much as a standard chest rack!.:: Lena stated in a confused tone.

::. What the slag is a chest rack?.:: Sentinel snorted.

::. It's a harness the humans utilize to carry extra weapons and materials against their torsos while keeping their hands free.:: Bumblebee supplied cheerfully.

::. You should have seen Lena in her chest-rack.:: Jolt added with a smirk.

::. _Jolt!._:: Lena squeaked indignantly.

::. You looked _incredible_ in your warrior's armour!.:: Jolt protested innocently.

::. Well... okay yeah I did...:: Lena muttered.

::. Share!.:: Bumblebee demanded indignantly.

Silence for a moment, without a doubt the silence of Jolt asking his mate permission to share his memory logs of her human form. Then a still clip. A photograph of the human Lena had been.

Sentinel nodded musingly. The chest rack of which the femme had spoken was indeed an interesting piece of engineering. In her human armour, the femme had looked much the same as the rest of the human soldiers. She did not stand out in particular.

Except for one thing.

The femme in her armour stood, poised for the attack, everything in her stance, in the motion captured by the still photograph screaming the stance of a killer.

Of one without fear. Her optics were the most noteworthy. Without doubt the technician himself had snapped that photograph, her optics were filled with gentle humour, love and kindness.

But beneath those eyes, the sharp watchfulness of the huntress.

The Banshee-hawk.

::. Wow I never saw you like _that_ Lena!.:: Bumblebee chirped the next second. ::. Jolt's right! You are _totally_ badass in your armour!.::

::. Do you have any femmes you can introduce _me _to?.:: Mirage's voice asked over the Primary.

::. She wouldn't curse one of her friends to a lifetime with _you._:: Ratchet shot at the mech with a snort.

::. Okay I told, now will _somebody_ tell me how I'm supposed to carry around anti-grav clamps?.:: Lena snorted.

::. You put it in your subspace.:: Bumblebee shrugged.

::. My what?.::

::. Subspace.:: Sentinel rumbled patiently. ::. Essentially, it is a trans-dimensional wormhole generator which allows you to store materials in the seventh dimensional space, the amount of which is governed by your own physical presence in _this _dimension.::

::. _You can __**do that!?**_.::

* * *

(JaPOV)

Jazz lounged comfortably around the human's farm, observing the mechs around him. Soundwave and Ironhide were bringing Lugnut up to speed. Little Wingnut was plastered to her mech creator's chest-plates, recharging with her brother watching her with a smile.

"Final question," Lugnut was growling softly. "What the slag is this that I've made me alt-form?"

"The humans call it a combine," Bolt piped up calmly, looking up. "You took a _real_ fascination with cutting down the ripe human crops for a while, Papa."

"Hmnph, well just so long as I were cuttin' _somethin_' down," Lugnut grunted. Ironhide was snorting in amusement at that. "Welp, lessee abou' a new alt-form for me an' we'll get tae them rendezvous co-ordinates with me fellow Wreckers."

Jazz noted an HNS (Human's non-sentient vehicle) driving toward them then. Behind his visor, he narrowed his optics, systems quietly preparing for battle mode. But the human made no move to try to sneak or go on the offensive. He drove up, parked, and got out; striding without a care in the world toward the gathered mechs.

"Lugnut?" he asked curiously.

"Jackson," Lugnut stated gravely.

"Holy crap you actually _recognize _me now!?" the human stated in shock.

"Aye, me processors 'ave bin unlocked," Lugnut stated gravely.

"Good. Mean's y'ain't gonna be runnin' 'round my fields no more."

"Did I not do a sufficient job?" Lugnut asked darkly.

"Oh y' did fine Lug, but y'ain't no farm-bot now are ya. Yer _kids_ here needja more'n _I_ do." Jackson stated firmly, glaring at the bot.

Jazz blinked somewhat. This human seemed far more observant than his occupation suggested.

"Y' gonna go say g'bye t' Sim 'fore ya go?"

Lugnut nodded. Jazz frowned somewhat. Sim?

"Sim?" Ironhide rumbled curiously.

"Symphony, she's the blind girl in town there, comes out here quite a bit, says she likes the quiet out here for when she's playin'." Jackson explained patiently. Jazz nodded somewhat, he was certainly a flexible human, didn't so much as flinch when talking to beings so much larger than him.

"She's a good human," Wingnut murmured, not bothering to online her optics. "She has a really kind spark."

"You just like her because she sings with you," Longbolt teased his sister gently. Wingnut onlined her optics and shrugged somewhat.

"She knows what it's like to be sad..." Wingnut murmured softly, looking down. She smiled somewhat when Lugnut cuddled her a little bit closer.

"Well let's get to it then," Ironhide rumbled finally.

"Thank ye for yer kindness an' hospitality, Jackson," Lugnut stated firmly, rising and nodding to the farmer.

"Get on wi' you," Jackson grumbled, "If y' want anything t' scan fer that transformin' thing y' do you know where the rest o' the stuff is."

Lugnut nodded and began striding toward one of the hangars... _barns_ on the premises.

"Recommendation:" Soundwave began. Jazz smirked, waiting for Ironhide to tell the mech to speak like a normal person again. Except he didn't speak again.

"Yes Soundwave?" Lugnut rumbled patiently, looking over his shoulder.

"Lugnut use vehicular form to visit with human femme, then return to flier form for rendezvous. Time: running short. Flying: faster means of travel."

Jazz couldn't help but snort as Ironhide began looking irritable. Lugnut was nodding musingly as he continued into the barn. A few minutes later a truck obviously designed for hauling minute things in bulk rolled toward them, Lugnut's creations taking the lead as they rolled out again.

Jazz pondered for a second then grinned, folding into the banshee-hawk form Soundwave had provided him.

::. Get a lift there Soundie?.:: Jazz sent cheerfully. Soundwave looked at him for a second then nodded, leaping into the air himself and transforming. ::. Oi!.:: Jazz called out irritably, watching as the flier-form disappeared for a moment.

::. Saboteur: prepare for liftoff.:: Soundwave sent back with an absolutely placid tone.

Jazz glanced up just in time to see Soundwave swooping down at him, catching a spare bit of armour with a binder cable and hauling him into the air.

To be perfectly honest? It was kinda fun...

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus patiently kept his vectors steady, idly watching the road as he listened to the discussions of the bots proximitying him. It was one of the things that he actually enjoyed about his size, he was a good target for a bot's scanners to latch onto, and long distances were simply what he did.

Lena however, had grown quiet, the little technician femme sending out the appearance that she was mulling over the multitude of answers she'd received.

Optimus wasn't fooled. She was still incredibly young, her frame barely five orn in age.

Her tires had to be killing her, they'd been driving for just over two joor now, fifteen of the human's hours.

Not even Bumblebee could keep a running commentary for _that _long. Bumblebee, Ratchet, Jolt, Sentinel, Mirage and he himself had long grown accustomed to driving such distances. But as yet, Lena had not driven continuously for more than one of the human's hours. The inevitable happened, finally, the lull of conversation.

::. Lena.:: he sent gently.

::. Yes Prime?.:: she sent back immediately. Anybot could hear the light tone of strain in her voice.

::. How are your tires holding up?.:: Optimus sent gently.

::. They're okay, I've got tons of tread still.:::

Optimus snorted. Behind Ratchet, Mirage was snorting back his own laughter for all he was worth.

So was Sentinel.

::. I don't believe it!.:: Bumblebee chirped then.

::. What?.:: Lena asked curiously.

::. You've officially driven _double_ what I did before Prime had to carry me on _my_ first long-haul! How the slag are your tires not _killing you!?_.::

::. They _are_, I'm _trying_ to _ignore _it.:: Lena sent back with a grimace. ::. I'm gonna go stand on the moon if I have to leave _all_ my rubber on the road to _do it!_.::

::. Your mate is adorable, Technician Jolt.:: Sentinel rumbled cheerfully.

::. I know, she still won't believe me when I tell her that Optimus doesn't generally mind one of us grabbing a break in his trailer either.::

::. Your mate cannot lie to you, Lena.:: Mirage piped up in amusement.

::. Optimus shouldn't have to _pull_ my fat ass to NASA!.:: Lena immediately protested. Optimus burst out laughing, he simply couldn't help it.

::. Or you could rest your tires in my trailer and keep me _company_.:: Optimus sent to the femme cheerfully. ::. My Kae is not riding in my trailer, nor is her holoform available to direct my vectors when I grow _bored_ with them.::

Silence.

::. You're _sure_ you don't mind?.:: Lena's voice finally asked quietly.

Optimus laughed softly and scanned ahead, getting into the correct lane to pull off of the road so that the femme could load up into his trailer. A rest stop proved convenient, and immediately he pulled to a stop, his holoform coming online to 'attend' to the trailer.

He lowered the ramp and lightly waved the little femme into his trailer, and smiled when she heaved a relieved sigh.

::. If you think that's good.:: Bumblebee chirped with a low snort ::. Wait until he's _actually_ got you trailered up.::

::. What?.:: Lena asked curiously.

Optimus chuckled and lightly reached for the femme with aspects of the trailer, gently taking the weight off of her tires with the primary lift spots on her frame.

::. Oh god that feels good.:: she moaned the next second.

::. Room for one more.:: Optimus rumbled cheerfully. ::. Do you wish to ride with your femme Jolt?.::

::. Thank you, no.:: Jolt chuckled. ::. I _will_ proximity you, however.::

Optimus nodded and beamed as Lena's holoform onlined and walked shyly toward him. He opened the driver's side door for her and waited patiently for her to climb up.

"Okay I can totally see why you were always transforming around Kae," Lena snorted aloud, hauling herself up into his driver's seat. "She was shorter than _me!"_

Optimus laughed and looked back at the bots waiting to roll out again.

::. Does anyone require refuelling?.:: he rumbled patiently. A chorus of negatives and he nodded, swinging his holoform up into the passenger's seat and lightly getting into gear.

Lena sat in silence for a long moment before her holoform glanced at his.

::. I'm gonna get weird looks on Cybertron when I'm speaking English, aren't I...::

::. Oh now _there's _the bot to ask for language instruction!.:: Ratchet laughed behind Sentinel.

::. Really?.:: Lena asked curiously.

Optimus smiled and blinked his human holoform offline.

::. ∂_Space∂ _means Space.:: he began with a gentle smile.

* * *

(SwPOV)

Soundwave cycled a bit more air through his systems and took another scan of the area.

Everything was clear, and it had been so a breem ago, when he'd scanned the area previously.

To be honest he just felt like scanning. Jazz was riding his tail-feathers, so to speak, the Saboteur had taken to the Banshee-hawk form with great alacrity. So now Soundwave was towing the mech through the air, although it did not require much in the way of excess output on his part.

Jazz was rapidly becoming a highly proficient glider, if not flier.

Ironhide however, was still growling, dangling beneath Lugnut as the massive cargo chopper carried his creations and the Weapons Master.

Soundwave scanned the area and noted a lovely piece of flat ground beneath them.

::. Saboteur: wish to attempt landing once more?.::

::. Yeh jus' wanna see meh fall on mah faceplates agin.::

::. Negative: Flyer frame highly efficient mode of transportation-.::

::. _For slag sake talk like a normal bot!_.:: Ironhide snarled at him. Soundwave thought about that for a second and shrugged. True, the Weapons Master did not truly need _more_ aggravation at this moment.

::. Flier frames are a highly efficient mode of transportation. Landing simply requires practice.:: Soundwave informed the mech being towed behind him.

::. Run it pas' meh agin.::

::. First, drop your altitude, when you are one unit from the ground, flare your tail rudder to catch the air, it brings your back end down.:: Soundwave stated patiently. Again.

::. A'righ' then, le's try'ah out.:: Jazz nodded with a frown. Once again, Soundwave released the mech from his cables and circled, watching the saboteur critically as he tested out the banshee-hawk frame.

::. Ah b'lieve Ah'm actually gettin' the hang of this.:: Jazz stated finally, swooping and circling over the flat landing grounds.

::. Affirmative.:: Soundwave nodded patiently. ::. Now attempt landing once more.::

Silently, Jazz dove, flared his wings and forgot his tail again, landing beak first on the ground.

::. No, Saboteur, like _this._:: Soundwave stated patiently, he lifted up in the air somewhat more and did a rapid transformation, directly from his own flier frame and into a modified banshee hawk.

Jazz was watching him now as he circled, decreasing his altitude somewhat more before diving and flaring his wings and tail.

As he had from the day he had learned the skill, Soundwave landed on whatever extension he sent out, this time, it was on the clawed pedes of a banshee-hawk.

Jazz-hawk was blinking at him.

::. _Seriously_? The _tail_ does thah!?.::

::. Affirmative.:: Soundwave nodded cheerfully. ::. Again?.::

::. Agin.:: Jazz-hawk nodded firmly. Soundwave transformed into his bipedal form, stretched for a moment then leapt into the air, transforming into his preferred flight frame and circling around. Once again, he caught Jazz as the mech hopped into the air and pulled him aloft, releasing the mech at a good altitude and watching critically as he circled and dove once more.

::. He landin' better yet?.:: Lugnut sent with a snort.

::. Learning.:: Soundwave replied critically, then smirked as Jazz finally remembered his tail, he bounced a few times on his clawed feet before the wings folded.

But he was on the ground now, and not with his faceplates _in_ the ground.

::. One mo' tahm an' Ah'll have it.:: Jazz sent the next second with a smirk.

::. Coming down.:: Soundwave chuckled, diving and catching the saboteur as he hopped in the air again. ::. It would be best, Jazz, to practice further while we await the arrival of the Primes.::

Over the open comm link, Soundwave could feel the mechs accompanying him grin as he towed the saboteur back into the air and picked up his airspeed somewhat, catching up to the Wrecker again.

::. For?.:: Ironhide rumbled. Soundwave could feel the mech smirking in spite of himself.

::. Presentation of Banshee-hawk frame to Banshee-hawk _femme_.:: Soundwave sent innocently.

* * *

(LPOV)

Lena sat silently in the Prime's alt-mode and just steered, the quiet was nice, it gave her time to digest the massive amount of information the mechs had imparted on her. Optimus was idly flicking through radio frequencies, but was _very_ obviously more interested in whatever he and Kae were talking about across their sparkbond.

Jolt, Ratchet and Sentinel were catching a half-charge.

Apparently they could proximity Optimus and just sleep on their tires, and Bumblebee had informed her that Ironhide did so a _lot_.

The justification? They were already on their tires, Ironhide had been known to jerk awake at the tiniest divergence and woe betide the bot that had caused it.

Bumblebee and Mirage were already at NASA. They'd been bored so they had raced the last fifty miles.

Backwards.

Then again at three in the morning the roads were practically deserted. Optimus just told them to avoid crashing and not to damage anything.

Lena smiled.

∂_Silly afts∂_ she murmured fondly in Cybertronian, Bumblebee was boasting of his tailpipe win.

∂_Still practicing, Banshee-hawk?∂ _Optimus rumbled to her with a smile.

Pure coincidence, but a coincidence she'd put up with. The Prime had pronounced her name as La-ee¡-nah. Banshee-hawk.

∂_Yes Prime∂ _Lena responded cheerfully. Optimus had sent her _essentially,_ the _entirety_ of the Cybertronian Common language to store in her processors.

Then, they'd both gone back and he had explained and translated every term she could come up with. That was logged into her memory banks now, the only thing left to practice?

Letting the language flow properly.

::. _∂Are you close yet?∂_.:: Jazz's voice called out.

::. Fifty miles.:: Optimus sent back patiently.

::. _∂Good. Don't tell Lena we have a surprise for her here∂._::

::. ∂_What surprise?∂_.::Lena asked, wide eyed.

::. ∂_Slag.∂._::

::. ∂_What surprise!?∂_.::

::. ∂_Informing Banshee-hawk of surprise, nullifies surprise_∂.:: Soundwave stated in an amused tone.

::. ∂_Is it a good surprise or a bad surprise?∂_.::

::. It's a _surprise_!.:: Bumblebee chirped gleefully.

Lena scowled, she couldn't help it, unconsciously pressing down on the Prime's gas pedal to get a bit more speed.

::. Such moments are anticipation, enjoy it.:: Optimus rumbled with a low chuckle. Lena pouted, she couldn't help it, but regardless, the Prime picked his pace up a little bit.

At least, a little bit until she glanced at his speedometer.

::. Just how fast do you _go!?_.:: Lena demanded in shock, the needle was indicating a hundred and forty miles an hour.

::. The speedometer is simply cosmetic, I can go _far_ faster than that two forty it indicates.:: Optimus rumbled in a somewhat deprecating tone.

::. Youngling rip just got into the habit of dawdlin' wherever he goes.:: Ironhide rumbled with a snort.

::. Unless he is chasing you down.:: Sentinel snorted.

::. Mmnph, don't remind me.::

::. Remahnd yah of _wha' '_Hahd?.:: Jazz asked cheerfully.

::. Nothin'.::

::. Oh come on 'Hahd, remahnd yah of _wha?_.::

::. Like as not one of the multitude of times he goaded Optimus into _actually_ picking up his pace.:: Sentinel snorted. ::. Or is it the time that you raced ahead, intent on reaching Iacon before him while he was dozing on his tires?.::

::. That _youngling _woke up, raced after me and passed me in a dust storm, he got there a _joor_ before I did.:: Ironhide rumbled grumpily.

::. And yet you have made it to NASA before I.:: Optimus rumbled benignly.

::. That wasn't my decision.:: Ironhide grumbled irritably.

::. What?.::

::. Yeh'll see when you get here, femme.:: A stranger's voice rumbled.

::. _Lugnut!?_.:: Sentinel demanded in shock.

::. Aye, now get yer aft tae base, we got work what needs doin!.::

Prime finally pulled into the gates, the posts that had been holding her weight off of her tires receding. Lena wriggled somewhat then backed out of the trailer as Optimus opened the gate for her. Immediately she transformed and stretched, looking around and spying Ironhide.

No Jazz.

Or Soundwave.

::. Where'd you go Jazz?.:: she sent curiously, automatically tucking herself into Jolt's arms as he came up behind her.

::. Ah'm righ' heah!.:: Jazz's voice grinned as a bot swooped down and landed in front of her.

It was a bird frame. A _gorgeous _bird frame! Jazz transformed into his bi-pedal frame and smirked at her.

"That form! Can I be _that form!?"_ Lena demanded with a broad grin, looking first at Jazz then at her mate as Jolt laughed gently, cuddling her a bit more tightly.

"Are you sure you want to be a _banshee-hawk_ my Lena?" Jolt murmured in her audios.

"_That's_ a banshee-hawk!?" Lena demanded, grinning, suddenly _very_ okay with her namesake. Soundwave was chuckling off to the side, an info packet lightly offering itself to her from him.

The specs for her namesake, and the coding to allow her to change from form to form.

That was just cool.


	183. 180 ARK

**Chapter 180 – ARK**

* * *

(MPOV)

I paced somewhat, walking around the Ark with Starscream and his trine in tow.

They were still staring at me, but I didn't mind, not anymore, they were just flabbergasted that I'd gone into space so quickly after a spark-trauma.

Idly, I continued scanning the Ark.

::. How the slag are they supposed to fix _this?_.:: I finally asked aloud.

::. The engines aren't too badly damaged, and the frame can be quickly welded back together.:: Skywarp shrugged, I glanced over my shoulder as the seeker strode to stand at my shoulder. ::. It's not like it needs to be airtight, like your human's ships. It never _was, _c'mere.::

Skywarp used a minor thrust to jump on top of the wreckage, turning to look at me. Curiously, I followed and strode over the wreckage behind him.

::. These are the gunner's turrets, here.:: he stated patiently, crawling inside one of the holes. ::. I'm actually surprised they aren't _more_ damaged. All that really needs to be done is a bit of metal bending, here and here, so that the turret can move freely back and forth again.::

I looked in shock at the completely open area. Literally, a secondary frame to house the gunners.

::. We should probably assess the dead.:: Starscream finally called out.

I nodded and crawled into the ship proper, the four of us carrying the husks of the dead from the ship and laying them carefully along the ground. I cycled my processors and pulled out the memory chips I'd retrieved from the dead, returning them to each of the husks.

::. That's very kind of you, Auto-bot.:: Thundercracker stated in a muted tone.

::. Cracker?.:: I asked softly, turning to look at the bot.

::. That's Overdrive, he was a friend of ours.:: Skywarp stated quietly, kneeling down and patting the shoulder of one of the dead bots.

::. A Decepticon mole?.:: I asked curiously.

::. No, he was a neutral for the longest time, a smart one at that.:: Starscream stated quietly.

::. For a good reason, his creator was the Gygaxian ambassador to Vos, we played together as sparkings.:: Thundercracker murmured with a low laugh. ::. Remember all of the times we wound up flying him between the three of us?.::

::. The wingless grounder who was more comfortable in the air.:: Skywarp snorted.

::. When it finally got to the point that the neutrals were being forced to choose sides, he chose the side that wasn't forcing his hand.:: Starscream stated in a dignified tone, kneeling down beside his trine-mate. ::. Let it always be remembered that Overdrive chose his own fate, in his own time, by his own processors.::

§They wish to return, daughter§ Mico whispered in my mind.

~Who?~ I asked softly.

§Look at them closely, daughter, those whom wish to remain, do.§

::. Starscream what is this?.:: Thundercracker asked then, looking back and forth between Overdrive and another bot.

::. Corrosion.:: Skywarp shrugged.

::. Then why isn't Overdrive rusting?.::

I strode toward them and felt my optics widening. Fully half of the bots were almost half gone, their husks rusting away.

But only half of them were.

Those who wished to remain. Did.

::. Help me with this.:: I stated flatly, carefully lifting Overdrive by the shoulders and pulling him out from between two rusted husks.

::. What are you doing femme?.:: Starscream asked flatly, the three scowling as I dragged the bot they were paying their respects to away.

::. Don't hold the funeral 'till the casket is full.:: I stated with a frown, lining the mostly un-rusted bots up together. ~Now how am I supposed to do this?~

§Re-start their sparks§ Mico informed me in amusement.

~Mother~ I stated with a small frown.

§Daughter§ she stated in amusement. §You have accomplished this before§

~I followed Jazz's memories to his spark, that was one, this is eight~ I frowned.

§It is the same§

I sighed and looked at the eight. I needed to be at their heads-

§No you don't, just _reach_ for them, daughter§

I pursed my lips in frustration, and let Mico feel that frustration, kneeling down at their heads and reaching with my hands for them.

§Does that make it easier?§

~Precisely how am I supposed to reach for them?~

I could feel Mico rolling her eyes at me before the information came to the forefront of my processors. Oh. Telepathy. I made a personal note to ask Soundwave to train me in the skill that seemed so alien to me, even as Mico lightly pushed my mind to the eight in front of me.

Their memories were a cacophony of noise, first their deaths, then backwards of their lives. Dimly, I felt two of my spare energon cells flash into plasmic state, first flooding my systems, then draining away.

Where I wasn't entirely certain. All I could see was the light that wasn't there, the darkness that wasn't dark indicative of the middle areas between life and death.

Hundreds of sparks, most of whom I could not see properly, watched with excited impassiveness as the eight caught hold of me.

~You are the ones that wish to return~ I murmured, looking at the eight surrounding me, tendrils of their own sparks tangling around the ones I had extended. They didn't speak, simply allowing their wish to return to the living, their desire to attend to unfinished business be known.

I nodded and fell back, dragging the sparks behind myself as I retreated back to my own body.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus stood patiently, waiting for his mentor to bring the bridge online.

"Are yah ready _yet!?_" Roadbuster demanded irritably.

Sentinel turned and glared at the wrecker.

"Sir," Roadbuster added offhandedly. "Th' point stands, yeh want yer Ark repaired and we need to _get_ it repaired in an orn or _less. Chronometers are tickin'!"_

Sentinel snorted softly and turned.

"Are the humans ready?" he rumbled patiently, turning to look at the multitude of astronauts geared up and watching Sentinel expectantly.

"Ask any one of them, they've been ready to go to the moon for _years_," Robert Epps called up with a laugh. Optimus chuckled softly as Sentinel looked down at the space-suited man curiously.

"They have not been in their spacer gear for years..." he rumbled in confusion.

"Figure of speech," Epps snorted with a grin. "Hang on..."

The man turned and strode into the midst of the astronaut crowd.

"Alright it's rock and roll time! Final headcount ladies and gentlemen!" Epps bellowed cheerfully. Optimus concealed a smirk. Evidently you could take the human out of the military, but you couldn't take the military out of the human.

∂_Robert Epps is a former NEST soldier, why is he in charge of the astronauts again?_∂ Sentinel murmured curiously, reaching out and nudging Optimus' shoulder.

∂_Because none of them astronauty folk could decide who was gonna be in charge o' all-a 'em_,∂ Topspin snorted gleefully. ∂_So Roadbuster tol' 'em that Epps'd be the leader or they wouldn'a go a'tall._∂

∂_And Epps wanted to come,_∂ Leadfoot shrugged with a snort. ∂_Win win._∂

∂_But why Epps?∂_

∂_Coz __**Epps**__ rides with __**me.**_∂ Roadbuster put in proudly. ∂_'E's mah resident Auto-bot ambassador, after-all.∂_

~Who?~ his Kae's spark whispered.

::. Epps.::

::. What about him?.:: Ironhide muttered.

Optimus frowned.

~Now how am I supposed to do this?~ his Kae's voice murmured.

~Do what?~ he sent worriedly. His Kae didn't respond.

~Mother~ her voice frowned. Oh slag.

::. Sentinel you need to online the bridge.:: Optimus rumbled over the comm worriedly.

::. In due course, Optimus-.::

~I followed Jazz's memories to his spark, that was one, this is eight~

::. Sentinel you need to online the bridge _right now!_.:: Optimus rumbled in a horrified tone. Kae was speaking to Mico. Raising the dead.

She'd be laid low from that, he needed to be there for her, _now!_

~Precisely how am I supposed to reach for them?~

::. Optimus what-?.:: Ratchet began with a frown.

::. _Kae!_.:: Optimus choked. Immediately, the swirling, arcing portal onlined in front of him, and without hesitation, he ran toward the signal of his mate.

* * *

(StPOV)

Starscream knelt beside Overdrive's dead husk, paying his respects to the fighter alongside his trine. At least, he was until Archangel decided to drag the husk away. Indignant, Starscream looked up with a scowl, his trine matching him as they glared at the Prime.

::. What are you doing, femme?.:: he demanded flatly, as far as he'd bothered to understand, humans generally had a bit more _respect_ for the dead. Much as the Auto-bots did. Decepticons left their dead, but that was more Megatron's insistence.

An insistence they only humoured to his face. The fliers still returned for their own.

::. Don't hold the funeral until the casket is full.:: the femme replied flatly, picking out the bodies that had remained primarily undamaged. Eight of them, to be precise.

::. Mikaela what are you doing?.:: Thundercracker asked curiously as she knelt at the heads of the dead. His question went unanswered, because at that point she died. That's what it sure as slagging Pitfire _looked_ like, she didn't fall, but her systems stopped, the minute flickers of her spark that appeared from beneath her chestplates simply _ceased!_

::. We're gonna be slagged for this.:: Skywarp stated flatly.

Starscream couldn't help but agree, the femme had gone dark on the moon, away from her mate. Several units away, the sparking, spinning energies of a space-bridge appeared, Optimus Prime fairly sprinting toward them the next moment.

::. Slag.:: Thundercracker stated patiently.

But the Prime ignored them for the moment, which was a relief, opting instead to kneel down behind his mate, winding his arms around her as she began to glow.

_Really_ glow. The space-bridge _dimmed_ in comparison as light began emanating from her, the light then arcing and surrounding the eight in front of her.

::. Wait a second...:: Starscream frowned somewhat.

::. No slagging way...::

::. _No slagging way!._:: Thundercracker screeched, echoing Skywarp and dragging them both back from the eight suddenly _less_ than dead husks beginning to repair themselves.

On his HUD, without preamble, the helm recognition and names of the eight began appearing. Overdrive, Carbine, Trigger, Tread, Turbine, and Throttle.

More Auto-bots were striding through the space-bridge now, Ironhide, the Hatchet, the two bonded technicians close behind them. Sentinel, the Wreckers, _another_ wrecker... Starscream rolled his optics. They were being _inundated_ with Wreckers.

::. What the slag happened?.:: Overdrive's voice grumbled on the open frequency.

::. We were dead, now we're alive.:: Throttle replied with a groan.

::. Besides that. I wasn't _this _badly damaged _before.._.:: Carbine muttered.

::. What the _slag_ happened to our _ship!?._:: Turbine howled. The engineer was on his pedes the next second, ignoring the bots around him as he circled the Ark.

::. I would appreciate an explanation, femme.:: Starscream stated flatly.

::. Uh... Sentinel's going to need some more crew members to fly the Ark?.::

::. That was a question, not an explanation, Kae.:: Sentinel Prime's voice snorted.

::. Who are yeh, and how'd yeh find us?.:: Trigger demanded, gingerly sitting up and turning to look at the femme curiously.

::. All I received was one side of your communications with Mico, my mate.:: Optimus rumbled gently then, nuzzling his helm against Archangel's.

::. Oh riiight... I didn't do it, I blame Mico. She has a _weird_ sense of timing when it comes to me learning how to do this stuff.:: Archangel stated innocently.

::. Like raising the dead.:: Starscream stated flatly. He reached up and buried his faceplates into his hands. ::. What the slag have we gotten ourselves into now?.::

::. Well she hasn't hit us yet, and she's supposed to raise several _thousand_ from stasis on Cybertron. Baby steps.:: Thundercracker stated cheerfully, patting Starscream's shoulder plating.

::. It could be worse, Megatron could have wound up being the host bearer of the All-spark.::

Collectively, Starscream and his trine shuddered.

::. Don' even _sugges_' it!.:: Topspin grumbled.

* * *

(SePOV)

Sentinel shuddered, and noted even the ex-Decepticon fliers shuddering.

::. Don' even sugges' it!.:: Topspin grumbled.

::. Righ', we're here, now le's ge' _finished _wi' th' dilly dallyin' an get _off_ this gravity deficient _rock_!.:: Roadbuster added with a growl. ::. We got Decepticons incoming in two orn and a _slag-unit_ of work what needs doin'! Now where'd Epps go?.::

Sentinel started somewhat, in the midst of chasing after his young friend, he'd forgotten the humans.

::. Lieutenant Jazz calling up to moon base, are the humans clear for bridging?.:: Jazz called up the next moment. Sentinel nodded.

::. The humans are cleared to enter the bridge.:: Optimus rumbled patiently.

::. Humans? What the slag are those?.:: Overdrive grumbled.

::. Humans are the sentient creatures populating the planet this satellite has been captured by; designation Earth.:: Sentinel rumbled patiently, looking at his remarkably un-dead crew members. ::. They are not to be harmed.:: Out of the corner of his optic, he noted Kae shooting him an approving glance.

His space-bridge rippled somewhat, and humans began marching through the gate.

::. Holy _crap_ that's intense!.:: Epps' voice called out cheerfully as he wobbled and bounced his way toward Optimus' knee. ::. Does it leave your metals jiggly and vibrating like it is my bones? Or is that just a human thing? Hey Kae! How's it going?.::

::. Yeh get used ta it.:: Roadbuster called out with a snort. ::. Now are yeh sightseein' or are yeh gonna come get intae these tight spaces fer me?.::

::. _Dude I'm on the moon!_.::

::. Sightseein' it is.:: Roadbuster snorted, turning back to his scans on the Ark.

::. I'll be back in a bit, I _totally _gotta go look around _holy crap I'm on the moon!_.::

::. Epps Epps you should come with me and Jolt! _We're gonna go see the earth from space!_.:: Lena squealed excitedly.

::. _Lena you're an Auto-bot!_.:: Epps howled right back at her, promptly scrambling over the surface of the moon toward her. A flying leap and the man was laughing as he landed face first against her leg. Roadbuster was chuckling.

::. If yeh wan' tae see the earth I c'n take you in a bit.:: the mech snorted. Epps grinned and ran back to his Auto-bot partner again.

::. Work first, tour after?.::

::. You got it.::

Sentinel shook his head and chuckled softly as the human groups fanned out, taking pictures and collecting samples, and earning several surprised looks from his crew.

::. Are they hatchlings on field exploration?.:: Tread asked cautiously.

::. No, they're fully grown humans.:: Kae murmured with a chuckle.

::. But they're acting...:: Overdrive rumbled with a frown.

::. They are a young species, their bodies do not live for much longer than a vorn.:: Sentinel rumbled patiently. ::. However after spending time among them, one learns to not be fooled by this youngling-like enthusiasm. Many are trained warriors, many more highly intelligent.::

::. They're just excited because this is the first space-bridge they've encountered, and now they're walking on our moon.:: Kae murmured fondly. :::. Previous to this day, every child remembered the names of the first two men to walk on the moon, because there have only been three to make landfall here.::

Overdrive nodded, even as Ratchet continued to fuss over the newly living crew.

::. _**Wha**__ did yeh_ _**do wi' her!?**_.:: Turbine bellowed. Sentinel winced.

* * *

(LPOV)

Jolt was holding her hand, the two of them jumping from crater to crater.

The sheer magnitude had finally caught her. She was jumping on the moon, and over it's horizon the earth shone.

Sort of.

She could see a little bit of it... anyway...

The night side.

::. I wanted to get good seats...:: Jolt murmured.

What?

::. For what?.:: she asked curiously.

::. The sunrise.:: Jolt murmured with a grin. Lena froze, then sat down hard, watching as the moon's orbit slowly brought them into the perfect spot to watch the sun crest over the earth's horizon.

::. It... it's...:: she whispered, cuddling against her mate as he sat beside her.

::. Welcome to the moon, my mate.:: Jolt murmured softly, winding his arms around her.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus rose and helped his femme to her feet.

::. Let's get the old femme back to base!.:: Lugnut called out patiently. Beside him, his Kae smiled and pulled out a few grav-clamps beside the flier trine.

Optimus checked his flight deck and gave his boosters an experimental fire.

::. Careful with that, Prime, too hard a thrust and we might have to come pull you back down!.:: Starscream called out cheerfully.

::. _Grounders!_.:: Skywarp snorted cheerfully.

::. Grounder with borrowed _wings_, but at least he's _trying_ to improve.:: Thundercracker chuckled.

::. My Kae is the better skilled at flying.:: Optimus shrugged. Sentinel was scowling somewhat.

::. What?.:: Kae asked him in amusement.

::. The disrespect.:: Sentinel growled softly.

::. Pay it no heed, Sentinel, it's just how fliers are.:: Kae stated comfortably.

::. Point stands, don't blast yourself off the moon, those thrusters of yours are for air-pushing, not space travel.:: Thundercracker stated cheerfully. ::. Getting teased by fliers is one thing, what's the Emperor Prime gonna say about having to get _towed_ back?.::

::. I shall simply have to shrug and state that for a born grounder, at least I did not _blow up_ when I onlined my thrusters.:: Optimus rumbled, borrowing the airy 'whatever' tone from his Kae.

::. Why weren't we Auto-bots before again?.:: Skywarp asked cheerfully.

::. The Emperor wasn't bonded to a flier before.:: Starscream stated airily. ::. Grounders are notorious for not understanding flier humour.::

::. Oh riiigght...:: Thundercracker snorted.

::. Archangel set.:: Kae announced patiently. Optimus turned to see her watching them from her station on the Ark, her grav-clamps set and waiting for them.

Not even bothering to hide the mischief in her optics

::. Cheeky femme!.:: Starscream snorted, striding over and taking his position. Optimus couldn't help but chuckle as he took his own position. The Wreckers had come to assess the damage, and find every part they could for the Ark.

But the fliers were here to transport her through the bridge.

::. Starscream set!.::

::. Lugnut Set.:: the massive wrecker grunted, sitting on top of the Ark and transforming into his chopper mode.

::. Thundercracker set!.::

::. Skywarp set!.::

::. Optimus set.:: he rumbled, bringing his own clamps online. Slowly, always carefully controlled, the ark lifted from her resting place in the hole she had dug upon landing.

::. Lift her up more! We got leaks!.:: Roadbuster shouted.

Patiently, Optimus stretched upward somewhat along with the fliers and his mate, holding the massive ship aloft with the grav-clamps while the wreckers scrambled to retain what was left of the Ark's fuel.

::. How'd this not wind up in the moon-dust?.:: Epps called out, riding around on Roadbuster's shoulder and pulling himself up amid the framework to inspect the smaller hoses.

::. By the look of it, the emergency seals held until we moved 'er again.:: Roadbuster stated flatly. ::. If we can get her to _hold_ the fuel we'll drain it out and salvage it once we're back at base.::

::. Hopefully it ain't crystallized!.:: Topspin added.

::. Don't even _think it!_.:: Leadfoot groaned.

::. Her engines'll take 'er!.:: Turbine grunted.

::. What happens when energon crystallizes?.:: Epps asked curiously.

::. Think of it as that TNT of yours sweatin' off Nitro. Except the Energon don't sweat, it crystallizes. The crystals are the most flammable aspects of the stuff. Run _that_ through the engines-.::

::. And you get either a backfire from the Pit itself, or a handy little bit of extra thrust to push you out of a solar gravity well.:: Turbine snorted gleefully. ::. Remember when we did _that_ Sentinel? She held up to _that _but now you've gone and _crashed her!_.::

::. In my defence, you were dead, and I was stuck in the crash vault with my chronometer ticking away and my energon levels burning down to naught.:: Sentinel rumbled irritably.

::. Aye aye, remind me tae put an emergency exit lever intae that crash vault fer next time-.:: Turbine snorted.

::. There will not _be_ a next time, and _had_ that gravity well _not_ been there, those crystals would have launched us into uncontrollable trans-dimensional travel.::

::. But the gravity well _was_ there, and _we_ were _escapin' it!_.:: Turbine grinned.

::. Engineers are a terrifying entity, Epps, always remember that.:: Roadbuster muttered.

::. That's Mr. Engineer _Sir _to _you_ youngling!.::

Optimus grinned and crouched down somewhat, holding the Ark aloft and watching the wreckers scrambling beneath the ship.

::. Righ'! Tha's the las' of em!.:: Roadbuster called out. ::. Let's get the old Femme _home_!.::

::. Sentinel?.:: Optimus rumbled patiently.

::. Bringing the space-bridge power ratios up to full levels!.:: Sentinel called out. ::. Stand clear!.::

Optimus smiled and re-adjusted his grip on the grav-clamps, watching as the space-bridge increased it's size, large enough now to easily carry the ark and her bearers back to the earth.

::. Are the humans required to return?.:: Epps called out worriedly.

::. Not yet, no, it's better that we don't transport you at this power ratio unless you're ridin' in the ship.:: Roadbuster stated flatly. ::. It's gonna drop 'em right over that Mexican Gulf of yours, and the fliers are gonna tow her into the docking bays. Safer, but if _you_ run through that now you're gonna drop a thousand feet straight into the water.::

::. If you run through it _now_ you will be _disintegrated._:: Sentinel rumbled sternly. Optimus turned and watched his mentor begin performing the artistry of mathematics that stabilized the bridge; the maelstrom of energies, seemingly angry that they were being forced to comply began to smooth, the arcs of stray electricity beginning to conform into the circular vortex.

One of the pillars flashed, and Sentinel nodded to himself, directing the control pillar to sync to the flashing one. Slowly, although it took no more than a breem, the bridge's energies smoothed.

::. The bridge is stabilized.:: Sentinel sent a moment later. ::. Report when you have made landing and I shall revert it to transport the humans.::

::. Let's roll.:: Optimus rumbled immediately, beginning to stride to the bridge.

::. Roll nothing-.:: Skywarp stated cheerfully.

::. Let's _fly!_.:: Thundercracker stated gleefully.

Optimus chuckled as the lot of them marched into the bridge.

* * *

(EPOV)

Roadbuster was driving top speed across the surface of the moon, launching himself over the craters and getting an _easy_ ten foot height. Leadfoot and Topspin were close behind, they'd fan out in a few minutes to start rounding up the multitude of groups that were gleefully wandering around the moon.

Ahead, Lena and Jolt were walking hand in hand back toward them, slowly making their way back toward the bridge already.

::. That doesn't mean we have to go back, does it?.:: Epps asked worriedly over his suit comm.

::. Nah, they're jus' meandering, we'll get there and back in time.:: Roadbuster grinned at him, launching over another crater edge.

Epps grinned then gasped.

Because as they drove, the earth appeared over the horizon.

He sat in awe as his home planet grew before his eyes, rich blues, greens and puffy whites decorating her face in a way that he couldn't not find exquisitely beautiful.

::. It really is a gorgeous planet in her own right.:: Leadfoot stated musingly. ::. Colourful.::

::. Thank you.:: Epps stated quietly, just sitting and staring at his home planet. Suddenly, so far from his home, he was hit with a massive bout of homesickness. ::. I suddenly understand.:: he murmured.

::. What?.::

::. Why you guys are so adamant about getting back to Cybertron.::

::. It ain't that you and your men ain't all that welcoming, Epps.:: Topspin stated quietly.

::. You just can't replace your home.:: Leadfoot murmured softly.

::. Only try to find a way to heal her.:: Epps stated quietly.

::. And _pray_ to Primus, the original seven and whomever else is listening that it's gonna work.::


	184. 181 Anxiety is the Last Minute

**Chapter 181 – Anxiety is the Last Minute**

* * *

(BPOV)

Bumblebee didn't have much time, one week, the Iacon based Decepticon forces would be rendezvousing behind Jupiter in that week.

Megatron had sent the order, they wouldn't be late, their lives depended on it.

But he still had one last mission to accomplish on this planet, they'd be leaving soon, returning to Cybertron and renewing the war effort.

None of them were certain if they'd ever return to Earth, a few were certain that they never wanted to.

But that was a slim few.

Bee was absolutely certain there were a few more spark-mates hiding among the population here, his own spark sang it.

So he scanned, tucked into the corner of communications central he resumed his scans of the humans, waiting for the face of Soundwave's mate to turn up.

The playing field had narrowed, somewhat, mostly with the rapid-fire little innocent questions Bee had taken to shooting at Soundwave, attempting to startle the mech into fast answers.

It was a fun game in of itself, Soundwave was rarely startled.

Fraggin' telepath. It made startling him all the more amusing.

Bee was looking for a femme, of _that_ he was eminently certain. Another femme's bio popped up in his processors and he put it with the list of the others.

It was the last femme, his scans were complete.

Bee grinned and looked back at his list, twenty femmes. A rapid sort and he grinned, if he could get carried by Soundwave, they'd be able to get within ten feet of every one of those femmes in the space of a day.

Now the main question, if he could pester the bot into doing it before the battle, he'd have a thread to follow afterwards.

Soundwave was in the air now, Bumblebee frowned about that for a long minute, he guessed he didn't really need to be _with_ Soundwave for the mech to find his spark-mate.

::. Bumblebee to Soundwave.:: he sent calmly.

::. Soundwave receiving.::

Bumblebee silently sent the list of twenty, and their co-ordinates for both work and home.

::. If you get the chance, get within ten feet of them, if I'm right, one of them might be your spark-mate.::

::. Soundwave: acknowledges.::

Well, better than nothing. Bumblebee stood up and stretched.

"Last minute details?" Jolt murmured.

"Preparing for the future," Bee shrugged.

"Which future?"

"Future pool." Bee grinned.

Every single sentient being in the room turned to stare at him.

"On what?" Lena asked curiously.

"Who the newest human on base will be."

* * *

(SePOV)

Sentinel stood ramrod straight. Dignity be damned, he wanted his ship fixed. He'd been standing ramrod straight for the past quarter-joor, holding a primary strut in place while the rest of the supports were welded on.

She was almost finished.

On a regular basis, humans would walk as close as they dared to the Wreckers and just stare at the Ark in awe. She was almost space ready now.

As he stood he finally allowed himself to remember, remember his crew, valiant and loyal to the end. His spark gave a hard pang to remember his madness.

He remembered those he had chosen to accompany him, the bots most fiercely loyal to _him,_ more than they were loyal to the Auto-bot cause. He would have betrayed them, but fate had prevented it. Sentinel pressed a little surge of energon into the frame, sending a prayer of thanks to Primus for his intervention of fate.

Sentinel stood and remembered his Ark as she had once been, remembered her graceful lines, the smooth, responsive way she could turn on the micro-unit, her gun stations pivoting and chasing after those who dared to try take her down. Her frame was recovering, the modifications by the Decepticons being slowly erased.

He remembered her final launch, her final battle. Throttle had summarily ejected him from the helm, and Sentinel had not argued, immediately ensconcing himself into the crash vault.

It had served a dual purpose. Nothing could destroy nor harm the contents of a crash vault, but it had rankled him none the less.

A captain, after all, went down with his ship.

"Righ' that's got it!" Roadbuster announced gleefully. Sentinel glanced at the Wrecker and stood back, allowing himself to smile to see his Ark again. That was more the ship he remembered.

"Who the hell designed it I want one," Epps stated flatly below him, Sentinel glanced down to see the human walking backwards toward his feet. Sentinel smirked somewhat.

"Try this vantage point," he rumbled patiently, idly snapping a levitation field around the human. He lifted the man up to his own optic level.

"Oh yeah, I _definitely _want one," Epps stated firmly, crossing his arms and nodding.

"Epps! Get down from there and come grab this bit!" Roadbuster shouted the next moment.

"On it!" Epps shouted. He promptly began flapping his arms. Roadbuster, Leadfoot and Topspin were howling the next moment. Evidently an 'in' joke.

"Yeh're doin' it wrong!" Lugnut shouted at the man.

"I got up here didn't I?"

Sentinel snorted, he just couldn't help it.

::. If you intended to startle him, it won't work.:: Optimus sent with a low chuckle. ::. Kae used to levitate him around the hangars on a regular basis.::

Sentinel nodded and lightly set the human back down again, Epps nodded to him and ran back toward Roadbuster again.

"Sentinel! Yeh can get tae work on yer bridge platform now if yeh wan'!"

He didn't need second bidding. Immediately, Sentinel strode into the Ark proper and into the storage bays, where a half dozen of his pillars were waiting.

There was work to be done.

* * *

(LPOV)

Lena watched the screens, and smiled as her Jolt gently touched her face. She rose and pressed a kiss to her mate's lips as he sat in her place, his cables already reaching to hook up to the ports she had occupied moments earlier.

No words passed between the two of them, they didn't need it. Their sparks were bound, Jolt always knew how she was feeling, where she was, just as she knew where her mate was.

Patiently, she walked into the corridors, and then into the central, where Ratchet had finally fitted an energon dispenser to keep hungry and un-injured bots out of his med-bay. A cube was filled a few moments later, and Lena carried it to her spot in the central, powering down her processors somewhat as she sipped and relaxed in her moments of downtime.

Other bots were in the central, already, she nodded and smiled at those who recognized her presence, and ignored the bots deeply ensconced in their own tasks.

Prowl's optics were offline, and only the whirring of his battle computer indicated him even being conscious. It was quiet, so Lena rose and deposited her now empty cube in it's receptacle and moved to another corner, practicing her transformations.

First. I8. Then back to her root mode and to the Banshee-hawk. Then came the tricky part. Lena frowned in concentration and processed the coding Soundwave had given her.

She still needed to get it to mesh properly with her own programming. She tried again and grinned as her body shifted slowly, carefully from banshee-hawk to BMW I8.

Just doing it wasn't enough for her though, Lena promptly randomized her transformation sequences and practiced. Root mode, Hawk, I8, hawk, root mode, I8... on and on until her transformations were seamless.

Finally, hungry again, Lena stayed in her root mode and strode back to the dispenser, smiling at Wheelie, Brains and the other sparked drones that had slowly begun filtering to the Auto-bots as they teamed up to fill a cube.

"Did you want help with that?" she asked with a smile, holding a clean cube and waiting her turn.

Wheelie and Brains promptly grinned at her as the more recently arrived drones stared at her in shock. There were a dozen of them now, all grouped around the dispenser.

"They _do that!?_" Ding whispered hoarsely.

Lena chuckled softly and strode somewhat closer, lightly setting her cube down and activating the dispenser, filling the cube the drones had wrestled into place. Then, she picked the cube up in one hand and offered her other to the tiny bots, carrying them all to the mini-benches designated for their use.

Sunstreaker was scowling at her, as she strode back and filled her own cube. But for her spark Lena didn't know why. More often than not, Sunstreaker would enlist the aid of the drones for this that or the other thing. Lena sat back down in her place and sipped at the cube once more.

Sunstreaker kept scowling.

::. Why are you glaring at me?.:: she finally sent shyly.

"You changed your 'form." Sunstreaker stated flatly.

Lena blinked.

"Your paint isn't meshing with your hawk form." Sideswipe snorted, his twin eying her rather like a blank _canvas_...

Hmm...

Maybe _now_ was an okay time to ask for another colour...

"Are you bored with pink _yet_?" Sunstreaker demanded. Lena grinned.

"Uh... a little, it's an incredible pink though.."

"If you were bored with it why didn't you ask to _change_ it?"

"You painted me by _hand!_ It looks incredible, I didn't want to offend you by saying I'm _bored_ with it now!" Lena immediately protested irritably.

Sideswipe fell over. Laughing his tailpipes off.

"Femme if you feel like gettin' painted have the decency to ask Sunstreaker so he's not going after _me _with those slagging brushes." Ironhide grunted from the other side of central.

"You look good in pink," Jazz snorted, ducking the swing the Weapons Master aimed at him.

"What colour do you want to be this time?" Sunstreaker snorted in amusement. Lena smirked and stood up, striding toward the frontliner before he could beckon for her to follow.

"Surprise me," she grinned cheerfully.

Sunstreaker stared at her.

"What? I trust you to make me look gorgeous," Lena grinned.

Sunstreaker was staring at her with the strangest expression in his optics, it was almost... _humble._

::. Good answer, femme.:: Ironhide murmured. Lena turned somewhat and beamed to see the Weapons Master grinning at her.

"Not simply gorgeous, you're already gorgeous," Sunstreaker murmured finally. "I will find you the colours of a warrior to make your Banshee-hawk spark _proud."_

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus wound his arms around his mate, she was scheduled to leave soon.

~No matter where we are~ she whispered to him. ~I _will_ be waiting for you~

Optimus smiled somewhat and leaned down, pressing a lingering kiss to his Kae's lips.

~Just as I will search the heavens for you, my mate~

His Kae kissed him back, then cupped his face in her hands for a long moment. It was then, and only then did she turn and take a few running steps down the runway, blasting herself into the air.

Optimus watched as his mate receded into the sky before turning and catching hold of the strut that swung toward him.

An explosion rocked the area. Alarmed, he looked toward the source of the noise and grimaced.

There was smoke billowing out of Wheeljack's temporary workshop.

Again.

::. Okay... _that_ didn't work.::

Optimus rolled his optics. Wheeljack was deeply engrossed once more in coming up with weapons.

::. Was that another full size, or a scale?.:: Ironhide sent grumpily.

::. Scale, I killed my holoform, again...::

::. What are you building this time?.::

::. A bomb? I'd call that successful.:: Sunstreaker snorted.

::. No, it was supposed to _launch_, not _explode_.::

Optimus spared himself a shake of his helm and directed the strut to rest where Roadbuster pointed. Standing still, and waiting to be indicated move again, he directed a secondary processor to go over their assault plans once more.

His beloved Kae would be accompanying the fliers, carefully disguising their signals they would rendezvous first behind the fourth planet. Already, the air-scouts and full seekers were silently flying, attempting to locate and watch Megatron's movements.

Soundwave was already in the air, silently observing the various grounded Decepticons as they meandered toward their own rendezvous co-ordinates.

Once the co-ordinates were properly located, everything was in place. It was to be a simultaneous assault; the moment the fliers engaged Sentinel would bridge them to those co-ordinates and hopefully catch the remaining ground force by surprise.

Prowl had been crunching through those battle calculations for a half orn now, modifying his assault tactics with every byte of information sent directly to his battle computer by Soundwave. The enforcer had glitched several times during that interlude, Ratchet bringing the mech around and Soundwave patiently going over the reasoning behind the information that had made him glitch in the first place.

Mostly it was the tactics Soundwave himself had devised. They worked for one reason alone: it defied calculation by the logical systems of a battle computer.

More accurately?

They were Soundwave's tactics for the Decepticon forces that had been _designed_ to _make_ Prowl glitch.

Optimus couldn't help but feel that once the battle was finished, assuming they survived, that he would be rescuing his mate's advisor from the brig...

He shook his helm somewhat and vented a sigh.

Every Auto-bot was on high alert, waiting. Waiting for the signal to rendezvous at base to bridge into battle.

Optimus glanced around and cracked his spark chamber open somewhat, sending a silent prayer to Primus once more.

The prayer of a Prime begging for the lives of his people.

* * *

(MPOV)

The Decepticon forces were due to arrive in one week. Half an orn. It was all hands on deck now, the fliers were up in arms, pacing, bickering among themselves. My grandfather had called me away from helping the Wreckers as they scrambled to fix the last minute systems that always showed up on a retrofit.

Because it was the final half-orn.

We were getting into position. Soundwave was working overtime, in the air and mapping the Earthbound Decepticon stragglers as they quietly massed together.

They were waiting to be evacuated along with Megatron before the Decepticons destroyed the earth, by all indications, the former Lord High Protector had been pushed to the end.

There would be no prisoners this time, no mercy, no slaves.

By all indication, he fully intended to leave a broken husk of planet, if not a shattered one.

::. Frequency update.:: my advisor-primary announced over the Primary.

::. What are they saying?.:: Ironhide growled softly.

::. Decepticon ground force in-betting: probability of destruction magnitude.::

::. What are their bets now?.:: my Optimus rumbled in a dangerous tone.

::. Decepticon odds: Fifty percent state enough of the planet will remain for metal harvesting. Fifty percent betting new stellar-dust ring to be formed.::

::. Over my dead body.:: I growled softly.

::. _OUR_ dead bodies, granddaughter.:: Jetfire rumbled comfortably.

::. As if they're even going to get _past_ us.:: Starscream snorted.

::. What's your ETA granddaughter?.:: Jetfire sent patiently.

::. Landing now.:: I replied calmly, even as I brought my speed right down and de-cloaked, patiently transforming and using my boosters to land beside him on top of the Nevada Aerial-bot monolith.

"Righ' on time," Grandfather grinned at me.

"You expect any less?" I asked airily, grinning and dodging the light-sparked swat my grandfather aimed at me. We were family, none of the fliers even _considered_ their elder swatting at his granddaughter odd. Prime or no Prime. It was a nice feeling.

I glanced over as another bickering argument broke out between fliers of different clans, Jetfire glanced over at them the second the sound of screeching metal was to be heard. Starscream was in between the combatants the next second, the command trine dragging the two apart.

"Save it for the inbound!" he snapped at them. "Even if the all-spark healer is here, _she_ will need her strength far more _after_ the battle, not repairing your sorry afts _before_!"

Silence reigned across the monolith.

"Air commander."

"Air commander."

The two fliers promptly turned their backs to each other and strode to different sides of the monolith. The conversations changed after that, the various fliers surrounding me quietly calling dibbs on certain bots should they be spotted.

I stood in silence, watching the fliers around me doing final weapons checks and testing their armour. Occasionally, one would dive off of the monolith, fly a rapid circle and land again.

Their movement made it all the harder to remain still.

::. Stretch your wings, Granddaughter.:: Jetfire sent comfortably. You are a flier, we are not made to stand and wait.::

I vented a sigh and stretched my wings out, idly working the kinks out of my armour.

Much better.

The sunshine was warm across my metals. I blinked, memorizing the still, perfect moment and feeling of the sunlight dancing down my frame.

::. Soundwave to Lady High Protector.:: Soundwave sent on my private comm. Immediately I touched my helm, no few fliers looking over at me expectantly.

::. Archangel receiving.:: I sent immediately.

::. Megatron located: exiting atmosphere. Grounder forces: amassing. Windrider: shadow Megatron.:: my advisor-primary reported. ::. Megatron: passing lunar satellite and increasing velocity. Recommend: immediate flier departure.::

::. Acknowledged.:: I replied flatly, looking at my grandfather seriously in the sudden, deathly silence.

"Time to go?" Jetfire asked flatly.

Every flier turned to look at me.

"Let's fly," I nodded grimly.

Silence shattered.

The air was full of the screeching battle-cries of the various flier clans, trines diving from the monolith edge and into the air.

I cycled one last sigh and watched the fliers taking off before my grandfather gently touched my back.

"Time to go, granddaughter." he murmured gently. I nodded and joined the swarm, circling in the atmosphere and blocking our signals.

Then, bot by bot, clan by clan, we boosted ourselves to escape velocity, switched to spacer charges and shot for the moon, hiding within the natural sensor interference of the celestial body.

The jumping off point before flying into battle.


	185. 182 Earth and Sky

**Chapter 182 – Earth and Sky**

* * *

(LPOV)

"That. Is the best war paint I have ever seen." Lena stated flatly, turning this way and that as she admired the colours.

She was red now, red with blocks of black down this plate of armour and that. Red chest plates, riding over black and lined with silver. Silver streaks relieving the beautifully shiny blood red and black.

"She looks like a war pixie," Ironhide rumbled at the door.

"She does _not!_" Sunstreaker snarled. Lena turned around in surprise, but Ironhide was grinning. Teasing. Lena turned back around and pursed her lip plates, slipping into her new banshee-hawk frame.

"Whoa."

"What?" Sunstreaker stated flatly. Lena couldn't resist onlining her holoform, walking around herself and admiring her red arched wings with the silver trimmed black 'feathers'

"I heard whoa. What?" Bumblebee's voice rang out excitedly. "_Whoa!"_

Third trick? Lena grinned and switched to her grounder form.

"How the slag did you do it!?" she demanded gleefully, grinning at the seamless black and red of her armour.

"I am just that good," Sunstreaker sniffed airily.

"I gotta show Jolt! Can I go show Jolt!?" Lena chirped gleefully, returning to root mode and bouncing around. She couldn't help it. Her Jolt was close, behind Bumblebee.

"Show me wh- Sweet _Primus!_" Her Jolt's voice choked the second he was in view.

Lena grinned, she couldn't help it.

"Ready to get it scratched up?" she smirked at her mate.

Jolt fell over.

"Why is Jolt glitching in the corridor? What is everyone looking at _now_?" Ratchet's voice demanded down the corridor. The familiar helm of the medic appeared above Bumblebee's. "Whoa."

Lena pointed at Sunstreaker.

Sunstreaker raised his servos in the air.

::. All-call.:: Optimus' voice rang out on the Primary. ::. Will all Auto-bots please convene in the central.::

"It's time to sort out who's fighting," Ironhide stated in a muted tone, immediately turning back toward the corridor. All of the bots did. Except Jolt, laying glitched on the floor. Lena snorted softly and immediately tapped her bot's helm.

Jolt's optics onlined, and Lena hummed gently at the worry in his optics. ~We fight together~ she murmured gently to his spark.

Jolt smiled and sat up, taking her hand and leading her to central. As they entered together, a hush fell over the gathered bots.

"Lena-" Ratchet began. Lena knew that tone, what he was going to say.

"I'm fighting," she stated flatly, glaring the medic down. Daring him to say otherwise.

"If you're even thinking of fighting, you're going to meet me on the range and prove you can _manage_ out there." Ironhide growled.

"The second we're dismissed," Lena stated flatly.

"But you're so _young!_" Arcee fairly wailed.

"War takes our youth away, better me than the next generation." Lena stated flatly. "Besides, I'm already in my adult frame and bonded, you can't afford to leave Jolt behind, and Jolt can't leave me behind. I'm fighting."

The bots in central all looked grimly at her. Lena returned that grim gaze, standing straight and confident in her war-painted armour.

"You scratch that paint-job and I will never forgive you," Sunstreaker finally muttered.

"If I scratch this paint-job it'll give you the excuse to paint me another colour," Lena stated innocently. Sunstreaker pursed his lip plates at her and narrowed his optics.

"True..."

"You were dickering between red and green for an hour," Lena added patiently, keeping her faceplates resolutely neutral. Grinning at Sunstreaker when subtly teasing him was a no-no.

"Also true..." Sunstreaker murmured, leaning back and going over her paint-work with his artist's optic.

Jolt snorted. Ironhide burst out laughing and Sunstreaker glared at them for a moment before shock crossed his optics.

"It's okay Sunstreaker," Jolt stated with a small grin. "She had me wrapped around her digits _long_ before she got her adult body."

Sunstreaker glared at her for a moment before shrugging.

"Can't blame a femme for having excellent and exacting tastes in colour."

"Now who gets to take point through the ground bridge?" Sideswipe asked cheerfully.

"Is it our turn yet?" Sunstreaker asked with a grim smile.

"Only if you promise to leave a couple of 'Cons standing for the rest of us," Ironhide rumbled cheerfully.

* * *

(MPOV)

::. Soundwave to Lady High Protector.::

::. Responding.:: I sent quietly.

::. Windrider report: Megatron approaching fifth planet. Decepticon forces: two breem out.::

::. Acknowledged.::

::. Granddaughter?.:: Jetfire sent patiently. I looked at him, at all of the fliers beginning to float into formation out of sight of the Decepticon scanners.

::. They're two breem away from rendezvousing.:: I sent grimly.

::. Just enough time to sneak up on them.:: Starscream smirked.

::. Soundwave all-call.:: my advisor's voice called over the Primary. Instantly, I froze. ::. Auto-bot signal: fully encrypted.:: Oh. Okay. ::. Decepticon forces: assuming destruction sequence Omega. Recommend: flier formation delta. Recommend: immediate ground assault.::

::. So speaks the one who _actually_ gave the battle commands.:: Skywarp stated in a snarky tone.

::. _What!?_.:: Ironhide's voice roared.

::. Soundwave: Battle computer behind Decepticon tactics.:: Soundwave stated patiently.

::. Oh riiight..:: Jazz stated musingly.

::. You're sure you have the timing right? It usually takes you longer to get Megatron to agree long enough to say it.:: Starscream added with a snort.

::. Soundwave: account for smart-afted command-trine back talking. Result: broadcast tactics on Primary.::

::. D'aww, I _knew_ you missed us!.:: Thundercracker grinned.

::. Bringing the space-bridge online now.:: Sentinel reported.

::. What happened to simultaneous assault?.:: Ironhide growled.

::. Megatron: circling. Reason: Former High Protector suspicious. Ground assault result: disguise aerial-bot ambush intent.::

::. Megatron is not so stupid to not recognize the potential of a two prong attack.:: my Optimus rumbled with a frown.

::. Yes he is.:: Starscream snorted.

::. Soundwave had to lead him by the servo when it came to tactics involving more than three bots.:: Thundercracker added with a snort.

::. Probability of Former High Protector recognizing two prong attack: sixty percent. Probability of immediate grounder force assault as effective decoy: Eighty.::

::. My calculations state the same.:: Prowl added patiently.

::. I'll take those odds.:: Ironhide growled.

::. Auto-bots, Roll out!.:: my Optimus commanded then.

I flanked my grandfather, listening to the spark of my beloved mate as our unit ran into battle before we both blocked our connection somewhat.

We were at war, we couldn't afford the distraction of both battles running through our processors.

::. Recommend: Aerial-bot advance to inner-system dust ring.:: my Advisor-primary finally reported.

::. Air Commander.:: I sent immediately, looking toward Starscream.

::. Attack formation Delta! Launch!.:: Starscream immediately snapped out.

It was an incredible sight to behold: a hundred odd fliers all snapping to attention, vectors that they had allowed slip somewhat immediately straightening. I watched in awe as those hundred fliers occupied the same flat plane, a phalanx in space.

::. Phalanx in space?.:: I sent to my grandfather in confusion.

::. Grounders are generally bound by the thought of tae dimensional battlefields, particularly during the first tae tae three orn of space-travel. The longer we allow them tae remain _bound_ by it the longer we have the advantage. Delta disguises our numbers-.::

::. And it has since long before Jetfire was sparked.:: Thrust added cheerfully.

::. Say that tae mah _faceplates youngling!_.:: Jetfire roared at him.

Anyone could hear that grin though.

::. If there are other fliers among them...:: I began with a frown.

::. There are.::

::. Won't they give up the ghost?.::

::. Nope.::

I allowed the commanders around me to feel my curiosity.

::. Delta belongs to the flier's code. It has remained effective because _no _grounder knows how it works, not even Megatron.:: Starscream stated with a broad smirk. ::. The grounders see a dozen fliers coming toward them, so they scan, they _scan_ the dozen fliers, and only _see_ the dozen because we are on the flat plane. Scanners just bounce off of the spacer-charge echo of the leading dozen.::

::. With all due respect here is where you hang back, Prime.:: Thundercracker added seriously as we shot past Mars. ::. You are here as representative of the Auto-bot cause.::

::. You are _not_ here to engage the enemy this time, you are a natural spacer, yes, but battle in space is an entirely different creature.:: Starscream stated seriously. ::. We will train you to fight in the vacuum, but not today.::

::. Acknowledged.:: I stated seriously, reversing thrust and circling around Mars. The fact that I had to hide behind the forces rankled to no end, but my elders were correct.

::. Thrust-.::

::. _Please _don't make me hang back!.:: the bot immediately interjected.

::. _Someone_ needs tae stay behind wi' me granddaughter!.:: Jetfire growled.

::. No.:: I stated with a frown ::. I can hide more effectively by myself, don't beggar your force by so much as a single flier by assigning me a guard.::

I promptly engaged my cloaks, along with the disguising of my signals I was effectively gone.

::. Where'd yeh _go _granddaughter?.:: grandfather demanded in amusement.

::. Right here, fourth planet, creeping toward the asteroid belt and well behind you lot.::

::. Delta tight! Here comes the scanner burst!.:: Starscream snapped out.

I watched in fascination as the fliers practically overlapped wings, perfectly flat across the plane-less expanses. Across the frequencies, the anticipation of the battle became stretched tighter than a bowstring.

Every flier waiting for the scatter signal.

::. Hold...:: Starscream muttered.

::. Here come the fliers...:: Thundercracker murmured.

::. This is air-commander Sablade, Starscream do you read?.::

::. Starscream receiving, nice to hear you again Sablade, you have a snap decision to make, join the side of the living All-spark or be destroyed.:: Starscream drawled cheerfully.

::. You are not Decepticon anymore.::

::. No.::

::. The high-chancellors of Vos will be glad to hear it, your highness, they are less than impressed by Megatron's stewardship of Cybertron.:: the mech stated wryly. ::. Permission to assume attack formation?.::

::. Granted.:: Starscream smirked. ::. You know the drill.::

::. Shall we call them out?.:: Thundercracker asked cheerfully as two dozen fliers shot from the Decepticon ranks toward the phalanx.

::. It is only courteous.:: Skywarp stated piously.

::. Will you do us the honour, Sablade?.:: Starscream finished with his trine.

::. This is Air-commander Sablade to all Decepticon forces. You have one breem to surrender before we destroy you.:: the aerial-bot drawled across the frequencies as those fliers turned in the vacuum to face the destroyers.

::. You will die slowly, Sablade, by my hand and you will be _next_ _Starscream!._:: Megatron's voice snarled back a second later. ::. Decepticons! Take out this paltry resistance and focus the destroyers on Earth!.::

* * *

(OPOV)

"Bringing the space-bridge online now," Sentinel stated patiently. Once again above the mirror pond gracing the monuments of Washington DC, Sentinel's pillars gracefully formed a ring. Vertically this time, however. They were bridging across the ground, no pillar of light heralded their journey, simply the flat-planed vortex spinning up to speed and calming it's violent energetic dance.

::. What happened to simultaneous assault?.:: Ironhide growled.

::. Megatron: circling. Reason: Former High Protector suspicious. Ground assault result: disguise aerial-bot ambush intent.::

::. Megatron is not so stupid to not recognize the potential of a two prong attack.:: Optimus rumbled with a frown. His former brother had seemed... _far_ more intelligent than that.

::. Yes he is.:: Starscream snorted.

Surely the former Decepticon SiC was exaggerating.

::. Soundwave had to lead him by the servo when it came to tactics involving more than three bots.:: Thundercracker added with a snort.

::. Probability of Former High Protector recognizing two prong attack: sixty percent. Probability of immediate grounder force assault as effective decoy: Eighty.::

"My calculations state the same," Prowl added patiently beside him.

"I'll take those odds," Ironhide growled. Around them, Auto-bots of every build performed weapons checks, cannons cycled, blades flashed out and retracted. A chill surged through his frame as Ratchet idly checked his own weapons beside him. It didn't matter that the mech was one of his oldest friends, that the medic had patched him up in field or med-bay countless times.

The sound of that circular saw extending from the medic's servo for the purpose of destruction _still_ put that chill of fear through him.

Sometimes that little chill of fear was comforting; he feared the wrath of Ratchet and his wrenches of doom. An _army_ of Decepticons couldn't stand up to _that_.

Optimus initiated his own weapons check, a quick scan, he had already performed several weapons checks, the scan stated he was as ready as he had been an hour ago, but at the glare of his weapons master he performed the full check. Again.

"The bridge is secure!" Sentinel rapped out, the old Prime's frame bristling with his own weaponry.

::. Auto-bots, Roll out!.:: Optimus commanded. As was tradition, Bumblebee went first, closely followed by the Predators, Wreckers and femmes. For his little scout's life, for his Autobots Optimus would gladly take point, but the bots would never hear of it. Side by side, Jolt and Lena charged through the portal right behind the combined Arcee, Flare and Chromia.

On occasion, Ironhide would aim an idle cannon at him, making sure his Prime didn't try to take point. Optimus glanced down and rolled his optics somewhat at the cannon half-aimed toward him, then raced after his Weapons Master, Sentinel taking his shoulder as the last of the grounder Auto-bot unit charged through the portal.

The momentary confusion and the scenery changed entirely, already, the Decepticon forces were engaging them.

And already, half of those Decepticons were damaged, crippled and dead.

Optimus stopped, staring at the carnage in shock.

He had trained these bots to the best of his ability, as had his Kae.

But fifty 'Cons were down already, and he'd only just _arrived!_

In an instant, Sentinel was well ahead of him, blades out and throwing the larger Decepticons well away from the bonded technicians

Unnecessarily, however.

Jolt and Lena were already seamlessly fighting side by side. On occasion, Jolt would hurl his smaller mate into the air; the now _vividly_ red and black femme would flash into her flier's frame and scream. Decepticons would freeze, and the Auto-bots would remove their weapons.

The fight was short. Short and ugly. Wheeljack was sitting dazedly in the servo churned mud, Ratchet already scolding him for being injured so quickly. Skids and Mudflap were scurrying around, throwing the ends of a tripwire between themselves as they raced around the bots far larger than themselves. The con would go down, and the closest bot would take him prisoner.

Sunstreaker and Sideswipe were both well on the other side of the field, pressing the few undamaged Decepticons back into the main force. Three of the larger 'Cons began hemming Sentinel in, and Optimus immediately went to his old friend, engaging two while Sentinel idly finished up with the third.

It seemed no time at all. The Earthbound Decepticon forces were either dead, crippled, or had surrendered. Soundwave chose that moment to streak in and land, staring around himself impassively.

* * *

(BPOV)

Bumblebee grinned, he couldn't help it, not only was the fight over in record time with nobody seriously hurt, but Soundwave was landing right beside him.

And there was a thread extending from his spark chamber.

Score.

"Auto-bots: have left nothing for Soundwave," the mech stated blandly. Bee snorted. There was _definitely_ something left for Soundwave on this planet.

"Well there's some live-uns still," Ironhide snorted. "Didja wanna play interrogator seeing as you didn't get to play executioner?"

Bee sagged somewhat, his spark sinking. He had killed today, bots had died by his servo. Gently, Soundwave touched his shoulder, almost invisibly. A touch of condolence, of sympathy and understanding.

Killing never got easier. Not even for the formerly sixth in command of the Decepticon forces.

Soundwave glanced at the weapons master and turned his gaze to Optimus, obviously asking silent permission from the Prime.

Optimus nodded to him and Soundwave turned, binder cables snaking menacingly from his servos. The tall, thin mech promptly began striding through the Decepticon prisoners, gazing around himself impassively. Or at least, he _seemed_ to be.

Without doubt, Soundwave was sensing the emotions around him and Bee couldn't help but vent a tiny sigh in relief that the mech was on _their _side now.

Because when you got right down to it, those sharp edged cables were the _least_ of your worries when dealing with that mech.

"Barricade: willing to become Auto-bot. Suggestion: stand before Weapons Master."

"You _knew!?_" Barricade promptly shouted at the bot.

"Barricade: more afraid of death at servos of Megatron than loyal to Decepticon cause."

In an instant, Barricade was on his pedes and striding to a glaring Ironhide.

Barricade glared right back.

"I'll see your insignias removed, 'con," Ironhide growled finally. Barricade scowled for a long moment then nodded, choosing to sit down at the Weapons Master's feet.

One by one, Soundwave regarded each con impassively, some trying to conceal their fear, most of them outright cowering.

But that impassiveness was shattered finally, Soundwave swooped down on one of the cons, binder cables snatching the massive bot from the ground and suspending him above his comrades.

"Tripblade: Knows location of Shockwave."

On the way to the other end of the thread leading from Soundwave's spark chamber, Bee was going to make Soundwave tell him how to manage the seemingly impossible: Soundwave managed to snarl in a monotone.

That was just cool.

* * *

(WPOV)

This. Was the first time that the Auto-bots had gone onto the battlefield without any of the NEST soldiers with them.

NEST was the backup. Just in case.

To say that Will was a bundle of nerves was an understatement.

Very, _very _few humans knew what was going on.

Because as savvy as Will was as to the situation, and just how unlikely the massive contingent (seriously, _Massive_ contingent) of Decepticon soldiers and battleships were to getting to earth.

NEST was still the backup. Because very little of the universe went according to plan. Something was going to go wrong. It always did.

Because shit happened, and as far as the alien shit was concerned. NEST and every surviving Auto-bot soldier that came back through the ground bridge, was the backup plan.

Will really _really_ didn't want to have to hit the backup plan.

Colonel William Lennox paced back and forth now, borrowing a bit of the inherent intimidation tactics Optimus had laughingly explained to him over the beer they two had indulged in when Optimus had escorted him home for leave.

Primus that felt like it had been a million years ago.

Will snorted softly. That was another thing he'd picked up, from Ironhide mostly.

Every swear word that the Autobots could think of, Ironhide had taught him. Or at least the translation. One of them. Or two.

Okay three. Tops.

Will looked at the screens and grinned as Jerry shot straight up in his seat.

"Optimus turned his Comm back on!" the tech shouted excitedly.

"I heard that, Lieutenant Donovan," Optimus' voice stated patiently. Will breathed a sigh of relief and glanced around.

"What's your status Prime?" he asked worriedly.

"All Decepticons on the battlefield have been accounted for, some five have not made it to the rendezvous point, they will be tracked down," Optimus rumbled with a frown.

Will nodded sternly.

"You on your way back?"

"We are, please prepare the brig for our visitors," Optimus rumbled menacingly. Will snorted softly, without a doubt Optimus was glaring at this Decepticon or that.

"Will do," Will informed the bot patiently.

"Thank you Colonel, Prime out."


	186. 183 Grounders and Fliers

**Chapter 183 – Grounders and Fliers**

* * *

(MPOV)

::. You will die slowly, Sablade, by my hand and you will be _next_ _Starscream!._:: Megatron's voice snarled. ::. Decepticons! Take out this paltry resistance and focus the destroyers on Earth!.::

::. Oh I had _so _been hoping you would say that.:: Starscream stated cheerfully as Sablade's fliers got into formation. Or they seemed to, anyway.

I watched curiously as Sablade's fifty odd fliers surrounded the other clans rather than joining the flat plane with the rest.

::. Wait for it...:: Starscream's voice muttered with a frown as the destroyers began releasing the single-bot ships, the fighters in question beginning to fly toward the flier positions.

::. Starscream, our unit alone will massacre the initial fliers-.:: Sablade began.

::. Which will cause Megatron to commit the rest of his forces, the way he always does.:: Starscream snorted softly. ::. Wait for it... _Launch!_.::

The single word and Sablade's clan warriors streaked away again, the lines of their vectors a perfect orb through space, herding the grounder minded fliers into a tight pack.

::. Last chance.:: Starscream purred over the open comm link.

::. _Attack!_.:: an unnamed voice shrieked. One shot was let off, directly toward Sablade.

It was the only shot the fighters got off. I watched in sick fascination as Sablade's clan systematically crushed the bulky fighter spacecraft into the centre, any fighter with his weapons online destroyed in a matter of moments.

Not one remained.

Then, the mistake we had been waiting for.

::. Decepticons! Destroy them!.:: Megatron began howling on the comm.

Every fighter, every ship began sluggishly turning toward the fliers.

::. Wait for it.:: Starscream muttered again, then, at the point that Air Commander Starscream decided on, slightly more than half the former distance between Decepticons and flier positions the command was rapped out.

::. Aerial Bots! Launch!.::

Half went down, half went up.

The panic was palpable, oozing along the lines of communications as a dozen fliers became a hundred. There was no time to retreat, no time to run, _barely_ any time to get weapons online.

Horror tore through me as every last Decepticon, every ship, every spark that heeded the command of former Lord High Protectorate Megatron was systematically destroyed.

The fliers had chosen their ground... _space. _Chosen their battlefield. Backed by the asteroid belt, not one made it through the lines, made it to the relative safety of stellar dust to hide behind.

Screaming.

Over every frequency Soundwave had indicated to me, Decepticons were screaming, some dying, many in pain, many more begging forgiveness, both from the fliers and Primus himself.

It didn't take long, and a part of me was surprised by it. The history books had always impressed on me the long, protracted battles. Months, years spent in foxholes. Days uncounted of continuous shellfire.

But it was an eternity that crossed four hours.

In two hours, fliers had begun bringing the wounded to me, and under guard I tended them in zero gravity, using levitation fields for tractor beams to keep both my patient and myself on an even level.

At the end of four hours the fliers were pushing piles of wreckage together, scanning for spark signatures and pulling the occasional bot or drone from the ships.

::. Prime! These belong to you!.:: Thrust announced cheerfully. I looked up and started in surprise as some nine bots bearing the Auto-bot insignia about their armour were carefully pushed toward me.

At a loss, I signalled them on the Primary, and felt a surge of relief in my spark as they answered without having to search for the correct channel.

::. The Fliers have announced you as Prime. I do not register your insignias.:: a deep, masculine voice announced. I looked at the origination of that voice and registered a bot almost as large as my Optimus. ::. My spark... my spark names you the Lady High Protector!.::

::. I am she.:: I stated patiently.

In a moment, nine bots were covering their faceplates, bowing to me in space.

Which was weird, beyond weird. Bowing over in zero gravity seemed to involve more of a bringing up of legs than lowering of torso.

::. Uhh...:: I muttered. ::. Thrust?.::

::. Yes My Lady?.::

::. Why are they covering their faces?.::

::. Megatron made that one of his favourite manners of having bots genuflect to him.:: Thrust stated with a mild tone of distaste.

::. Okay, and how do I get bots to _quit _doing it? I'm not-.::

::. Technically, you're a thousand times more divine than Megatron could ever hope to be.:: Starscream snorted, idly manoeuvring himself to float beside me. ::. I can't help but agree though, it's better to see the faces of your friends and enemies...::

::. I beg forgiveness.:: the masculine voice stated, straightening quickly and raising his face to meet my optics.

::. Don't do that either, you haven't done anything wrong.:: I stated patiently. ::. May I know your designations?.::

The rest of the bots promptly began staring at me, and at their leader as the bot smiled.

::. I am Ultra Magnus.::

* * *

(SePOV)

Sentinel paced along the runways of NASA's launching grounds. The Ark was in her final stretch of retrofits, and Ratchet had pulled the rather severe dent he'd received from Turbine back out of his armour.

Blasted engineer.

Sentinel released a slow gust of air from his outtakes and rolled his optics.

Only the true friends of a Prime could get away with denting his armour.

Already, the Ark's engines were powering up, a breathtakingly beautiful blue glow emitted from her exhaust manifolds. The deep, purring, roaring vibrations as her engines came alive after vorns of inactivity.

Non-sentient. But no less alive.

She was beautiful.

Three Destroyers hovered nonchalantly over NASA's launch pads, there was no secret now, no need to hide. One of those Destroyers was bound to return to Cybertron, hiding as a returned Decepticon ship she would go to Iacon, and the wreckers would regain the capitol.

They would be home. Soon.

Sentinel still had twenty orn left of his community service facade, twenty orn of seminars and he would be returning to his beloved Cybertron.

"Sentinel!" Optimus called behind him. Sentinel turned and looked musingly at his young friend.

Optimus was striding upright, the weight of the worlds still rested upon his shoulders, but still his shoulders were straight, his helm held high and proud.

"Optimus," Sentinel rumbled with a nod, turning again to watch the beauty of his Ark as she came alive under the wrecker's skilled minstrations.

"Reminiscing, old friend?"

"No, simply enjoying the moment, enjoying the freedom for which we are allowed to dream," Sentinel replied contentedly.

Optimus smiled beside him, somewhat.

::. You worry for your mate.:: Sentinel murmured gently.

Optimus just shot a small, confirming glance at him.

"_SENTINEL!_"

Sentinel winced. He couldn't help it.

"What did you do this time?" Optimus murmured.

"I don't know," Sentinel muttered. "However I know I _will_ soon." he raised his voice somewhat. "Turbine."

"What ha' I tol' yah about crossing them blasted pillars of yours with the _main engine feeds!? Are ya' tryin' tae blow me girl up again!?"_

"Oh. That." Sentinel rumbled patiently. "Turbine, I did _not_ wire my pillars into the main engine feeds and if they _are _wired with the main engine feeds-"

"_Somebody's tryin' tae blow me lady up again!"_ Turbine howled, spinning and marching agitatedly back toward the Ark again. "Wreckers! Security alert! I want every nut bolt and wire re-inspected _again!"_

Optimus looked over worriedly.

"Lieutenant Jazz was kind enough to wire in what _appears_ to be one of my pillars, I wanted to ensure that Turbine could find somebot _else _to be irritable at." Sentinel muttered guiltily.

"How did you manage to convince my lieutenant to do that?" Optimus muttered, Sentinel found himself amused at how well his young friend was doing at keeping his faceplates straight.

"I coached it along the lines of _practice,_" Sentinel informed his young friend cheerfully.

Optimus buried his face in his servo, and Sentinel lightly flicked his helm, reminiscent of the sheer number of times he'd cuffed his pupil lightly for not acting the part of a Prime.

A true smile touched his faceplates as Optimus shot that same, mildly irritated 'yes you are correct but I don't have to _like_ it' glare he had as a youngling.

Sentinel turned back to watch the progress of the Ark's engines as the first test fire wound down.

But not in time to watch Optimus Prime's optics dim slightly, the mech nodding musingly at whatever information the spark of his mate had updated him with.

"Anything good?" Sentinel murmured.

"Several more allies," Optimus replied patiently. "It would be unprimely, however, for me to allow my true emotions as to the identities of those Allies to show."

Sentinel turned around and glared at the smugly airy-face-plated mech looking back at him.

"You are going to miss her first take-off," Optimus informed him patiently.

Sentinel rolled his optics and turned back again, just in time to watch as the Ark slowly, gracefully rose forty feet in the air and began performing systems checks.

With the same grace and efficiency she had in her maiden voyage, the wrecker manned gun turret circled the ship; following every axis that would ever need to be covered when under attack.

Slowly, for motion was always more difficult in the slower speeds, the Ark spun a full 360 degrees in the air. Then again anti-clockwise. She tipped and swirled in the practiced motions of Throttle, Acting Helmsman of the Ark.

Finally, she set down again.

::. We've got a minor hesitation in her fourth torsional control!.:: was bellowed.

In a matter of minutes, the Ark was the centre of the swarm again.

Because if what a wrecker built wasn't perfect, the were going to keep doing it until it _was._

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus strode wearily down the corridors of the Human NEST base. His Kae had not yet returned from space, his spark missed having it's mate so close.

"You okay up there big guy?" Jacobs' voice called out.

"I am, thank you," Optimus rumbled with a small smile, glancing around and spotting the enormous african as he strode down the corridors.

"How's Kae?" the man asked gently.

Optimus sagged somewhat, he didn't know.

"Kae has blocked her signal," he rumbled quietly.

~Optimus~ her voice whispered gently.

~Kae?~ he murmured worriedly.

~I'm alright, my love, we're coming home~ her voice whispered.

Instantly, Optimus smiled.

"Kae reports that she and the fliers are on their way home," he stated aloud and over the Primary.

"Well good," Jacobs grinned, turning and striding toward his duties.

Immediately, Optimus strode to communications and nodded to Lena as she grinned, playing with the computers with one processor and monitoring the frequencies on the other.

"I don't understand why you guys don't use mates as relays, Kae's still out of range," Lena stated with a grin.

"Separation is not easy," Optimus rumbled patiently. Mildly surprised.

"Oh I know that bit, but he's right _here!_" Lena stated cheerfully, looking down at her chest bemusedly. "I know where my mate is!"

Optimus chuckled softly, turning to the human's catwalks and nodding to the techs on duty.

"Bringing up General Moreshower!" Jerry called out patiently.

"Optimus," Chris stated cheerfully.

"Chris, our fliers are coming home," Optimus rumbled patiently.

"Got an eta? The scientists want to watch them re-enter."

"There will be just enough time for your scientists to watch the entry of nine ground landings," Optimus rumbled with a snort.

"Prisoners?"

"Allies," Optimus rumbled patiently.

"Who?"

"I do not know."

"Let's try why?"

"My Kae wishes to surprise us with their identities, without doubt they are true allies." Optimus rumbled with a low chuckle.

* * *

(BPOV)

::. All-call, all Auto-bots to the central, please.:: Optimus called out over the Primary.

::. Bumblebee responding: I'm on my way!.:: he chirped cheerfully. In a moment he'd spun a donut on the highway, hopped the fences and landed on the opposite side, well away from the human drivers, of course.

Only Decepticons timed their landings to cause accidents.

A secondary processor idly flipped through the radio stations, Bee grinned as he hit the blues station, he logged it, a personal note to show it to Jazz.

Nothing bad happening, he decided on a bit of driving music and grinned, cranking his speakers to the max and giggling as the bass vibrated down to his tires and had him fairly hovering over the ground.

"Gangsta! Gangsta! So Gangsta!"

Bee couldn't help it, he was driving, but he wanted to dance. He onlined his holoform to do it instead, the form gesturing with one hand.

It was too much fun. As he drove down the ramps into NEST headquarters the song boomed out of his speakers.

"_Gangsta, got my diamond earrings, gangsta, gonna turn you on, so Gangsta, I preserve my sexy, and I'm gonna beat it up if you let me. Gangsta, Diamonds all up on me, Gangsta, gonna turn you on, So gangsta, I preserve my sexy and I'm packing heat so don't disrespect me. I'm just so damn glossy, And I know what you like, There ain't no gangsta's like me I'ma give it to ya every time! Hold up, and let me lace up the tim's I'm only twenty-six but so is the rims-"_

Sunstreaker was looking down at him askance, Bee grinned and offlined his holoform, switching songs and transforming.

"_We don't apologize, and that's just the way it is, but we can harmonize, even if we sound like shiit-_"

Sideswipe was howling with laughter, Jazz was grinning over at him and tapping his foot to the music, the way he always did. Bee cut the music and pointed to the central.

"Yeah we'ah going in, just waitin' fo' ya' Bee," Jazz grinned, shoving himself off of the wall and striding toward the central.

Bee grinned, then straightened his faceplates somewhat, the Primes were already in the central, Optimus was relaxed, and Sentinel sitting ramrod straight as he always did.

"Auto-bots," Optimus rumbled patiently, nodding to the bots on base all crowded around the walls. "The fliers will be returning to earth in eight hours, there are nine Auto-bot allies among them landing in formation off the coast."

"Who?" Jazz immediately asked.

"Kae wishes to surprise us as to their identity," Sentinel rasped out, crossing his arms somewhat.

"In the meantime, we have been requested to make a sweep of the country to attempt to draw out the remaining Decepticons on earth-"

"I'm taking Soundwave!" Bumblebee announced cheerfully.

"Inquiry: Where?"

"Dunno yet!"

Across the central, Bumblebee grinned as Soundwave turned to look at him curiously. All of the bots were.

"If you do not know where you are going – We have had this argument before, haven't we?" Optimus' voice rumbled with a low snort.

"I got me some scoutin' to do!" Bumblebee grinned, already, he was homed in on the thread stretching from Soundwave's spark. Scouting for Decepticons was an _excellent _reason to follow that spark-thread.

Soundwave remained frozen for a moment before looking at Optimus.

"It is of course, your choice Soundwave." Optimus chuckled. "At any rate, Jazz, Prowl, Sentinel and whomever else wishes to join us shall meet the newest arrivals. Bee has already designated himself scout-"

"Again," Sunstreaker murmured with a snort.

"-however more scanners will be needed, as I have little doubt that Bumblebee's scouting will be in a relatively straight line?" Optimus looked at him with amusement in his optics.

"_Mostly_..." Bumblebee muttered, glaring at the north-west direction of the thread.

Soundwave finally seemed to clue in to that.

"Soundwave: Accompany Bee-bot." The monotone voice announced.

Bee grinned.

"Very well, any others?" Optimus asked in amusement, looking around.

"_ROAD TRIP!_" Mudflap shouted.

"Road trip with a purpose, there are fliers to be attended to," Ratchet grumped immediately, glaring at the twins.

"What!?" Skids asked incredulously.

"Where?" Mudflap demanded.

"Nevada Aerial-bot Base." Ratchet grumped. "Cleanup of the minor casualties."

The twins eyed each other for a long moment and nodded to each other.

"ROAD TRIP!" they chorused gleefully.

"Before everyone is dismissed. This is the last call for Bumblebee's 'New human on Base' pool," Sentinel rumbled then.

Bee chirped as Soundwave looked around himself impassively.

"New humans on base: twenty recruits:" he began listing off the men's names patiently.

"Soundwave!" Ironhide rumbled. "Re-naming pool: Soundwave's human pool."

Soundwave promptly stared around himself.

"Soundwave: knows."

::. Wanna give me a hint? I haven't got the bet in yet...:: Ironhide's voice rumbled across a private channel.

"No cheating!" Bumblebee chirped irritably, glaring at Ironhide.

Soundwave chuckled and turned, striding from the central and leaving bots shaking heads in confusion. Bumblebee promptly passed the lists onto Prime. The standard way to keep anyone from cheating? Make Prime handle the bets. Even when he lost he admitted it.

Mostly.

Optimus hadn't bet anything anyway. He was too busy waiting for Kae to get home.

"Auto-bots, Roll out!" Optimus called out and Bee was rolling, streaking after Soundwave as the mech glanced at him and transformed into the flier that was his more comfortable form.

::. Soundwave: Initiating-.::

::. Scout can't see his own thread.:: Bumblebee interjected with a snort.

::. Soundwave: observe if Bee-bot have thread?.::

Bumblebee snorted and grinned, he didn't have a thread, he'd see it if he did.

* * *

A/N: see that? That's a glitch right there XD. Scout-glitch! Songs for today are Gangsta Sexy and Apologize, both by Hollywood Undead


	187. 184 Lost and Found

First off, a million, billion thanks to Retrobot for allowing me the use of her Silvermoon, if you have not yet read "There's Somebot for Everybot" I highly suggest it. Massively. As in if I ever have writer's block it's one of those stories that after a few chapters my fingers start itching. Read it. Next on the docket is several units of Energon Goodies to Bee4ever, who is far too patient with me. Love you Bee.

As always, anything that you recognize, I simply don't own, I wish I did, but I don't.

**Chapter 184 – Lost and Found**

* * *

(MPOV)

::. Air Commander Starscream to Archangel Prime.:: Starscream sent to me patiently.

::. Archangel receiving.:: I sent in return.

::. You're entering with the grounders Prime?.::

::. Ratchet is already at Nevada, waiting for the casualties.:: I sent patiently.

::. The _Hatchet_ is waiting for us?.:: one of the injured being towed asked fearfully.

::. Don't be afraid of him.:: I sent to the injured gently. ::. You are his allies, now, and he won't start whacking you with his wrenches until you're properly repaired.::

::. But I have fought against him!.::

::. That doesn't matter, anymore.:: I chuckled softly. ::. Flier or grounder, my spark-father cares for all, it is his chosen programming.::

::. Ratchet has _always_ been thus.:: Magnus murmured patiently. ::. Even during our battles on Cybertron, any prisoner of war was treated with respect, maintained to the utmost of his abilities...::

::. That's true...:: Thrust murmured musingly.

::. Archangel, requesting permission to enter the atmosphere.:: Magnus proclaimed patiently.

::. Archangel calling ground control.:: I replied in return.

::. This is the earth-space control, Archangel, all bots are cleared for entry.::

I smiled as the fliers took no time in obeying, the hundredfold immediately diving into the atmosphere and switching to their air-pusher engines. Over the desert that hundredfold aerial-bots began to circle over the monolith, any number of reporters and civilian cameras pointed skyward to watch the ballet of fliers.

Magnus looked to me as his unit compressed themselves into the space-pods that made ground entries less unpleasant.

::. I'll propel you into the atmosphere.:: I informed him gently. Magnus nodded and watched as those of his unit dove into the atmosphere. He compressed himself into the space-flight crippled pod and I gently directed him into the true gravitational pull of my home planet.

Close behind, I followed, switching into my flier frame and to air-pusher engines.

The satisfactory explosion of power in my engines and I followed the bots as their frames heated. I watched carefully as Magnus flew somewhat further, he had no propulsion to speak of for the moment. The Decepticons had taken it.

Then finally, as we had calculated, the eight touched down... well... _ploughed _down where there were no humans or infrastructure to be damaged. Magnus flew somewhat further, but still landed well within the grounding limits.

I circled a moment, scanning the area before touching down.

Automatically, my Optimus reached out, tucking me against his chest even as my arms wandered around his waist.

~I have missed you, my light~ his spark whispered to mine.

~I have missed you, my strength~ I replied gently, cuddling against him for a moment before we turned, watching the grounders as they regained their bipedal frames once more.

Three fliers in formation made their way toward us, I glanced up and relaxed. Starscream and his trine were coming to check up on us.

I smiled at them as they landed fairly close beside me.

"Air Commander," I acknowledged him immediately, nodding differentially to him.

"Prime," he nodded to me.

"Any news on Megatron?" I asked quietly.

"No, did you expect any?" Starscream asked, rolling his optics.

"No," I sighed. "It is unfortunate that he paid attention to your lessons in evasion."

"Agreed," Starscream nodded with a small frown. "Regardless. Final reports: we have one trine dead, their husks are rapidly degrading, which leads us to believe they do not wish to return. Two are in stasis, the third of their trine survives and wishes you to return to Nevada to follow their sparks."

"I will return with you," I nodded patiently.

"Not _that_ much of a rush," Skywarp stated cheerfully.

"Besides, you still have Primely stuff to do!" Thundercracker snorted. I rolled my optics at the three of them, Starscream himself was chuckling softly in the flier's voice.

Fliers had weird senses of humour. I rather liked it.

"Prime," Starscream nodded to my mate.

"Starscream," my Optimus rumbled patiently, nodding and offering his arm to all three of the trine. "I have not yet had occasion to apologize to you."

Starscream gave my mate a blank look.

"I tore your arm from your shoulder and beat you with it," Optimus rumbled patiently.

"You tore it out of the socket, easily repaired," Starscream stated airily, catching my mate's arm with his own. "I appreciate the sentiment, Prime, even _if _it comes from a grounder."

"With borrowed wings," Skywarp added with a small snort.

"Eventually my Kae will explain your humour, Skywarp," my Optimus chuckled softly, nodding to Skywarp and Thundercracker in turn.

"Our humour is quite simple," Thundercracker stated cheerfully.

"It is the mind that requires explanation," Skywarp continued for him.

"To a flier, nothing takes precedence over flight," I murmured with a small smile. "Therefore any other situation taken seriously is a joke."

"_Nothing _is more important than flight." Starscream stated piously.

"Even your leadership?" my Optimus rumbled curiously.

"Screamer's weird like that-" Thundercracker snorted.

"Leadership's a close second." Skywarp finished.

Starscream rolled his optics and turned with us as I looked at Ultra Magnus, the Mech standing and striding patiently toward us.

"Hail Optimus Prime!" Ultra Magnus proclaimed, offering his arm formally.

"Ultra Magnus, it is good to see you have survived," my Optimus immediately rumbled, striding forward and catching the mech's arm. Magnus looked rather surprised when Optimus pulled his arm tightly to his chest and pulled the mech into a one-armed hug.

But that didn't stop him from immediately reciprocating the hug.

I smiled and turned to the other arrivals, just in time to watch as Prowl caught two mechs... or rather... on closer inspection a young mech and a femme in heavy mech's styled armour – into his embrace.

* * *

(JPOV)

Jazz was grinning, he couldn't help it.

Right in front of him, Prowl was striding forward and catching hold of two bots he'd prayed to see that mech meet in this dimension. As was proper, everybot waited until the three separated before addressing them.

That took a while.

Not that Jazz really blamed the mech, it wasn't everyday that your long lost mate and adopted creation landed on the same planet that you and your unit were taking refuge on.

"'Ey Silvamoo'" he grinned at the femme. "Wha' happened t' yah armah?"

"That was my idea!" Bluestreak was immediately babbling away. "We didn't want anybot to know that Carrier is my Carrier so she's wearing my old youngling armour she really looks mechly doesn't she? I mean not that Carrier isn't still gorgeous but at least she doesn't look like a femme I mean-"

"We get what you mean, Blue," Silvermoon stated fondly as Prowl shook his helm, no doubt trying to keep up with the youngling's speech. "Blame Blurr," she added, looking fondly up at the mech keeping her trapped against his chest.

Prowl smiled somewhat as Bluestreak fairly pounced on the pair.

"Creator I can't believe we found you! I mean Carrier was pretty sure which direction we needed to take to get to you but then we got captured by the Iaconian Decepticons and they _brought us here! Can you believe it!?_ They didn't even figure out that Carrier is a _femme!"_

"An excellent strategy," Kae murmured behind him. Jazz grinned and turned, gesturing the mate of his Prime forward. "Why do I get the sense I'm the only one out of touch?"

"Probably 'cause yah ah," Jazz snorted. "Silvamoo', Ah bet you lot haven't managed to do any propah intraductions. This is Ahchangel Prime, Lady High Protectah and bonded mate of Optimus Prime."

"An honour," Silvermoon murmured, immediately reaching forward and catching Kae's offered arm. "May I ask what a flier is doing bonding to a grounder?"

Right on cue, Kae laughed. Not just any laugh either, it was that low, purring chuckle that somehow marked her as a Prime in his own mind.

"That is an incredibly long story," Kae murmured with a smile.

"Long story that hasn't even managed to cover a quarter-vorn," Jazz snorted, lightly shoving Kae. She nudged him back, never offering enough pressure to even _dent_ his armour.

Just enough to make him sidestep as much as she had.

"So you're the leader of the fliers?" Blurr asked at his usual high speed, Jazz rolled his optics somewhat.

"No," Kae snorted. Jazz couldn't help but look at her curiously. Technically, she _was..._

"Uh..." he started with a small frown.

"My grandfather is," Kae shrugged patiently, glancing down at him.

"It's no use arguing with her about it!" Starscream called over with a snort. Jazz glanced over and reached out, lightly touching Silvermoon's shoulder plating as she eyed the seeker with a well concealed but still frosty gaze.

"E's an ally nah, it's a long stah'y Silva'moo'," he muttered.

"One which I would rather like to hear, _soon._" Silvermoon murmured in a prim tone.

* * *

(BPOV)

Bumblebee chased after the thread. It was his favourite reason for being a scout. He got to find spark-mates. He'd been driving for two days now, Soundwave occasionally pulling in front, but typically the older mech shadowed him.

::. Ratchet to Bumblebee.::

::. Responding.::

::. What are you doing in this sector?.::

::. Sparkmate hunting!.:: Bumblebee grinned.

::. Out _here!?_.:: Ratchet demanded incredulously.

::. Affirmative.:: Soundwave stated patiently. Bumblebee grinned and threw on a bit more speed, the thread had steadily become stronger over the past two days, nobody had bothered to attack them.

All in all, _awesome road trip!_

Most of the time, Bumblebee had chattered incessantly at Soundwave, testing the mech in his own way. Because the fact of the matter was that the more patient a mech, the more polite they were when they told Bee to shut up.

So far, Soundwave had only twice requested that Bee shut up.

Twice. Both times they had literally been a request, no order, no nothing. Just the quiet, patient request for Bumblebee to 'temporarily halt vocal patterns for purpose of recharge'.

Bee had laughed and simply played the human's radio stations to himself for the Joor that Soundwave had napped on his tires, proximitying the smaller scout.

They were getting really close now, Soundwave could obviously sense that. The outwardly patient, unhurried mech was riding Bee's bumper, forcing... okay not really _forcing_ Bee to pick up his speed, he did that _anyway_.

He _liked_ fast.

High overhead, one of the flier trines lazily circled in the air, Bee idly scanned them and snorted as his systems went into high alert. Old habits died hard.

::. We have no plan to attack you, scout.:: Starscream's voice grumbled over the comm the next moment.

::. Sorry, habit.:: Bee responded with another snort of amusement, re-setting his systems _again_ and taking his weapons and tracking systems offline.

Too soon, Skywarp dove and buzzed him, proximity alarms immediately firing his defence systems into maximum overdrive. Soundwave had to swerve around him to avoid running straight into his legs as he flashed into alt-form and aimed.

It was automatic. Bumblebee glared up at the laughing Skywarp as he flipped a few barrel rolls and winked out of sight.

Slagging teleporter.

Mind, a little bit of forgiveness wormed it's way into his spark the second his comm flared to life again.

Skywarp's voice, chirping, laughing, but the words meant more that way.

::. Sorry, habit.::

* * *

(RPOV)

Ratchet heaved a sigh as he watched his young, twin apprentices as they worked away at mending the little bits of damage on this seeker and that flier. They were learning, _quickly,_ and he was grateful for it.

The more they learned, the more their habit of tearing each other apart ceased, their teamwork was increasing by leaps and bounds. It was becoming a rapid habit between the two of them, their shared spark and ability to _think_ together practically made them one medic with double the processing power and four servos.

Ratchet almost envied them that, they could just as easily repair one mech between them as he could with the aid of his old sparkless drones.

Their holoform skills were increasing as well, now, increasing that four handed team to eight.

Most of their scuffles were with the holoforms now, too. It had taken a great deal of self control for him to not join in in the betting the fliers had been making on the outcome of the holo-battles the twins engaged in in the middle of repairing a bot.

To his amusement, that in itself had spurred no few of the fliers into requesting the coding required for the holoforms. After all, there was _far_ less damage inherent to killing each other's holoforms over denting each other's armour.

That had been a fascinating study in of itself. Apparently, the Vosian frames prompted an interesting type of human counterpart. They were male... mostly... there was a certain femininity about the harshly angular human visages, and long limbs of the fliers. The few femmes in the flock differed only in one way, (besides affecting the human anatomy) their faces were marginally softer, reflecting the curves of the femmes.

Distractedly, Ratchet returned his attention to monitoring the twins out of the corner of his optic as they continued mending the bumps and scrapes that had been shunted to the lowest priority, their habit of commenting as they did so required... further training.

By no means did Ratchet pretend to have a... _pleasant_ bedside manner. But then again he had _developed _his particular bedside manner over the course of several vorn. Nova had helped him with it extensively.

Mostly he'd done everything Nova had told him not to do.

He thought back to his first spark-mate with some sadness. Nova had always been the nurturing type, had shone in his tasks as a nursery attendant.

However Nova was gone, and Ratchet sure as _slag_ wasn't a _nursery attendant!_

For the most part, he scolded. It worked. And as much as his patients often whined and _acted_ like a load of sparkings, they weren't. Mostly.

He vented a quiet sigh, because even as his beloved mate gently touched his spark with her own and soothed the hurt of the past, he still missed the 'family' practice he had served in in the first vorn of his bonding with Nova.

Ratchet looked back at the twins and frowned.

They were remaining still, and staring at him.

"And what are you doing idling about?" he growled.

"Uh..." Skids started.

"That was kinda the las' one," Mudflap interjected, gesturing over his shoulder.

"Yo've bin standin' there fo' a breem Ratch,"

"An' yo still ain't soundin' too happy 'bout it,"

"So we's still tryin' t' figger out,"

"If we's gotta make a fast getaway..."

The twins looked at him apprehensively and Ratchet heaved a sigh.

"No, go, rest," he rumbled heavily, turning and sitting at the bench reserved for the head medic of the Nevada base.

"You's okay boss?" Mudflap asked tentatively.

"I need to train you somewhat more on your bedside manners," Ratchet muttered, more to himself than anyone else.

"Aaww..." Skids muttered. Ratchet looked up at them, honestly surprised.

Usually when he told them to go away to do whatever they wanted they were out of the med-bay before he'd finished the sentence.

"I thought we was doin' pretty good tellin' them fliers to stay down on the ground to heal up," Mudflap stated in a mildly defensive tone.

"Four needed more fear put into them as to the ramifications of _not_ staying on the ground," Ratchet informed his apprentices patiently.

"Which four?" Skids asked intently.

"Ramjet, Skyblade, Icefight and Redwing."

"Well then we's just gonna have ta go scare 'em s'more!" Mudflap grinned.

Ratchet sat and watched his young apprentices as they began flexing their servos, grinning at each other. He reached into his subspace and pulled out two identical wrenches, snorting as the two of them instantly shied from them. Two identical wrenches, identical to a third, his most favoured _first_ wrench, given to him by medic Spanner. He rarely used it to adjust anything in his patients, he had over a hundred pieces of medical equipment in his subspace _alone_ for _that_, the wrenches were weighted perfectly to dent helm and armour with an effortless swing.

"I believe it's time you learned how to _use _these," he stated patiently, reversing the handles in his servos and offering them to the now wide-eyed, astonished twins.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus vented a sigh, watching as his mate leaped into the air once more, closely followed by the command trine.

Stasis wasn't death, and her spark-father would be close at servo to attend whatever damage his mate managed to do to herself reviving the downed fliers.

But it didn't make the fact that he had seen his mate for all of two breem any better.

"We're allied with _Starscream_ now!?" Silvermoon's voice demanded incredulously behind him.

"It's a long stah'y, Silvamoo'. If yah c'n b'lieve it E's nah tha' bad a saht t' hang aroun' with anymah," Jazz immediately replied.

"I do not recognize her build, Vosians do not typically have such..." Ultra Magnus began curiously.

"Well defined almost _Praxian_ builds! She's like a Praxian and a Vosian meshed _together_!" Bluestreak stated excitedly. "Where'd she get her build stats? I almost wish I'd seen her before I'd chosen my adult form it's really really neat! Not that I'm not happy with the Praxian frame Creator but she's a Praxian with _wings!"_

"Prime?" Prowl murmured.

Optimus turned and smiled at the newly arrived Auto-bots. It wasn't quite the grin which had become his norm, but his mate was not there to spur his grin.

Regardless, Ultra Magnus and the bots whom had gathered around him were staring at him in shock for the sheer fact that he was smiling.

It was a pleasant feeling.

"Well I'll say _this_ about her, she certainly seems do be doing the Prime some good, flier frame or _not_," Silvermoon commented quietly to her mate.

Optimus smiled somewhat more and straightened, as Prime it was his duty to oversee his troops.

"Magnus, Cliffjumper, Blurr, Red Alert, Hound, Trailbreaker, Tracks, Silvermoon, Bluestreak," he rumbled calmly, looking at each Auto-bot as he spoke their names. "Welcome to the planet we have taken temporary refuge on; Designation Earth..."

* * *

(SwPOV)

Soundwave knew his sparkmate. The moment her face was on the scout's list he had simply known it was her. His spark knew her. He had not bothered with the other nineteen females of the list, every spare moment he had had in his pre-battle scouting had been devoted to getting within ten feet of his femme.

He was not surprised when Bee had immediately taken to staring at his chest the moment he landed.

He knew.

He had not yet spoken to his femme, he hoped she would like him. The humans were not constrained by the fates, not as much as he.

Bumblebee was taking point, as was the little scout's habit, chasing after the thread that Soundwave could not see emanate from his spark.

But they both knew it was there.

They were getting close, they both knew it. Anytime Soundwave increased his speed and power outputs, Bumblebee would match him without comment.

Kind of him.

Soundwave knew his sparkmate, his spark knew. It was that same feeling he had had the moment he had laid optics on the tiny femling he had raised from her sparkinghood.

But Nightsong had been given to him by her parental creators, the scouts had immediately remarked on the thread between them. He had been her guardian from the moment her optics had onlined. Soundwave had always been patient with her, rarely had there been an orn in her sparkinghood where she did not rest beside his spark for some few joor of the orn. When she grew old enough he would take her to her lessons, attend to his duties and retrieve her at the correct time.

His schedule had been precise. Flawlessly precise. Never once had he failed to retrieve her at the precise time she knew he would be there.

Because war and peacetimes be damned, his world had revolved around his Nightsong from the moment she had smiled at him.

When Nightsong was a youngling, Soundwave had taken delight in finding new soundbytes for her, adding them without pause to his repertoire for her. Her creators had named her Silverblade, and when she was due to receive her adult body had encouraged her to choose a Vosian frame, to become a flier in the battles.

He remembered the last time he'd seen her in her youngling frame, her large, earnest blue optics locked onto his as she demanded what frame he would accept of her. What frame he would find the most comely, so that he'd court her.

Soundwave remembered fondly the way her optics had widened further when he'd receded his visor and informed her that with her permission, he would court her even if she decided to become a digger.

She hadn't though, despite her creator's wishes Nightsong's spark had chosen a Praxian frame, lithe, beautiful, and yet despite her speed and skill with blaster and blade, her hands had always been best occupied with the Luthre.

Her spark-chamber had re-named herself Nightsong.

Softly, in a back processor he played the song she had composed for him, a song that he had stored in a multitude of places, for fear of forgetting it as a result of the slaggings he'd endured.

::. Whatcha thinkin' about Soundwave?.:: Bumblebee's voice intruded into his thoughts.

::. Soundwave: remembering Nightsong.:: he replied quietly.

Across the comm Soundwave sensed the scout's sage nod.

::. Your spark remembers her.:: the scout murmured patiently, he hesitated for a moment. ::. You know we might not find Nightsong's spark re-born at the end of the thread, you know that, right?.::

::. Soundwave: aware. Probability of finding same spark: two percent. Probability of finding same Nightsong: zero.::


	188. 185 A Bit More Normal

**Chapter 185 – A Bit More Normal**

* * *

(WPOV)

It'd been two weeks since Kae had been back to base, one of the bot's orns. It'd been an absolutely _blissfully_ uneventful orn. Sort of.

Will had spent a great deal of the past two orn tearing his hair out, figuratively of course, although he was certain he could feel the greys coming in. But the fliers had successfully taken out the incoming hostiles, and the brig was full of Decepticons from the 'quick little sortie,' as Sunstreaker put it.

That was a little weird though. The NEST base, in the outskirts of Washington DC, capital city of the Unites States of America, was full of Decepticons.

Unarmed, of course, but not one of them was less than ten feet tall. They didn't really _need_ weapons to do some serious damage.

So Will was waiting for Optimus and Kae to both make it back to base.

He needed to discuss this.

Discuss, not yell. Yelling was what the Directors tended to do.

Which was what was going to happen if the President or the Directors ever found out that the brig was currently _stuffed_ with Decepticons.

In Washington DC.

"_WILL!_" Ironhide's voice bellowed.

Will didn't even flinch. Ironhide tended to do that. A _lot_. Specifically, eighteen hundred five. Six oh five friday, the time that Ironhide took him home.

"Yes Ironhide?" he asked patiently, turning to look at his guardian.

"Home time Will!" Ironhide grinned at him. That was a relief, Ironhide saying it was home time? _That's_ how he knew things were back to normal.

"Be honest Ironhide, you have absolutely no interest in driving me home, you just want to continue corrupting my daughter." Will stated calmly. Perfect straight face. He was rather proud of that.

"I what-!? _NO!_" Ironhide immediately stated in a shocked tone, that was the only way to get him to look shocked. "Anabelle is incorruptible!"

"What's this?" Chromia's voice asked flatly.

"Ironhide's corrupting my daughter," Will stated in his best, mockingly earnest voice.

"Who's side are you on?" Ironhide immediately growled at him.

"You're corrupting hatchlings?" Chromia's voice asked in a menacing tone. Will flinched, so did Ironhide, and practically every tech in communications. You just couldn't help it.

"_No!"_ Ironhide protested, and there was the look, the pleading 'please don't get me in trouble even _if_ there's the possibility that I did something wrong' look.

It'd been two weeks since he'd seen that look. He'd _missed _that look.

"He is," Will stated in a grave tone. "Every time Ironhide is anywhere _close_ to my daughter she starts demanding any and every piece of knowledge Ironhide'll share with her. He's almost run out of English, History, Astronomy, Science and Mathematics, what's next 'Hide? Are you going to turn my daughter – who has not yet been enrolled into _kindergarten_ I might add – into a computer technician now?"

"But she advances so Primus damned _quickly_!" Ironhide snarled. "What am I supposed to do? Tell her that 'no, you can't learn what the big humans are talking about yet, let's play _dolls_?'"

Chromia looked confused.

Shocked Ironhide, confused Chromia.

Crouching tiger, hidden dragon.

Score.

"Besides, Anabelle and Sarah both know we're going to be late, I need to stay here and talk to Kae and Optimus, remember?" Will stated innocently. "I swear Ironhide, the only time you forget the schedule changes is when you're contemplating how further to corrupt my daughter."

Lena was snorting softly, Will smirked at his former night Tech Lieutenant. Chromia just shot him one of those 'are you serious?' looks.

"You thought I could help it?" Will immediately grinned at the intimidating femme.

"Apparently, I thought better of you," Chromia informed him airily. "Sarah and I will be _discussing_ this. Will."

Will flinched, he couldn't help it.

Right back to normal.

* * *

(BPOV)

There was an energon signature in the house.

Bee didn't recognize it. He'd been staking the house out for twenty minutes now, the thread lead into it.

Soundwave was parked behind him, patiently waiting for the next move.

But there was an energon signature in the house of the femme.

And Bee didn't recognize it.

There were a million probabilities running through his processors, for what purpose could another Cybertronian be in the house? Was the femme in danger?

::. Inquiry: Scout's processes.::

::. There's an energon signature in the house, I don't recognize it.:: Bumblebee sent worriedly .

::. Signature: Wingnut femme.::

::. I logged Wingnut's signature-.::

::. Bumblebee: Logged Wingnut disguising signature.::

Bumblebee scanned the house again, one Cybertronian signature, one human femme.

::. Are you sure?.:: he asked worriedly. He didn't recognize the signature, and when that happened there was always the chance that somebody would get hurt when another bot busted in.

Crossfire and whatnot.

Bumblebee didn't want to take the chance with what was very obviously Soundwave's future spark-mate, and hurting humans didn't jive with the Auto-bot beliefs anyway.

::. Bumblebee: observe auditory signatures.:: Soundwave sent to him patiently.

Birds in the trees, the hum of electricity running through the lines above him, traffic. The normal sounds of a human city. There was music playing somewhere.

But Bee was focused on the house, and the Cybertronian signature still sitting where a Cybertronian signature shouldn't be under normal circumstances.

Then finally, the music ceased and the voices began.

"I _still_ think you should come with me Sim."

"But where would we go Wing?"

"I dunno, _Cybertron_ once Papa has the complex secured. We'd be safe there."

"Wing I probably wouldn't _survive_ on another _planet_," the first voice murmured in amusement. "How would we even get there? It's mathematically impossible for me to survive the distance we'd have to travel."

Bee sat on his tires, stunned.

::. How the slag do you always know that!?.:: he demanded of the bot parked behind him.

::. Femme Designation: Symphony.:: Soundwave stated patiently. ::. Symphony: habitually visited Lugnut, Longbolt, Wingnut on farm. Wingnut: obviously visiting femme-friend.::

Bumblebee rolled his optics, he couldn't help it.

::. If you knew that already what am I here for?.:: he asked with a snort.

::. Confirmation.::

Bee pursed his lip plating and shrugged. Fair enough.

But neither of them moved.

::. Inquiry: Now what?.::

Bee sat for another second.

::. I dunno, should I go knock on the door with my holoform? Wait, have you even got a holoform yet?.::

::. Negative.::

::. Slag. Bumblebee to Ratchet.::

::. Ratchet receiving.::

::. Ratchet can you send the holoformatic programming to Soundwave? We forgot that bit.::

Bee grinned when the sense and sound of Ratchet snorting with laughter crossed their commlink.

* * *

(OPOV)

Optimus vented a sigh and straightened somewhat, scanning the last of the datas on Prowl's desk. It was something to do while he waited for his Kae to return, the stack of day to day logs and reports had grown numerous in the past orn, for good reason.

Prowl hadn't set servo in this office since the fliers had returned.

More aptly? Prowl hadn't _emerged_ from his quarters since his mate had arrived, and not a single Auto-bot on base could blame the mech.

The door opened and Optimus glanced up.

"Bored yet?" Kae asked cheerfully. Optimus fell off of his bench.

Prowl's bench.

"Remind me to not do that if sneaking up on you now means you falling off of things," his mate teased him. Optimus snorted and rolled to his feet.

"It is a short bench," he rumbled cheerfully. "You have finally allowed Sentinel to bridge you."

"I _still _prefer flying."

Optimus snorted again and wound his femme into the circle of his arms. "Bridging isn't _that_ bad," he murmured, nuzzling at her helm.

"I prefer _driving _over bridging, and the _only_ time I like driving is when I'm running convoy with you," his mate pouted up at him, propping her chin against his chestplates.

"The only time I enjoy being off the ground is when I am flying with you," Optimus murmured quietly. Kae smiled at him, nuzzling her way just a little bit closer.

The way she always did, and as was his habit, Optimus lightly ran his fingers over the chinks in her armour, unconsciously mapping the frame of his femme.

"If you don't stop doing that I'm not going to be able to attend the meeting," his Kae murmured into his chest.

"One more Joor," Optimus sighed.

"The sooner we get there, the sooner we can leave," his mate murmured in a musing tone.

Optimus snorted, he couldn't help it as his Kae caught his hand and turned, the door opening as the final trek of the evening began.

"Doesn't do to be _late_," Kae stated cheerfully, grinning at Sentinel. Optimus idly hid his face behind his mate's helm, not allowing Sentinel to see his smirk.

"We are Primes-" Sentinel rumbled airily at the door.

"You're not late, everybody else is early?" Kae asked innocently, dodging the whack Sentinel aimed at her. "In that case I think I'll stick with predator, you Primes are too bloody pompous for your own good."

Sentinel just rolled his optics at her, Optimus snorted.

"You _are _a Prime. Born the fifth generation of a _line_ of Primes-" Sentinel informed Kae. Again. Optimus desperately tried to not laugh. He really did.

It just didn't work.

Because his mate was at his side, and she was playing the games she always did to help keep her mind sharp.

Namely, triggering the automatic responses of the bots and femmes around her. Sentinel glared at him for laughing. Sentinel had _always_ glared at him for laughing. Not that his old mentor and friend really found anything _wrong_ with him enjoying life.

It was just un-Primely to walk down the corridors giggling like a youngling.

The clang of metal against metal startled him somewhat, he glanced between his mate and his friend curiously as Sentinel glowered somewhat.

Kae had blocked the light cuff aimed at his helm before Sentinel could even catch him, they had frozen that way, Kae's hand firmly wrapped around Sentinel's wrist.

"It is un-Primely-" Sentinel began.

"-For the Emperor of Cybertron to laugh as he walks the corridors on the way to yet _another_ meeting full of seriousness, revisions of tactics and grim-yet-still-hopeful projections of the battles ahead." his Kae finished for Sentinel. Optimus cycled his optics, he couldn't help it.

Because the spark of his Kae had settled on another tactic, he was curious to see how it would play out.

"Indeed, and yet you _still_ make him laugh and behave in an unseemly manner where others are available to bear witness," Sentinel glowered at her.

"Sentinel Prime I have not seen my _mate_ for more than a few minutes at a time in damn near five weeks. You're holding me from my duty again." Kae glowered right back at him.

Sentinel stared at her, frozen in the corridor and keeping them from continuing to central.

"How?" the older Prime demanded in shock.

"As the Lady High Protector and mate of the Emperor Prime it is my duty not only to see to the continued existence of the body of the Prime but the state of his processors," Kae stated in her best, mocking, 'sternly better-than-thou' tone. "Optimus has been subjected to extreme duress and strain for the past several vorn, as such _I_ am going to make my beloved mate giggle in the corridors whenever I damn well please; and if you wish to take _issue_ with it you can blame yourself for welding the title of Lady High Protector to my aft without _asking first!_"

Dead silence.

Optimus reached up and covered his vocal processors with a hand. It was a necessity for the purpose of not laughing aloud at the stunned look plastered onto Sentinel's faceplates.

"She is never going to allow me to live that down, is she?" Sentinel finally asked in a resigned tone, looking at Optimus.

Optimus snorted, he couldn't help it.

"My Kae is yet young, give her a few vorn to get used to the weight of the titles," Optimus rumbled in a mockingly musing tone, grinning and automatically ducking the light whack his mate aimed at him. Two could play her game, after all.

"As yah c'n tell, even as a younglin' Ahchangel is ah'eady becomin' as p'oficient at whippin' hah titles about as she is hah blades," Jazz added cheerfully behind him.

"Whose side are you on anyway?" Kae demanded with a snort, turning and glaring at the Saboteur.

"Optimus'. Duh." Jazz smirked at her.

* * *

(SwPOV)

"How would we even get there? It's mathematically impossible for me to survive the distance we'd have to travel."

It wasn't, but without doubt his femme had yet to attend Sentinel Prime's lectures. This was the second time Soundwave had heard the voice of his femme, except now he knew it was her. It was a certainty, a full scout was parked in front of him, confirming the thread from his spark and it's path.

::. How the slag do you always know that!?.:: Bumblebee demanded of him.

::. Femme Designation: Symphony.:: Soundwave stated patiently. ::. Symphony: habitually visited Lugnut, Longbolt, Wingnut on farm. Wingnut: obviously visiting femme-friend.::

"I'm pretty sure humans can use bridges," Wingnut's voice stated cheerfully.

"We _build_ bridges," Symphony's voice murmured in a confused tone. "What does crossing a river have to do with space travel?"

::. If you knew that already what am_ I_ here for?.:: Bumblebee asked with a snort.

::. Confirmation.::

Soundwave could sense the scout's agreement to that.

But neither of them moved. Soundwave didn't know what to do. He was here. It _would_ have been logical for him to plan the next several steps to be followed upon arriving at their destination, however the methods for courting a human femme were not within his lexicon of cultural investigations, and the pre-requisite data input for calculating human courtship was unavailable. Therefore he couldn't use his battle computer.

"No, _Space_ Bridge, it goes across really really long distances in seconds," Wingnut's voice stated cheerfully. "But the point stands, I _still_ think you should come with me."

"And go where?" Symphony's voice murmured sadly.

He couldn't use his battle computer, which had him marginally slagged off if he were perfectly honest. Nightsong had laughed at him when he'd admitted that his courtship of her had already been calculated down to the energon goodies he was to retrieve for her from the nomads.

Bumblebee however, had _witnessed_ the courtship of the Primes...

::. Inquiry: Now what?.:: Soundwave sent curiously.

::. I dunno, should I go knock on the door with my holoform? Wait, have you even got a holoform yet?.::

::. Negative.:: Soundwave stated patiently, but that was an interesting piece of information. Evidently, the mechs had taken to interacting with the human femmes with holoforms.

"I dunno where we'd wind up, but I _do _know which direction we need to take," Wingnut stated cheerfully.

::. Slag. Bumblebee to Ratchet.:: Bumblebee sent, opening a commlink with practiced ease.

::. Ratchet receiving.::

"And which direction is that?" Symphony's voice asked in soft amusement.

"That way," Wingnut stated proudly.

::. Ratchet can you send the holoformatic programming to Soundwave? We forgot that bit.::

"Which way are you pointing?" Symphony murmured curiously.

"Oh right! I'm pointing toward your front door!" Wingnut stated cheerfully. "Well how about you come for a drive with me anyway? If we don't get to where we're going in time for you to refuel I'll bring you back kay?"

Soundwave patiently reviewed the data being sent to him by the medic, paying only half attention to the conversations around him. It was distracting to say the least, the medic had devised a fascinating set of coding allowing for the bending of light to produce a human form that called upon the dimensions of the Cybertronian form. In short, it made men out of mechs.

Soundwave brought his new holoform online and scanned it critically. All coding was working properly.

::. Soundwave quick get rid of your slagging visor on the holoform and turn around! They're coming out!.:: Bumblebee sent with a chirping laugh. Obediently, Soundwave reached up and removed the optic coverings of the human variety as he turned, scanners and holoformatic eyes both turning to look at the human femme being led out of her front door by a Wrecker femme still wearing her brother's youngling armour.

* * *

(JPOV)

Jacobs stood and crossed his arms.

There were Decepticons in the NEST base. It didn't really matter that he was off duty now, he was on high alert. He couldn't help it.

He was also fully armed.

"What the slag are you doing in your armour?" Sunstreaker demanded. Jacobs jumped about a foot in the air. How the slag a seventeen foot mechanical being managed to constantly sneak up behind him was something he was going to demand to know next time said mechanical being was overcharged.

"Base is full of Decepticons," Jacobs grumbled, he shot a small glare up at Sunstreaker then shrugged. Getting through to Sunstreaker took some doing sometimes, and glaring didn't do jack shit.

"They're locked away in the brig," Sunstreaker grumbled right back at him.

"Oh really, so you're going to leave _your_ cannons and blades in your quarters while they're here?" Jacobs shot back at the mech. He was tetchy, he couldn't help it.

The smallest mech in the brig topped ten feet. If they got out, shit was going down.

"They're not getting out and they're not gonna be there for much longer anyway," Sunstreaker shrugged. Jacobs turned and stared at the mech, his unlikely friend and comrade in arms smirked down at him. "Let me revise that statement. They're gone."

"_They're WHAT!?_" Jacobs bellowed. In an instant he had his weaponry online as he sprinted toward the brig. Ineffectively of course. In a moment he was in Sunstreaker's hands, his legs thrashing in the air as the mech idly carried him by the armpits.

"_Sunstreaker what the slag is going on!?"_ Jacobs bellowed at his friend as the mech made his casual way to the brig.

True to his word, it was empty.

"Sunstreaker?" Optimus' voice rumbled in a warning tone.

"No problem boss," Sunstreaker drawled above him. Jacobs glowered around himself, glaring at the empty cells of the brig. "Jacobs was just running around the corridors with his guns out."

"Lieutenant Jacobs running with your weaponry in the base-" Prowl began.

"_Where the slag did the Decepticons go!?_" Jacobs bellowed.

Dead silence.

"Hey loo' at tha'! Th' cells ah empty!" Jazz' voice exclaimed cheerfully.

"_Have you completely lost your Auto-bot minds!?"_ Jacobs bellowed at the mechs casually standing around the empty brig.

"If I may be excused Prime?" Prowl stated quietly, glancing at the door.

"Of course," Kae smiled at him. The enforcer, the logical one promptly abandoned the empty brig.

The empty brig that not twenty minutes ago had had dozens of Decepticons crammed into it's cells.

"Kae I'm begging you, what that fuck is happening!?" Jacobs damn near sobbed. Nothing made sense, the cells were empty and nobody else was panicking.

"It's okay Jacobs, Sentinel bridged them to the cells Gouger just finished preparing under the Nevada base," Kae told him placatingly.

Well.

_That_ was a climactic letdown.

"You couldn't have just _told _me?" Jacobs immediately snarled, squirming in Sunstreaker's hands to glare at the shiny golden mech.

"It's more fun watching you panic, squishy." Sunstreaker informed him cheerfully.

"Just for that I'm not going to bother repairing that massive nick in your paint for you," Jacobs stated flatly. Lying, of course, there was no nick in Sunstreaker's perfect paint job.

But in a matter of seconds Jacobs was on his feet again, watching with a self-satisfied smirk as Sunstreaker fled the brig in search of his mirror and paintbrushes.

"Tha' was mean," Jazz informed him with a snort.

"_That's _what he gets for calling me squishy."


	189. 186 Symphony

To all of my dear, wonderful readers and reviewers my sincerest apologies. A Single Change is going to have to go on hiatus for a while, I'm not certain how long, hopefully a short one, anyway. To be perfectly honest in the wake of yet another failure at maintaining a relationship, my writing has reached a point of... well, drivel really, I re-read my past three chapters and managed to spot any number of plot-holes for future chapters, in truth the only reason this chapter and the past two have been posted? I didn't have the heart to leave you on a cliffhanger. As for my relationships? Let's just say that a while ago I met a guy whom had the potential to be my Optimus, only to find he was yet another Galloway. Yeah.

Anyway, grammar is one thing, I live and breath english literature (Canadian spelling btw, write like you were taught *shrug*) however plot bunnies go through stages: Stage one: _multiply_ like bunnies. Stage two: play lemmings in a minefield. Hence the plot-holes, which _will_ be filled in.

Right as soon as I can drag myself out of them.

But to all of my readers, reviewers, _friends. _I _will _finish this story.

Promise.

**Chapter 186 - Symphony**

* * *

(SwPOV)

Her eyes were white.

Soundwave had expected that, Symphony was blind after all. What he had not expected was the way her eyes flashed a hidden blue in the bright sunlight. The way she walked with confidence, a hand lightly resting on Wingnut's arm as the young Wrecker Femme guided her human friend.

Wingnut was staring at him, Bumblebee was staring at Wingnut.

But Soundwave paid no heed to them, his optics, both those of his true form and his holoform belonged solely to the femme now standing still, a questioning hand reaching toward Wingnut.

"Wing? What is it?" Symphony murmured. Her voice was soft, as melodic as her name.

"Sim, you remember what I told you about scouts?" Wingnut murmured quietly.

"=You speak scout!?=" Bumblebee demanded the next second. In scout.

"Wing what is it? What was that?" Symphony asked in a frightened tone.

"I'm sorry," Bumblebee immediately stated. Another holoform came online, the young scout himself, striding forward in human form toward Symphony and Wingnut. "Nobody told me there was another scout on Earth!"

"I do speak scout," Wingnut stated in a wary tone. "What are you doing here?"

But Soundwave paid them no heed, Symphony was still afraid, but he didn't know what to do.

"We followed the thread," Bumblebee stated simply.

Dead silence.

"Is he here?" Symphony asked softly.

Wingnut and Bumblebee promptly began staring at the femme, but Soundwave had beaten them to it.

She was beautiful in her own right, not a classic beauty by the standards of the humans, but Soundwave couldn't help but note the characteristics of the femme his spark called to. Her skin was practically untouched by the sun, very little of the melanin pigments had developed in her derma, and because of it Soundwave could clearly see the pathways of her blood as it coursed through the shallower of her veins, the deep maroon shining a deceptive blue through her skin.

It was a fascinating colour variation.

"Wingnut who's there?" Symphony asked somewhat more loudly.

"Uh..."

"I'm Bumblebee!" Bee stated cheerfully.

"You're a scout," Symphony stated patiently. She didn't look at Bumblebee's holoform, or even toward his voice. Her face moved, however, as though she were seeking something else.

"Yep," Bumblebee stated in that same cheerful tone.

"Wingnut he followed the thread you told me about, who's here?" Symphony demanded. Her hand reached out, questing, looking for something.

But for the life of him, Soundwave couldn't move.

So Symphony did, releasing her hold on Wingnut's arm and walking down her garden path with some confidence. For good reason, it was a familiar place to her, no doubt she had walked that path countless times.

But the way she walked...

She was graceful, Soundwave had not expected that. Her body moved with the grace and fluidity of a song, a hand lightly following the contours of the faded picket fence that guarded her front garden.

Before he knew it, the young femme walked hesitantly toward him.

"I hear your spark," she informed him quietly. "I heard you some time ago, can you speak?"

"Affirmative." Soundwave stated patiently. He never failed to answer a direct question.

"Wingnut told me that your people find their mates at the other end of a spark-thread. Are you the one at the other end of my thread?"

"Affirmative." Soundwave stated quietly. For the first time in vorns, Soundwave stood in fear, he had no data to input into his battle computer. The femme at the other end of his spark-thread stood before him, and the only thing between them was her acceptance or denial of him.

"What is your name?" Symphony asked quietly.

"Designation: Soundwave."

"Do you always talk like that?"

"Vocal pattern... most of the time..." Soundwave stated somewhat haltingly, correcting himself. He didn't want to give the femme the impression of an unemotional husk!

"May I see you?" Symphony asked quietly, her hand reached up, toward him. Automatic function – one which was new to him – guided the hand of his holoform to catch the delicate hand of the femme, gently guiding it to his face. It was a new sensation altogether, her hands were warm as they mapped the face of his holoform, learning his appearance by touch. For the first time, he noted just how deeply sensual the human race was.

Symphony was silent as she learned what he looked like, it was an excellent excuse to return to his contemplation of her own face. Her features were softly angular, the zygomatic arches high and well defined. Some few, almost invisible freckles dusted their way over the bridge of her nose and across those arches. Her helm... _hair_, the humans termed it - was of a medium length, lightly brushing her shoulders and the colour of the sun-bleached grasslands of Africa.

"Why do you look like a human?" Symphony asked him curiously.

"Holoform: Newly acquired. Appearance: can be changed to your preference." Soundwave informed his femme worriedly, then inwardly kicked himself.

He wasn't speaking properly, he almost wished the Weapons Master had accompanied them, to remind him when he slipped into his customary speech patterns.

"I like your face," Symphony informed him quietly. "Your face is strong, even though it's so thin. Not many people who let me see them have faces like yours."

The femme smiled at him, and Soundwave felt his priorities shift. It wasn't a large shift, the universe did not shake, nor planets alter their motions.

But Symphony smiled at him, the fates twined their threads, and Soundwave knew without hesitation that his universe would henceforth revolve around her.

It was only logical, after all. She was his spark-mate.

* * *

(MPOV)

I was exhausted. Between dealing with the fliers, flying into space, resuming orbit, flying into space _again,_ making re-entry without burning my paint off, flying back and forth between Nevada, Washington, Geneva, back to Nevada. Then Air-scout duty.

Not because we were short handed by any means, the President just wanted _me_ to attend air-scout duty, he knew me, so he trusted me. It was incredibly tempting to fly the man to Nevada and introduce him to the Command trine, or to Thrust and _his_ trine. Then to top things off, Sentinel had bridged Ratchet, the twins, Bumblebee, Soundwave with his femme concealed in his cabin and I from Nevada to here. It was fast, and required very little energy expenditure on my part, but it still scrambled my systems to no end.

But I was home, finally. Nevada base had quarters for me, and I'd caught a quick recharge there, but home is where the heart is, and my spark was finally sitting beside me in the central.

Sentinel was glaring at me somewhat, I glared right back at him. Central was silent as a result, watching the primely glaring contest.

"I _hope_ you do not intend to sit thus at _every _opportunity," Sentinel finally growled at me.

I rolled my optics.

"Precisely what is your problem with me plastering myself to my mate?" I asked innocently. It was undignified of course, the fact that I was almost literally welded to my mate. Certainly we were going to have to be careful as we stood up, one of the hoses in my side was caught on my mate's hip strut. I knew I was making a spectacle of myself, my legs slung over my mate's, his arm wound tightly around my waist and my helm resting over his chest.

But to be perfectly honest I didn't give a flying frag what we looked like when I was plastered against my Optimus, Silvermoon was in precisely the same position with Prowl. Arcee and Chromia weren't even _bothering_ to pretend some semblance of dignity, not a single digit belonging to the femmes touched a bench. Besides, we were still waiting for the rest of the bots to arrive.

There was nobot in central but the extended family, and even then we were a few sparks short.

::. Bumblebee to Primes.:: my little brother sent cheerfully. Think of the brat.

::. Kae receiving.:: I sent with a smile.

::. Soundwave and I are hiding in his quarters, how late are we gonna be?.:: my brother sent with a snort.

::. Not too terribly, you're missing Sentinel scolding the femmes for being undignified while we await the rest of the units to arrive.:: my Optimus sent with a smirk.

My little brother was chirping with laughter at that, I could feel his amusement across our sibling bond.

::. Well what's going to happen when we bring Soundwave's sparkmate into the central?.::

::. She's going to see a ton of auto-bots crammed into the central.:: Sunstreaker stated with a snort.

::. And she's gonna hear a bunch of mechs throwing jibes at whomever has won the bet.:: Sideswipe added cheerfully. Sentinel rolled his optics finally, relaxing his rigid stance.

I grinned at him and squirmed somewhat, unhooking the exposed hose in my side from my mate's struts as Auto-bots began filtering in in earnest. Flareup was in her element at the moment, flirting with every mech that so much as looked at her.

Jazz was starting to look rather twitchy about it, I frowned inwardly about that and resolved to mention his twitchiness to Flare. The mech she was determinedly wrapping around her fingers was going to need his processors about him, and soon.

My grandfather strode in that moment, shaking his helm and snorting his amusement as he settled down beside Sentinel.

"Jetfire," Sentinel murmured respectfully.

"Sentinel," my grandfather murmured in return, nodding to the Prime. "What is the universe coming tae? I'd always assumed yeh expected more discipline from th' younglin's around yeh."

"We are outnumbered," Sentinel rumbled irritably, shooting another glare at me.

"Ne'er thought we'd see th' day," Jetfire snorted.

"See the day o' what?" Lugnut demanded, leading the wreckers into Central.

"We're outnumbered by younglin's," Jetfire informed the Wrecker cheerfully. "Always figured I'd be dead an' rustin' away on some strange planet by now. Instead I'm settin' beside me mortal enemy of several hundred vorn and plotting against me original faction tae return Cybertron tae her glory."

Lugnut rolled his optics as I turned my face into my mate's chestplates, hiding my laughter from the older bots the way Sentinel wished me to before I straightened somewhat. Simply because I was lounging on my Optimus before the council certainly didn't mean I was going to behave so rudely _during_ it.

Mind...

"Point eight Joor," I murmured. My Optimus looked down at me curiously. "Point eight joor and I'm going to have you pinned down in our berth," I smirked at my mate, relishing the sound of his processors popping as his body slumped down and back. A few places down Lena was giggling softly, tucked under Jolt's arm. Arcee was shooting me an approving, benevolent smile.

Sentinel just looked resigned.

::. Are they there yet?.:: my little brother demanded impatiently.

I glanced around and smiled, lightly tapping my mate's helm as Magnus nodded approvingly, as though I had eased some worry that I would leave my mate insensate.

::. Come on in, little brother, we're waiting for you.:: I sent to him gently.

The last to arrive, Soundwave followed Bee, bearing his newly found spark-mate in extraordinarily careful hands. Every bot in the central turned to look, half to see whom had won the bet, and half to see what kind of femme the eldest bot in the Auto-bot ranks went for.

Personally, I looked to see whom the next potential human turned bot femme would be, my optics greeting a rather frail, wispy little thing.

Pretty though.

"Soundwave: Proud to introduce guardian-reliant. Designation: Symphony Alexandria O'Niel." Soundwave immediately stated. I could practically feel the bot beaming behind his visor.

"Great. You found a femme and you _still_ can't talk properly," Ironhide immediately growled. "You're gonna scare her _off_ _Soundwave_!"

"Soundwave can speak however he wishes," Symphony immediately responded. I felt my brow ridges rise somewhat. For such a frail seeming little femme, she had a great deal of restrained power behind her voice.

"_Sim!?"_ Lugnut demanded the next second.

"Lugnut?" Symphony asked curiously.

I watched with no little amusement as Lugnut heaved himself to his feet, crossing the central to glare Soundwave in the visor. The silence held for several minutes.

"If you don't take care of that little femme your helm is _mine_, Soundwave." Lugnut finally growled.

"Gratitude, Wrecker Lugnut," Soundwave replied patiently. Beside me, my Optimus smiled, pulling me somewhat closer.

"It's good to hear your spark again, Lugnut," Symphony added, matching her guardian's patient tone. I smiled to see the old Wrecker beam at the little femme. That would simplify things immensely.

"It's nice to see you out of that _ridiculous_ excuse of a city, Sim," Lugnut informed Soundwave's new femme with a smile.

"Soundwave: Discuss Symphony quarters with Lady High Protector at earliest convenience." Soundwave added, turning to look at me.

"After the council, before I recharge," I smiled at my advisor. "Symphony, do you wish to remain during the council or would you like one of the soldiers to give you a tour of the base?"

"I don't have much time before my guardian has to return to a planet that I can't survive on," Symphony stated with blunt patience, surprising any number of the bots in the central. "I should prefer to remain with my spark-mate."

I cycled my optics in the silence.

"Wingnut's been gossiping with you, hasn't she," Lugnut stated in a neutral tone.

"No," Symphony stated calmly.

Silence.

"Inquiry: how does Symphony know Soundwave's schedule without having received direct information?" Soundwave asked curiously.

"You're important enough in the ranks that a full scout could be spared to follow your spark-thread in the middle of a civil war," Symphony stated patiently. "If you lot are grouping together and holding a council at a point where you're capable of bridging to Cybertron again it means that you're important enough to go back. _Soon_. It's only logical."

"I _like_ that femme," my Grandfather commented cheerfully.

"Agreed," Sentinel rumbled gravely. "Tell me young femme, have you any sisters?"

* * *

(SyPOV)

Symphony rested in her guardian's hands. She hadn't seen him yet, she couldn't, really. But by the feel of his hands alone as he cradled her over his spark, Ace was rather enormous.

Everyone called her guardian Soundwave. Wingnut was really respectful of his name, Bumblebee called him Soundie, although Symphony was positive it was just the scout testing her guardian.

Symphony had decided to call him Ace though, and her guardian had laughed at her reasoning. Which was nice, Soundwave had a fascinating kind of laugh. It was soft, gentle. Symphony had never truly been fond of laughter until she'd heard his, laughter was generally the result of the pranks the children had played on her.

She didn't typically feel sorry for herself, Symphony couldn't really remember ever having seen, although before they'd disappeared her parents had told her that she'd had her sight until the age of two.

But then her eyes had simply turned white, whatever that meant, and her world had gone dark.

Symphony couldn't remember seeing, so she didn't really miss it. Not really.

It was annoying sometimes, listening to others as they described what they saw, it was then that Symphony envied them, sometimes.

But not really, her world was filled with sound and touch. Sound in particular, she loved sound. Sound made echos, created pictures of her world. Sound was filled with emotion, with life.

Now, cradled in her guardian's hands, Symphony listened to the sound of a multitude of Cybertronian sparks in an enclosed area. It was a fascinating sound, soft, metallic-but-not humming, echoing throughout a room that seemed to be somewhat circular. Only a circular room allowed for such soft sounds to remain so sharply individual from each other. She had answered the questions put to her, no, she didn't have any sisters, or family anymore. Yes, there was in fact something wrong with her eyes, she couldn't see out of them.

The sounds after that question had been rather amusing, metal on metal, as though someone had struck the questioner. Then to her surprise, a voice with gruff, kind but irritable tones described precisely what was wrong with her eyes, and had proceeded to inform her that he expected her to report to the med-bay for a physical examination.

Nobody had dared to interrupt that voice, either, so Symphony had agreed. Then to her relief, the attention had drifted away from her and to the topic at hand.

The battle that she had predicted her guardian was to be a part of. So Symphony sat comfortably in Ace's hands and used the time to reflect on the past several months of her life.

It'd been an accident, her coming across the Cybertronians at Jackson's farm. Lugnut hadn't known that he was supposed to be hiding from her, and had been her attentive audience for several hours before striking up a conversation with his childish vocabulary. Before she met Longbolt and Wingnut, she hadn't believed Lugnut's attestation that he was a 'full grown Wrecker bot that made her look like a tiny shrimp'. She hadn't believed him until his children arrived and threw a fit about him talking to her.

But the secret was out, and Wingnut was the first Cybertronian Symphony had ever seen. That had upset Mr. Jackson somewhat, but Lester Jackson had always been kind to her, his family incredibly patient and frequently offering the spare room in their farmhouse for her use. They were all the family she had, and truly, all the family she had ever needed.

But the home Symphony had grown up in was in town, it was situated where she could remain relatively self-sufficient. She could retrieve her own food. Her home was quite large, but that didn't really matter, she'd only used three of it's rooms. The kitchen, bathroom and her living quarters, situated in the 'living room' of the house. That was according to the people that came into her house sometimes.

According to those people, the 'social services' people, if she would just move into the 'master bedroom' she could rent the rest of the house out to other people and make money that way.

But Symphony had never been into her parent's room, she had remained in the same three rooms.

Other places in the world didn't bother her like that, and Symphony frequently wondered at herself for that behaviour, but she didn't feel like correcting it within herself. This was a radical change for her, but Symphony was strangely comfortable with it. Yesterday she was in the same place she had always been, visiting with Wingnut the only truly new thing in her life. She had a friend outside of the Jackson family.

Sort of. Lugnut, Wingnut and Longbolt would always be a part of the Jackson family, now.

Today, she had travelled across the country in a matter of seconds, and sat comfortably protected in the hands of her guardian. She had a guardian, a mech some forty times her size who according to Wingnut, was now devoted to caring for her for the rest of her life.

To be perfectly honest, Symphony was still working her way through that one. She was going to cross examine Ace when he came back from Cybertron.

Not before. He already had enough on his processors without his reliant demanding answers.

Actually...

Half of Symphony's mind listened to the conversations around her pertaining to tactics and landmarks. The tactics sounded logical, but places like Iacon, Kaon and the Guardian's Falls meant nothing to her. Somehow, she got the sense that they would in time.

But for now, Symphony devoted her thoughts to cataloguing the list of questions she was going to wheedle the answers to out of Wingnut.


End file.
